A/N: And we're down to the last three chapters! We're still in a November rush so expect a flood of updates in the coming days and weeks!

LORELEI

SOMETIMES I wonder if fate destines people who have been separated for a long time to cross paths again in the future. People used to say that there are no accidents or coincidences. Everything happens for a reason.

Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang isipin: Talaga bang sinasadya ng tadhana na pagtagpuin kami? O nataon lang na nagkrus ang landas namin?

That question has been on my mind since Loki pointed out that Sir Friedrich Rivera and I might be related in some way. In a way that will surprise me. Imagine na kakagising mo lang sa isang bangungot tapos 'yon na agad ang bubungad sa 'yo sa umaga. Talagang mapapalutang isip mo.

"Are you okay?"

I snapped my consciousness back to reality. There's so much on my mind that my thoughts were drifting elsewhere. Kanina pa nakatuon ang tingin ko sa mga gusaling nilalampasan ng sasakyan. Ni hindi ko na nga alam kung nasa na kami ngayon.

Lumingon ako sa kaliwa, kung saan nakaupo sa driver's seat at nagmamaneho si Sir Rich. He was humming along with the music on the radio. Pasulyap-sulyap sa akin at mabilis na ibinabalik sa daan ang kanyang tingin. Eyes on the road, please.

"You've been quiet since we left the campus," he said. "You have a lot on your mind? Are you feeling well? Do you want to postpone the meeting?"

So he observed, huh? I shook my head, beaming at him. I tried so hard to fake a genuine smile so he would not notice that something's troubling me. "I'm perfectly fine, sir. Medyo kinakabahan lang ho ako sa kalalabasan ng meeting na 'to. I mean, this is a big opportunity for a high school student like me."

He smiled back at me, flashing his white teeth. "If you say yes, you'll be one of the youngest published writers in the Philippines. Imagine at your age—seventeen—you already have a book in leading bookstores nationwide. Pero hindi mo kailangang i-pressure ang sarili mo. The decision's still up to you if you want to take this chance. On my part, I know talent when I see one. And I want to support young, talented people. Like you."

That's heartwarming. Nakakataba ng puso kapag may mga taong nakakakita sa talento mo. For a moment, I felt that my smile became real. Kung sanang walang dagdag na layer ang episode na 'to ng buhay ko, mas magiging maganda sana ang kalalabasan.

But that did not seem to be case.

Muling nagawi ang mga mata ko sa labas ng kotse. We got stuck in traffic at an intersection.

If Loki was right in his theory, the publishing deal that Sir Rich offered wasn't just about scouting talented writers. Sabi nga niya, how likely was it that a teacher whom I don't know that well and who doesn't know me that well would give someone like me this life-changing opportunity?

There's more to it than meets the eye. And that's exactly what I wanted to find out.

Yesterday, I agreed to come with Sir Rich in meeting the editor-in-chief of BEYOND Publishing. I would have declined the invitation since I don't have a decision yet, but I couldn't let this chance slip away.

Aside from the novels that he gave me, I already saw some of the books released by BEYOND. It's undeniably one of the top publishers in the country and every book that they offer is a certified bestseller. Marami na ngang naging adapted into TV series and movies.

But I did not agree just to consider my potential path to a publishing career. Gusto kong maobserbahan si sir kung tama ba ang impression ko sa kanya. Gusto ko siyang kilalanin para makasiguro ako na may matibay na dahilan kung bakit tila pinagtatanggol ko siya mula sa theory ni Alistair. I defended him from all the accusations and presented alternative explanations.

Speaking of theory, what I found out this morning might be the missing piece in the mystery that is the suspected third party. I honestly wish this would be over soon. Alistair deduced that whoever's intervening in our fight against M has a particular liking for me. My childhood friend's words, not mine.

Kung seseryosohin ko ang sinabi ni Loki, Alistair's theory would make more sense. The uncalled for kindness. The publishing deal. The hard drive. They all pointed to the same conclusion. The third party knew me, or at the very least, he's interested in me.

Sir Friedrich Rivera might be related to me by blood. And the first thought that came to my mind when that realization hit me? He might be my dad. My biological dad. Only a few people know that Walter Rios is not my real father. I thought of looking for him in the future, but I didn't know that the chance would present itself to me now.

