Love Business

xii

A ring from Audrey's cellphone interrupted her good sleep. She restlessly answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Good morning, buddy!" A handsome voice replied, it was none other than Patrick.

Her eyes opened wide and she jumped off from her bed. "Oh! Good morning, buddy! Wait nga lang, bakit ba buddy and tawagan natin?"

He was fixing some things, putting his phone between his shoulders and ear, he responded, "Well, ayoko kasing partner ang tawag natin. Too common na kasi. Para unique, buddy na lang. Oh diba, nakakabata?"

She laughed in reply. "Ikaw talaga, mga pakulo mo." Audrey went to her bathroom to freshen up before going down for breakfast.

"Bakit? Maganda naman right?" He was poked by Manang Celie who was helping Patrick in fixing his stuff. He lip-mouthed her saying 'Pakilagay na lang po sa car'

She was done washing her face and brushing her teeth. Audrey was combing her hair and answered, "Well, yes. By the way, kamusta ka?"

Patrick smiled as he sat on his office chair. He was about to leave the house but talked with Audrey for a moment. "Okay lang naman, paalis ako. You?"

She stopped combing her hair and asked, "Saan ka pupunta? Magtatrabaho ka nanaman? You're so workaholic ah?"

Patrick laughed while spinning his chair back and forth. "No, may susunduin kasi ako from the airport." This made Audrey a bit curious. She was silent, she didn't know how to respond. As she went out of her bathroom, Patrick started talking.

"Oh, bakit hindi ka na kumibo? Nagseselos ka ano?" Patrick jokingly teased.

Audrey answered in defence, "Oy, hindi ah! May ginawa lang ako kaya hindi ako nakasagot agad."

This made Patrick laugh so hard which made Audrey a little bit pissed. So instead of continuing to hear him laugh, she hung up and went down to eat. He was surprised by what Audrey did and sent a message before he was called by Manang Celie to leave and go to the airport.

As Audrey took her last step on the stairs, she received a message from Patrick.

While she was reading the text, her whole family was looking at her and talking about her. As Audrey went to the table, everyone was doing something different for her not to notice that they were talking about her.

Breakfast was finished and Audrey went near the swimming pool to sit down and relax. Tatay Pim saw her daughter and immediately went down to join her.

"Bakit nandito ka lang, 'nak?" Her tatay asked as he sat beside her.

Audrey replied in a monotone voice, "Wala lang, Tay. Ikaw ba? Ayaw mo doon kina Aia?"

Tatay Pim noticed that something was bothering his daughter. He didn't ask about it but instead, he said, "Anak, kapag kailangan mo ng kausap, nandito lang ako ha?"

She looked at her father and responded, "Tay, naguguluhan po kasi ako."

"Naguguluhan saan?" He asked. Audrey didn't answer but she just looked at her father and hugged him so tight. 

"Anak, kung hindi ka pa handang sabihin sa akin iyan, okay lang. Nandito lang kami ng nanay mo ha?" Tatay Pim felt his daughter nod and they both went silent looking at the horizon.

Meanwhile, Patrick was waiting at his car for his cousin to arrive. He always looked at his phone, expecting a reply from Audrey. But as he looked at it for the nth time, someone shouted at the open window on the other side.

"Anong tinitignan mo sa cellphone mo ha?" Marius, his cousin, startled him. "Uy, Marius! You've given me a mini heart attack right there." Patrick got out of his car to carry the luggage Marius has. After he lifted his bags at the back of his car, Marius and Patrick bro-hugged.