Daddy (Book 5)

07: Familiar Name

Zuck

"One instant black coffee with espresso, please." Sambit ko sa isang lalaki na nakasuot ng kulay brown na apron kaya naman ipinagpalagay kong isa ito sa mga waiter na naka-duty ngayon dito sa La Lena Cafe, it's a lame name to be honest but I don't have a choice anymore dahil ito na lang ang nakita kong bukas na cafe ngayon at kanina pa hinahanap ng aking katawan ang matapang na lasa ng isang kape.

"Black coffee with espresso. Would that be all, sir?" Tanong ng lalaki sa akin.

"What's your bestseller here?" Tanong ko sa lalaki at tiningnan ko ang maliit na nametag na naka-embroid sa may bandang dibdib ng apron nito. Hindi ko mapigilang mabigla nang mabasa ang pamilyar na pangalan na nakasulat sa nametag nito, I suddenly remember that familiar name like it was imprinted in the back of my mind. I remember his name along with his broken promises.

"Our bestsellers here are the Tuna Sandwich and the Classic Hotdog bun, sir." Tugon naman sa akin ng lalaki at tumango-tango lamang ako rito.

"Okay, I'll have the tuna sandwich, Ashton." Tugon ko rito at tila nagulat pa ito nang banggitin ko ang pangalan nito. Aaminin kong medyo naninibago ako dahil halos ilang buwan na rin ang nakalipas nang huli kong banggitin ang pangalan na iyon.

"Um, my name is actually Gabe, sir. This is not my apron." Pagtatama sa akin ng lalaki.

"Aw, my bad. I'll have the tuna sandwich, Gabe." Pag-uulit ko sa aking order ngunit ngayon ay sinabi ko na ang tamang pangalan nito.

"It will be served in ten minutes, sir." Sambit sa akin ni Gabe at tanging pagtango lamang ang itinugon ko rito.

Habang naghihintay ako sa aking order ay hindi ko mapigilang muling maalala ang pangalan na naka-embroid sa suot nitong apron. As much as I want to think that the owner of the apron that Gabe is wearing right now is the same person that I've met a few months ago and made a promise that he'll come back to me but it's been forever and I've never seen his shadow.

I was drowning in thoughts when suddenly my phone rang, agad kong hinugot mula sa aking bulsa ang aking cellphone at napabuntong-hininga na lamang ako nang makita ang pangalan ni Rex na naka-register sa may caller ID. Alam ko na kung ano ang kailangan nito sa akin ngayon.

"Mukha ka talagang pera, Rex." I said in a monotone after accepting the call. Narinig ko ang mahinang pagtawa ni Rex mula sa kabilang linya at inismiran ko lamang ito kahit na hindi naman ako nito nakikita.

"The money is still not in my account, Zuck." Tugon sa akin ni Rex at ramdam ko ang pagkainis sa tono ng boses nito.

"Well, you know Benedict Maxwell right?" Tanong ko rito and he just hummed in response. "It turns out that his father asked him to deliver the money to you but he didn't, instead he used it to god knows what. He's asking for another month and he'll deliver the money to you," dagdag na sambit ko kay Rex at narinig ko ang mahinang pagmumura nito sa kabilang linya.

"And you said yes?" Tanong sa akin ni Rex at sa tono ng boses nito ay parang gusto nitong sabihin ko sa kanya na hindi ako pumayag.

"Yeah, binigyan ko siya ng isang buwang palugit." Walang gatol kong tugon dito.

"Tangina naman, Zuck. Dalawang buwan na ngang delayed ang bayad tapos ngayon binigyan mo pa ng isang buwang palugit?" Sigaw ni Rex sa kabilang linya dahilan para mapakunot ang aking noo at bahagya kong inilayo ang telepono sa aking tenga dahil sa nakakarindi nitong boses.

"Shut the fuck up, Rex. Fifteen million won't hurt your wallet, barya lang naman iyan sa iyo. Kahit na ma-bankrupt pa lahat ng kompanya mo ay okay lang dahil kaya ka namang buhayin ni Gabriel." Prangkang tugon ko rito and I can tell that he was too stunned to speak. Akala siguro nito ay hindi ko alam kung ano ang namamagitan sa kanila ni Gabriel na isa ring mafia boss.

"Don't worry, I'll kill him if he doesn't pay his father's debt." Muling sambit ko rito.

"You better, Zuck." Tugon lamang sa akin ni Rex at walang paalam nitong ibinaba ang tawag, napailing-iling na lamang ako sa ginawa nito. He's always hot-tempered that sometimes I can't help but get annoyed with him, I'm only doing this favor because he's my cousin and even though he's hot-tempered I can sometimes rely on him whenever I need some information from Gabriel. I must say Gabriel and I wasn't fond of each other but we're now in the same line of work, and I know that it's a hard pill to swallow but there are instances where I need some information from him.

Pagkatapos kong maibalik sa aking bulsa ang aking phone ay siya namang pagdating ng aking order.

"Thanks," sambit ko sa waiter at ngumiti lamang ito sa akin bilang tugon.

After almost ten minutes I finish my coffee and my tuna sandwich, agad akong lumabas sa cafe at nagtungo sa aking sasakyan. Isang malalim na buntong-hininga ang aking pinakawalan pagkapasok ko sa aking sasakyan dahil medyo naguguluhan ako kung saan ako uuwi ngayon. I don't fucking know where's my home anymore.

I was just sitting on the driver's seat while thinking if I did the right thing. Hindi ko na mabilang pa kung ilang buntong-hininga na ang aking pinakawalan at nagsisimula na naman akong magka-anxiety attack.

Fuck! I miss him so much. I accidentally saw his name embroidered in the apron of that waiter a while ago and now I can't stop thinking about him. He's the reason why I became a mafia boss when all I want in life is to build my own restaurant and do my passion which is cooking. I still remember that day when I make a bargain with my dad, he'll gonna stop fucking Ashton and in exchange I'm gonna be his successor. I've already made peace with the fact that I'm gonna be the person I swore not to be, ginawa ko ang mga desisyon na iyon because I want Ashton to be free even if he didn't end up with me, that's why I never force him na sumama sa akin pauwi sa bahay nang araw na magdesisyon itong magpakalayo-layo.

I wonder where he is right now. I wonder if he's still single or he's sleeping with another guy right now. Shit! Just thinking that he's sleeping with another guy right now want me to drive this fucking car and bumped it to another car.