If Sir Rich isn't my dad, he could be a relative of mine. An uncle, maybe? Pasok pa rin 'to sa sinabi ni Loki na related kaming dalawa. The name "Lorelei" in the book, my mom liking the novel, the anagram of the author's name—they're not conclusive enough to say that he's my dad. Maraming possibilities na pwedeng pagpilian.

May sinasabi ang mga matatanda na lukso ng dugo. I thought that thing was absurd. It's like a gut feel. You can't fully rely on it. But I found myself reconsidering that angle. 'Yon ba ang naramdaman ko kaya todo depensa ako sa kanya sa mga paratang ni Alistair? Meron ding "blood is thicker than water." Mas papanigan ko ang aking kadugo kaysa sa ibang tao.

If what's on my mind was correct, that might be the source of my bias. I am biased toward my dad.

That should make me happy, right? Sa wakas, makikilala ko na ang ama ko. Any illegitimate or adopted child would have felt that way, unless they're angry at their real dads for neglecting them. Knowing your biological parents would complete you. Sa aking sitwasyon, parang isa akong puzzle na may kulang na piraso. The discovery could make me whole. I might be able to understand myself better.

Pero iba ang pakiramdam ko. May pumipigil sa akin para i-celebrate ang possibility na 'yon. You know that feeling when you're about to win a game, but you don't feel quite right? Gano'n na gano'n. Why? Because there's a shadow hanging over him.

If Friedrich Rivera is really my dad and he's also the third party, that would certainly complicate things. I don't know what to feel about it. I don't want to think about it.

Sana tama ang paninindigan ko. Sana mali ang theory ni Alistair.

So for this scheduled meeting, I decided to hit three birds with one stone. First, check if the possibility that he might be my dad exists. Second, observe if he's as suspicious as Alistair thought he was. Third, know more about the publishing deal.

Let me start my own investigation.

"By the way, sir," I spoke after another round of silence. "Nabasa ko na ho ang isa sa mga librong ibinigay n'yo sa akin. The Serenade of the Siren? I was surprised to read that one of the characters shared the same name as mine."

Sorry, but I lied. Hindi ko pa talaga natatapos o nababasa ang librong 'yon. Every time that I tried, wala akong ma-absorb na kahit ano. I was only relying on the tidbits that Loki shared with me this morning.

"Oh, really?" natatawang sabi ni Sir Rich. He lowered the radio volume until the sound was no longer audible. "I remember reading your name in that story, so I decided to give that book to you. I'm not sure if you're into mystery novels. But I thought you might like it since you're writing about your own adventures."

"Pero may napansin ho ako." Nagawi sa kanya ang mga naningkit kong mata, kunwari'y sobrang curious ko. "Have you met the author of that novel? Ang galing niya kasing magsulat. Nakaka-hook ang bawat twist. Talagang hindi mo bibitawan ang libro."

Thanks to my time in the QED Club, I learned how to catch a fish by its mouth. I thought of telling him about the anagram, but I decided to hold it for a while. Gusto kong malaman kung ano ang isasagot niya. Gusto kong malaman kung magsisinungaling siya sa akin. That could tell me a lot about him.

Please don't lie to me.

"Of course, I have!" Sir Rich tossed a glance at me. "I met him almost two decades ago."

"Talaga ho?" Kunwari'y nagulat ako. Of course, he did. He's been also seeing him every day—every time he looks at himself in the mirror. I wonder how he'd answer this question. "Pwede n'yo ho ba akong ipakilala sa kanya?"

Please don't lie to me.

"Sure." He nodded before turning to me. "You're talking to him right now."

I stared at him for a second. Akala ko'y magsisinungaling siya at may ibang tao na ituturo. This might sound strange, but I somehow felt relieved.

"You don't seem surprised," he said. "It looked like you kinda expected my answer."

"The truth is, I already had a suspicion that it might be you," I replied. "Ayaw ko lang hong mapahiya sa inyo kaya ko kayo tinanong."

"How so?"

"The author's name," I answered. "It's a clever anagram of Friedrich Rivera."

Lumawak ang kanyang ngiti at natawa sa akin. He seemed delighted by that revelation. "As expected from a member of the QED Club! I was wondering when you'd figure that out. But why did you ask me if I can introduce him to you? Are you trying to catch if I'm gonna lie to you or not?"

