Glasses 2

Chapter 4: Machiato

The customer took a sip.

"Kumusta naman? Sakto lang ba yung tamis? Kasi kung kulang pwede naman akong maging sweet sa'yo." (How is it? Is it just sweet enough for your taste? Because if not, I can be sweet for you.) he said. Oh yes, this guy knows how to play this game.

The customer smiled. She seems to like it anyway.

"Invite pa kayo ng mga friends niyo dito maam. Good coffee, excellent ambiance for affordable price." (You can invite your friends here, ma'am. Good coffee, excellent ambiance for affordable price.) he said. 

Talk about promotion.

And so the afternoon passed and the evening came and we are just waiting for our last customers.

We're cooling down in the counter when he started a conversation.

"Riley. Nung tinawagan ako ni Jordan...hindi ko naman sinabi sa kanya na nakabalik ka na." (Riley. When Jordan phoned me...I'm telling you I didn't tell him you're back.) Gino said.

"Tingin mo maniniwala ako?" (You think I'll believe that?) I replied.

"Aww. Oo nga. Tingin mo magagawa ko talaga sa 'yo yun?" (Aww. It's true. You think I can do that to you?) he said.

"Sige nga, kung hindi mo sinabi, pa'no siya nagka-idea na bumalik na ako? Ano 'yon naisip niya lang bigla nang walang dahilan?" (Fine. If you didn't tell him, how did he come up with the idea that I came back? Don't tell me he just thought of it out of nowhere?) I questioned.

"Teka. Hindi mo alam?" (Wait. You didn't know?) he said. I didn't know what he's talking about.

"Hindi alam, ang alin?" (Didn't know what?) I confusingly asked. You better come up with a believable excuse now.

"Meron bang kahit ano na napansin mo na sumusunod sa 'yo kahapon?" (Did you notice anything, in any form, trailing you yesterday?) he proposed.

And then I recalled the white taxi that I tried to lose yesterday when I headed out to look for coffee beans.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. "Teka. Ang ibig mong sabihin..." (Wait. You're saying that...)

"Oo g*go si Jordan 'yon. Sabi niya nakita ka daw niya. Ano naniniwala ka na ngayon?" (That's right as*hole! That was Jordan. He said he saw you. Do you believe me now?) he proudly asked. 

"So, anong sinabi mo nga sa kanya?" (So, what did you tell him then?) I inquired.

"Yan yung gusto kong sabihin sa'yo kanina kaso ayaw mong makinig." (That's what I'm about to say but you're not willing to listen.) Gino said making me feel bad about it. And then with an insulting and dragging manner of talking that he always does when he's right and no one believed him first, he said;

"Sinabi KO na hindi IKAW 'yon at baka nagkamali lang SIYA ng tingin. Sabi KO kahit sino namang nasa sitwasyon MO, pipiliin din nila ang lumayo sa sumusunod sa kanila." (I told him he could have mistakenly recognized you for someone else. And anyone who will be tailed like that would've escaped as well just like what you did.) he explained.

I didn't answer. I'm just looking at him.

"Hindi ka kasi nag-iingat eh. Lalalabas-labas ka alam mo namang pwede kayong magkita ni Jordan anytime." (You carelessly go out when you know you can encounter Jordan anytime.) he also preached.

"Naghahanap kasi ako ng coffee bean kahapon. Pero thank you dahil di mo sinabi sa kanya." (I'm looking for coffee beans yesterday. But thanks a lot, you didn't tell him.) I said.

He nodded. "Anong plano mo ngayon? Hindi naman pwedeng habang buhay ka na lang magtatago sa kanya." (What are you gonna do now? You can't hide from him forever.) he said.

"Uhm, naiisip ko na ding puntahan siya eh." (Uhm, I'm thinking of seeing him.) I answered.

"Oh? Mabuti yon. Pero teka, kung kikitain mo na pala siya, bakit ka pa nagagalit kung sinabi ko man sa kanya na bumalik ka na?" (Really? That's good. But wait, if you are planning to see him, why are you being angry if I, just in case, have told him that you're back?) he asked.

"Di ko din alam eh. May mga araw na gusto ko na siyang puntahan. Pero may mga araw na napanghihinaan ako ng loob." (I don't even know myself. There are days I really want to meet him. But there are days that I'm scared.) I replied. "Ang dami mong tanong. Sige na ako na bahala dito." (You asked a lot. Go ahead, I'll take care of the rest.) I added.

"Hmmmmmmmp." Gino uttered while giving me an throwing a shady smile. "Sige. Taasan mo yung sweldo ko dito niyan." (You better give me a salary raise.) he jested. I nodded.

"Hinde, biro lang." (No, I'm just kidding.) he said. "O pano, una na ko. May date pa 'ko." (Well, I'm heading out first. My date is waiting.)

"Sige. Salamat ulit sa tulong mo ngayong araw. May utang ako sa'yo." (Right. Thanks for helping me out today. I owe you one.) I said.

"Sige. See you man." (Ok. See you man.) he said. He left immediately.

He's always eager when it comes to women.

I just shook my head in awe of what Gino has told me and then proceeded to clean up.

It's already past 8 when I finished.

I was getting my things when I heard the door opening. It could be Gino.

"May nakalimutan ka ba?" (Did you forget something?) I asked not really paying attention to him. I was busy keeping my things in my bag.

He's not saying anything. For some reasons, it felt strange. I don't know why.

Who could it be now?

Who would enter a coffee shop despite of a large sign on the door screaming "CLOSED"?

And then when he finally speaks up...

"Isang machiato nga." (One machiato please.) he said in a low voice. 

Who is it?

His voice is shaking.

Who is this? I got curious so I decided to see him. Who is this? I took a step, no, I took a stride.

"Pasensiya na po pero sarado..."(I apologize but the shop...) 

That's when I saw...

"...na ang shop." (...is already closed.)

...who the hell it is.