Chapter 10

"What do you really felt for your boss, Kiers? May namumuo na bang lovestory?"

My face scrunched when tita asked about that. Umiling ako para depensahan ko ang sarili ko kasi imposible namang mangyari 'yon. Hindi ko lubos maisip na mangyayari 'yon sa akin. For once in my life, I've never thought about it—siguro dahil masyado akong assuming at literal na prinsipe ang hanap ko.

"Ba't mo naman naisip 'yon, tita?"

"Kiers, even if you think na imposible 'yon, there's one in a million chance it could happen!" she exclaimed as if pointing out to me na dapat ko ring paniwalaan. "Kung ako 'yon, I wouldn't lose the chance. Sayang kasi e."

Napabuntong-hininga naman ako sa sinabi niya. "Tita, paano naman magiging sayang 'yon kung in the first place, wala namang gano'ng ganap? I only thought of him as my boss and my mentor. Wala ng iba pa."

"Pero r'yan kay Berkeley na 'yan. Baka r'yan ka pa bumigay."

I smirked. "You wished, tita."

"'Wag ako, Kiers. Minsan kahit i-deny pa, na-fa-fall din naman kalaunan.

"Bahala ka, tita, Basta ako, hindi 'yon ang nasa isip ko."

"E, kung hindi pala, ba't mo tinanggap 'yong mga binigay sa 'yo ng boss mo?"

Napalunok na lamang ako ng laway nang matandaan ko ang sinabi sa akin ni Berkeley. Ni hindi nga iyon nawala sa isipan ko. Hindi ko rin naman sigurado kung totoo ba 'yong sinabi niya o haka-haka lang din naman. I never asked about it to Connagh kasi ayoko namang humantong sa pangingialam ng pribadong buhay niya ang pagiging mabait niya sa akin.

I'm not really sure nga how he really treats me. Maybe he was just taking everything professional kaya anything that happened outside of this building ay wala siyang pakialam.

But after knowing that from Berk, I never wore any dresses I got from Connagh again.

"O siya, tulungan mo na lang ako rito para makaalis na rin tayo," utos ni tita.

Nasa bahay ako ng amo niya. I travelled all the way to Richmond from my place in Newham. It was an hour away for me. Napakalayo kaya minsan we decided to meet halfway na lang para hindi ubos sa oras. I was only here when she told me na umalis ang kanyang amo at iba pang tao sa bahay. Isasama pa raw sana siya, but she insisted to stay kaya nandito rin ako ngayon.

"Bukas pa naman sila babalik lahat. 'di ba? Ba't aligaganga-aligaga tayo?" tanong ko habang patuloy na nagva-vacuum ng sahig.

"Ayoko nang may ginagawa pag-uwi ko mamaya. Gusto ko lang magpahinga," dahilan pa nito sa akin.

"Like what? Ang aga-aga pa naman. Nine pa lang ng umaga. Nagising ako ng seven to prepare at 'yong biyahe ko. E 'di sana pala kanina mo pa 'yan ginawa."

"They left at eight, Kiers," aniya at kukuha pa sana ako ng dahilan pero ayoko nang dagdagan pa baka mainis lang si tita sa akin kakatanong. "We'll leave once we finished this. Mabilis lang naman 'to. Gaga ka talaga."

Natawa na lang din ako at pinagigihan ko ang paglilinis ng floor. The apartment was huge—but not like what I've seen in Connagh's flat. That was extremely huge for a single person. While vacuuming, I mistakenly hit the wooden table and then picture frames stood on it turned over so I had to turn off the vacuum and set the frames back to its old position.

When I turned it over, it was a family picture ng amo ni Tita Gina. I was about to put it back on the table when something caught my attention. Agad ko namang kinuha ulit iyon at tinitigan ang babaeng nasa picture.

"Amanda?!" I exclaimed when I thought it was her on the photo.

Mayamaya ay sinilip ako ni tita at tinanong kung bakit ako sumigaw. I then showed her the picture frame in my hand. Kinuha niya rin naman iyon at tiningnan. Kumunot ang noo niya at nabalot ang kanyang mukha ng lubos na pagtataka.