Nakitawa na rin ako. This felt weird. Parang ang gaan ng pakiramdam ko sa kanya. Ganito ba talaga ang pakiramdam kapag—hay, ewan. Ayaw ko munang isipin. "Parang gano'n na nga ho."

"Is there anything else that you found out?" he asked curiously. Gusto ba niyang malaman kung napagkonekta ko na ang mga tuldok na sinadya niyang iwan? Well, I would not give him the satisfaction. Not yet. "Did you figure out the mystery before the characters?"

"I had a theory, but I didn't have any strong supporting evidence," I lied again. Sana'y hindi niya ako tanungin kung anong scene ang pinaka-nagustuhan ko sa story. Malalaman niyang hindi ko pa talaga nababasa. But let me try to change our topic. "I heard from my tita that my mom had a copy of your book. A signed copy. With dedication pa nga raw."

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya at nagbato ng tingin sa akin. He looked like he couldn't believe it. "Really? Your mom has a signed copy? I probably met her in one of the booksigning events. How is she doing?"

"She passed away when I was a kid." That's strange. If he's so interested in me, he should have known by now that my mom is dead—that his loved one is dead. If he's truly my dad, he would have kept tabs on her.

Maybe he's acting? Maybe he's pretending that he didn't know?

"I'm sorry about that." He frowned, sighing. "I wish I could remember how your mom looked like. Sa dami ba naman ng events noon at sa tinagal-tagal na ng panahon, hindi ko na maalala ang mukha ng mga taong nakasalamuha ko. But who would have thought that I will be helping the daughter of a fan to become a published writer?"

If he's my dad, he's helping his own daughter to follow in his footsteps. But he framed his response in a way that separated himself from me and my mom. He's weighing his words carefully he spoke. I'd give him that.

Sana'y mas makakakuha pa ako ng clue kung totoo nga ang hinala ni Loki sa kanta.

Oh, speaking of Loki, pumasok na siya kaninang umaga. Sabay na kaming naglakad patungo sa campus. He probably did not miss school at all. Remember noong na-suspend siya? Ni hindi man siya nanghinayang na hindi siya nakapasok sa klase. The only things he missed were the cases. He's gonna dread his return.

But something about him was off today. May napansin akong kakaiba sa kanya. Maliban sa pagbigay niya sa akin ng baso ng tubig at pagbukas ng pinto para kay Tita Martha—na hindi niya madalas ginagawa—meron pang iba. He seemed... restrained. He normally rants about students who cut in the line to the campus entrance. This morning, he was silent. He only looked at them with his dull eyes.

I guess he's not yet fully back to his usual self. Hindi pa siguro siya tuluyang nakakapag-move on sa pagkamatay ni Maggie. Kahit sino naman siguro, hindi basta-basta makakaahon sa pagkalunod sa kalungkutan. It might take weeks. Or months. Even years. Ang importante ngayo'y unti-unti na siya bumubuti. Him getting out of his room. Him going to school after a week of absence. These were good signs already.

Oh, how about Alistair and Jamie who survived the car crash yesterday? Pumasok pa rin sila sa kabila ng kanilang na-experience kahapon. I thought they'd be not attending classes today to rest.

Dahil nabangga ang kanyang kotse, Alistair had to commute going to school via public transport. Hindi siya sanay na sumakay ng jeep at magpalipat-lipat kaya medyo hassle ang umaga niya.

Dahil sa pagkaka-food poison niya, Jamie became more careful in the food that she ate. She promised not to eat any chocolate left in her locker.

Guess who's happy that the four of us were reunited again? Parang ang tagal naming hindi nagkita, ah?

"WELCOME BACK, LOKI DEAR!" sigaw ni Jamie nang maaninag ang anino ni Loki sa execom office. Halos tumalon na siya sa kanya at sinabayan ng isang mahigpit na yakap. "Na-miss mo ba ako? Kasi ako na-miss kita!"

Parang nasakal si Loki sa sobrang higpit ng pagkakayakap sa kanya. Nang mapansin ito ni Jamie, kaagad siyang pinakawalan. "It's not like we haven't seen each other for a long time. You visited my apartment this weekend, didn't you? However, I must admit that seeing the four of us in this room together is a welcome sight."

