Chapter 18 - Cleaning the Dirt

Nicolo

Di na nag reply si Gail. Baka busy. Hayyy... Makapag ayos na nga. May lakad pa kami nina Drei at Ross mamaya. Pagkakakitaan daw ulit sabi ni Drei. Yun talagang taong yun o... puro raket.

Gail

After washing the plates together after breakfast, we rested at the sofa for a while.

"Babe?" Brent asked as he had his head on my lap.

"Yes?" I looked down at him stroking his soft hair.

"Where do you want to go later?" he asked looking at me straight in the eyes.

"Whatever you want... kasama kita... so it's ok..." I replied watching him.

"... ok... so... later were going out... for some movies and dinner... is that ok?" he said smiling as he held the hand that was stroking his hair.

"I already have tickets at home... brought it months in advance... magugustuhan mo yun..." he said with exciteness in his voice.

"Wow! Napagplanuhan mo talaga siya ha... sure... I would love that" I answered as I bent down to kiss him.

Being the next in line for a conglomerate has its perks. But Brent always to chose to shower me with his perks most of the time, instead of... himself. Not that nagrereklamo ako. He has always been very thoughtful and sweet to me that way. And its not that I ask him to pamper me so much. But he keeps on doing this because he is such a sweetie.

"But first I need to go home. I also promised Mama and Papa to bring them to Mama's amigas for lunch. Sa loob lang ng village pero I offered. I may pick them up after or have one of the drivers pick them up. Inform kita" Brent said as he slowly sat up beside me.

"Sure, babe. Send my regards to tita and tito, ha?" I replied looking at him before snuggling to his arms.

In an hour, Brent left already to their home in Dasma village. I, on the other hand, had time to prepare. hope there's enough time. I only had half a day to prepare. Gosh!

"But for the time being..." I walked to my bed a bit excited.

I lifted my pillow that covered my phone and slowly I took it into my hands. Then I looked at the screen, then kinilig ako. Gosh!

"Well that's alot" I excitedly said before reading the messages.

<3 messages received>

Nagbreakfast ka na?

Mamaya pa ako.

May lakad eh.

Sender: Nicolo

Baka busy ka pa.

Reply ka na lang pag ok na.

Sender: Nicolo

Cge mya na lang.

Palabas ako ng bahay.

May raket :)

Sender Nicolo

Wonder where this "raket" is. Anyway, it is his livelihood. Just a bit different.

Nicolo

Enjoy your day, ok?

Sender: Gail

<message sent>

I set the phone down on the side table as I slowly slid back down on my bed hugging the blanket. Haaaaayyyyy... the cold bed and my fullness is making me super antok. Maybe about 2 hours would be ok.

"Mga... two hours lang..." I said before closing my eyes.

I was in deep sleep when my phone beeped. May text message na gumising sa akin ng konti. I slowly reached for my phone.

<message received>

Sis...

Its hard to say this but we need to talk.

Message me when you are free.

Sender: Jeannie

"I wonder why she messaged..." I said as i stretched.

Well, kailangan ko pa mag ayos ng condo. And now that I had some rest, I can do that cleaning, since I still have hours to prepare.

"What to do first?" tanong ko before answering myself.

The kitchen.

But first, there should be music! So I got my IPod and placed it on the speaker dock on the shelf facing the sofa. This would get the energy up. Oh yes!

Since the dishes were done, I can go and clean my cupboard of the sobrang kalat. And after a few minutes, things were already organized and tidy. I finally have additional space between my tupperwares and pots. I moved on to sweeping the living room which was not that hard. Just some sweeping here and there and some bending under the couch as the dance music filled the condo from my IPod.

"Hey... ano to?" I said as I reached for something underneath the sofa.

A receipt for shirts... the ones i bought for Nicolo.

"Well, noone would see this now..." sabi ko as I tore the receipt and went to the kitchen trashbin and threw it with the other trash.

I stared a few minutes at the trashbin as I saw the torn receipt of Nicolo's shirts on top of the trash from Brent's cooking. Then I snapped back to reality.

"Walang makaka alam..." I said again as I turned and continued sweeping the remainder of the living room.

I fluffed the throw pillows on the couch as well as wipe the center table in the area, causing dust to fly around. Grabe! Alikabok!

ACHOOO!!!

I was so into the cleaning, and a bit of dancing, that I was surprised when my stomach started growling. Gutom na? Lunch? Already? I checked the wall clock.

2:35

So its waaaaaayyy past lunch. Ano kaya kakainin? Hmmm... Will do that after I finish the cleaning.

"Finally!" sigaw ko as I was keeping the broom and finishing up the area.

Now... what to eat for lunch. Something light since breakfast was over the top. Maybe some salad? Or fruit? Or... what?

"Alam ko na!" I said as I dressed up a bit and went down to the cafe outside the condo just across the street.

Once there, I bought something that caught my eye and my appetite. After paying, I went up to my unit and partially prepared my meal.

