Leave Only Kisses

Chapter Nine

Thirty minutes lang ay nasa Tagaytay na sila. Hindi din malayo sa pinaglandingan nila ang restaurant na pinagdalhan sa kanya ni Fernando Jose.

Sa tingin niya ay talagang mahilig kumain si Fernando Jose. Andami nitong kwento tungkol sa mga restaurant na nakainan na nito mapa local o international, at karamihan ay nakita lang nito online, kahit sa history ng bawat dish ay may nasasabi ito.

"You should put up your own restaurant." Ani niya habang magkasalo silang kumakain ng lumpiang palabok sa al fresco at nakatanaw sa isla ng Taal.

"Im not much of a cook."

"Then start a food magazine."

He looked at her thoughfully. "Its something Im actually considering but not in the near future. Masyado akong maraming kailangang gawin, I cant afford any distractions."

"Ang sabi nga ni Dory parati kang nasa abroad." Sa tatlong buwan na ginagawa niya ang bahay nito ay bihira silang magkita. They email and call, talaga namang napakabusy na tao ni Fernando Jose.

"Were trying to market our brand abroad at madaming kailangang kausapin para magawa yon, big businessmen wouldnt stop to talk if they dont see any reason to."

"Your products are very successful here and the rest of South East Asia."

"Thats Dad work, not mine." Tinignan maigi ni Jing si Fernando Jose. "I havent talked to enough people to launch apparently."

"Im sure magagawa mo yan."

"I hope so." Sa unang pagkakataon ay nakita niyang mukhang frustrated ito. Nagorder siya ng halo halo para sa kanilang dalawa which he ate instantly.

Naawa siya dito. Despite being portrayed as successful ay may mga frustrations pa pala ito sa buhay.

Fernando Jose is not the type of child who bend his parents will, ang lahat ng ginagawa nito ay ayon sa kung ano ang expectation dito.

Jing could have been like that if Tita Ani didnt intervene.

Her heart wanted the world to be a little better for Fernando Jose.

After another thirty minutes ay nasa helicopter na ulit sila pabalik sa Makati.

Nandoon si Dory at ibinigay niya dito ang pasalubong nila.

"Nako, thank you Ms. Jing."

"No problem."

"Ill drive you back to your office." Ani Ferdie, he was holding her hands at naginit ng husto ang mukha niya ng direktang tignan iyon ni Dory. "Move my meeting. Ill be back by 2."

Kumaway siya kay Dory ng igiya siya ni Fernando Jose paalis.

"Kayo na ba?" Tanong ni Noshka ng nakangiti na naman si Jing sa kawalan matapos nilang magusap ni Ferdie. He is in New Zealand right now. Naging daily routine na nila na magtawagan.

They talk about his house, which is getting along fine. And they talk about her day and his day.

"Hindi." Malinaw na sagot niya.

"Eh bakit kung magusap kayo para na kayong mag jowa."

"Hindi ko alam. Komportable lang ako sa kanya."

"Doon nadin papunta yan."

"Really?"

"Hindi naman ito ang first time mo, bakit parang ang naive mo?"

"Well.. Fernando Jose is different."

"He is a man, all men are the same."

"Ang bitter mo don ha."

"You better do your due diligence on this one, baka matulad na naman kay Alec." Noshka huffed. "Speaking of Alec, anong sabi mo last week at magkasama kayo?"

"I accidentally bumped into him, I was still looking for a gift kila Mommy and nakita ko siya. He helped me out with the personalized fountain pens." Mabilis na inilabas niya sa drawer ang nakabalot na regalong nakuha niya lang kahapon. "It have pearl shin on them. Diamond are way too expensive."

"Sabi mo ayaw mo na sa kanya?"

"Alec is nice and fun. We should go out with him sometime."

"Please dont." Napapailing nalang si Jing sa pagka KJ ng kaibigan.

Abala si Jing sa pagpipintura ng kwarto ni Fernando Jose ng pumasok ito doon. Nagsabi naman ito na pupunta, hindi nga lang nakumpirma ni Dory dahil manggagaling pa daw ang mga ito sa Macau.

"Hi." Bati nito. May humabol ditong contractor at pinasuot dito ang mask.

"Anong tingin mo?" Nakangiting tanong niya at bahagyang lumayo sa pader. Tulad ng study ay brown and white din ang motif ng kwarto nito. Hindi kasing stiff ng condo nito, pero hindi din naman ganon kafeminine.

"I like it."

"Dumalaw nga pala si Tita kahapon,"

"I told her na wag ka ng istorbohin."

"Its fine." Bumalik na siya sa ginagawa. "She said she have some paintings para sa kitchen."

"Im sure." Naupo din ito sa tabi niya. "Can I help?"

'Sure." Iniabot niya dito ang isa pang brush. "Paint away."

Fernando Jose did as he is told. But he doesnt seem to know what he is doing. Natatawang hinawakan niya ang kamay nito at iminosyon ang dapat nitong gawin.

Renovations can be therapeutic. Kaya nga iyon ang pinasok niyang linya, she was amazed when she saw Tita Ani's work and fell in love instantly.

"Ferdie." Tawag ng Daddy niya habang naglalakad sila ni Dory pabalik sa opisina niya. They just ended a gruelling video conference with a couple partners.

Nilingon niya si Dory at sinabihan na mauna na. "Hi Dad."

"I barely see you son," Tinapik nito ang balikat niya. "Congratulations on the successful partnerships. I just signed the papers."

"Thanks Dad."

"Ang sabi ng Mommy mo ay malapit ng matapos ang bahay mo. She wants to organize a house warming, but I told her to let you be. Im sure you want to relax after almost two years of negotiations." Tumango siya doon. The italian investors proved to be a challenge, hanggamg last minute ng papirma ay may concerns ang mga ito. "Were waiting for you to introduce someone to us, kinukulit na ako ng Mommy mo."

"Im too busy for that right now."

"I admire your dedication Ferdie," Madiin na tinapik nito ang balikat niya at tumuloy na sa opisina nito.

He walked to his office too, may mga nilalapag na papel si Dory sa lamesa niya. "Nasa bagong bahay mo na ang mga gamit mo, they can finish up in two days."

"Good."

"Ms. Jing is personally seeing them."

"Order food for them. Do I have anything else today?"

"I have two meetings on the line, one for the marketing department and one with the business development department."

"How urgent?"

"Not so, itll probably take an hour each."

"Schedule both now, clear my schedule in the next two days." Mabilis na sumunod si Dory.