Chapter Sixteen
ALEXANDER
I was playing with the sign pen on top of the desk, spinning it over and over again, as I thought about what happened yesterday at the orphanage. I can vividly remember the smile on Blythe's face as she watched the kids play with one another. She lights up every time she talks about them, and when we got home, she told me stories about the kids, her childhood, and how her foster parents raised her.
"Son."
She told me how Sister Gertrude caught her sneaking past curfew to watch a movie on the living room which resulted to her getting dishwashing duty for a week. She mentioned how Sister Aurelia reprimanded her for hiding in the laundry room for half an hour because she didn't feel like playing the occasional board game on Fridays.
"Alexander."
"Yes, Dad?" My train of thoughts was interrupted when he called me. My father is sitting on a swivel chair next to me. The meeting has been going on for an hour now, but I'm finding it hard to focus.
Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at itinuro ang cellphone na hawak ko. "Is something bothering you? Kanina ko pa napapansin na parang lumilipad ang utak mo, anak."
"Everything's okay, Dad." He nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line, before looking back at the presentor. His arms were neatly folded in front of his chest. Even with age, my father still looked every bit as regal as the man that he is. My mother always tells us how similar our personalities are. According to her, I was the younger version of Aaron Ceyx Monteverde.
My phone buzzed.
I opened the message and saw that it came from Blythe. Lunch out tayo.
I snickered. Ayaw ko nga. Ligawan mo muna ako.
Ay, hard to get? She texted back.
Paghirapan mo muna ako, Ms. Dominguez.
Another buzz. Eddie.
Was that a misrouted text? Eddie who? tanong ko.
Eddie wow.
This time, hindi ko na napigilan ang pagngiti. Ibinulsa ko ang cellphone at pinilit ko ang sarili na makinig sa nagsasalita sa harap. From my peripheral, I noticed that my father was looking at me intently. I turned to look at him back.
"Magpapamisa na ba ako dahil napangiti ka ng isang text message? Who in the world are you texting?" nahihiwagaan niyang tanong. I just smirked. "Tell me, son. Is it a woman?" Nahihimigan ko na ang pang-aasar sa tono niya.
"Give me some privacy, old man." It caused him to throw his head back in laughter. The whole board looked at my father and he smiled at them before waving his hand dismissively.
"I'm sorry about that, gentlemen. My son and I are engaged in an amusing conversation. Please do continue. Don't mind us." The meeting resumed. Inakala kong titigilan na niya ako, but he did not. He even nudged me playfully. "So, it really is a woman. Tell me about her." Napailing na lang ako bago itinupi ang dalawang braso ko sa dibdib. I reclined on my swivel chair. I'm not spilling anything. He had this expectant look in his features.
"Lay off me, Dad. Come on."
"I just wanted to know. Is this the woman Daze met in your unit?"
"That little brat." I cursed. "Sinabi niya 'yun sa inyo?"
"Of course! She was so excited and told us some interesting things about her. I heard she has blue hair. She is a photographer, yes?"
"She is." It felt uncomfortable discussing what Blythe and I have with my father mainly because I'm not certain what exactly it is that we have. At first, I have to admit that I was into the game because I was challenged by her feisty personality, but as I got to know her, I realized that there's more to her than being a cool straightforward woman.
She's kind, and sweet, and funny.
She's different. Good different. The kind of different that makes you lose your mind.
"When are we going to meet her?"
"I don't know, Dad." I shook my head. "She doesn't even know."
"Know what?" he feigned the cluelessness and it made me want to scowl at him.
"How much she means to me." I hissed, but my tone was low. I didn't want any of the board members to know I wasn't listening because I was busy discussing my lovelife with my father. I have always been attentive when it came to meetings and forums, but right now, I can't stop thinking about her.
"And how much exactly is that?" he teased.
"Dad... You're not taking me seriously."
"I'm sorry, my son. It's hard for me. It's the first time we are having this kind of conversation, and I'm torn between giving you real advice like how a father should and teasing you like friends do."
"Nevermind."
He gave me a final snigger before shrugging. "Follow your heart."
"Not my head?" I asked.
"Not your head." He smiled meaningfully. "Because then, you'd be confused which head to follow." I sighed, exasperated, as he laughed it off. "Kidding, son, I was kidding.
Nang ibalik niya ang atensyon niya sa nagaganap na diskusyon ay kinuha ko naman ulit ang phone ko. Nakalimutan kong hindi nga pala ako nakasagot sa text ni Blythe.
I'll be there in thirty, love.
Ibinulsa ko na ito nang makitang nginingisian na naman ako ni Dad. When the meeting was done, I headed to my office because I left my car key on top of my desk. Palabas na sana ako ng opisina nang makasalubong ko si Dad. Nakapamulsa siya habang nakatingin sa 'kin, marahil nagtataka kung saan ako pupunta.
