An Inconvenient Attachment

Chapter Six

Cashmere

I cannot believed what I'm reading right now. Eirene did sent me her rates and it's beyond my company's measure, and expectation. It's my first time to meet someone like her - someone as thick as her face. Hindi ko maiwasang mailing at talagang Tagalog pa ang ginamit niyang salita sa email na pinadala sa akin. Akala naman niya hindi ko maiintindihan gayong nag-aral ako sa Pilipinas mula junior high school hanggang college.

I took my master's degree here in London with my sister, Kaliana. We both take architecture, but Kaliana is losing her mind a bit now. My sister is trying to switch careers simply because she's bored. Going back to my main problem, I don't know what to do. Eirene's asking me for £4,000 per interior consultation with Icheyeru's Town House project!

"She's nuts!" I yelled and turned off my laptop. I dared not reply to Eirene's email. I want to meet her in person and make a fair deal. There's no way I will pay for her service that much.

"Who's nuts, bro? And why there's girly stuff in your room?"

I also went nuts when I saw the kinds of stuff Kaliana was referring to me. But I know who leave those stuff.

Eirene...

"You were in my room?"

"To borrow a shirt." She danced in front of me, wearing one of my shirts. Walang akong nagawa kung 'di huminga lang nang malalim at pinaalis na ang kapatid ko. "Your house kinda spotless. I'm impressed with your new house cleaner. Can you ask them to clean mine too? I don't have extra time just like you, but I will pay good money. Are you going somewhere?"

"With Dad's money?" I mocked my sister, and she just rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm going out."

"To meet who?"

"A scammer."

Nakita ko na kumamot sa ulo si Kaliana kaya nagpaalam na ako sa kanya. I told her not to leave her girly stuff unattended. The last time I let her in my house, she almost burned my kitchen. I had to remodel it and paid extra for my in-house interior designers. That's a nightmare, and my sister's a disaster, just like Eirene.

I followed Eirene's address on her email and stroll around the Tower Bridge just like a normal tourist. Hindi ko sana siya pupuntahan kung maayos lang ang binigay niyang rate card. Kung alam ko lang na gahaman ang babaeng iyon, hindi ko na sana siya inalok ng trabaho. Tsismosa pa at pakialamera sa trabaho na hindi naman para sa kanya. I don't want to loose Icheyeru's because a position review is depending on it.

Even though my father owned the company, I'm still under the review of the boards. My father is part of it but asked everybody not to be biased. They own the company and let other people facilitate it for them. And I get evaluated by the people they trust, so I cannot lose one of our biggest clients.

When I reached Camry Apartments, I went to the grand stairwell and ascended to the fourth floor. This old apartment is located in the heart of 2 Cayenne Road. I bet her room has a view of the Tower Bridge, which all girls love. My parents met there as per my mother's stories. Dad, on the contrary, says he met Mom in one of their lacrosse game.

"Oh? Arch. Gridley! It's such an honor." She's pissing me off. She's an evil enemy. I should have taken her down instead of giving her a chance.

"Hold that crap, Eirene. We need to talk."

***

I am looking at Eirene while she eats her baked macaroni which she made me order online. Eirene didn't scam me with the service fees she wanted to charge but won in buying foods to her liking. I feel like I'm feeding a hundred homeless kids from the Philippines by watching her eat.