Sus. Nahihiya pa siyang sabihin ang salitang "I miss you" sa kanila. But I understand. He's not the most expressive person in the planet. He might be struggling in finding and speaking the right words.

"How are you two?" Loki asked, looking from Jamie to Alistair. "I heard from Lorelei that you got involved in an accident yesterday, courtesy of our good friend. She even dreamt about it last night, screaming your names."

Lumingon sa akin si Alistair bago bumalik ang tingin niya kay Loki. They were on my mind the whole evening kaya hanggang sa panaginip, nasundan ako. "Let's say we averted a tragedy yesterday."

"Yeah!" masiglang sagot ni Jamie. Ibang-iba ang energy niya ngayon kumpara kahapon. Parang fully recharged na siya. "Thanks to Alistair's quick thinking, buhay pa kami. Kung hindi dahil sa kanya, baka sa burol na tayo ulit magkita."

I nudged her with my elbow. Hindi yata tamang mag-joke siya ng gano'n lalo na't nalagay sa totoong peligro ang buhay niya at may kakilala kaming pumanaw kamakailan lang. She awkwardly smiled as she realized her mistake. Alistair tried to change the topic.

Nagpatuloy ang reunion celebration namin sa cafeteria. Balik na kami sa aming regular execom duty na magbantay ng pila at magbawal sa mga estudyanteng hindi sumusunod sa "clean as you go" policy rito.

I had second thoughts at first, but I decided to share Loki's theory about me and Sir Rich with them. That issue may not just concern me. Remember Alistair's theory about him? Kung personal 'to at walang ibang involved, sasarilinin ko.

"WHAT?!" pagulat na sigaw ni Jamie. Medyo nahiya siya nang mapansin natuon sa kanya ang atensyon ng mga estudyanteng nasa paligid namin. Hininaan niya ang kanyang boses. "Seryoso ka ba riyan, Lori? Possible na relative mo si Sir Rivera? Like he's your dad or something?"

I nodded. Sana mas hinaan pa niya ang kanyang boses. Baka biglang pumasok si Sir Rich at marinig kaming pinagtsitsismisan siya.

"We're not sure yet," pabulong kong tugon. "But I want to find out kung tama ba. Wala pang conclusive sa ngayon."

"That explains the missing piece in the puzzle." Alistair nodded. I knew he'd say that. His theory made more sense now than yesterday morning at the rooftop. But he did not say something along the lines of "I told you so, Lori." I was thankful that he did not rub it in my face.

"Pero kung totoo nga 'yon, bakit hindi niya pa sinasabi sa 'yo?" nagtatakang tanong ni Jamie. "If you're his daughter or relative, why is he playing a charade with you? Mukha namang malakas ang loob niya, 'di ba? He could have told you, 'Lorelei, I am your father' and be done with it already."

She mimicked a robotic voice when she said Lorelei-I-am-your-father part. Ginaya niya ang line delivery ni Darth Vader nang sabihin nito kay Luke Skywalker na siya ang ama nito. I did not really watch the Star Wars movies, but I kept seeing memes about it.

"Maybe he's not yet ready," Alistair said, folding his arms. "Maybe he's still waiting for the right time. Hindi niya alam kung tatanggapin ba siya ng kanyang anak o hindi. Meron ding kinikilalang ama sa ngayon si Lori. That complicates the situation. He's probably still gauging kung ano ang magiging reaksyon niya."

"Finally!" Tinapik ako ni Jamie sa balikat. "You'll be with your real dad! Dapat i-celebrate natin 'yan. Magpapa-order ba tayo ng pizza mamaya?"

Celebrate? I wish I could, but I would not. Not until everything's clear to me. All I could do right now was shake my head.

"Aba, bakit parang malungkot ka pa?" nakapamewang na tanong ni Jamie. "Shouldn't you be happy? Kugn ako ang nasa posisyon mo, nagtatalon na ako sa tuwa. I mean, I lost my mom six years ago. If I learned that she's coming back, I'd be so happy!"

"Her dad could be the third party," Alistair chimed in. "The person who masterminded Augustus and Sir Ephraim's death."

I looked down and sighed. That's exactly what could ruin this revelation. That my dad might be a bad person. "Masyadong complicated. May part sa akin na nagsasabing sana mali ang theory ni Al kung tama ang hinala ni Loki. Parang ang hirap tanggapin na..." My voice trailed off. I couldn't say anything else about it.

