NAPAPADALAS YATA ang pag-anyaya sa kanya ni Beta na sumabay ng lunch. Lily got out of her gray Volvo, wearing a pair of red peep-toes and a matching pink pencil skirt and suit blazer. Her short hair clipped on both sides to make her sweet face stand-out in its refreshing subtle touch of pink on the lips, lid and cheeks.

She never stopped walking even when she already got inside the restaurant. Nang mahanap ang table kung nasaan si Beta, dumiretso siya ng upo sa kabila ng mesa. Lily placed her shoulder bag on the vacant space of a black, vinyl restaurant booth where she sat.

Beta looked at her, wearing a strong woman appeal in her high ponytail, white maxi skirt and red, collared blouse.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Lily picked up the menu card, quickly scanning the list.

“Did Basil roast you again?”

“Sinisi na naman ako,” iling niya habang nasa menu card pa rin ang tingin.

“Sinisi for what?” salubong ng mga kilay nito.

“That damn beast,” she could not help muttering while keeping a straight face, “nag back-out na siya sa gagawing assessment something para sa results ng activities sa team building namin sa December.”

“Lily, look at me,” the tigress demanded firmly but she wasn’t fazed by that. Not ever. “Hindi ko ma-gets kung tungkol saan ang mga sinasabi mo, at kung sino—”

“Jared, the beast,” she sighed, placing a hand on top of the menu card on the table. She bravely met her friend’s shocked eyes. “Si Jared lang naman.”

“What about Jared na naman?”

Kinuwento ni Lily na nagkataong si Jared ang napipisil na clinical psychologist ng Variant para i-evaluate ang mga empleyado nito.

“I can’t believe Variant will go that far!”

“Para sa mental well-being daw ng mga employees,” Lily raised a hand to call a waiter’s attention. “But I bet, it’s to secure their precious image.”

“Dahil ba ‘yan sa nag-viral na post sa Facebook?” Beta seemed to relax a bit, recovered from her shock earlier. “An anonymous post na sinisiraan ang Variant?”

“Variant denied that, of course. Pero sa loob-loob, alam nilang totoo ‘yong post kasi tamang-tama ang pagdedetalye sa kalakaran sa company namin.”

“The pressure at work. Unrealistic deadlines. Sucking up to the superiors…” Beta enumerated. “I bet, Jared can help with that.”

“Iyon na nga ‘yon, eh. Umatras siya sa usapan nila ni Ma’am Jackie. Hindi na siya tutuloy.”

Mabilis na napagkone-konekta ni Beta ang lahat. Nanlaki ang mga mata nito. “At ikaw ang sinisisi ni Basil?” She gasped. “So, alam niyang magkakilala kayo? Alam niyang pumupunta ka sa The Org?”

“Girllll, hindi!” Damn, she sounded so defensive. “Kuya Basil knows nothing! He’s just blaming me kasi baka kung anu-ano raw ang paninira sa Variant na sinabi ko kay Jared nung nagpa-appointment ako sa kanya.”

“Nagpa-appointment ka? For what? For talk therapy?”

Lily sighed. “You see, akala ni Kuya Basil makakatulong sa akin na mag-usap kami ni Jared.” Then, she smirked naughtily. “As if I will let anyone convince me na tigilan ko ang pang-aasar kina Kuya sa company.”

Beta wore a cringe on her face. “Yikes. He really has no idea what he started.”

“I told him that I won’t go to that extent para lang inisin sila,” patuloy niya. “But so far, Kuya Basil is not buying it.”

“Pero bakit nga ba hindi tinuloy ni Jared?”

Ngalay na siya sa tagal ng waiter. Binaba tuloy muna ni Lily ang kanyang kamay.

“Well, Kuya Basil is right. Probably, because of me.”

Lalo itong maguluhan. “What did you do? May kinalaman ba ito sa inis mo dahil hindi tinalaban ng alindog mo si Doc Jared?”

“Girl, please stop,” she whined. “It’s just—” Napaiwas siya ng tingin. Ija-justify sana niya ang ginawa ni Jared, pero naunahan siya ng kapilyahan. “Siguro, umiiwas lang siya sa akin habang maaga pa. Dahil kung hindi, baka hindi na niya matiis at matanggihan ang alindog ko.”

Mayabang siyang magtaas-noo sa kaibigan.

Disbelief was all over Beta’s eyes.

“Anong alindog? Iniiwasan ka ba ni Doc Jared dahil inaakit mo siya?”

“Yes,” walang gatol niyang sagot. “In fact, pinuntahan ko siya nitong Sabado hindi para magpa-talk therapy talaga. I went there to seduce him.” Napatingin siya sa taas at malungkot na napabuga ng hangin. “So sad, my seduction did not work. Palibhasa, magaling siya. Masyadong mautak.”

“I thought you hate him! So, I was thinking, ayaw niyang nakikita ka dahil uma-attitude ka sa kanya!”

“Yes. Uma-attitude din ako sa kanya. I’m guilty,” she waved a hand.

“Ibang klase ka rin. Sine-seduce mo siya pero una-attitude ka rin?”

“Kasi akala ko, masisindak ko siya kapag nagalit ako. I mean, at first, I’ll do anything to seduce him. And if that doesn’t work out, tinatakot ko siya… by being angry and expressive about it.”

Napailing si Beta ng kaunti, hininaan ang boses. “So, you are still thinking… of fucking him?”

