Chapter 5

"She left early, Sir," sabi ng isang kasambahay nang magtanong si Isaiah kung nasaan si Margeaux. Kakauwi lang niya galing London.

Hindi siya sumagot at dumiritso na sa kaniyang kwarto para makapaglit ng suot. Dalawang linggo na. Dalawang linggo simula nang tumira ang dalaga kasama niya, pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin sila nag-uusap dalawa.

Nang sumapit ang gabi nagluto ang binata nang dinner nilang dalawa. Nagulat ang mga kasambahay nang makitang nagluluto ang kanilang amo. Hindi naman nagsalita si Rafa at tiningnan lang ang kaniyang among nagluluto.

Pagdating sa mansiyon ng dalaga ay nakita niya ang mga bodyguards ng binata ro'n, sakto lang para malaman niyang nakauwi na ang binata mula London. Ilang araw ding wala ang lalaki sa Pinas.

"She's here, Sir," Rafa said. Isaiah nodded at him, and prepared their dinner. He just want to eat dinner with the girl.

Kumunot ang noo ni Margeaux nang makita si Isaiah na nakasuot ng apron. Nagluto ba ang lalaking 'to?

"Good evening," Isaih greeted her. The lady almost parted her lips when she heard that from the man. Okay, this is weird. She know it's been weeks since the day she lives here, and they are not talking like this. She's used to what is happening in this mansion, and she was shocked because of this.

"Good evening," she greeted too.

"Rafa, took her things. We will eat dinner," he said to Rafa. Rafa nodded and took Margeaux's things. Habang ang dalaga naman ay nagtataka na sa nangyayari.

"Let's eat," he said. Hindi niya alam pero nakita na lang niya ang sarili na tumango sa binata. Sinabi rin nito sa lahat na iwan sila para makapag-usap silang dalawa. Hindi nga niya alam kung bakit kailangan pang paalisin ang mga naroon, pwede naman silang mag-usap na hindi na kailangang paalisin pa ang mga kasama nila sa loob.

"You cooked all of these?" She asked the man. He looked at her and smiled. The man was really attractive. Why didn't she notice this earlier? Dahil galit pa siya nang makita ulit ang lalaki. Masama ang kaniyang loob sa naging desisiyon ng kaniyang mga magulang, kasama pa ang mga kapatid niya.

"Yes, I learned it from ny grandma," Isaiah said.

"It's good," she said and smiled at the man too. They continued to talk while eating, at para bang matagal nang kilala ni Margeaux ang lalaki.

By looking at Isaiah, you can tell that he's arrogant because of his looks. But, she realized he is not like that. Maybe, she think of him like that because she was mad.

"Thank you for joining me," sabi ng binata sa dalaga.

"Thank you too," she said and stood up. She felt awkward when she said that. Margeaux's don't know why, but she feel ashamed. What the hell?

"Anyway, I'll be out again. I will leave tomorrow early," sabi ng lalaki nang paalis na si Margeaux. Busy talaga ang lalaki sa trabaho nito.

"Okay, take care," sabi niya sa lalaki at ngumiti ulit doon.

"Kamukha mo talaga siya," bulong ng binata. Kumunot ang noo ni Margeaux nang marinig na parang may sinabi ang lalaki na hindi niya narinig.

"Did you say something?" She asked Isaiah. He immediately shook his head.

"It's nothing." She nodded at him, and walked to her room.

Hindi niya alam pero napangiti siya sa nangyari. Ang unang beses na ngumiti ulit siya, at nakaramdam ng saya sa puso. Hindi niya akalain na makakaramdam pa pala siya nito.

The next day, she woke up and saw breakfast in the tray. There was also a note.

"Good morning, I prepared you a breakfast. See you again, next week."

She smiled and looked at the breakfast the man cooked. Natampal niya ang kaniyang mukha nang mapagtantong nakangiti na naman siya.

No! Hindi siya nakangiti! Hindi pwede!

After eating he cooked for Margeaux. Napatingin siya sa kaniyang cellphone nang mag-ring ito. Tumatawag si Cohen, at dahil good mood siya ay sinagot niya ang tawag ng kapatid.

"Hello?"

"Did you greet him?" Her forehead creased with the sudden question.

"What? Did you dialed a wrong number?" Tanong niya sa kaniyang Kuya. Chineck pa niya kung sa Kuya nga niya iyong number na iyon.