"You know there are two ways we can confirm if he's truly your dad or not, right?" Loki asked, leaning against a pillar. "If you want to put your mind at peace, you can ask him directly or you can check if you two share the same genetic material."

"DNA paternity test," I muttered. Naisip ko rin 'yan habang pinagninilay-nilayan ko 'to habang naliligo ako. "He can lie or deflect the question if I confront him about it."

"Napakadali lang pala, eh!" Napapalakpak si Jamie. Mas excited pa yata siya sa akin na malaman ang katotohanan. "Kausapin mo mamaya si Sir Rivera kung pwede kang humingi ng sample tapos ipadala natin sa lab!"

"No," Loki disagreed. "We have to be discreet in this one. If Alistair's theory is right, we might be dealing with a potentially dangerous man. No offense to you, Lorelei, even if he might be your dad."

None taken. I was still processing that grim possibility on my mind, but I hope my childhood friend was wrong.

"Baka rin makatunog siya kung hihingi tayo ng DNA sample sa kanya," dagdag ni Alistair. "We don't want to tip him off that we're already suspecting him of being the third party... or your dad."

"But we still don't know yet if he's really the third party!" I argued. Sabay-sabay na nagbato sa akin ng tingin ang tatlo kong kasama. Napayuko ako, sabay pikit ng aking mga mata. Here comes myself being defensive of him again. It seemed to come out naturally.

"Then we need to know whether I'm right about him or not," Alistair said firmly. "We have to investigate Sir Friedrich Rivera. You may have reservations, but this is the only way we can unearth the truth."

"Tinext niya ako kaninang umaga." Muli kong chineck ang inbox ng aking phone. "Mamayang hapon daw kami makikipag-meet sa editor-in-chief ng publishing house. I can use that chance to observe him or ask him any questions."

And so I did. Kaya nga nakasakay ako ngayon sa kotse ni Sir Rich at pumayag na samahan siya sa meeting.

My eyes looked out of the car window, watching the buildings and other vehicles blur past us. Medyo familiar na sa akin ang lugar na nadaraanan namin.

My eyes caught a glance of his smiling face. If he's my dad, this could be the best chance for him to tell me the truth. Walang ibang makaririnig sa amin. Wala ang pressure ng pagiging teacher niya at student ko. He's free to tell me anything. The only question was: does he have any guts to say it?

Or maybe that's his plan all along? Kaya niya ako in-invite para makipagkita sa editor-in-chief? Maybe that's just a pretense and his real intention was to finally admit that he's my dad. Heto na yata ang sinasabi ni Jamie na Lorelei-I-am-your-father moment.

Natawa ako sa aking sarili. I tried to suppress my smile so he wouldn't notice my lips awkwardly forming a curve. Parang napaka-assuming sa part ko. Hindi pa nga ako sure kung siya nga talaga ang ama ko.

"There's something I want to ask," Sir Rich said, breaking the silence. My shoulders jerked as I heard his voice. Nalulunod na naman ako sa aking iniisip. "I hope you don't mind."

Lumingon ako sa kanya sabay lunok ng laway. Heto na ba 'yon? "What is it, sir?"

"I remember reading your entries to the literary folio," he replied, throwing a sidelong glance at me. "Loki Mendez has been prominently featured in most of your stories. You two are quite close, aren't you?"

Why was he asking? Oh, I see. Maybe as a father, he wanted to know who the boys are in my life?

"We live in the same apartment unit together," I answered. "Literal ho na close kami kasi bente-kwatro oras ko siyang kasama araw-araw."

Oops. That sounded weird. He might have a wrong impression.

As expected, he made a confused face as his eyebrows knitted. "Sorry, I don't want to sound intrusive. But... are you two living together?"

Tumawa ako sabay iling ng aking ulo. I expected that reaction, but it still managed to make me laugh. "No, sir! Noon kasing nag-transfer ako rito sa Pampanga, wala nang available unit sa apartment ng tita ko. Since she thought that Loki is harmless, she let me take the vacant bedroom in his unit."

"Is that so? Sorry for misinterpreting it." Natawa rin si Sir Rich at napakamot ng ulo. "Kahit sino siguro na makarinig no'n, iisipin na may something sa inyo. Like he's your boyfriend. Or fiance. Times have changed. Live-in relationships are more common this day than back in my day. When I was around your age."

