Taste: Four

"The climb maybe tough, but the view from the top is always better."—Unknown

I just smiled at them one last time at pumasok na rin sa kotse ko. I buckled my seatbelt and started maneuvering the car. After an hour or so, I arrived at our house with some lights still open. Gising pa sila?

"We arrive at the same time, sis." A familiar voice thundered behind me, making me startled.

"At least make yourself known, Asaisha. You almost gave me a heart attack!" gulat kong sabi.

She just wickedly smile at me. "Don't worry, hindi ka naman pababayaan ni Alisha."

Crazy.

Kumunot ang noo ko nang lumapit ito sa akin at tinapat ang ilong sa damit ko at sa tapat ng bibig ko. Agad akong lumayo sa kanya.

"What are you doing?" I curiously asked her.

"Smelling you?" sabi niya na halatang hindi sigurado sa sagot nito.

We're still standing in front of the door. Wala naman akong ibang naririnig sa loob. Maybe, mom left some lights open for us dahil alam niyang gagabihin kami.

"And what did you find out?"

She paused for a moment and looked up as if thinking of something. "You smell..." she trailed off making me look at her with so much anticipation. "I smell that you'll be in a bad and good state in the future," she said.

I sighed in resignation. "Let's just go inside. Nahamugan ka lang ata sa labas. Which reminds me, why are you still outside?"

"Oh! May nangyari lang sa shop but it's already settled."

Gusto ko pa sana siyang tanungin bakit sobrang ginabi ata pero mukhang ayaw na niyang pag-usapan iyon kaya tumango na lamang ako. Naisipan na rin naming pumasok dahil lumalamig na rin sa labas.

"Good night, sis! Don't forget to tell me if he's gwapo ba." Gusto ko na sana itong pitikin pero lumayo agad ito at nagmamadaling umakyat. Napailing na lamang ako.

Hindi pa rin talaga niya nakalimutan? She's curious more than me. Ngayon tuloy iniisip ko na rin. As if on cue, my phone beep. Kinuha ko iyon sa bulsa ko at tiningnan kung anong meron.

Email. I decided to go to my room first, bago tingnan 'yon. I bet it's the schedule and information about Mr. Williams's son.

After taking a bath, still wearing my robe, kinuha ko ulit ang phone ko sa side table at binuksan ang email.

Dijon Fig Williams

Iyon ang bungad sa akin as subject. Wow, that's quite a unique name. Now I'm interested. I'm really curious where they named the Fig Company, now I already know why. They named it after their heir.

"Ngayon ay iniisip ko na tuloy kung gwapo ba. This is Asaisha's fault!" Why am I thinking about it anyway?

I scrolled down to look for his information and schedule. He is 27 years old. Okay, not that old. He's currently the Vice-President of Fig Company!

Wait. Kung siya ang vice-president, dapat ay nakita ko na siya. Sumimangot ako nang makitang wala man lang silang nilagay na picture. How would I know if it's him?

I scrolled more to look for his schedule. Eight in the morning ay aalis ito sa penthouse suite niya. So I need to be there early to cook his breakfast.

Maybe I'll cook here first before going there. I mentally thought. Mas maaga nga lang akong magluluto dito para sa breakfast nila then pupunta na ako doon, and I'm off to work. Sana lang hindi hassle. Now, I'm regretting this set-up.

"He's living in the Fig Hotel? So he owns that penthouse?"

I thought he's living in their mansion. Mas malayo nga lang iyon dito kesa sa hotel nila. It is on the last floor at sa taas ay rooftop na. I wanted to go there dahil maganda ang view ng sunset but they said it was a private one. That's why I always settled on the near place para panoorin ang paglubog ng araw.

Bumaba ulit ang tingin ko sa hawak na cellphone.

"Maybe we can arrange his lunch and dinner." Pwedeng ipadala ko na lamang ang lunch niya just like what I'm doing for my family. Sa dinner ay pwede akong doon dumiretso pagkatapos ng work bago umuwi. I'll try to talk about this first with him.

IN THE NEXT day, I was late for my plan time para ipagluto ang breakfast namin. It was the quickest cooking I've done. My head was spinning when I woke up kaya matagal muna bago ako bumangon. Hangover. Must be the wine yesterday. Hindi ko na naman kasi napansing ilang baso na ang nainom ko.

"You're early!" I smiled at Anisha's direction bago hinugasan ang kamay ko.

"Yes, this will be the change while I'm working as Mr. Williams' son's personal chef," I told her.

"Won't you get tired?" tanong ulit nito na ikinangiti ko. Humarap ako sa kaniya at nakitang uupo na ito kaya agad ko siyang nilapitan at tinulungan.

"Hoping I won't be. But I’ll manage. Titingnan ko pa kung anong mas magandang gawin. I still need to talk with him regarding this matter."

