The Calm and the Storm

11

11

The anxiety left me as if I never had it in the first place. Nang tanggapin ko ang nararamdaman ko para kay Jeno Emmanuel, para akong natauhan.

Habang naglalakad papunta sa opisina, ang gaan ng ulo ko. I didn't care if I talked with Jeno Emmanuel last night or if we were closer than usual. For the very first time, I just stopped... caring.

May kumatok sa pinto at kaagad itong binuksan. I was about to get angry when I saw Ate Therese went inside the office.

"Are you alright? You called me last night. Sinabi rin ng secretary ko na tumawag ka rin daw sa office? May nangyari ba? I tried calling you again pero hindi na kita matawagan."

I gave her a soft smile. "May emergency lang ako kagabi."

She gasped and went to me. Hinawakan niya ang balikat ko. "Anong nangyari, Trinity?"

"Come on, huwag ka nang mag-panic. Hindi naman big deal."

"Naku, you can't stop me from worrying when I couldn't contact you. Ano bang nangyari?"

I thought of the rats. Then I thought of Jeno Emmanuel. I thought of the dinner we had... The museum where we both stayed and talked for the rest of the night.

"May daga sa condo ko," I said.

Somehow, hindi ako nanginig. Naghintay ako na baka bigla akong kainin ng kaba pero walang nangyari. I was calm. I was fine.

"Ano?!" She grimaced. "That's so disgusting, Trinity. Sabi ko naman sa 'yo na hindi talaga 'yan maganda na lugar. I have a bad feeling about the place."

"Yeah but it's affordable. Tsaka maganda rin ang puwesto nito."

"You can move to Casa de Martinez. May kakilala ako roon. I can call her and talk about it."

I chuckled. "Ayos lang."

"It's not fine! Hindi ka ba nandidiri?"

I almost gagged when I thought of the rats. "Of course."

"Eh, ano pang hinihintay mo? Lumipat ka na."

"It's not that easy. Tsaka wala pa akong panahon, Ate. Well, they already sanitized the place."

"Pero sure ka ba na hindi na ito mauulit?"

I stared at her. Our faces were screaming with disgust. Natawa si Ate, panigurado ay nandidiri na rin. Nahawa na rin ako at dahan-dahang natawa.

"Can we not talk about it, Ate?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's better not to talk about it." She giggled. "But I'm serious. Lumipat ka na, Trinity."

She kept on insisting about it that I agreed. I also need a new place. After that rat incident, hindi na ako mapakali sa loob ng condo. Pero wala pa talaga akong oras.

Hapon nang makipagkita sa akin si Aida over dinner. Mula sa opisina ay dumiretso na ako sa lugar kung saan kami magkikita. She was already there when I arrived.

"Anong nangyari sa 'yo?" kaagad niyang bungad. "You called me last night. May lakad kasi ako at napainom nang maaga kaya hindi ko na nasagot. I called you this morningyou're your line was busy. Ayos ka lang ba?"

Sasagot na sana ako nang dumating ang waiter at binigyan kami ng menu. Aida showed his palm to him while still looking at me, addressing not to disturb us.

"May emergency lang sa condo," I answered.

"Emergency? What kind of emergency?" She gasped. "Lumindol ba kagabi?"

I chuckled. "Nope. Walang lindol. Can we order first?"

Aangal pa sana si Aida nang sinenyasan ko na nasa tabi namin ang waiter. So she had no choice but to order. I also did the same. Pagkatapos ay iniwan na kami ng waiter.