Well, he's right. Kahit sinong malaman na sa iisang unit kami nakatira ni Loki, pareho ang magiging reaksyon. But I have already rehearsed a line that would clear the confusion. I kinda expected that people would say something along the lines that he uttered.

"So he's not your boyfriend?" he asked. Curious talaga siya, ah?

I shook my head again. "He's like a brother to me. Para akong babysitter niya minsan. Medyo may pagka-childish siya, pero—teka, sir. Baka ang dating sa inyo, sinisiraan ko siya, ha? Loki may be eccentric in his ways and beliefs, but he's basically a good guy. Hindi lang halata minsan."

"No, no! I won't judge. So you don't have a boyfriend?"

If I wasn't suspecting that he's my dad, I'd think that he's trying to hit on me. Which is foul. Bawal ang teacher-student relationship. I would not consider it at all. It's utterly gross. Nakakapanindig ng balahibo.

"Wala pa ho," nahihiya kong sagot.

"Not even Alistair?" he asked, glancing at me. "Mukhang close kayong dalawa, ah?"

I understand why he got the wrong impression. Again. "He's my childhood friend."

At dahil mismo kay Sir Rich kaya nagkaroon kami ng kaunting sagutan kahapon. Well, he did not have to know that I defended him from a number of accusations.

"How about Luthor?" he asked next. "I saw you two going to the rooftop a few weeks ago. Your face looked serious. Tatawagin sana kita kaso mukhang may seryoso kayong pag-uusapan."

Oh, really? Why couldn't I recall seeing him? Was he secretly stalking me? Baka masyado akong preoccupied noon kaya hindi ko na napansin.

"Wala ho 'yon." Marahan akong umiling. "Malamang tungkol sa student council or execom ang pinag-usapan namin."

Bilang sa daliri ko kung ilang beses kaming nagkausap ni Luthor doon. The most memorable to me was when I told him that he needed to "fall." 'Yong kinailangan nilang mag-away na magkapatid para paniwalain si Augustus na nasabi ko na kay Loki ang katotohanan.

"I see." He nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer. Baka may iba siyang lalaking banggitin gaya ni Augustus na nakausap ko nang solo o ni Stein na ni-lure ako kahapon sa library. Sana'y wala na siyang follow-up question.

If he's my dad, I wouldn't be surprised kung tinitimbang niya ang mga lalaki sa buhay ko. Teka, parang ang pangit pakinggan no'n, ah?

"I know that I am not in the position to tell you this," he began, making me turn to him. "But be careful of the men you welcome in your life. Some of them may not be what they seem. There's nothing more deceptive than appearances."

Don't worry, sir. Right now, I'm applying what you've told me. You may not be who you seem to me after all.

We finally arrived at our destination. He pulled the car to the parking lot. I unfastened my seatbelt before I got off. Sabay na kaming pumasok sa isang restaurant. I heard about this place in food reviews online. They say that the food here is pricey.

My eyes glanced around the room, looking for a man who dressed like an editor. Oh, wait. I have no idea how they looked like.

"Ah, Fritz!" Tumayo ang isang lalaking naka-longsleeves at may suot na pabilog na salamin. Nagtungo kami sa kanyang mesa. He looked older than Sir Rich, probably around his late fifties or early sixties. Kulay abo na ang ilang hibla ng kanyang buhok. Lumilitaw na rin ang crow's feet niya tuwing napapangiti at nagsasalita. He extended his right hand to my instructor.

"Johannes! How good to see you!" bati ni Sir Rich at saka nakipagkamay sa kanya.

I watched as the two men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. They sounded like they haven't seen each other in person for a long while.

"Johannes, I want you to meet Lorelei Rios, the promising writer that I told you about," Sir Rich said, gracefully gesturing to me. "Lorelei, this is Johannes Gutierrez, the editor-in-chief of BEYOND Publishing."

Huminga ako nang malalim at tumikas ng tindig. I swallowed the lump in my throat as my gaze met the EIC's.

Iniabot sa akin ni Sir Johannes ang kanyang kamay. I responded by shaking it firmly. Bago ang meeting na 'to, I looked up online about handshake etiquette. Nabasa ko na kailangang firm ang pagkakahawak sa kamay, pero hindi dapat masyadong mahigpit. Hanggang dalawa o tatlo lang dapat ang beses ng pagtaas at pagbaba nito.

