Chapter 115: Telephone Rings

I thought quickly. 'My car has new brakes. I forgot to remove my house key.'She accepted my excuse without further question. 'There's a spare door key in the pot by the kitchen window.' He ran back up the stairs and I followed, quickly opening a bottle of wine before rummaging through the fridge for something to eat. No one takes my wish. Wine will do. 'Yes, please.' Pearl came back into the kitchen. She's already jimmy-jammed up, and I can't wait to join her. I pour her a glass while trying to morph my face into anything other than the shocked expression that I know is still visible.

'I'm going to change and call Mama,' I turned around, carrying my wine. 'I'll meet you on the sofa soon.' 'Cold,' I really need to talk to Mom. Pearl is my best friend, but you can't beat your Mom when you want comfort. Not that I can tell her why I need comfort. She will be afraid.

After I put on my baggy pants and vest top, I lay on my bed and called my Mom Ayah. I called Mom Ayah Isabel when I want to. It rang once before she answered.

'Shaira?' Her voice was shaky but still soothing.

'Hi, Mom.'

'Shaira? Shaira? I can't hear you. Am I doing it right? Shaira?'

'I'm here, Ma. Can you hear me?'

'Shaira? Love Marco, it's broken. I can't hear anything. Shaira!'

I heard my Dad growling in the background before he got on the line.

'How are you?'

'Hi, Dad,' I shouted.

'You don't have to scream bloody loud my lovely daughter!'

'She can't hear me.'

'That's because she's the bloody opposite, stupid woman.'

I could hear my Mother laughing in the background, followed by a slapping sound that was, no doubt, her kneeling on my Dad's shoulder.

'Is he there? can you hear him Give me it here.' There was a little scuffle before he got back on the line.

'Shaira? Are you there?'

'Yes!' Why didn't I just call the landline? She insisted I ring her new mobile so she can get used to it, but good God, she's hard work.

'Oh. That's better, I can hear you now. How are you?'

'Good. I'm fine, Mom. You?'

'Yes, everything is fine. Guess what? We have exciting news,' he doesn't give me a chance to guess. 'Your brother is coming home to visit here. He was staying here in the Philippines for good. He's studying now in UST!'

I sat up in excitement. Is Marco Junior staying home? I haven't seen my brother for a long time. He lives his dream of his and doing in life what he wants. We are very close. Pearl will be shocked by this news, and not in a good way.

'When?' I asked.

'Next week. Isn't this exciting? I just told your Dad last week that we were preparing for a family reunion."'Do you know what his plans are?' I press.' He's staying in his apartment in Manila.

Suddenly I'm rotten. I haven't seen my parents for a long time, even my half-brothers and sisters. 'I've been busy with work, Ma. I have a The Country Hills launch, it is very difficult. I'll try my best, okay? Besides, my sister Anne Rose invited me for a meeting this evening. But, I am not sure if can make it."

'I know dear. What about Pearl?' she asked. Mom still loves Pearl. She was as devastated as I was when she broke up with her boyfriend.

'She's good.'

'Good. Have you heard from Tom?' she asked tentatively. I know she's hoping it's a big resounding NO. She wasn't as devastated when Tom and I broke up. He is not Mama's favorite person. Come to think of it, Tom is not a favorite of many people. We've talked since we broke up, but Mama doesn't need to know that. 'No, I'm just getting on with things.' I inform her, hearing her sigh in relief. I will not volunteer what I am going through. I'm so ashamed of myself.

'All right Marco, take the door, will you? Shaira, I have to go. Maria is here to pick me up from yoga.'

'Okay, Mom. I'll call next week.''All right. Good luck for your launch and have some fun!' she ordered. I know she thinks I wasted long years on two worthwhile relationships. He is right. I have.

'Bye, Mom.'

I hang up. Marco Junior is going home. Well, that cheered me up a little. And I always feel better when I talk to my Mom. They were not far away and I missed them like crazy, but I was comforted by the fact that they had escaped the rat race of metro Manila, retiring early to Cavite after Dad came back from Shanghai, China.

My phone started ringing and I looked at the screen, expecting to see my Mother's number - she must have forgotten to lock the keypad and sat on it - but no, sister Anne Rose.

"Shaira, where are you now? I am waiting here at Le Jardin Restaurant? Are you coming?"

"Sis, something's came up, very important. Sorry, just call me again, okay?"

"Okay Shaira, we will schedule again bye!"

My phone started ringing again and I looked at the screen, Engelbert Montero.

Ughhhhhhh! 'Reject.' I huff as I red-button him and throw my phone on my bed. I left my room to join Pearl on the sofa, I heard it ring again as I walked down the hallway. I didn't pay attention. The man is relentless. At least I don't have to see him anymore. He gave me the perfect excuse to refuse to design anything for him.


NEXT DAY AT THE OFFICE

'Morning,' I sing to Tommy as I pass his desk on Thursday.

He looked up at me with his thick-framed glasses - a clear fashion statement and Tommy's effort to be taken more seriously. I should tell him to get rid of the canary yellow dress shirt and gray pants tucked into the leggings. That will do the trick.

'Is someone lying down?' He smirks. 'Join the club, I'm tired!'

'No! Tommy, you're such a jerk.' I feigned disgust as I threw my bag next to my desk.

