The Verdict Remedy

Chapter 32

"Ikaw muna bahala kay Mama, tawagan mo na lang ako pag may kailangan," Bilin ko kay Bless habang inaayos ang pagkakakulot ng buhok ko. Today is Wednesday and as we have planned, magkikita kami ngayon ni Claude.

Inayos ko talagang matatapat ang pre-duty ko sa araw na ito, dahil bukod sa gusto ko ring makasama si Claude, ngayon rin ang anniversary namin. He never forget our special occasions kaya may tiwala akong naaalala niya kung anong meron ngayon.

I'm wearing a white off-shoulder blouse tucked in my black wide leg pants, I looked at the clock, it's already 5:30pm, kaya naman mabilis ko nang sinuot ang stiletto ko at inabot ang small handy bag at paper bag kung saan nakalagay ang ireregalo ko. It was only a simple beanie crochet.

"You have reservation Ma'am?" Tanong nung attendant na naroon sa pinto ng restaurant. Fudge, I forgot, usually si Claude ang nagrereserve sa mga pinupuntahan o kinakainan namin.

"I'm not quiet sure, pero pakicheck po is someone named Atlas Claudius Estrella made a reservation," Sagot ko, feeling ko naman pamilyar narin saakin si Ate dahil madalas nga na rito rin kami nagagawi ni Claude pag date namin. She smiled at me and check her list.

"Sorry, Ma'am wala po ehh," Sagot niya.

"Puno pa po kasi ma'am, some of the vacant are reserved and any minute dadating narin po. If its fine, you have to wait for about 60-90 minutes, may mga nauna rin po kasing naghihintay rin" Alanganing sagot niya na tinanguan ko naman.

"Yeah, its fine, wala pa rin naman yung kasama ko," I said and smiled at her, ginuide niya naman ako sa receiving area kung saan may ilang mga upuan na kung saan meron ring mga kapwa ko naghihintay. I opened my phone and call him but the line is busy

1 hour and a few minutes have passed, and Claude is still not here, they already guide me to a two-seat table. I got my phone and called him again, but the call was intentionally ended this time. I called the number once again, and it ended again. Maybe he's on his way. Yeah! he is, I should be patient.

Hours have passed at lumamig narin ang pagkain ko pero wala pa rin siya, kanina pa pabalik-balik yung waiter kaya naman umorder na ako, though 'di ko pa rin nagagalaw ang pagkain.

Inis kong kinuha ang cellphone ko at tinawagan ang number niya but this time its out of coverage.

I watch other people come and go while I wait for my phone and frequently look at the door.

"Ma'am, we would like to inform you, that we would close by 10pm," Sabi nung waiter na lumapit saakin.

Taranta akong napatingin sa relo ko. It's 9:30pm. Tinanguan ko na lang yung waiter at tuluyan ng inayos ang gamit ko.

I looked at the food I ordered, ngayon ko lang narealize na 'di ko pa pala nagagalaw ang kahit ano sa mga iyon.

I can feel my empty stomach, but for some reason, my brain says otherwise cause I feel like I don't have the appetite. I gathered my things and decided to leave the resto.