"I've been looking forward to the opportunity to finally meet you!"

"The pleasure is mine, sir," nahihiyang tugon ko. I smiled awkwardly at him. Parang nanginginig ang mga labi ko. Calm down, Lori!

"Please take a seat!" Sir Johannes motioned to the vacant seats beside us. "Let's order something, shall we? Don't worry. My treat."

It's kinda impolite to decline that offer. Kaya kahit hindi pa ako gutom, napilitan akong mag-browse ng menu at mamili ng o-order-in. A chocolate parfait would be enough, I guess?

He called for a waiter and enumerated our orders. Mukhang mapupuno ang mesa namin sa dami ng kanyang sinabi.

"My good friend Fritz told me a lot of good things about you and your work." Sir Johannes smiled at me as he put his fingertips together. "I easily believe whatever he says. Ganyan ako katiwala sa salita niya. But I want to meet you in person. So why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?"

Sandaling nagawi ang tingin ko kay Sir Rich na marahang tumango sa akin. Parang humingi ako ng permiso sa kanya. Which shouldn't be the case.

Nagsimula ang pag-uusap namin sa pagpapakilala ko. Pakiramdam ko tuloy, nasa isang job interview ako. Sir Johannes started asking about my blog entries, which he had apparently read, aside from the literary folio entries that Sir Rich forwarded to him. He also had some questions about what the QED Club is, what do we do and how do we do it.

May times din na sumisingit si Sir Rich lalo na kapag hindi ako kaagad nakakasagot. Pinapangunahan kasi ako ng kaba. Halos pagpawisan na ako sa kinauupuan ko kahit na malamig ang hangin sa loob. I had to thank him to filling in the dead air.

"I can't help but see your working relationship with this Loki guy similar to Holmes and Watson's," Sir Johannes commented, wiping his lips with a napkin.

Napangiti ako. "That's the original arrangement of our partnership, sir—"

Natigil ako nang maramdaman ko ang pagtunog ng aking phone. I excused myself, bowed my head and checked who's calling me.

My eyes widened in surprise when I saw the name.

It's my dad Walter. I remember unblocking his number since we had a heart to heart talk back in Manila. But why was he calling me around this time?

I'm in the middle of an important meeting kaya okay lang siguro kung i-decline ko ang tawag niya, 'di ba? If I were the one calling him while he's talking to a client, he'd surely decline the call on the first ring.

But he wouldn't call me unless it's important. In fact, he doesn't call me at all unless he needed to talk to me.

"Sir, do you mind if I take this—"

"Please," Sir Johannes said as his right hand gestured to me. Sumandal siya sa kanyang upuan. "That might be an important call."

"Thank you," I replied before twisting in my seat and turning away from them. Ramdam kong nabaling ang tingin sa akin ni Sir Rich. He must be wondering who dared to interrupt our meeting. "Hello, pa?"

"Good afternoon, Lorelei. I hope you're doing well."

I expected the first line, but not the second one. Sa tagal ba naming hindi nagkakausap, hindi ko na matandaan kung paano siya makipag-usap sa akin. Does he always wish me well? I kinda forgot already.

"I'm doing well, dad. Bakit kayo napatawag?"

"I'm on my way to Pampanga, probably thirty minutes away. I want to know if you're in your apartment."

Sandaling pumikit ang mga mata ko. Oo nga pala. Nabanggit sa akin ni Tita Martha last week na pupunta ngayong linggo ang dad ko. For what reason? I have no idea. My tita didn't tell me. Or maybe she didn't know too. Sa dami ng mga nangyari, I totally forgot about it.

"Wala pa ho ako sa apartment."

"Are you still in school?"

"Wala rin ho. I have a meeting after class with an editor from a publishing house." Napatingin ako kina Sir Rich at Sir Johannes na nag-uusap sa tabi. Okay lang ba may sabihan ako tungkol sa meeting namin? Well, I guess it wouldn't matter.

"Where are you now?"

I told him the name of the restaurant. I would be surprised kung susunduin niya ako. He would probably say goodbye and drop the call in three, two, one—

"I'll come and fetch you there."