"Anong meron dito?"

I pointed the blonde girl on the left side of the photo. "That's Amanda."

"Oh—okay. Ano naman ngayon kung si Amanda 'yan?"

"She went to CM Enterprises din kasi!" I exclaimed pero agad ko namang ikinalma ang sarili ko. "Hindi ko naman in-expect 'to. Literal na ang liit ng mundo! Well, I guess from now on, if you ever saw her, don't mention my name, okay?"

She chuckled. Hinampas din niya ako sa balikat ko. "'H'wag kang mag-aalala, hindi pa naman 'yon nagpupunta rito. I think I've only seen her once no'ng isinama nila ako sa isang birthday celebration and I guess she was there. Puro blode kasi sila so baka namukhaan ko lang pala pero she never been here so we never interacted pa."

"I mean sa future rin, okay?"

She nodded, "Affirmed, Kiers. Tapos ka na rin ba?"

I looked around and shrugged off. "I think so... mukhang malinis na rin naman."

"Sige na nga, alis na tayo. Just put the vacuum sa kung san mo 'yan kinuha kanina then I'll check the place before we leave. Dali!" pagmamadali pa nito sa akin.

Dali-dali ko namang dinala sa storage room ang vacuum at hinintay ko si tita malapit sa pinto as if waiting for her to check everything. When she's finally done, sabay na naman kaming umalis ng apartment at naghintay ng bus paunta sa Buckingham Palace Road upang magliwaliw doon.

I also wanted to see the palace in daylight dahil no'ng last time na nagpunta kami ay madilim na at hindi ko na gano'n na-appreciate ang view but it was still pretty elegant. I just hope I would see the royals when we go there. Hindi naman masamang umasa, some even say tell the universe what you wanted to happen and so it can happen later. Naniniwala ako ro'n. I made it to London so I guess that's not an impossible thing to happen as well.

When we got into the bus, it took us half an hour reaching the place we'll beat. Pagkababa pa lang namin sa bus ay sabik na sabik na akong makalapit sa Buckingham Palace at kahit hanggang gate lang kami ay halos dream fulfilled na iyon para sa akin. I even told tita if we can go to the famous London Bridge in Thames River but she told me we'll have to ride a cab just to get there. Medyo malayo-layo kami compare sa Westminster Bridge kung nasaan ang Big Ben. She thought we could be there if the weather permits us so.

The weather is chilly. Mukhang wala namang pagbabadya ng ulan. Actually, the weather is good, malamig at nakakapangilabot sa buong katawan kapag humahawi sa balat ang simoy ng hangin.

"Patingin nga ng mga shots mo, tita. Baka pangit naman, ah?" aniko at kinuha sa kanya 'yong phone ko para tingnan pero binatukan niya ako.

"Ang hirap-hirap kanyang mag-picture. Hindi naman ako professional."

I checked the photos and it's quality good din naman. Pwedeng pang-post sa Instagram though I'm not if i-po-post ko rin na kasama si Tita Gina dahil naka-follow sa akin si Amanda. She would know it at kapag nalaman niya rin 'yon, hindi niya ako titigilan sa katatanong niya about me and my tita. Sarili ko na lamang ang pinost ko and tita understand it. Ayaw niya rin naman malaman ng amo niya na paggala-gala siya when she should be in their flat, cleaning and checking the place.

"KC?"

Tita Gina poked me on my shoulder and yet my attention kept on my phone.

"Kiers, mukhang may tumatawag sa 'yo. Forever mo ata."

"Huh?" I muttered, raising my head to look for the person she's referring into. I immediately recognized the person and he was smiling so wide at me. Nang makalapit siya sa amin ay niyuko niya ang kanyang ulo to greet us. "Berk?"

"Ladies," he said, shifting his attention to me and my tita.

"Berk?" tita questioned. "Berkeley?"

Tumango naman ang binata. "Yes, that's me. How do you know that?"

"She's my auntie," pagpapakilala ko kay Berk. "She was the one I kept talking about."