"Lunch out," I explained. His eyebrows fused together even more.
"Usually, you just stay here and order. Or you call your mother to have food delivered from home. Since when did you learn to have a lunch out, son? I'm intrigued."
"Since today, Dad." I pocketed my keys.
"Wow." He shrugged. "You used to be workaholic."
"Not anymore, I guess."
He still looked puzzled with the way I was acting, so I came to him and patted his shoulder. "Gotta go, Dad. You know..." I let the sentence hang for a bit. An unexpected smile crossed my lips for a second. "Priorities."
"Good Lord, my son is acting like a lovesick teenager!"
***
When I got to the studio, I found Blythe hunched over her desk, sleeping peacefully. I didn't want to wake her because we stayed up late talking last night, but she has to eat lunch. I walked over to her table and gently caressed her back.
"Blythe, I'm here. Wake up, we're getting lunch."
She didn't respond.
"Love, come on, wake up." She groaned and slowly opened her eyes. She looked at me, yawned and stood up. She gave me a small smile before she pulled me into a tight hug.
"What took you so long?"
"Board meeting. We were discussing a lot of things. Dad was there, too."
"Really?" She stretched. "Did you tell him you were going out?"
"Mmm-hmm." He smiled at me and moved my hair to the side. "What do you want to eat for lunch? Persian? Thai? Chinese food? What do you have in mind?"
"Fishballs?"
"Blythe, I'm not letting you eat that for lunch. You need something healthy, something heavy. I want real food, okay?"
"Natatakot ka lang na masawsawan mo uli ng fishball 'yung banlawan ng sandok, e."
Napahalakhak ako ng malakas. "And that, too."
"Sir, nasawsawan mo ng fishball ang lagayan ng sandok?" Sabay kaming napalingon sa pinanggalingan ng boses at nakita ko ang assistant niyang si Terry sa bungad ng pinto na nagpipigil ng ngiti. "Nakakaloka naman, Sir. Ano'ng lasa no'n?"
"Terry, it tasted like trash!"
Sabay silang natawa. Sa huli ay nagpagdesisyunan ni Blythe na mag-Chinese cuisine na lang kami today because she was craving for some good old xiao long bao. Since I had paperworks to come back to and she has another meeting to attend, we had to eat quickly. Nang mag-park ako sa tapat ng office niya ay binigyan niya ako ng sad face.
"We really have to work, don't we?"
"We do. I'll see you at home."
"Home..." she murmured. She looked at me funny before she gave me a smack.
"Work well, champ."
I guess that was all the motivation I needed. I drove back to the office and found out that my father already went home. I returned to my office, took the folders my secretary stacked on top of my desk, and started reviewing the contracts and proposals. Olive went inside to remind me of her leave tomorrow and I just nodded absently.
The day ended pretty fast. When the phone vibrated inside my pocket, I already expected Blythe's name to appear on the screen.
Race you home?
What's in it for me? I said.
Winner gets to decide breakfast meals for a week.
I rolled my eyes. And have you choose fishballs for breakfast every morning? No deal.
Bummer.
I took my coat, slung it across my shoulder, and hurriedly went to my personal elevator. I saw my friend Maxwell sitting on a chair in a lobby as if he was waiting for someone. He stood up as soon as I stepped out.
"Man! I was waiting for you. I called and Olive said you already boarded the elevator."
"What is it, Max?"
"Let's go out drinking tonight. Clint and Brent will be there. I heard Brent's ex-girlfriend is back in town and the guy's devastated to know she's married." Napangiwi ako. Maxwell, Clint and Brent are my closest friends. We met in highschool, then Clint moved to Hungary to continue his studies, then flew back to Manila to put up his business a few years ago. Maxwell works for the company, however, he's handling a different branch.
"Brent hasn't moved on yet?"
"Seems to me like he hasn't. You going?"
"I can't, man. I have an important event to attend to."
"Oh, alright. Sabihan mo na lang kami kung makakasunod ka."
"I will. Gotta roll." He bobbed his head up and down.
I jogged to the parking lot and got inside my car. I put my Honne playlist on as I calmly drove home. I know Blythe is already there, probably watching Netflix, or binge-watching Harry Potter. The thought of her waiting for me is more than enough to excite me.
Nagmamadali akong magpark at umakyat sa building. Since we have spare keys of each other's unit, I no longer knocked. I opened the door and there she is...
There she is in a loose white t-shirt, skimpy velvet shorts, and a messy bun.
There she is munching on potato chips, focused on the movie she's watching.
There she is looking effortlessly beautiful.
And here I am, amazed that I get to enjoy this view.
I walked over and she turned, cracked a smile, and winked at me playfully. I sat on the couch and wrapped my arms around her.
It felt right.
It felt right to be this close to her.
It felt right because I am in love with her.