A Deal is a Deal

Chapter Forty - The Fashion Show

Tinaasan lang siya nito ng kilay. “I can take care of myself. Thanks for nothing.” Dumiretso kaagad ito sa pintuan nang hindi tinitingnan ang sarili sa salamin. Pero bago ito tuluyang lumabas ay nagsalita ito ng ubod pait. “By the way, my name’s not Emma. It’s Emily.” With that she banged the door with all her might. He was pretty damn sure she was pissed to death. Well, he cannot blame her for leaving the room unsatisfied.

Umupo siya sa isang settee bago sinagot ang tawag ng kanyang ina. “Yes, ma?”

“Greg, anak. Pumunta ka naman dito bukas sa bahay. Sabado naman bukas at alam kong wala kang trabaho.” Napahilamos siya ng kanyang mukha. “Yes, ma. I’ll be there.”

“Wonderful! Dito ka na mananghalian! I also invited Jack and Crystal over para naman madami tayo.” Sa boses palang ng ina niya ay alam niyang excited ito. That at least made him smile a bit.

“Ok, ma. See you tomorrow then.” Ibababa na niya sana ang tawag ng bigla uling nagsalita ang kanyang ina.

“Where are you right now?” Curious na tanong nito.

“In a hotel room.” Walang ganang sagot niya. He was hoping na ibababa na sana ng ina niya ang tawag.

Wihtout even seeing her ay alam niyang nakataas ang isang kilay nito. “Really… Who’s with you?”

“No one.”

Bumuntong-hininga ito. “Greg. You have to start dating other women! You’re not getting any younger.”

This was the kind of conversation he always hated. “I’ll do my best, ma.” Matipid niyang sagot dito. He didn’t want to prolong the conversation about how lonely his life is.

“You do that. At sana sa birthday mo next month ay may ipapakilala ka na sa amin. I want a grandchild already, Greg. Pagbigyan mo naman ako.”

Napahilot siya ng kanyang sentido. “Ma, I have to go, I’m running low on battery.” Palusot niya dito.

Rinig niya ang boses ng kanyang ama sa background na may tinatanong sa kanyang ina. “Okay, Greg. Ingat ka. See you tomorrow!” Yun lang at binaba na nito ang tawag.

Nagmadali siyang umuwi sa kanyang condo and decided to have a long cold shower. Napailing siya sa sarili. Will she ever haunt his life like this? Tuwing meron siyang kasamang babae ay palaging pumapasok si Gaby sa kanyang isipan. He tried almost everything to forget her. He dated some beautiful and desirable women, bedded them, and then inevitably feel a big hollow space inside his chest afterwards.

Sa tuwing nakikipagtalik siya sa ibang babae ay palaging mukha ni Gabrielle ang nakikita niya sa kanyang isipan. He always imagined her soft swollen lips, porcelain skin, and tousled hair whenever he was with other women. Will he ever forget her? Hindi niya alam kung pang-ilang beses na niyang tinanong iyon sa sarili. He was becoming more and more frustrated every passing day. Frustrated because he haven’t seen Gabrielle for six long agonizing years.