Chapter 9: Morning Surprise

Mandy kept staring at her watch. She was feeling so uneasy finding herself having dinner with Migs after the very brief meeting she had with him that afternoon. Well, she expected to be grilled about her background, her experience as a freelance photographer before being offered a job but it did not happen. All the practice she had in front of the mirror answering interview questions appeared useless. Not that she was complaining. She got a job, though not a permanent one, but she can finally keep herself afloat in the coming few months with the assignments that Migs entrusted her that day.

“Hey, can you excuse me for a while, I just gotta go to the ladies’ room.”

“Sure! I think it’s over there.” Migs pointing to the doors near the bar.

Mandy pretended to proceed to the ladies’ room but she was really aiming for the payphone  a few feet from the bar. Since she cut ties from the hospital she worked in, the work cellphone they officially provided was also cut.

She realized she was already an hour late for dinner with Herbie. She just got to at least leave him a message. “But what am I gonna say?… Oh my God! I’ve never been this nervous in a long time trying to explain myself and Herbie’s not even my boyfriend?”

Mandy’s phone call was always led to Herbie’s voicemail. It took a few calls before Mandy was able to finally leave a message that went something like - “Hey, Herb! Mandy here…Look, I’m really…

“There you are!” it was Migs’ voice that interrupted what she was about to say next. In a huff, Mandy put down the phone to join Migs to their table.

Meanwhile at Ryley’s, Herbie also kept looking at his watch. It was one and a half hour past the time he and Mandy agreed to meet there for dinner. His head was going crazy not knowing what could have happened to her. He was on his third cup of coffee. The beverage had helped ease what could either be hunger or anxiety. He knew Mandy was meeting that Migs guy that day. While he was happy for her at the prospect of a job she so terribly needed, he somehow had this feeling that Migs could be taking interest at his Mandy. “My Mandy?!…Where did that come from? I mean she’s not mine!,” he shook his head with these thoughts in mind.

His cellphone vibrated. A voice mail arrived. He pressed asterisk then zero and listened. His face suddenly went serious. He then raised his hand to wave at the waiter to come.

“A bottle of beer, please.”

Moments later, he was awakened by a knock at his door. Herbie did not rise from the bed immediately. He just opened his eyes and for a brief moment wondered where he was, what the day was and what time of day it was. The persistent knocking at his door did not allow him to think about the answers to all of his questions. He got up and answered the door.

“Morning!”

It was Mandy holding a tray of food with a note that says SORRY in capital letters and a heart right beside the letter Y.

“Made you breakfast.” Mandy said in her usual sweet voice.

Herbie immediately turned around. He wanted to let Mandy know he was mad for standing him up the previous night. He knew he could not convey that message if he was seeing her pretty face.

But Mandy didn’t need to be invited in. Soon as he opened the door, she went straight to the dining table, deposited the tray there then approached Herbie who sat lazily on the couch in the living room.

“Herbie, I’m really sorry.”

“I waited for you. I got so hungry.” Herbie said trying to act mad though terribly.

“But what was I supposed to do? Herb, I need this job and I got it Herbie. I got a job. Isn’t that what you always wanted for me?”

Herbie moaned.

“Come on, Herb. Aren’t you happy for me?” Herbie took a glance at Mandy who was making a face.

“All right.” Herbie gave in way before that. He got up and went to the kitchen to check out the food she prepared.

“And it’s only because I am hungry and I need to eat.” he said jokingly that made both of them laugh.

“So tell me about it.” Herbie prodded Mandy as he took a bite of bacon, immediately followed by a piece of bread. “I see you got the job.” he said nodding his head while looking at Mandy at the corner of his eyes.

“Yeah, finally! It wasn’t a regular thing though. It’s ahmmm per project but he gave me three consecutive ones so you are going to miss me so much in the coming days.”

“Haha miss you? In case you forget, I do have a job, too!”

“I know! But hey, I finally finished Mr. And Mrs Cuevas’ Wedding Album.”

“Oh, where is it? Lemme see!”

Mandy paused seeing how cute Herbie was talking with a piece of bacon in his mouth.

“What?” Herbie asked wiping his mouth. “I got food on my face, right?”

Mandy just shook her head.

“So, where is it?”

“It’s still in the photo shop. And that’s what I’d like to ask from you, I mean request from you…if it’s not too much.”

“Okay, it’s too much!” Herbie said jokingly.

Mandy distorted her face which Herbie thought made her cuter, “No, she’s not cute, she’s pretty, she’s gorgeous!” he argued with himself.

“You want me to get them for you?”

“How did you know!”

“Well, I’m clairvoyant! I can read minds.”

“No, you’re not!”

“In fact, I can read your mind right now?

“Okay, what’s on my mind?”

“You gotta keep still and you gotta close your eyes.”

Herbie swallowed the last bite of bread followed by a sip of coffee before positioning his body to face Mandy who was already looking at him.

Now eye-to-eye, Mandy suddenly burst into laughter.

“Don’t laugh. This is serious!”

“Wow, I’m amazed, you’re really not laughing, Herb!”

“I told you this is serious! Close your eyes, please.”

“Alright, I’m sorry.” Mandy closed her eyes. “Now, what am I thinking?”

“Okay, right now, you’re not thinking about something.You’re thinking about someone.”

“Herbie!”

“Okay, give me a moment.”

Herbie looked at Mandy’s face, sweeping his eyes from her hair that she put up in a messy bun, to her forehead, her neat eyebrows, those eyes that are beautiful even when they’re closed, her pretty little nose, her chin, and…

He bit his lips and swallowed at the sight of those sweet pair of lips. Herbie caught himself leaning in but stopped himself in time before Mandy could notice how his lips almost collided with hers. There was sudden heat crawling all over his face and if he hadn’t known better, he knew he was turning red.

Herbie immediately stood up and said, “Right now, you’re not thinking of anything.”

Mandy opened her eyes. She was tongue-tied as well. She didn’t bother to comment on the mind-reading thing.

She pulled a receipt and a calling card from her pocket and handed them to Herbie, who already knew what they were for.

Mandy shot the door of her room closed. She did not know what to make of that little scene she had with Herbie. As she closed her eyes, all she could think of was that Herbie’s eyes were on her. She could feel the heat of his breath and the smell of coffee getting closer to her face. She thought Herbie was leaning in for a kiss and she could swear she could hear her own heartbeat in anticipation.

And Herbie was right. She was thinking about someone. She was thinking of him!