A Night With You

Chapter 5: Pearl of the Orient Seas

Ladies and Gentlemen, we now arrived at our destination. This is Captain Alvarico. Welcome to the beautiful Philippines! Enjoy your stay and in behalf of the X Airlines, thank you for flying with us.

Vin unbuckled his seatbelt and stretched his arms. He get his luggage on the upper head bin and he descended the stairs of the plane. The blazing heat of the sun and the humidity of the air touched his skin. The country was really hot. Well, it is a tropical country after all.

He started to walk towards the busy crowd at the airport and it was really noisy. Most people are chatting, some are passively waiting for their flight - a very scene you can find on airports.

He went to have his luggages checked and then went outside. There, he stopped and looked at the parking area but he did not found what he was looking for. He fished his phone from his pocket and dialled Conor's number. Conor is his secretary for more that 5 years already. He never got himself a female secretary because he doesn't trust women.

"Where is my car?" he asked as soon as the other man on the line picked up.

"Sir, where are you right now?"

"I'm outside the airport."

"Sorry Sir. I am at fault. The one that I hired as your driver went sick and is now currently at the hospital." Conor informed him.

"So what do you want me to do? Stay here until the end of the world? Why didn't you get me another fvcking driver?!" Vin's voice started to raise.

"I am so sorry Sir. I just received the message. You can ride a cab and head to your hotel. I will send you the hotel's name and address. You already got a reservation under your name Sir."

Vin huffed, annoyed. He sighed in defeat and shut his phone off. He put it inside his pocket and started to walk towards the line where the cabs wait.

"Uhmmm... Excuse me. Can you please drop me to the G Resort and Hotel?" He asked one of the drivers.

"Yes Sir."

He went inside the cab and the trip started. He relaxed on his seat and looked outside. Tall buildings were visible and on both sides of the streets were establishments. Though not like in his country, this country still needs to rise and it will take a lot of time to do that.

He looked at the busy people taht keeps on walking to and fro. He looked at a billboard on his left. His forehead creased when he saw that he was still rooted on the same place.

"Hey Mister. Are we not moving?" The driver scratched his head.

"Eh Sir... We are... Ah.. stuck on traffic."

The traffic was bumper to bumper. Honks of cars were creating noise. It made him more irritated.

"People. They still press the horns of there cars when in fact everyone is having the same ordeal as them." The driver must have heard him so the driver laughed.

"Hahaha! It's a big fact Sir. They are all... Going ballistic while they are not the only ones who suffer. Sir, uhmm... The G Resort and Hotel is still far. I am afraid we can't be there this time. It will take us a long time."

"So you're saying that we will be stuck here? Can't we take another route?"

"I am afraid not Sir. I can't do U turn now. If you look back..."

Vin looked at the rear view mirror and to his utter surprise, the vehicles that were tailing them were seemingly endless. He huffed, annoyed.

"Do you think how long will we stay here stuck on the traffic?" His thick accent makes his voice more hot.

"Sir. Sorry but I am sad to tell you that we will be at G Resort and Hotel at exactly..." The driver took a peek on his wrist watch and then answered Vin's query.

"We will arrive there at two o'clock this afternoon."

"What? So you're saying that we will be stuck here without doing nothing for four long freaking hours? This spells hell."

"Sir. I am so sorry. This always happens here everyday. But there are also times that the traffic is not bumper to bumper. If you have something to do, you can actually do that here in my taxi. I would not mind."

At the driver's politeness and very caring attitude, Vin started to feel calm. He looked at the driver and...

"Hey Mister Driver?"

"Po Sir? I mean... Sir?"

"Uhmmm... I need a personal driver because the one that has been hired by my secretary is sick and is at the hospital right now. I don't want to go around here wandering and just commuting. Don't worry, I will compensate your income within the days that you have been with me."

"Ah.. no problem at all Sir..."

"Call me Vin. And you are?"

"Sir Vin. Just call me Manong Carlos."

"Mah... nowng Carlos?" The driver laughed.

"You sure don't know how to speak our mother tongue. Anyway, yes. I am Manong Carlos as what most people call me. So will I just fetch you on your hotel where you are staying or..."

"Yes yes. Tommorow, I will be at the G Resort and Hotel. Pick me up around 9:00 a.m. I need to be finding someone so that's why."

"Ah.. you mean Sir Vin, you have relatives here?"

"Oh no! I have none. I am just looking for a lady..." Vin started to shake his head.

"Uyyy si Sir Vin. Pumapag-ibig." As per driver's word, Vin got confused.

"What did you say?"

"Oh I am sorry Sir. I am speaking Tagalog. I said you are... Ah! You are having a love life."

Vin started to blush. The tinge of crimson crept onto his face and in his ears. He felt his body temperature rise a few centigrades. 

"It's okay Sir. It's normal. When you fall in love you always find a way so that you will be with him or her. Some even do desperate measures just to be with the ones they love. Trust me Sir. I have been in love for so long."

"How many years have you been in love?" asked Vin. The driver smiled as if reminiscing something in his mind.

"I've been in love for more than thirty five years now. Ever since I have loved my wife. So I know the feeling of what you are going through today."

"So do you think uh... Mister Carlos, can I find her. I really don't know where she lives."

"Oh! That's another problem Sir Vin. You need to search the whole Philippines so that you can find her. From Batanes to Jolo. And it will take a lot of time. The Philippines is a big country to. And some provinces here are not accessible by vehicles so you really need to walk for several miles in order to reach their villages."

"Do or die. I still need to find her."

"Ay! That's the spirit! But you can check here in Manila and the nearby cities first. May be she lives here."

"Yeah. I will start tommorow and I need you."

"No problem at all Sir. I will be in front of your hotel tommorow morning at seven a.m. sharp."

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to that too."

After four hours being stuck on traffic, they finally reached their destination. They bade their goodbyes and started to part ways. As Vin checked in at the hotel. The clerk gave her his room's key card and said.

"Sir, enjoy your stay at G Resort and Hotel. Welcome to the Pearl of the Orient Seas."