"No," he said. "You didn't know?"

"Know about?" She asked her brother, confused of what he's saying to her now.

"Isaiah. It's his birthday yesterday." Margeaux's eyes widened when she heard that from her brother

Iyon ba ang rason kung bakit niya inayang sumabay sa kaniya ang dalaga? Hindi alam ni Margeaux! Hindi rin naman sinabi sa kaniya nila Rafa at ng maging mga kasambahay.

"Are you kidding me?" She asked, still shocked.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"Damn, I didn't know," sabi ng dalaga. Naalala ang mga nangyari kagabi. Bakit ba hindi niya naisipan na tanongin ang lalaki kung bakit ito nag-aya ng dinner? Edi, sana ay nalaman niya na birthday ng binata kagabi.

"I can't believe you didn't know," Cohen said and sighed. Ano ba ang gagawin niya? Wala na ang lalaki sa Pinas. Umalis na naman 'to.

"How old is he?" She asked her brother.

"30." Her phone almost fell in her hand. What the fuck? Is this a joke?

"What?" She asked again. As if, she just misheard what her brother said a few seconds ago.

"Yes, little sis. He's 30 years old."

"I can't believe you're doing this to me!" Galit na sabi niya at pinatay ang tawag. Hindi na niya kinakaya ang mga nalalaman sa bawat araw na lumipas. First, she was happy that they talked. Second, she's upset that she didn't know Isaiah's birthday was yesterday. Lastly, he is 30 years old. He's too old for her!

She need to talk to Keisha. She need her bestfriend.

Dali-daling pumunta si Keisha sa mansiyon ni Isaiah nang makatanggap ng tawag mula kay Margeaux. She saw the bodyguards outside, and since they already know Keisha they let her in. The maids greeted her. Pumunta na agad siya sa kwarto ng kaibigan.

"Kei," her bestfriend said when she opened the door. Margeaux hugged her tight, and Keisha hugged her back. Hinayaan na muna niyang kumalma ang kaibigan bago ito tanongin kung ano ba ang nangyari.

"I really don't understand why they are doing this to me! Hirap na hirap na ako," sabi ni Margeaux. Keisha tapped her bestfriend back while hugging her.

"He's too old for me! I don't like him!" Margeaux looked at Keisha.

"You know what, para sa akin hindi naman problema ang edad sa pag-ibig. If I love him that much, wala na akong pakialam kung ano ba ang trabaho o edad niya, anong estado niya sa buhay."

"I don't love him," sabi ni Margeaux. Natawa si Keisha sa kaniya nang sabihin niya iyon.

"I know, love. I'm just saying that, age is not a problem. Base on what you said earlier, he prepared a dinner and breakfast for you. He invited you to eat dinner with him," Keisha said. Margeaux nodded at her.

Kinuha niya iyong baso ng tubig at inabot sa kaniyang kaibigan para makainom ito ng tubig. Kapag ganitong nahihirapan si Margeaux ay nandiyan palagi si Keisha para sa kaniya, siya ang one call away friend ni Margeaux.

"Sa tingin mo, sobrang naging OA ang reaksiyon ko sa nalaman ko?" Tanong ni Margeaux sa kaibigan.

"No." Keisha shook her head, "I know how you felt, you're upset and dissapointed." Binigyan niya ng tissue si Margeaux. "That's why you're acting this way, but I want you to know that you need to open your heart for them. As you can see, Auntie Ellaine and Uncle Joaquin are not contacting you. Maybe because, they don't want to disturb you. Binigyan ka nila ng oras para makapag-isip. Isa pa, alam ko naman na gumagawa sila ng paraan para malaman nila kung ano nga ba ang pinagkakaabalahan mo ngayon."

Hindi nagsalita ang dalaga at tumingin na lang sa mga kamay nito. Hinawakan ni Keisha ang kamay ng matalik na kaibigan, at hinayaan na munang makapag-isip ang kaibigan. Naiintindihan niya kung bakit ganito si Margeaux kaya naman hindi niya rin ito masisi sa mga kinikilos niya.

"Thank you, Kei. You're the best!" Margeaux said and hugged Keisha. She hugged her bestfriend tight.

