Freedom to Love

Chapter Two

IT HAS been seven months of living my dream and five months since the last time I came home. Last July, my mother had a grand 50th birthday celebration and I wouldn't dare to miss it. It was very elegant, emotional and intimate.

"Miss, will you be okay here in this hotel?" Tumingin ako sa assistant kong kasama. She is my secretary and personal photographer for my instagram photos. She does my hair and makeup sometimes, as well."Of course, it's nice with an excellent service so far," I told Janice.

Most of the cities I have visited here in Europe, Montemayor Hotels were booked by brands for me. Pero dahil walang Montemayor Hotel sa Amsterdam, pumili na lang si Janice ng hotel na malapit sa mga appointment ko rito. They are mostly from Dutch Brands.

"What is my schedule for tomorrow?"

Janice is an effective secretary. She can do all and I love her for that. She is trained by my mother's staff after all. She worked for my mother's clothing line for years until she decided to focus on being a freelancer. That's when I met her as one of the makeup artists in one of my previous photoshoot covers.

"Lunch time pa po, Miss."

Napangiti ako sa narinig. Sa loob ng pitong buwan, sobrang natutuwa ako kapag may mga libreng oras ako para makapaglibot. I'm happy with my work but I love having a free time to roam around the cities.

"Ilang days lang ang mga appointment mo rito, Miss. After 5 days, you can finally have your vacation here in Amsterdam. But if you want to have an early flight to London, pwede rin," sabi nito habang inaayos ang mga gamit ko sa kwarto."I am still deciding, Janice. Anyway, you can rest now. I can finish that for you," sabi ko sakanya. 

She will be in a separate room that I paid for her. She also needs to have her own privacy in her free time at night.

"Sige po, Miss," sabi ni Janice pero nakita kong tinapos pa niya ang ginagawa. Tinulungan ko na lang siya para mabilis niyang matapos. I do organize my own clothes at home.

Pagkatapos ay pumasok na si Janice sa kanyang kwarto para magpahinga. My hotel room is nice, in white and beige colors. I love the scent that I personally chose, a refreshing combination of citronella, rose and lemon. I already took a really long bath and it was very relaxing.

I was sitting in a wing chair, deciding if I should turn on the television or not. The view from my window is the hotel's back garden, which I prefer to avoid the noise from the busy street outside. I changed my clothes and decided to get a few drinks from their vault bar.

I sat at the table near the Vault Bar and was informed that their menu is served in a wallet where their specialty cocktails were listed on a paper that looked exactly like money. I was also told that the area of the bar was once a vault of an old bank, that explains the old deposit boxes behind the bar.

After serving my cocktail, the barman gave me a piece of paper and pen.

"Good evening, Miss Montemayor," maligayang bati sa akin ng lalaki. Tumingin ako sa mukha nang lalaki at napagtantong isa itong Pilipino.

"Can you please sign this for my sister? She's your number one fan from the Philippines," he said. Nervousness is evident in his eyes. I wanted to laugh because who would ask for an autograph nowadays?

"I'm sorry but I only came here to enjoy my drink," I dismiss the man. Besides, I don't do autographs.

Halata ang panghihinayang sa mukha ng lalaki, "I'm sorry, ma'am. Enjoy your drink."

"I can give her a gift, instead. I will have it delivered by my assistant to this bar tomorrow," sabi ko sa kanya.

"You don't have to do that, Ma'am..." Alam kong bahagya itong nagulat sa sinabi ko pero base sa tono niya ay may halong inis iyon.