Help Me Remember Paris

Chapter 2

Vince

A week has already passed and we are now preparing to start the construction. Isang hotel resort ang project namin so maraming ginawang paghahanda. I had already lost count of how many meetings were held. Ang dami ring ginawang paper works at revision sa blueprints. I am so relieved at natapos na. According to the plan ay magsisimula na ang construction next week kaya we are talking it easy ngayon.

I turned my computer off and started fixing my things. This is one of the rare moments wherein hindi ko kailangan mag-overtime. Papunta na ako sa parking lot when my phone rang.

"Hi, babe!" sabi ng nasa kabilang linya which brought a smile to my lips. It was Kyla, my girlfriend.

"Hello, babe," sagot ko naman habang patuloy lang sa paglalakad.

"Out mo na?" she asked. "Do you want to have dinner with me?"

"Sure!" I immediately said. "I was about to call you rin naman. Aayain din kitang mag dinner kaya lang naunahan mo ko."

Narinig ko siyang natawa. She has the sweetest laugh. Mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti ko. "Tapos na shift mo?" I asked her.

Kyla is a nurse. She also has a busy schedule like me kaya madalang lang kaming magkita. That is why kapag nagtapat ang end ng shift namin ay we try to see each other.

She works at the hospital where I have my check ups. Actually dun kami nagkakilala. Tinulungan niya ako non kasi di ko mahanap yung room ni Doc. Akala ko that will be our last meeting pero naulit pa yun. Palagi kaming nagkikita sa hospital and we eventually grew close. I asked her to be my girlfriend noong araw na sinabi ni Doc na clear na ang lahat sa case ko.

"Kakatapos lang ng shift ko," she answered. "Saan tayo kakain?"

"I'll pick you up na lang," I answered. "Wait for me."

I know she is too tired to commute so I insisted on picking her up. Ayaw niya kasing bumili ng kotse niya so palagi siyang nagcocommute. Malapit lang naman daw kasi yung ospital sa condo niya kaya ayun.

Pagdating namin sa restaurant ay sinalubong kami agad ng staff. "Table for two," sabi ko.

He led as to the back part of the resto where it is more quiet . I pulled her chair out for her when we reached our table.

"Thank you," she replied as she sat.

"You're welcome." sagot ko naman.

"How was your day?" I asked as we wait for our order.

"Nakakapagod," she replied. "We have a patient who is super grumpy. Lahat kami sinusungitan niya,"she said.

"Oh? What happened ba?" tanong ko naman.

"He injured his knee, badly may I add. He is an athlete so he must be frustrated. Kinakabahan rin siguro siya about sa career niya."

Ah...so the grumpy patient is a he. "What sport is he playing?" I asked

"Hm... basketball ata."

"Is he handsome?" I asked her jokingly. Surely she won't answer yes.

Kyla didn't answer for a while. "I think he is," she replied which shocked me. "I heard he is a hearthrob."

"Is he more handsome than me?" tanong ko ulit in which she just laughed. "Why are you laughing?"

"Don't tell me you're jealous ah," sabi niya kaya nag-iwas ako ng tingin. Nakita niya yun kaya mas lalo siyang natawa. "Wait. You're actually jealous?"

"Don't laugh at me," I said, "this is not a laughing matter, and no, I am not jealous," I defended myself.

She just kept on laughing until our food arrived.

I ordered steak, while she ordered carbonara. We ate in comfortable silence until she decided to break it.

"Love," she called.

"Yes," I said, giving her my full attention.

"Alam mo naman na ikaw ang mahal ko diba?"

I smiled. "Of course," I replied.

"So alam mo na wala kang dapat pagselosan," sabi niya while looking me straight in the eyes.

I know that she was dead serious so I felt a little foolish.

"Yes," I said which earned me the most beautiful smile that I have ever seen.

"So don't get jealous of our patient, okay?" she said it as if she was talking to a child. "Besides, you are more handsome than him!"

I chuckled at that. "I won't," I said as I reached for her hand. "I love you."

Mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti niya. "I love you too.

***

"Kamusta na pala yung project niyo?" she asked as we are driving to her condo.

"We will start the construction next week," I replied.

I saw her nod through my peripheral vision. "Sa Batangas yun diba? Magstay ba kayo don?"

"For a while, pero hindi naman ako kailangan doon throughout the whole construction," I said. "One week lang siguro tapos uuwi na rin ako.

"Eh si Paris?" tanong niya.

"Siya siguro ang mag-stay doon ng matagal," sabi ko naman.

"Grabe namiss ko na yung babaeng yun," sabi naman ni Kyla. "Are schedules never matched!"

I can't help but admire this childish behavior of hers. She is just so cute!

"Don't worry, love. Maybe after this project magka free siya. We could all bond then."

"FYI mister, we will be having girl time. So no boys allowed!" she said in a sassy voice.

"Even me?" I said habang nagpapacute sa kanya.

"Yup!"

We continued to talk about their so called girl time habang nasa biyahe. It made me glad that Kyla and Paris have a good relationship. I heard some people are having a hard time because their girlfriend and best friend are not in good terms. I'm just relieved that is not the case with us. Minsan nga feeling ko ako pa ang third wheel kapag magkakasama kaming tatlo.

We reached her condominium at hinatid ko siya sa unit niya.

She gave me a hug. "Thank you for tonight. I really enjoyed it."

I gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I enjoyed it too," I said with a smile. "Pasok ka na. You have an early day tomorrow."

"Good night, love! I love you!" she said before closing the door.

"I love you too," I said. She gave me one last smile before she finally closed her door.