Through Secrets Unveiled

Chapter Fifty-Eight - Clean

One week later . . .

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Fritzie replied through the phone call. "Talagang magyayaya ka kung kailan flight ko na kinabukasan no'n?"

Stacey checked the screen of her phone. She slightly swiped down the top most part of the screen to check the date. It was already January 5.

Ibinalik niya sa tainga ang cell phone. "Sige na, Fritzie. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na lahat kayo, narito sa Pilipinas, eh. Hindi ko alam na saktong may flight ka bukas. But just this once, pagbigyan mo naman ako. Magkita-kita tayo bukas. Pumayag na sina Sonny, oh. Ikaw na lang."

She heard her friend sigh. "I really want to come. Pero importante ang flight ko this January 7 sa Sweden!"

She smiled. "Ganito. Why don't we all hang out in your place tomorrow, January 6? We won't do anything crazy, para walang ligpitin masyado. We'll spend the whole day there and have an overnight. Pagkatapos, kinabukasan, ihahatid ka namin sa airport. How's that?"

"Are you sure about that? Is it not supposed to be your bachelorette party?"

Namilog ang kanyang mga mata. "Anong 'bachelorette party' ang pinagsasasabi mo d'yan?"

"Kasi naman po, ano," taray-tarayan ni Fritzie ng boses, "these past few years, we rarely arrange a meet up. We are always busy, at kung may instance na magkita-kita tayo, it is either, by accident—like stumbling upon each other at the mall—or planned, pero hindi tayo kumpleto. So, I thought, this has to be very important kaya pinipilit mo na makumpleto tayo sa meet up na ito. And at this point, the only thing I can think of as something very important for you is getting married with Renante!"

Mabilis man magsalita si Fritzie, narinig naman niya ang bawat katagang binitiwan nito. Pigil niya tuloy ang matawa. Kinikilig kasi siya sa isiping maging ang kaibigan niya ay iisa lang ang nakikitang magiging future nila ni Renante—ang ikasal—pero natatawa rin siya dahil ipinaalala nito ang kondisyon ng friendship nilang lima kasama sina Sonny, Cynthia, at Kylie. She was reminded that they got so busy with life they even rarely meet each other, or even talk on the phone. But what's making her smile about it is that even if that is the case, they still consider each other as friends.

"Well, saan pa ba kami pupunta ni Renante kundi sa kasalan?" Stacey grinned proudly. In her mind she was flipping back her hair confidently as she chuckled. Pagkatapos, sumeryoso na rin siya. "But seriously, Fritzie, gusto ko talagang makumpleto tayo. I don't know when I will find this chance again na lahat tayo ay narito sa Pilipinas."

Her friend fell silent on the other line. The suspense made her hold her breath. She only managed to breathe when Fritzie finally spoke.

"Okay. Let's gather in my place. I am not talking about my apartment in Makati. Matagal na akong umalis doon."

"Oh!" Medyo nataranta siya. Hindi malaman ni Stacey kung ano ang unang poprosesuhin sa kanyang isip—ang tuwa niya sa pagpayag ni Fritzie o ang pagkabigla dahil ngayon lang niya nalamang nag-iba na ito ng address. "Sorry. I don't . . . I'm so happy, m-makukumpleto na rin tayo—" She took a breath to calm down. "Sorry, ngayon ko lang nalaman na lumipat ka na pala."

Bahagyang natawa si Fritzie sa pagkataranta niya. Hindi kasi nito akalain na may ganitong side ang matapang at go-getter na si Stacey. Iyong nangangatal at natataranta.

"Well . . . I am also sorry, I did not inform you, girls. It's just that . . . panay ang out-of-town trips ko these past few years. I can't maintain an apartment anymore, so I'd rather sell it . . ."

.

.

FRITZIE continued her story the next day. Sa loob mismo ng gusali kung nasaan ang condominium unit nito. All of them stopped in front of the door and waited for Fritzie to unlock the door.