"Fuck, my neck hurts," bulong ko habang minamasahe at iniikot ang leeg ko. It's been a long day of filming for my upcoming travel vlogs and exhausted feels like and understatement at this point. Kagagaling ko sa Isla de Fuego kung saan kinuha ako para i-promote ang tourist attractions sa isla. I've been there for two weeks.
Pagpasok ko sa bahay, basta ko na lang tinapon sa sahig ang bag ko at inilapang ang mga electronic equipments sa coffee table. It felt like I was already dragging my body to move as I walked toward my room. I took a hot shower to relax my tensed muscles. I was planning to go to sleep immediately, but my rumbling stomach wouldn't let me.
Nakatapis ako ng tuwalya nang magtungo sa kusina at nakahawak ng isang face towel. The house feels so quiet, then I remembered— Nanay Fe, my house helper already left. Ang huling sabi niya ay may susunod na lang daw na papalit sa kaniya. I wonder who could it be.
As I entered the kitchen, a woman whose back is facing mine is cleaning the sink. Nakatali ang mahabang kulot na buhok niya at nakasuot siya ng cotton shorts at spaghetti strap na pantaas. I raked my eyes on her back, up and down.
Tumikhim ako para kunin ang atensiyon niya, pero hindi ko inaasahang magulat siya. "Ay, gago ka!" she yelled as she faced me.
"Mabait ako," I countered, amused by her reaction.
"S-Sir Jackson? Kayo po si Jackson?" she asked.
"Yes, and you are?"
"Nessa. Nessa Fate po. Anak ako ni 'Nay Fe, ako na po ang papalit sa kaniya."
I nodded. "Nice to finally meet you, Nessa. 'Nay told me a lot of stories about you."
She awkwardly laughed. "Hindi naman po siguro totoo 'yan."
"Yeah," I replied, but what I said was true.
Her Nanay already told me a lot of stories about her when she was little, but I did not expect to meet her.
"Is Nanay Fe really ready to settle down?"
"May naipon na po siya. Magtatayo yata ulit ng tindahan sa amin?"
"Honestly, I wasn't ready to let her go."
"Matagal na po siyang nagtatrabaho rito," she said, bitterness is evident in her tone. "At least ngayon may oras na siya para sa mga kapatid ko at alagaan si Tatay."
"What's wrong with your Tatay?"
She only smiled at me. "Sir, ano po'ng iluluto kong ulam?"
Maybe she wasn't ready for that question. I guess I was sticking my nose into her business, huh? Kakikilala ko pa lang naman sa kaniya.
"Ano pa ba'ng mayroon?"
"Kakabili ko lang po ng grocery kahapon, kaya kahit ano po."
"Seafood?"
"Alimasag?"
"Alima-what?"
"Uhm, ano po... Crabs."
I nodded. "Yeah, that. Sige, iyon na lang."
"Sige po, puwede ka nang magpahinga."
"Huwag, bata pa ako at virgin."
Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Po?"
I chuckled. Ang cute ng anak ni 'Nay Fe kapag nagugulat. "Wala. Ang sabi ko, galingan mong magluto."
I left her in the kitchen, still looking shocked about my statement. Maybe, that's not her type of humor? I went to the living room to fix my things. I checked the videos I took on the island and planned how to edit them.
Once I set everything up, I smelled the nice aromatic from the kitchen. Sumunod ako sa kaniya para panoorin ang niluluto niya. She looked like the type of girl that won't talk unless you initiate.
"Hi, matagal pa ba 'yan?" tanong ni Jackson. The 'hi' at the beginning was a bit awkward.
"Ay, mabilis lang pong maluto ito, Sir."
"Jackson," pagtatama ko.
"Po?"
"Huwag mo na ako tawagimg sir. It sounds too formal. Jackson na lang ang itawag mo sa akin."
Nessa awkwardly smiled at me. I smiled back. While she was doing her thing, I secretly examined her physique.
Her hair was long and wavy, it's tied in a ponytail, pero hanggang bewang pa rin niya ito. Her skin is tanned, morenang-morena. She's not skinny, but rather curvy. I think she's about a few inches shorter than me.
"Sir, kakain na po ba kayo agad?" she asked.
"Oo. Gutom na rin ako, eh."
Right after she turned off the stove, she immediately served me food, akmang aalis na siya. I called her.
"Saan ka pupunta?"
"Aalis na po, Sir."
"Kumain ka na?"
Umiling siya. "Pagkatapos po ninyo, Sir."
"Ayaw mo bang sumabay na lang?"
Umiling siya ulit. "Nakakahiya naman pong sumabay sa inyo."
