Pop's POV
"Are you sure gusto mong ibenta ulit sa akin itong café Aga?" She asked his friend who is currently playing with her two months old baby Theodore Austin Jimenez Ocampo. Yes she still used her ex-husbands last name for their child kahit pa nga ayaw itong kilalanin ng ama.
"Yes, you're the first person I asked kasi I felt it's only proper since you are one of the people who built this place. " Aga responded..
"Thank you Aga. I really need this place back, not only because I will stop being a lawyer muna for Austin so I can focus more on him but you know, I want him to have something that is connected to his father." Aga knows her story on why Martin and her broke up that's why he didn't ask further.
When Martin and her separated, Martin got the unit upstairs and she got the café, she sold it to Aga because she knew how much the café meant to him and Carmen.
Aga and her family are friends she's like an "ate" to him and he's like a baby brother to her.
"Ikaw? Anong plano mo? Akala ko you don't want to let this place go because of Carmen? And now you are letting it go because of another girl?" She heard the rumors about him and the singer Lea Villareal, Dawns cousin.
"This place used to hold so much happy memories for me Pops but now, this place only brings me pain. I have to move forward you know? Kailangan kong buohin muna ulit sarili ko because I don't think I can love fully again until I found the missing pieces of me." Aga then move towards the cork board and looked at the pictures.
He took a picture. It was his and Carmen's photo
"I'll take this Pops a. I don't think it belonged there anymore."
"E paano yung picture niyo ni Lea? Iiwanan mo na lang diyan?" She asked teasing him.
"Hindi naman sa akin yan. That's hers, baka bumalik at hanapin naku mag wawala yun." He even laughed at that. She saw the regrets and pain in his eyes.
"Eh ikaw? Bakit wala na dito yung picture niyo ni Martin?" Dagdag tanong pa nito.
"Wala ba?" She asked because she isn't aware of that. While carrying her baby ay lumapit siya sa corkboard she searched for their picture but it's not there. "I don't know where it is. Baka kasama sa mga gamit na sinunog ni Martin." Biro na lang niya at mapait na tumawa.
She contacted Dawn to see if she can also bought the apartment, her house is a little far from where the café is located, she told her she will think about it but she can live in the apartment with her. She agreed because it is more convenient for her. She and Austin can use one of the bedroom of the house. She didn't hire a nanny because she have trust issues.
From what Dawn told her, she'll be back in a month so for one month solo nila ni Austin ang bahay.
"So pano Pops? Aalis na ako." Paalam ni Aga.
"San ka na niyan?" She asked.
"Manila. Dad finally agreed to retire kaya ako na muna mag manage ng firm sa Manila, kasi si Kuya mag cru-cruise daw muna sa Carribean."
"Sus. Baka naman may sinusundan ka lang ka lang sa Manila architect ah." Panunukso pa niya dito ngunit nginitian lang siya ni Aga.
Nang makaalis si Aga ay agad niyang pinagtuunan ng pansin ang anak niya. He really looks like his father. If his father could see Austin now he will not be able to deny that he is indeed Austin's father.
"Boss Atty! Okay na po yung office niyo, naayos na din po namin pati gamit ni Baby Austin. " Tawag pansin sa kanya ni Kathryn, one of their long time employee the lady has been working for them for three years now since she started college. Isang taon na lang gra-graduate na din ito.
"Ikaw talaga Kath! Wag mo na akong tawaging Boss Atty. Hindi muna ako abogado ngayon I'm a Mom at alam mo naman ayaw ko nagpapatawag na boss diba?" She reminded the girl kaya lumawak naman ang ngiti nito.
"Ano po ba gusto niyo itawag ko sa inyo? Alangan naman pong "Pops" lang, hala parang tropa lang." She joked and she laughed at her.
"Call me Ate Pipay na lang Kathryn di ka na rin naman iba sa akin."
