More Than Anything (Absinthe Series 4)

Kabanata 34

Kabanata 34

More Than Anything

"Kumusta ka diyan, Verbena kong napatalsik sa trabaho?" bungad sa akin ni Talia nang lumitaw na ang mukha niya sa screen ng aking cellphone.

"Hello to you too, Talia. I'm still okay and I got a job." Umayos ako ng upo sa couch at sinuklay ang buhok gamit ang daliri.

Kumunot ang kaniyang noo nang sumipsip sa straw ng kaniyang inumin. I think she was outside and trying to take a walk. Medyo madilim na sa kaniyang paligid.

"Really? I thought you're on break."

"I was but Tita Cristina offered me a job." Sinulyapan ko si Crithos na nasa dining area at kumakain. It was nine in the morning and I cooked him breakfast. Iniwan ko muna siya doon dahil mukhang maayos naman siya.

"Cristina who?"

"Friend ni Papa. Mama ni Crithos."

"Mama ni who?"

I chuckled. "Nag-London ka lang namingi ka na?"

"Namimingi na dahil sa mga demanding na doktor. But seriously, who the heck offered you a job?"

"Crithos is my patient. He had a vehicular accident over two weeks ago." I explained. Tumango-tango naman si Talia at agad na nabulunan nang may napagtanto.

"The fuck?" natatawa niyang tanong. Naitapat niya ang katawan ng inumin sa kaniyang bibig upang pigilan ang matawa.

"Uh-hmm." I nodded my head. "Tita Cristina knew that I was unemployed and she offered me the job. Tinanggap ko na lang kasi nabo-bored ako sa apartment."

Bahagya kong nilingon si Crithos pero kumakain lang naman siya doon. Malawak ang pagitan namin at tiwala akong hindi niya naman naririnig ang pinag-uusapan namin ni Talia.

I should have called her outside. Mas sariwa pa ang hangin doon.

"Don't use that bored card on me, V. Pwede kang magbakasyon, pwede ka ngang pumunta dito sa London para bisitahin ako." She arched a brow at me, proving a point. Tinikom ko lamang ang aking bibig upang hindi magsalita.

"Wait, he's in a band right? Paano iyan?"

"Cancelled iyong tour sana nila. One of their band members is getting married this August."

Talia smirked. "Damn, lucky girl. Alam mo bang may isang pinay ako ditong kasama na patay na patay diyan sa banda nila? And you know who her bias is?"

"Bias? What's that?"

Talia dramatically rolled her eyes. "Duh, bias, as in someone you're rooting for. Ang pinakapaborito. Ang pinakahot para sa'yo and ang pinakagwapo. You're so outdated, V." she sighed dramatically.

"Anyways, iyon nga. Her bias is your ex. She even had a picture of him in her desk. Ang sabi ko nga familiar iyong nasa desk niya and she said it was her husband. I almost, take note, almost, laugh so hard."

Tawang-tawa na siya, some people passing by were looking at her. She just smiled at them. Loka-loka talaga.

"And she even showed me some videos of him stripping on a concert. Ewan ko ba, I think it was also here in London considering that she attended."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit pinag-uusapan namin iyon. I called Talia to somehow ask how she was doing or what are her plans for today but it seems like we're going to talk about how obsessed her co-worker is for Crithos.

"Who's that?" Napapitlag ako sa nagsalita at halos mabitawan ang aking cellphone. Nilingon ko si Crithos na ngayon ay nasa likod na ng couch at pilit na tinatanaw ang ka-video call ko.