When her secretary called her, Keisha bid her good bye to her bestfriend and went outside. When Keisha entered her car, her phone rang. Cohen is calling. She didn't feel anything. Maybe, she don't like Cohen anymore?

"What is it?" Keisha put her earpiece, and started driving her car.

"Did Margeaux talked to you?" Cohen asked. Tama nga ang hinala niya. Tumawag ito para malaman ang tungkol sa kapatid nito.

"Yes, actually kakaalis ko lang sa mansiyon nila," sabi ng dalaga.

"Thank, God. She did not answering my calls, but I'm glad she talked to you."

"Si Margeaux nagtatampo pa rin, but I tried my best to explain all to her."

"You're the best girl, Kei! Thanks," Cohen said. Napailiang siya at ngumiti. Natapos ang tawag at nagpatuloy na siya sa pagmamanehp. Traffic kaya naman na-stuck ang ibang mga sasakyan kabilang na siya. Nang tumingin siya sa kabila ay nakita niya si Blaze na nakangiti at nakikipag-usap sa kung sino. Parang may kung ano siyang naramdaman nang makita ang ex. Naalala pa niya iyong regalo sa kaniya ng lalaki.

Tumatawa na ang lalaki, at napatingin ito sa gawi ni Keisha. Nawala ang ngiti sa labi ng lalaki nang makita siya.

Napatingin din sa kaniya ang babaeng kasama nito.

Si Erah.

Na naman.

Mrs. Ellaine took her phone and saw the text of her eldest son. Napangiti siya at agad na binalik amg celphone sa lamesa. Mr. Joaquin looked at his wife, when he noticed that his wife is smiling.

"Who made my wife smile like that?" He asked. She looked at her husband, and smiled widely.

"Cohen texted me, okay lang daw si Margeaux. Keisha talked to her," Mrs. Ellaine said.

Mr. Joaquin nodded and smiled as well. "Ang bait talaga ng babaeng iyan. Sobrang bait na kaibigan ng Margeaux natin."

"Yes, she is." Mrs. Sanders agreed.

"I thought of her and our Cohen to marry someday," sabi niya at uminom sa kaniyang kape.

"You talked to our son, about that?" She asked her husband. Mr. Sanders nodded at her, and smiled.

"I talked to him, year ago. Alam naman natin na may gusto si Keisha sa panganay natin, and I talked to him about that," Mr. Joaquin said and remembered what they talked about that day.

"Why you didn't tell me this?" Mrs. Ellaine looks upset, but Mr. Sanders smiled at her and kissed her hand.

"Cohen said no," he said.

"What? I know that our Cohen don't like Keisha, but I hope he just gave her a try to date," Mrs. Ellaine said and she looks sad of what she just heard.

"He said no, because he respects his friend," he said while looking at his wife. Mrs. Sanders looks confused. "Blaze was Keisha's ex, right?"

"Oh, right! I forgot, this is the sign that I'm already old," Mrs. Ellaine said, and they laughed.

"Cohen said, he wouldn't dare to date a girl who's ex of his friends and brothers." Mrs. Ellaine nodded at his husband. She felt proud, that Cohen will think of that.

"Cohen's matured," she said. Mr. Sanders smiled and held her hand.

"That's why, I'm proud of him. To all of them," Mr. Sanders said. "I miss our Margeaux, honey."

Mrs. Ellaine Sanders looked at her husband, and saw how his eyes watered. "Aw, I missed her too. Don't worry, Margeaux will visit us soon."

"I hope so, All we want is to protect her. All of them, we're doing this for them," Mr. Joaquin Sanders said, and hugged his wife.

Erah smiled when she saw Keisha's face. She knows the past relationship of Blaze and that woman, and she don't like it. She's in love with her bestfriend, kaya nga hindi siya payag nung sinabi sa kaniya ni Blaze na may girlfriend na ito.

"Keisha didn't change," she said when the car moved.

"What do you mean?" Blaze asked her.

"I mean, she's still the same. Arrogant, just like before when you're still together," Erah said.

Blaze clenched his jaw when he heard that from his friend. "You don't know her that much, Erah. Stop saying bad things about her."

Erah's smile faded, and looked at Blaze. She shook her head and looked outside. She didn't say anything after that. She knows why he said that. Kahit hindi niya tanongin ang kaibigan. Alam na agad niya ang sagot. Of course, Blaze will protect that girl.