"Gwapo?"

I stopped and looked at her. "Pati ikaw?"

Tumawa ito ng mahina sa tanong ko. "Asaisha's fault."

"Dapat talagang tumahimik si Asaisha. She's a bad influence," nagbibirong sabi ko.

As if on cue biglang pumasok si Asaisha na handa sanang batiin kami pero nang mapansin na pinag-uusapan namin siya ay agad kami nitong sinimangutan.

"You're talking behind my back. I'm hurt!" she dramatically told us before taking a seat.

"Which back Asaisha?" Anisha teased.

Asaisha dramatically exhaled sharply. "That's foul!"

Napailing na lang ako habang tumatawa. Binilisan ko ang pag-aayos ng sarili ko at tiningnan kung okay na ba ang hinanda kong breakfast sa kanila. Asaisha is a bit picky when it comes to food that's why I'm always making sure the food I'd prepared suits her taste.

"I'm going guys!" I told them before kissing their cheeks.

Tiningnan ako ni Asaisha ng nakakunot-noo. "Ang aga mo."

"Maaga naman talaga ang gising ko."

Magsasalita na sana siya nang sumabad si Anisha. "Pupuntahan niya at titingnan kung gwapo ba, as per your request."

Napa-Oh naman si Asaisha at malaking ngisi ang iginawad sa'kin. Hindi ko na lamang siya sinaway at tumalikod na para umalis.

"Don't forget to text me!"

I drove my car and I'm glad there's no traffic today dahil kung hindi ay baka mas lalo akong ma-late. That's not a good impression for my first day. Hindi ko pa naman alam kung anong ugali mayroon ang anak ni Mr. Williams. I just hope we can get along. 

I carefully parked my car besides the black shining car. Hindi ko alam kung anong model iyon but I'm sure it costs a fortune. Hindi ko na mas binigyang pansin ang sasakyan at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad hanggang nakapasok na ako ng entrance. Nagmamadali man ay hindi ko hinayaang mag mukhang pagod dahil sa pagmamadali ko.

Nang makapasok ay pinindot ko agad ang top floor. Some even glance at me when I tap the button. I just smiled at them kahit hindi ko sila kilala. I think some of them are employees here dahil sa mga suot nila.

"Good morning." They only nodded in return.

Isa-isa silang lumabas nang marating sa kanilang destinasyon kaya naiwan akong mag-isa sa loob ng elevator. Ilang segundo lang ang hinintay ko bago makarating sa floor kung saan nakatira ang anak ni Mr. Williams.

I was in deep awe when I saw the exquisite place. The floor is carpeted and it has white and black exterior. Likely for a man. May gray couch naman sa harap ng pintuan. Marami ba ang pumupunta dito para lagyan ng upuan sa labas?

Lumapit ako sa pinto at pinindot ang intercom. Minutes passed ay wala pa ring sumasagot kaya inulit ko ang pagpindot. My forehead creases. Tulog pa ba?

I picked up my phone when it suddenly rang.

"Yes? This is Chef Aisha speaking," I greeted.

"Good morning Chef Aisha. I'm Lav, Mr. Williams secretary," pagpapakilala ng nasa kabila.

"Love? As in L, O, V, E?" I asked. Napatikhim ito bago sumagot.

"Lav po chef. Hindi Love." Ini-spell niya para mas maintindihan ko. Bakit kasi magkatunog?

"Sorry about that. Bakit ka po nga pala napatawag?" tanong ko. "By the way I'm already here in Mr. Williams son's penthouse pero walang sumasagot."

"About that chef, pinapasabi ni Mr. Williams na pumasok na lamang kayo dahil siguradong tulog pa rin si Sir D," he informed me.

"How's that possible?" I asked him. May password kaya.

"Just type your birthday, Chef."

I'm about to ask him again when the call ended. Hindi man lang akong hinintay. What does he mean by that? Birthday ko? Kahit nagtataka ay pinindot ko pa rin ang birthday ko 01-01-95. To my shock bumukas nga iyon. Magkaparehas ba kami ng birthday?

Dahan-dahan akong pumasok at nakitang sobrang linis ng paligid. Bumungad sa akin ang malawak na living room. There's a 64" flat screen T.V and white sofa sa gilid. May solo sofa rin sa harap at glass coffee table. Sa kabilang bahagi ay makikita ang ilang pinto. I think it's the master bedroom and guest room. Hindi ko alam kung para saan ang iba.

Hinanap ko naman kaagad ang kusina dahil iyon naman talaga ang pinunta ko dito. Isang liko lang galing sa sala ay makikita agad ang kusina. It was wide. Muntikan pa akong tumalon sa tuwa dahil sa ganda at sobrang linis.

Halatang hindi ginagamit.