"Yummy!" I said as I placed my spicy sardines linguine and garlic bread into my plate throwing the container into the trash partially covering the torn receipt inside.

Taking a jug of apple cider from the chiller and pouring myself a glass. I placed the plate and the glass on the table with my fork in my hand as I sat down.

As I was about to take my first bite nang tumunog ang phone ko. Walking to the bedroom, I got it and returned to the dining table.

<message received>

Kumusta?

May raket ang grupo namin.

Bridal shower pero meeting palang ngayon.

Salamat sa shirt. Suot ko na yung isa ngayon.

Parang nakayapak ka ngayon sa akin :)

Sender: Nicolo

"...I do also hope that I am hugging you now..." I said as I took a bite of my pasta.

Wish you were here right now.

Sender: Gail

<message sent>

I was about to finish my meal when I received another message. Reaching for my phone, I casually looked at thescreen as I drank some cider.

<message received>

Already brought Mama & Papa to their lunch.

Will be grabing a bite in a few.

Hope you have your lunch as well, babe.

I love you.

Sender: Brent

I set the phone down as I brought my dishes to the sink. Replyan ko ang message ni Brent after washing the dishes. But when I was already wiping my hand onthe dish towel, my phone rang.

Ring! Ring!

"Hello?"

"Hi, Miss Mataray."

"Nicolo... so musta?"

"Eto patapos na itong meeting ... nagkasundo na yung kasama ko at yung kliente... ikaw?"

"Just finished eating and washing..."

"Ah... so..."

"I miss you..."

"I... I miss you too..."

So we had a long conversation over the phone. Ako, sitting in the sofa again at siya finishing the meet-up and leaving for the club where he worked. He was with his buddies, the two guys he was with on Dinah's despedida. This conversation was sweet and filled with some flirting the whole time. Though there was some holding back in Nicolo's side. Maybe a guy thing. Mga lalaki talaga. Anyway, some words were a bit daring that Nicolo had to whisper those things on the phone while in public. Halos pagpawisan ako kahit naka on ang aircon.

We have been exchanging flirts when I saw the sun changing color through my glass veranda door.

"Shucks! Mag aayos pa ako. I will be going out for dinner" I said a bit surprised and in a hurry.

"O-Ok... sige message message na lang" he answered before I said goodbye and cut the call.

I still have nothing to wear. But I have to take a bath first. Hmmm... there would still be enough time. Baka pwede ko pang linisin ang bathroom bago maligo.

And so I did.

After scrubbing and wiping, more scrubbing and flushing, rinsing and drying, the bath was already pretty clean. That's when I slowly undressed and stepped into the shower area. I wanted to scrub myself clean as well. Enjoying the warm water, I thought how nice this weekend was starting with that awesome breakfast made by my loving Brent and then having messages as well as a call from... from Nicolo. Natawa ako iniisip yun.

"Babe?" Brent called into the bathroom when he returned to the condo. He did have his own key.

"Yes?"

"We better get going in about an hour to enjoy the evening" he said as I saw him peeking by the door.

Brent was his usual charming self, all dressed up in his light blue Lacoste polo shirt, black Armani jeans and his black Sebago leather shoes as he smiled before turing to the living room to let me dress up. I walked out the bathroom with my hair in a towel and another one around my body. I was infront of my closet. Napa buntong hininga

"I got nothing to wear!" sigaw ko as I rummaged through my closet.

Without me knowing, Brent had already walked behind me and was silent the whole time.

"You would look good in anything, babe" he said as he hugged me from behind and kissed me on the back.

The hair on my skin tingled as his lips touched my neck. My hands held onto the arms that was around my waist. He smothered my back with kisses that made me shiver. It was almost like how Nicolo took me in his arms.

"Ohhh..." I moaned as Brent's hands slowly slid to my exposed legs.

With the sensation I leaned on Brent brushing my fingers on his arms. I know this is too early in the evening, but having Brent do this made me feel... loved.

"I love you, Gail" Brent said as he hugged me tight again, his arms on my hips.

"I... I love you too..." I replied lovingly.

"Nic..."

Shucks! Muntik ko na sabihin ang pangalan ni Nicolo. Buti na lang nahinto ko. I became stiff with that almost mistake. I do hope Brent did not feel the sudden coldness as i pushed him back saying that he might get wet from the towel on me.

"Ummm... so where are we going?" I broke the silence of a few seconds as I moved from his hug and started checking my closet again to chose my Prada 'little black dress' and black Gucci strappy sandals I bought yesterday.

This would go well with the black Chanel handbag Brent gave me for Christmas last year. As well as the dark blue Liz Clairborne shawl that Dinah and Jeannie gave me on that same year.

"Well, I will... let you fix up..." Brent said as he slowy walked out the bedroom.

Ano yun, Gail? I couldn't feel ok with how i responded. I... I will try to make it up to Brent at dinner. So I need to make myself perfect for Nicolo... I mean... Brent.

"Gail... it's just movies and dinner... get a hold of yourself" I whispered in my mind as I stared at the vanity mirror finishing my make up.