Ashes in the Dusk [CBS#4]

Chapter 30

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It was already ten in the morning and I still did not find the motivation to start my training at the Sellozzo's farm. I remembered Rajah's jerky face yesterday and it really kept discouraging me to the peak. Inabala ko ang sarili sa pag-aayos ng mga papeles sa opisina ko. Mula sa aking upuan ay namataan ko yung lintik na fertilizer na siyang nagpahiya sa akin kahapon. Hindi rin makatingin sa akin si Leyla at Tintin na nagpasimuno sa pangalang 'NPA' para roon sa fertilizer.

I refused to inform Dana about the scary state of her flowers, good thing that Duncan did not drop by here at the shop as he went straight to his workplace earlier than his time-in. Kung hindi, siguradong hindi rin makakapag-focus ang isang yun sa trabaho kapag malaman ang kalagayan ng mga bulaklak.

Wait a minute!

Duncan! Omg, he was a graduate of a certain course program related to agriculture! He worked in a Research Institute so he basically knew how to deal with these plants!

Kinapa ko kaagad ang cellphone para i-dial ang numero ni Duncan nang bumukas ang pinto. Sumungaw ang ulo ni Leyla na nakangiwi.

"Uh... Miss Syntia, si Sir Rahma po nasa labas."

My mouth suddenly formed an 'o'. I couldn't roll my eyes at her for being the root of my embarrassment yesterday. Just what the heck was happening? What on Earth was he doing in this shop? Hindi ba'y galit sya sakin?

I put down my phone and headed out of my office nervously. Truly, Rahma on his button-down three-fourths tucked in his straight jeans, cowboy belt, and walking boots filled my vision. He held lose on his Stetson placed on the table. He was occupying one seat while waiting for me. His thick brows were furrowed in frown and his lips were in grim line.

Damn. Tumikhim ako para makuha ang kanyang atensyon. He still looked snobbish but he stood upright when he saw me.

"Uh, good morning?" I said, unsure of my foremost words. Fuck. I did not literally expect him to be here when he was supposed to be working his ass off at his office!

"I'm here to get the soil PH of your flowers." he said formally, not bothering to greet me back at all. How rude!

"Okay! Uhm, nasa labas yong flowers--"

Di ko na natapos dahil lumabas na nga siya para i-check ang mga yun. Naiinis na ako ngunit kinokontrol ko ang sarili para na lang sa mga tanim ni Dana. I saw his pick-up truck parked just near my shop. Nag-half-run siya tungo roon at may kinuhang kung ano sa front seat. Bumalik siya bitbit na ang isang maliit na cylinder at iba-ibang klaseng fertilizers. Meron din isang maliit na technology na sa tingin ko'y makakatulong nga para matukoy ang soil PH ng mga bulaklak.

Nag-half-seat siya sa mga bulaklak habang mukha akong tangang nakatayo rito sa may pinto. He experimented a bit and after a short while, guess he already got the soil PH and began the whole process of fertilizing each pot of the flowers.

Pagkatapos nun, tumayo na siya.

"I'd have our gardener come over most frequently to check the plants."

"Hindi na kailangan. Can you rather give me a heads-up regarding the frequency of fertilizing these flowers? Para sana hindi na pumunta pa rito palagi yung gardener ninyo."

"I don't have much time. Babalik na ko sa trabaho." suplado niyang turan at tumalikod na.

Bahagya akong nasaktan doon pero binale-wala ko na lang. Pinagmasdan ko siyang lumalakad patungo sa pick-up truck. I sighed heavily and I was supposed to turn my back, too, ready to head back into my office when he suddenly spoke.