Losing Control

Labing Lima

"Weh," he said, sounding very pang-masa all of a sudden. 

"I have a sort of boyfriend.  And di ba may sort of girlfriend ka rin?"

"Correction," Ashton also took a sip of his sparkling wine.  "May babaeng nirereto sa akin ang parents ko, but I wouldn't call her my girlfriend.  In fact, I haven't even met her yet."

"Ay, alam mo, mabuti nga yan...for her.  I mean, if she only knew kung gaano ka ka-hambog, naku naku, tsk tsk tsk," she shook her head and took another sip.

"Kaya nga eh, ikaw lang ang kilala kong will put up with my crap.  Kaya ikaw lang ang gusto ko.  And if you'd stop living in denial, I know you like me, too."

"You're imagining things.   For all you know, pineperahan lang kita," she shrugged as the baked brie arrived at their table.

"Ready na po ba kayo magorder, sir, ma'am?" tanong ng server nila.

"Oh yes, I will have the petite filet mignon and the truffle poached lobster with bearnaise sauce and caviar.  Oh, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.  Thank you," she smiled widely at the server.

"Ikaw po, sir?" 

"Dry aged prime rib eye, parmesan-peppercorn mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus," Ashton told the server and closed his menu.  "Oh, and a bottle of cabernet sauvignon."

"Sige po, sir."

"So...Gigi.  Did you study at some hoity toity culinary school or something?"

"Paano mo naman nasabi yun?"

"I'm just asking, making conversation, getting to know you better," he smiled at her.

"Nope," was her short reply.

"Okay..." he chuckled.

"Cooking wasn't exactly my first choice career," she dipped an apple into the warm brie cheese and popped it into her mouth.

"Maybe cooking for me wasn't.  Maybe you wanted to be a chef at some five star hotel or fancy restaurant?"

"Party planning."

"What?"

"That's what I wanted to do.  Plan parties.  Go to parties.  Big parties.  With VIPs.  With celebrities.  Seen and be seen.  Things like that."

"So why aren't you doing that?"

"Well, my life took a little detour," she looked him in the eye.

"Gigi," he reached over and held her hand that rested on the table.  "Maybe you're meant to be here, haven't you thought of that?  Maybe this is exactly where you're supposed to be.  Even if it doesn't seem like it, it might be  a Divine delay kung bakit ka nandito ngayon," he looked deep into her eyes.  "I, for one, am so happy you are here.  You woke something up in me, something that had been dormant for a while," he smiled at her.  He looked down at their hands.  "Hmm," he smirked.

"What?" she asked.

"Your nails."

"Oh yeah," she took her hand back from Ashton.  "Tinanggal ko na lang yung nail polish ko.  It was so chipped and ugly na kasi eh."

"Do you want to get a manicure tomorrow?"

"Huh?"

"Pumunta ka ng salon and get a manicure.  Pati pedicure na rin."

"Ano ka ba, busy ako bukas.  Mamamalengke pa ako tapos magluluto, tutulungan si Carlota sa mga lilinisin nya..."

"Well, do all that after."