KEEP ME CLOSE (Isaac Genesis Zodiac)

CHAPTER 050 - Like Lovers Should

"WHAT'S OUR PLAN FOR THE OPENING DAY OF TRINITY'S PLACE?" tanong ni Gene matapos ang hapunan. He was doing the dishes while she cleaned the table.

Trinity's Place was the name of her pet sitting and boarding facility—matagal na nilang napagkasunduan ni Gene na iyon ang ipangalan, at sa Biyernes na ang official opening day ng business.

"Just a simple party— gusto kong imbitahan ang mga kasama ko dati sa trabaho at ang buong pamilya mo. Sa tingin mo ba ay makapupunta sila?"

"I'm sure Ma will come. Lee, Aris, Tau, and Leonne, too. They're always there for every occasion. Don't expect the others to come, you know them."

"Yeah, nagsabi rin si Capri na hindi makakapunta dahil may lakad siya this weekend. I don't expect Sage and Sacred to come, too. Lalo na si Viren. But how about Cerlance?"

"Cerlance is always out of town—alam mo naman ang nature ng trabaho niya. He travels all around the country. And I think... there's something going on with his life right now."

Nahinto si Trini sa pagpupunas ng mesa at nilingon si Gene na patuloy sa pagyuko sa mga hugasin.

The dinner went smoothly, lihim siyang nagpasalamat na sa una lang ang awkwardness na namagitan dahil nang mag-umpisang magkwento si Gene tungkol sa nangyari sa pinuntahan nitong kliyente ay naging payapa na ang pakiramdam niya kasama ito. It was like they were back to normal as they used to. Well, there was just a bit diffierence, dahil kanina ay may mga pagkakataong mapapatitig lang sa kaniya si Gene with a spark in his eyes, and she would answer him with a shy smile. Walang ganoon dati sa tuwing magdi-dinner sila.

"What's going on with Cerlance?" she asked after a while.

Si Cerlance ay mas bata ng isang buwan kompara kay Gene at subalit mas matured kung umasta at mag-isip. At tulad ng sinabi ni Gene ay madalas na hindi ito nakauuwi dahil sa trabaho nito. Cerlance was a transporter of... anything. Tao o bagay man. He travels around the country with his expensive car—at ang sasakyan nito ang ginagamit upang ihatid at sunduin ang mga 'bagahe'.

"I think he's met a woman."

"He always did." She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Nabansagan si Cerlance na babaero sa pamilya dahil noong teenager pa lang sila ay araw-araw na nakikitang may kasamang iba't ibang babae.

"It's different this time. Mukhang malakas ang tama."

"And what is he planning to do about that?"

"I don't know. I heard that the woman left him and went back to her ex."

Hindi niya napigilan ang malakas na pagsinghap. Hindi siya makapaniwalang ipagpapalit ng kung sinomang babaeng iyon ang isang katulad ni Cerlance Zodiac.

"And the man is mending his broken heart by overworking," dagdag ni Gene sa tonong puno ng pagkamangha. Kahit ito ay hindi makapaniwalang nakatagpo ng katapat ang kapatid.

Kinunutan siya ng noo. "Nakausap mo ba si Cerlance?"

"No."

"Papaano mo nalaman ang tungkol dito, kung ganoon?"

"From Ma. She has all the connections—she has eyes and ears everywhere and around his children. Hindi rin ako magtataka kung malaman niyang nag-iba ang relasyon nating dalawa. Give it a week or two, and the news about us will blow up like wildfire."