We Broke Up

15 - Coffee Date

Of course I noticed how Jay was avoiding me the whole morning. If he wasn't called inside the office to sign the contract with me and Tessa, he would have chosen to stay in the parking lot doing who-knows-what. Like really, how much care do cars need for him to skip breakfast and spend more than three hours there?

As it turns out, Francesca's meeting was cancelled so she just stayed in the office but she made sure to steer out of my way as I worked with the team. She tried to call Denise and Sophie to see if they could join us for lunch. Since I didn't get any updates from Kuya Nico, we could make it an all-girls day but they both said they couldn't make it. 

"So I guess it's just you and me, Ate." I smiled as I looked up from my Macbook. She was sitting on the opposite side of my desk, also on her laptop. 

"Oo nga." She said, "Gutom ka na ba? I know a place."

I checked my watch . It was ten minutes till lunch break. "Hindi pa naman, Ate Ches. I was thinking, since I'll be going back to Manila today and won't be back here for a while baka pwede..."

"To have the staff join us? Especially the marketing staff, especially the Fergusons, especially Jay?" She giggled. 

"Ate, what are you talking about?" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm talking about how bothered you are na mukhang iniiwasan ka niya which started when he overheard us talking about your coffee date with Martin." She smirked and I was pretty sure she didn't miss how my jaw dropped on what she said. She shrugged. "Come on, Naveah. Don't look so surprised. Buong araw akong nandito, I worked with Jay for weeks in which time we have become friends and I've known you forever kaya madali sa aking makita ang mga bagay-bagay."

"Anong bagay-bagay? Walang ganoon, Ate." I chuckle nervously as I pretended to type on my laptop.

"Baka lang kasi hindi na kailangang ituloy ang coffee date with Martin. I'm sure Francis could explain to his cousin. Baka dapat tumigil na din sina Denise and Sophie sa paghahanap ng prospective dates for you kasi baka naman andiyan na pala. May Jay na." She grinned.

"Ano? Ate, mukhang ikaw ang gutom. We're just co-workers, okay?" I shook my head and chuckled but her last sentence kept echoing in my head. 

May Jay na. 

"You know what, I'll call an early lunch break and take everyone to that place you were talking about." I got up and picked up my purse then I remembered something. "Teka... You, Denise and Sophie are looking for prospective dates for me? Since when did this happen? And why didn't I know about it?"

"What prospective dates?" We heard the voice ask from the door making us both turn to its owner.

"Kuya!" I beamed and walked towards him as he opened his arms to greet me with a hug. "I thought di ka na tutuloy."

"What made you think that? You know I always stick to my commitments, Bunso." He said and kissed my forehead. 

"Commitment. Big word." Francesca mumbled but we still heard her. 

I pulled away from the hug while Kuya stared at her indifferently. "Francesca." He nodded plainly. 

"Domenico." She called with an equally chilly expression as she stared back at him. My brother visibly flinched and squinted his eyes at the sound of her voice calling him by his full name. 

I bit my lip because I almost giggled. I knew all too well where this staring contest would lead. 

"So what's this about prospective dates for my sister? Your idea?" Kuya raised an eyebrow at her so I knew I had to step back and let the 'adults' do the talking.

"Denise's actually but of course you would automatically blame things on me." Francesca answered defiantly. She was not one to engage in argument but when it came to this particular ex, there was no stopping her. 

Yup. Ex. Kuya Nico and Ate Ches were together for a while. Two years in college until Kuya graduated and started working for the company. His priorities changed and Ate Ches felt left out. They seldom saw each other and when they do, they end up fighting. The fights came too often, that they forgot how it was like to love each other. Or have they? Sometimes, I wonder if they could work things out if they didn't argue too much and if Francesca did not meet Francis.

"So, ano?" Kuya took a step forward but Francesca stood her ground. "Binubugaw niyo na ang kapatid ko?"

"Says the guy who introduced the bastard ex in the first place. Mag-ingat ka sa sinasabi mo. That's not our intention at all. You know we will do everything to protect her too." Ate Ches challenged. "Which reminds me, ano nga bang ginawa mo para hindi umabot sa puntong sasaktan ng bestfriend mo ang kapatid mo?"

"To be fair, I didn't know then na liligawan ng gagong yun ang kapatid ko. Also he has not been my friend for a long time. You have no right to question kung anong kayang kong gawin para protektahan ang kapatid ko. Hindi din naman nagsasabi si Naeve ng problema niya kay Fred."

"At hindi ka nagtaka? Oh, that's right. You were too busy with work that you failed to notice na yang kapatid mo was drowning in misery. Okay na na binibigyan niyo siya ng allowance buwan-buwan at binabayaran ang credit cards niya." 

"You make it sound like I don't care about my sister." Kuya sounded hurt but still anger seethed in his voice.

"I'm just saying you were too busy making money, you forgot what really mattered." Ate Ches answered, her voice softer, exhausted.

"You never did understand, Ches." Kuya told her in a sullen voice. 

Francesca sighed then picked up her purse and laptop. "Naevey, I... I have to. Call me, okay?" She hugged me and kissed my cheek then hurriedly walked to the door. 

"Okay." That was all I managed to mumble in response.

"Ingat, Ches." Kuya called after her as she opened the door. She turned and they quietly looked at each other. "And congratulations." He said plainly as his eyes fell on the diamond ring on her finger. 

She looked at her hand and whispered, "Thanks" then left. 

I was stunned speechless. I was used to them arguing but I didn't think I saw them that way ever. 

"Bunso... Let's do dinner sa bahay mamaya. I'm sure Tatay would also love to hear about your progress sa project. I saw Engr. Santos sa labas kanina, sasamahan ko muna siya sa site."

"Pero, Kuya..." I was disappointed that we won't be spending the afternoon together as he promised but I understood why he needed to bail out and it was not because of work. 

"I understand you have someone to drive you to Manila?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes, Kuya."

"Okay. Isama mo sa dinner. I'd like to meet who I'm entrusting my sister with." He smiled softly and gave me a hug then left. 

I sighed as I sat on my desk. It was hard to imagine how my last day in my first assignment started so perfectly and ended up in a disaster by noon.

That's right. It was still noon. Not too late to turn things around. I called Tessa, Riza and Jay to my office.

After giving Tessa and Riza some cash enough to spend on a lunch to treat everyone in the branch, they left with the staff, leaving me and Jay in the office.

I sensed how uneasy he was as he sat across from my desk while I finished the initial edits on the video montage the team came up with. 

"M-Miss Naveah..." He spoke after a few minutes. "Susunod po ba tayo sa kanila? Ihahanda ko na po yung kotse." 

"No. Stay here." I said as I clicked away on my laptop.

A few more minutes of silence followed. 

"Ma'am, i-oorder ko na lang po ba kayo ng lunch?" He asked.

"No." I answered then looked at him. "Gutom ka na ba?"

He shook his head then stared at his feet. "Hindi po."

Silence filled the room again as only the sound of the clicks and taps on my Macbook could be heard. 

"Okay." I said after I finished. "Let's go." I got up and picked up my things then marched around my desk.

"Saan po tayo, Miss Naveah?"

I stopped right in front of him, just a couple of feet away. "Coffee. You owe me one. Remember we made plans to have coffee and breakfast, before you walked out this morning?" I smirked and continued walking to the door.

"Ah... eh..." He struggled to find an explanation for his behavior but I didn't really care. I just looked forward to the afternoon with him.