Ilang sagundo akong natulala. Napakurap ang mga mata ko at bahagyang naghiwalay ang aking mga labi.

Tama ba ang narinig ko? I seriously thought he'd be ending the conversation as soon as I told him the place. This was unexpected of him.

"Huwag n'yo na ho akong alalahanin. May maghahatid naman sa akin."

"I insist. According to my driver, that restaurant is along the way. I can have the car wait for you until your meeting is done."

Waiting is not his strong suit. He'd be ditching me even if I'm only a second late. But today's different. May nakain ba siya? Masarap ba ang naging ulam niya kaninang lunch?

"Sige po," sagot ko. Even if I said no, he'd be coming here anyway. "Take care, dad."

"Thank you, Lorelei. See you later."

Then he hung up. Natulala ako sa screen ng aking phone. I was still processing what he had just told me. That may not sound like a big deal to anyone, but for me, it was.

"Are you okay, Lorelei?"

I snapped myself out of my thoughts and turned to Sir Rich. There's a hint of concern in his face. Ngumiti ako sa kanya bago ko ibinaling muli ang aking atensyon kay Sir Johannes. "Where was I again, sir?"

Our conversation took another twenty minutes. Naubos ko na ang in-order kong chocolate parfait habang naubos na rin nila ang kanilang salad.

"I hope you'll consider my offer," Sir Johannes told me as he stood. "I promise you a good career at BEYOND. You will be one of our bestselling authors in every bookstore nationwide."

Ngumiti siya sa akin sabay abot ng kanyang kamay. I also stood and shook his hand firmly. "I will tell you as soon as I make up mind, sir."

"It's a pleasure meeting and talking to you. I hope this won't be last."

Nagpaalam na sa amin si Sir Johannes na may lakad pa raw ngayong hapon. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Sir Rich sa table. Nagawa pa niyang mag-joke na hindi pa yata nababayaran ni Sir Johannes ang bill at wala siyang dalang pera. Baka raw kailangan naming maghugas ng plato. It was an old and lame joke, it still made me laugh.

"Shall we go?" tanong niya. "Do you mind kung ihahatid kita sa apartment n'yo? I asked you to come with me here after class hours so I feel responsible to make sure you get home safely."

"Uhm..." I bit my lower lip. How do I break this news to him? Bahala na! Inilabas ko ang aking phone at ipinakita sa kanya ang text message ni papa sa akin. "My dad's coming to fetch me, sir. Nandito na raw po siya."

"Oh, really?" he blurted, his lips parted and his eyes blinked. Agad ding nanumbalik sa normal ang facial expression niya. "Well then, let me make sure that you get in his car."

Lumabas na kaming dalawa sa restaurant. Saktong nag-park sa harapan ko ang isang itim na kotse. The driver went out of the car and opened the door to the back seat.

"Good afternoon, Miss Lorelei," nakangiting bati niya sa akin. It's been a while since I last saw him. Around my dad's birthday celebration, I think?

"Good afternoon din."

Naaninag ko ang figure ng aking papa sa loob. Even if I did not catch a glimpse of him, I knew he was there because of the cold breeze that greeted me. Parang siya si Luthor. I don't know why and how they could emit that aura.

Nakatapak na ang isang paa ko sa loob ng sasakyan nang may sumagi sa isip ko. I had a weird thought. My legal dad and my possibly biological dad being at the same scene at the same time? What else could be more awkward than this?

Before taking another step inside the car, I quickly turned to Sir Rich. "Thank you for today, sir. See you tomorrow—"

My eyes squinted at him. I caught him staring at my dad inside. There's something in the way that he looked at him. Agad na nabaling sa akin ang kanyang atensyon nang magpaalam ako.

"Thank you too, Lorelei. Please be safe on your way home."

I got inside the car and gently closed the door. I looked at Sir Rich through the tinted window. Nakatingin pa rin siya sa akin at ikinakaway ang kanyang kamay.

The car started to drive away from the restaurant. Parang nakahinga na ako nang maluwag. Was it just me? Or was there a tense atmosphere when the two of them were within arm's reach?

Lumingon ako sa kaliwa at napansin ang papa ko na nagbabasa ng magazine. Isinara niya ito at maingat na ipinatong sa kanyang lap. He had his legs crossed.

"How's your day, Lorelei?" he asked, turning to me.

q.e.d.

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