Uncharted Hearts

Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

JEANINE decided to talked to her lawyer with Uno while Ethan took the next flight back in Cebu. Habang nasa eroplano, tinapos na niya ang ilang revisions na gagawin sa disenyo ng mall ng mga De Luna. Pagkatapos sa mga revisions, isinunod niya roon ang restaurant design na balak itayo ng tatay ni Eloisé sa isla na kanilang pinuntahan nang nagdaang araw.

It's just a simple restaurant design, similar to other stores he has already designed and built. Excep fort one thin: Eloisé's father's restaurant has a mini arcade and claw machine in front. Hindi niya natanong bakit may gano'n sa harap na gaya sa mga disenyo ng lumang general merchandise store sa Cordova. Ethan grew up seeing those and playing with them whenever he had extra money.

That's nostalgic, and he couldn't help himself but smile.

Napawi lamang iyon nang maalala si Eloisé at ang mga nasabi niya sa dalaga nang nagdaang gabi. Sumagi rin sa kanyang isipan ang mga binitawang salita ni Atty. De Luna tungkol kay Eloisé.

He told him how much he adored Eloisé since she was a kid. How much he cared for her up until now. Alam din nito na may pinagdadaan si Eloisé na may kinalaman kay Bryce at hangga't maaari ay nais nitong protektahan ang anak.

Ethan wanted to do the same, but in the end, anger came first, before empathy. Isang dahilan kaya siya napabuntong-hininga uli. Ethan must have fixed it by talking to Eloisé, but the big question was how will he do that.

Bahala na nga, aniya sa isipan.

After an hour of flying, the plane land and Ethan didn't waste another minute. He contacted his team while driving. Nang makarating siya sa kanyang opisina, sinalubong siya ni Fiona na kanyang sekretarya.

“Nakapag-follow up ka na sa AB Com? Make sure that they'll deposit the payment today so we could release our employees bonuses early.” Iyon ang tuloy-tuloy niyang salita habang naglalakad silang dalawa.

“Nakuha na ang payment. Nasa banko na ang messenger natin at dine-deposit ang check. It will cleared by tomorrow. Miss De Luna is in your office. She also brought in the downpayment for the project.”

Huminto siya sa paglalakad na siyang dahilan kaya huminto rin si Fiona. Tumingin siya sa kanyang assistant sandali at inisip ang sasabihin. Ngunit walang salita ang lumabas sa kanyang bibig at hindi pa sana kikibo kung 'di siya pinukaw uli ni Fiona.

“Could you buy us some food and drinks outside?” Sa halip na tugunin ang mahabang nasabi ni Fiona ay iyon ang kanyang naging pakiusap.

Nang tumango si Fiona, iniwan siya nitong mag-isa sa lobby. Ethan collected himself firsr before entering his office to met Eloisé.

“Hi!” Bati sa kanya ni Eloisé ng makapasok siya sa loob. “How's your flight?” Bahagyang tumaas ang isa niya kilay matapos marinig ang tanong na iyon ng dalaga. He supposed to answer her question but Ethan couldn't find words to say. “Look, I'm sorry if what happened last night angered you. I blocked him and it was so stupid of me to think that way. He's married and you're right. I shouldn't let him degraded me like that.”

“I wasn't thinking last night too.”

“Naiintindihan ko naman kung bakit ka galit. You loved your cousin so much and -”

“I'm not that mad at you, Eloisé.” Marahas na huminga si Ethan bago uli nagsalita. “Can we forget that happened?” Napatanga si Eloisé matapos marinig ang kanyang sinabi. “I don't want us to be stranger again.”

Doon ay tumango-tango na si Eloisé. “All right then let's erased that. Nothing happened last night.”

“Yeah, nothing happened,” he repeated and smiled at her.

ELOISÉ maintained her professional relationship towards Ethan at work while their personal one was back to square one. Matapos iyong nangyari nang nagdaang gabi parang nahirapan si Eloisé na umaktong normal sa harap ni Ethan. Naalala kasi niya ang katangahan niya at mga nasabi na hindi 'man lang nag-iisip.

“There's a claw machine, Eloisé.” Napatingin siya sa tinuro ni Ethan at tama nga ito.

May claw machine nga sa harap ng isang tindahan na 'di kalayuan sa kinatatayuan nilang dalawa. And it was the same spot where she met her father now. Napangiti siya't tinungo ang nasabing tindahan.

“Dito kami unang nagkita ni Dad. I was with Teresa and we aimed to have the big teddy bear inside.” Kwento niya't sinipat ang nasabing claw machine. “May barya ka?” tanong niya kay Ethan.

“What will you going to get?” Sa loob ng claw machine, may nakita si Eloisé na maliit na teddy bear couple. At iyon ang tinuro niya kay Ethan. “You're harsh to separate those two.”

“OA. Marami ka bang barya diyan?”

“Magpapalit ako,” ani Ethan saka pumasok na sa tindahan at naiwan siya sa labas na nakatitig sa claw machine.

Eloisé couldn't remember when was the last time she played the machine. Mula nang mapadpad siya sa Manila at maka-score ng trabaho sa Paris, naiba na ang inog ng kanyang mundo. Tila ngayon nga lang iyon huminto dahil nakabalik siyang muli sa lugar na kinalakihan ng kanyang ina.

“Eloisé?” tawag na pumukaw sa kanya at sa paglingon ay isang pamilyar na mukha ang sumalubong sa kanya.

“Sancho? Oh my God! It's you!” sigaw niya't niyakap si Sancho. “Kumusta? It's been -”

“Forever? Akala ko hindi ka na babalik dito.”

Bahagya siyang kumalas sa pagkakayakap sa binata at matamang pinagmasdan ito. “There's no place in the world could replace my home. I'm happy to be back.”

“May kasama ka?” Agad siya lumingon at nakita si Ethan na seryosong nakatingin sa kanilang dalawa ni Sancho.

“Ah oo. This is Ethan nga pala. Siya ang architect in-charge sa pinagagawa naming mall dito at -”

“I'm her boyfriend.” Putol ni Ethan sa kanyang sinasabi at literal niyang kinagulat ang pagpapakilala nito bilang boyfriend niya. Right there and then she wanted to smacked him on his face. Pero bakit hindi niya nagawang kontrahin ito? Did she like to be his girlfriend even for a show? “I am Architect Ethan Matthews, her boyfriend.” Ulit nitong pakilala kay Sancho.

What the hell he's trying to pull off? Eloisé asked at the back of her mind that very moment.