"I insist."
Tumango siya at nagdahan-dahang umupo. Her body language really implies that she is shy. It was a long quiet and awkward dinner. Maghuhugas pa sana siya, but I told her to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher instead. After that, I went to my room to rest. It has been a long day.
I dipped myself in bed and slept in my boxers. The exhaustion finally caught up to me. Wala pang limang minuto nang humiga ako, I was already drifting off to sleep.
THE next morning, I woke up with the sun's rays shining on my face. I shifted positions a few times before deciding to get up. I did some quick stretching and a ten-minute cardio workout before I went to the living room.
Nadatnan ko sa baba si Nessa na nagwawalis. Nang makita ako ay kaagad siyang tumuwid at saka ngumiti. I nodded at her and smiled back.
"Good morning, Si— Jackson pala," she said.
"Good morning din."
"Nakahanda na po 'yong breakfast ninyo."
"Really?" Umupo ako sa sofa. "Anong niluto mo?"
"Tinanong ko po si Nanay kung ano ang mga hilig ninyong pagkain sa agahan. Bale, sinangag at saka tapa po ang niluto ko."
Tumango ako. "That sounds good! Kumain ka na?"
Umiling siya. "Naku, sir, mauna po muna kayo."
"Nessa, you don't have to wait for me to eat bago ka kumain."
Umiling ulit siya na parang nahihiya. "Hindi po ayos sa akin ang ganoon, Sir."
"I told you, Jackson na lang. And it's really fine by me. Don't treat me like I am someone superior."
"Pero kasi boss po kita, eh."
"I treated 'Nay Fe like a close friend. Sigurado naman akong puwede kitang maging kaibigan, 'di ba?"
Tumango si Nessa. Pinagpatuloy niya ang paglilinis niya na parang wala lang ako sa paligid niya. I never thought she would be this shy around me. Baka naguwapuhan sa akin. She's cute, though.
"Halika na, kain na tayo," pag-aaya ko sa kaniya.
"Sige po, tapusin ko lang ito."
I shook my head. "No, I insist. Puwede mong tapusin 'yan mamaya."
Mukhang labag pa sa kalooban niyang itigil ang ginagawa niya. Umupo siya sa tapat ko at hinayaan akong kumuha ng pagkain ko. I observed her movements, but she didn't seem to notice. She can't even look at me!
"Oh, my coffee," I blurted out loud.
Mabilis siyang tumayo. "Ano po'ng gusto ninyong timpla ng kape niyo, Sir- Jackson pala."
Nagulat naman ako sa inasta niya. I can make my coffee. I don't understand why she thinks she has to do everything in this house.
"Black coffee," tipid na sagot ko.
Hindi man lang siya umimik at basta na lang umalis sa harap ko. Pagbalik niya ay may hawak niya siyang isang mug na may black coffee. Umupo siya ulit sa harap ko at nagpanggap na parang walang nangyari.
"Nessa, bakit parang natataranta ka?" I curiously asked. "Gano'n ba ako kagandang lalaki sa paningin mo para mataranta ka?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata niyang tumingin sa akin. "Hala, hindi kaya!"
I jokingly clutched my chest. "Ouch?! parang diring-diri ka naman at wagas kang maka-hindi?"
She waved her hands in the air. "Hindi sa gano'n. siyempre nagiging pormal lang po ako sa 'yo kasi boss kita. Ayaw ko naman pong maging bastos. . . Jackson."
I laughed at her reaction. "Relax, I was just trying to lighten the atmosphere. Parang takot na takot ka naman kasi sa akin. Let's clear things up, shall we?"
Dahan-dahan siyang tumango.
I continued talking. "Okay, first things first, I am your boss, but that does not make you any less than me. You're working and doing your best so I pay you with my money. I can be your friend, Nessa. You're far from your home so you're free to make yourself feel at home in here. I am not strict, ang mahalaga matapos mo ang trabaho mo at malinis ang bahay. Once you're done, you can watch TV or do whatever you want. You don't have to work all the time."
"Nakakahiya naman po kasi talaga, Jackson. Ang laki ng suweldo ko rito kumpara sa ibang tao tapos hihilta ako riyan."
I shook my head. "Huwag kang mahihiya. You'll be working for me kaya madalas mo akong makikita. And what's with the po?"
"Ah, sabi kasi ni Nanay mas matanda ka ng dalawang taon sa akin."
Tumango ako. Hindi na ako sumagot pagkatapos no'n. I continued eating and she did her things as well. After the delicious breakfast she prepared for me, nagkulong na naman ako sa kuwarto ko para ayusin ang vlogs ko.