'Anything to report?' I ask to divert the conversation from Tommy's sexcapades.

'No, I'm just going to Mrs. Villanueva to hug her. You know, she called me at eleven last night to ask if she could expect the electricians this morning. I got interrupted in the middle of...'

'Enough!' I raised my hands. 'I don't want to know.' I sat down, swinging my chair to face him. 'I'm sorry, dear. It was really good though!' He winks. 'Anyway, she's in a panic because her summer ball is scheduled for July and she wants all the works completed on time. There is no hope, dear! If she would just stop changing her bloody mind, then we might get somewhere.'

He got up from his chair and blew me a kiss from ten feet away. 'Au Revoir, darling!' 'Bye. Oh, where's Maureen?' I yelled at him.

'Appointments.' he called, closing the door behind him. I turned to my desk when Doreen put coffee in front of me. I immediately took it, sipping as she sat nervously on my desk. 'Herman called to remind you that he is away today.' he said.

"Thank you, Doreen. Did you have a good weekend?'She smiled, nodding enthusiastically as she raised her glasses to her nose.

'Me, thanks for asking. I finished my cross-stitch and cleaned all the windows, inside and out. It was wonderful.' she says dreamily as she scurries off to file some invoices.

Cleaning windows? Amazing? The girl was sweet, but good Lord, she was as dull as dishwater.

I spend some time working through my email to clear my inbox. I checked to see if The Country Hills' final cleaning was complete and grabbed my phone as it began to dance across my desk. I rolled my eyes when I saw who was lighting up my screen. He just won't give up. Yesterday was a non-stop bombardment of calls - all of which I declined - and he's still there. I need to talk to the man eventually. He needs something...my car.

At one o'clock, I left the office to meet Pearl for lunch.

'Are there any decent men left in the world?' she asked worriedly, wiping her mouth with a napkin. 'I'm losing the will to live.'

' It's not that bad, is it?' I asked.

Her date failed yesterday evening. When she walked into the apartment at half past nine, I knew it wasn't good news. She put his napkin down on his empty plate, pushing it away. 'Shaira, when a guy pulls out a calculator at the end of a meal to settle your debt, it's usually not a good sign." I laughed. No, this is not a good sign; equality has gone mad. Modern man needs to catch up with the fact that women want to be treated as equals, but when it suits us. The modern woman's strong need for independence doesn't mean we want to pay for half of the meal, or that we don't want a man to open the door for her. We still want to take care, but on our terms.

'So, you'll never see him again?' She scoffs. 'No, the bill saga is bad enough. When he took me home in a taxi and accepted the twenty I offered him, it finished me.'

'You were a cheap date.' I giggled. 'Yes.'

She took out his phone and started tapping on the screen, holding it up to show me. 'One BLT and two glasses of water, you owe four hundred pesos.'

We both laughed a bit at Pearl's interrupted date. I love that she can be so lighthearted about it. Pearl is adamant that it will happen when it happens. I'm with her here.

'When will your car be ready?' she asked.

Crap!

'I'll give the garage a ring later.' I assured her. 'I don't mind taking the van.'

'No, it's fine. I don't think Mary will take you there.' She's a twenty-year-old, hot pink VW camper van that spits and fires all over Metro Manila on cake deliveries. Pearl's carbon footprint must be huge.

My phone rang and Pearl stepped aside to see who was calling me. I whipped it off the table, too hasty. But it was too late. I look at her nervously as I red button him again, before putting it back on the table as casually as I can. My jumpy reaction didn't get past Pearl. Not doing much.'Engelbert,' she said with a frown. 'What does he want?' I did not share any of Tuesday's horrific events with Pearl. I am very shy.

I shrugged. 'Who knows?'

'Are there any more suggestive texts?'

Oh, more than texts. There were endless phone calls and the fact he tricked me into returning to The Country Hills by pretending I was designing, only to have me trapped in one of his hotel suites so he could seduce me. Pearl will overcome my misfortune, that's why I didn't tell her. If I don't hear the words out loud, I can almost pretend it never happened...almost. I am a fool. I couldn't think of anything else, and she wasn't helping me in my attempt to get him out of my mind with all his calls. I don't need to be getting involved with anyone, especially someone who has already been involved with someone else. Besides, I'm just another mission for him to do.

The guy is a playboy and not the kind of guy I need to be with. He obviously has commitment issues. I don't like Sarah, but I feel sorry for her. 'No.' I answered with a sigh. She looked at me questioningly, as if examining me. I am. I messed up my hair. I took it out in a huff.

"You deserve some fun.' she says thoughtfully. Happy? I wouldn't call being tied to an involved person happy by any stretch of the imagination. I call it stupid!

'After Tom, you really deserve a treat.'I don't want to talk about Tom. Pearl doesn't know that he still calls me now and then. I don't know why he does it. 'I have to get back to work,' I leaned in, kissing Pearl on the cheek. 'Love you.'

'Yes, that too. I will be late tonight. There's a cake convention at The Hilton.' He gets up, waving me off when I try to give him money for lunch. 'My turn.' I put my money back in my wallet. 'Okay, but I'll shout next time.' We leave each other outside the bar, Pearl heading back to her workshop, me back to the office.

XXX