"Oh! I see now," he said, nodding. "I get it now. So, nice to meet you, Gina. Am I right?"

Ngumiti naman ng mapakla si Tita Gina. I nudged her off kasi alam kong hindi niya bet si Berk. "Yes, you are. Nice to meet you, too."

"So, what are you guys doing here?" he asked. "Well, I saw you leave earlier and thought you'll be heading to the Columbia Road to fetch your flowers again."

"Well, tita's boss wasn't around so we took this chance to hang around this area."

"Great! So what it's like to be here?"

"It's still unbelievable for me," panimula ko. "I've been for what three weeks already and everything still feel surreal for me. I never thought I would be here. I never thought I would breathe the same air as the royals. I've only been dreaming before everything's been so real now."

"And she's been dreaming of marrying a prince," tita said to him. "And because it's an impossible thing to happen, the closest one she could be married with is a CEO."

"Oh..." iyon na lamang ang lumabas sa bibig ni Berk. "That's... not impossible... I guess."

Napangiwi na lang din naman ako. When Berk wanted us to have some pictures and post it on his story, I shared it as well, and then a moment later, I've received a reply from Amanda saying that are you sure he's not your boyfriend?

I even told it to Berkeley and he just laughed it off and said I wished.

Napansin ko na naman ulit ang pagkapakla ng mukha ni tita nang banggitin iyon ni Berk. Hindi ko na naman hinayaan siyang magkomento pa dahil alam kong napapansin din ni Berkeley kung anong tinutukoy niya.

I just broke the awkwardness when we decided to go to a near restaurant around the area. Isinama na namin si Berk. When I asked him what he was doing here, ang sabi niya ay gusto niya lang magliwaliw. He then said he's preparing a lists where he can bring me when we finally have the time to do so. Magagawa rin naman namin 'yon this time at dahil maaga rin naman aalis si tita para bumalik sa Richmond ay nagpadesisyon namin ni Berk na ituloy ang pag-iikot namin mamaya.

But for now, we shared lunch on an English restaurant and Berkeley was the one who chose our meal for the day. He thought it's best for me to try the real dish of a British meal.

They served us Sheperds pie, Bangers and mash, Yorkshire pudding, crumpets, and fish and chips. I thought it was too much for a single person to eat all of those food but as I'm devouring each one of it, I couldn't stop eating.

"So, how was it?" he asked.

I wiped my mouth with a napkin and nodded my head furiously. "It was great—" I didn't get to finish my sentence when my phone rang. I excused myself and checked who was calling me. "Uh-oh... it's Connagh."

"Uy, boss mo?" tanong ni tita. "Ay forever mo pala," hagikgik pa nito sa akin.

"He's calling on a weekend?" takang tanong ni Berk sa akin.

Napakibit balikat na lang din naman ako at sinagot ko ang tawag niya. It was a quick one at tango-tango lang din naman ako at okay, note, sure na lamang ang mga sagot ko. Ibinaba ko rin naman ang phone ko at nakaabang ang dalawa sa sasabihin ko.

"Anong sabi?" tanong ni tita.

Napainom naman ako ng tubig. "He wanted me to come with me to the USA. He didn't mention what would we be doing there, but he's going to call me again tonight to tell me about it."

"What did you say though?"

"I said I'll come with me when he said I can incur my internship time there with him... and I think it's a great opportunity for me to be there with him."

"Yeah... I think so, too..." sagot ni Berk. "It'll be a great thing for you."

"I can see that happening already," hagikgik pa ni tita. Alam ko naman kung bakit pero napaisip din naman ako kung anong gagawin namin sa Amerika.

I tried to wash it out of my head for the meantime and continued eating my lunch. I noticed Berkeley kept glancing on me while tita couldn't hide her excitement. But why would Connagh asked me to go with me when there's other people who he could go with?

Is it a business travel? Personal vacation? I literally have no clue dahil sinabihan niya lang ako kung sasama ako o hindi. I accepted his invitation kaagad, but to what extent this invitation would go?

Connagh became a puzzle for me. He's hard to guess and I'm on the dark side of it. Would it be good? I hope it is.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

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