"Salamat po ate Pipay, napaka laking tulong po ninyo talaga sa pag-aaral ko, saka kayo na po dito ang pamilya ko e." Kathryn stated with teary eyes. Kathryn is an orphan, ng makalabas ito ng bahay ampunan ay nag pilit itong maghanap ng trabaho upang makapag aral ng College.
They hired her as a dishwasher at first but later she's promoted as a cashier. She's taking up HRM kaya pa minsan-minsan ay barista na din ito.
"Ano ka ba, lahat ng meron ka ngayon it's because of your hardwork at saka pamilya ka na din namin." Pag aalo pa niya dito.
"Ibig sabihin po ba Ate, tita na din ako ni Austin?" Nakangiting tanong nito.
"Oo naman! At dahil tita ka, tulungan mo akong mag-alaga minsan, don't worry I'll pay you extra."
"Ay kahit libre na lang po Ate." Anito at hinaplos pa ang pisngi ni Austin.
"Ikaw talaga. Siya nga pala malapit ka na mag OJT diba? Pag usapan natin schedule mo dito sa café, tara doon sa office, iwan mo muna sa kanila yang trabaho mo." Aniya at pumasok na sila sa loob.
Agad niyang inihiga ang natutulog na anak sa crib nito. It's a good thing that the office is big.
Martin loves big spaces kaya ang opisina nila is triple the size of a regular office.
"Nakahanap ka na ba ng restaurant or hotel kung saan ka mag O-OJT Kath?"
"Ahm Ate, about that... Tinanong ko po yung mga prof ko kung pwedeng dito na lang po ako mag OJT sa café as a barista po, yun naman po kasi talaga ang gusto kong gawin. Pwede po ba? I mean kaya ko naman po maging cashier and a barista at the same time, saka since diba po sabi ni Joshua mag re-resign na siya?"
"Oo naman pwede ka dito. Pero si Joshua next month pa ang last day niya. Hindi ba magkakaron ng conflict yun sa sched mo?" Joshua is one of their Barista who is resigning dahil nag apply sa isang cruise ship.
"Hindi naman po ate. Very convenient nga po ang sched kasi saktong last day ni Josh dito start naman po ng OJT ko." Pa tango-tango naman siya. She was about to dismiss Kath ng maalala niyang kailangan niya pang bumili ng groceries nilang mag-ina.
"Ahm Kath, I know it's almost end of your shift but can you please do me a favor?" She hesitantly asked dahil nahihiya siya dito.
"Sure po ate, anything po." Sagot naman ni Kath habang nakangiti.
"I need to get supplies for us kasi sa grocery, I was wondering of you can look after Austin muna for me? Mabilis lang naman ako."
"Sige po, wala pong problema." Naoa ngiti naman siya sa sinagot nito.
"Thank you talaga Kath. Ahm ganito aakyat muna ako sa apartment may kukunin lang ako. I won't lock the door para kapag nagising si Austin at wala pa ako, akyat na lang kayong dalawa ha?"
Pagkatapos ibilin kay Kath lahat ng paalala tungkol sa anak nila ay agad na siyang umakyat sa unit.
She was surprise to see that the door is not locked, ang alam niya ay ini lock niya yun. What made her more surprise is there are luggages sa living room. Maybe Dawn is already here.
"Dawn? Are you here?" She called out, she was about to shout again when somebody emerged from the kitchen.
"M-Martin?" She whispered, she must be dreaming, he couldn't be here.
He's in Hawaii right?
"Hi."
OMG! He's really here! Kalmahan mo lang Pipay!
"What are you doing here?" She asked trying so hard to control her outburst.
What she heard next is the least thing that she expects to hear from him.
"I want to see my son."
"What the hell?!"
BINABASA MO ANG
Faded Photographs
Fanfiction-A Trilogy- First Story : My Ex-Almost (CharDawn) Second Story: My Ex-Maybe (LeAga) Third Story: My Ex but Why? (MarPops) No Synopsis needed 🤭
