All at Once (Absinthe Series 6)

Kabanata 2

Kabanata 2

All at Once

"Phaedra, what do you think of adding this one to the design on stage? Para sa reception?" Ruth asked me while we were skimming through the pages of a wedding magazine. Nasa Casa Gomez kami ngayon, ang restaurant na pagmamay-ari ni Raya.

"It goes with the motif, pero hindi ba magiging over designed iyong stage? Let's just go with the
soft Greek bench and red flowers." I suggested.

Ruth winked at me. Si Raya ay kararating lang sa pwesto namin at may dalang mga pagkain.

"Won't you add something on the design, Raya? Okay na ba ito?"

Umupo sa tabi ko si Raya. "Oo naman. I trust your tastes with the designs. Ipapasa ko na lang sa kanila if they want some additional concepts. Basta ang akin, I really want a Greek vibe," aniya.

Raya decided to have a Greek themed wedding. Not that they have to wear gladiator shoes or something on the wedding. Simpleng red, gold and white yung motif. They had done their pre-wedding shoot last month. Raya was wearing red ombre Greek goddess gown and thick bangles on her upper arm. The shoot was done in Greece, in a ruins. Basta't marami silang napuntaham sa Greece lalo na sa Santorini where they used a yacht and sailed the pristine waters.

"Adik ka na nga kay Helion, pati ba naman sa mga Greek stuff adik ka na din. Nasaan ang patriotism?" biro ni Jeni. Tumawa kaming lahat at pinamulahan naman ng mukha si Raya.

"Maganda naman, ah?" angal niya. I just shook my head at the two. Minsan talaga aso't pusa ang dalawa. Hindi ko alam kung trip lang ba nilang magtalo o ano.

It's a good thing that I have friends like them. Sa mga panahong kailangan ko ng suporta, nandoon sila. The moment Zeke broke up with me, they were there to pacify me. Minsan pakiramdam ko, ako talaga ang taga dala ng problema sa amin.

"Kailan ka pupunta sa cafe mo, Phae?" Trinity asked me when we went out of Casa Gomez. It was already 12 noon.

"Mamaya, siguro. I have to change clothes."

"Wala ka ng damit sa office mo?" tanong niya.

"Inuwi ko sa condo. I'll probably put some later. Thanks for reminding me, Trinidad." I grinned at her. Trinity glared at me as soon as I mentioned her name. She doesn't like it. It sounds too old for her that's why she prefers to be called Trinity.

"Bye na. Ingat ka sa biyahe." She winked before she entered her car. Pumasok na din ako sa aking kotse at nagdrive na papuntang condo.

I changed into a black polo blouse with the logo of my cafe on it and paired it with a denim pencil skirt. I wore a pair of white loafers. Nagdala ako ng isang duffel bag para sa mga damit kong dadalhin sa office.

Nang makarating ako sa cafe, marami ng customers. My staffs greeted me as I entered the back door and used the other stairs to reach my office. Inayos ko muna ang mga damit ko sa rack na pinaglalagyan ko. I arranged them by colors and by types. Gaya ng sabi ko noon, kapag hindi ako satisfied sa nakikita, paulit-ulit ko iyong inaayos. I fold my clothes at the condo several times, arranged them by color and type and the tower of clothes should be aligned. Ayaw kong nagugulo. One misplaced on an object, I sometimes went berserk just to find it.

Lumabas ako ng office. Bumungad sa akin ang second floor na marami ding mga estudyante. Binati ako ng isang staff namin nang madaanan niya ako. I checked the student's lounge. May mga estudyante rin doon.

I went downstairs. Ang bar table na nadidikit sa dingding ay puno ng estudyanteng nakaupo sa wooden high stool. When I looked at the dine in counter, marami na ang nakapila doon. Ella was in there. Sa kabilang counter for take outs naman ay si Samuel at Enyo.