She smiled sweetly and nodded.

“My goodness.”

“Kahit iyon na lang ang birthday present ko next week.” Lily grew more confident now that she’s used to Beta’s shocked reaction. “A fuck. With Jared.”

“I really can’t believe you’re into older guys now.”

Sumandal si Lily sa backrest. “Why? Is there something wrong with that?”

“Wala naman,” Beta remained cool. “But knowing that you have an active sex life. If guys your age, or younger, can’t satisfy you… what more with older men?”

“Beta, Walter is like, 33 or 34 already but you’re still satisfied—”

Biglang naging possessive ang kaibigan. “Ikaw ang topic dito! Kaya ‘wag mo idadamay ang asawa ko! Kurutin kita!”

Natawa siya. “What? It’s about you and him!”

“Kahit na!” naninindak na ang mga mata nito. “So, as I was saying…” kumalma na ito, “I can’t believe pinag-iisipan mo si Doc Jared ng ganyan. I just can’t imagine…”

“I am glad you,” she shrugged, lifting two hands to fit the gesture, “can’t relate.” Umayos na siya ng pagkakaupo. “Kasi kung naiimagine mo ang naiimagine ko, lagot ka sa akin!”

By imagine, Lily was talking about Jared’s strong, naked body. Those tightly-muscled arms. His slightly loose abs, hard chest and that cock…

Napanganga si Beta, nagpipigil matawa. Kainis. Abala sa pagi-imagine niya.

“Lagot ka, lalo na kay Walter!” pabirong pananakot pa niya.

“No offense meant, pero it’s not about his age or whatsoever. For me, I just can’t imagine lang kasi… kasi para sa akin at kay Walter, napakarespetado niyang tao. ‘Yong tipong, kapag gan’on ang tingin mo sa isang tao, hindi mo siya mapag-iisipan ng malisyosong bagay, like… related sa sex. You know?”

“Kaya huwag ka nang mag-attempt maimagine,” taas niya ulit ng kamay nang mahagip aa peripheral vision ang isang waiter. Kumaway pa siya bago nito nakita.

“Order na tayo. Gutom na ‘ko, eh. Baka imbes lunch ang kainin ko, sugurin ko si Jared at siya ang makain ko.”

“Lily!” natatawang saway ni Beta sa kanya, pero nasa mga mata pa rin nito na hindi makapaniwala sa nalaman.

Which made Lily think, this should be enough. Kung anuman ang mga nasabi niya ngayon kay Beta, hanggang doon lang ang dapat nitong malaman.

.

.

WALTER GLANCED AT BETA. Nanimbang saglit ang asawa nito bago napabulalas.

“I’m sorry! Sorry, okay?” napunta ang tingin nito kay Jared. “Hindi ko talaga masabi sa kanya!”

Sila Walter ar Beta talaga ang puno’t dulo nito. Kaya nung iniwan ni Jared nang nakaposas si Lily sa The Org, nakiusap siya sa mga ito na kumbinsihin ang babaeng tantanan na siya. Then, he gave the key of the handcuffs to Beta. Ayaw ni Beta na mapahiya si Lily dahil ito mismo ang magpapakawala sa kaibigan. Kaya pinagawa nito sa isa sa mga staff ang pagtanggal ng handcuff rito nung Linggo ng gabi na iyon.

This Monday, Beta invited Lily for lunch. They never do it weekly. Kahit best friends pa sila, may respeto sila sa oras at space lalo na kung week days, mga panahong abala o focused sila sa trabaho.

But due to Jared’s request, Beta invited Lily for lunch. Doon nito dapat didiskartehan ang pagkumbinsi na tumingin sa ibang lalaki si Lily.

Pero hindi nagawa ni Beta.

“Bakit?” Walter turned to his wife. “It’s going to be easy, I think. Prangka kayo ni Lily sa isa’t isa. At, hindi naman nagseseryoso sa lalaki si Lily. I really think, challenged lang siya kay Doc Jared for some reason. How could Doc Jared not like her, right? I mean, not admire how she looked and instead, ask some psychology-related surveys when they talked in The Org. You know her tastes. You know how her mind works.”

Buti na lang at magaling magtikom ng bibig si Jared. Psychology-related surveys? Fuck. He felt proud but also guilty for being so good with lying like that.

Alangan namang ikwento niya sa mga ito ang totoong nangyari sa kanila ni Lily nung gabing iyon…

“Si Doc Jared ang psychologist dito,” balik ng mga mata ni Beta sa kanya. “Bakit hindi mo siya gamitan ng skill mo sa pagkumbinsi, Doc Jared?”

He remained as calm as possible. Jared patiently explained, “For a psychologist to know how a person’s mind works, they require a series of talk therapy, right?”

“Yeah,” suko ni Beta. “Sorry.”

Pinagmasdan saglit ni Jared ang mag-asawa. Ang lalakas ng mga loob mang-inggit. Nakaupo kasi si Beta sa kandungan ni Walter. Nasa visitor’s chair ang mga ito ng office room ni Walter sa The Org. Si Jared naman ay nakatayo sa gitna ng silid, paharap sa mga ito.

“Bakit hindi mo nagawa ‘yong nire-request ni Doc Jared?” Walter asked Beta softly.

“Eh, kasi,” sandal nito sa dibdib ng asawa at palipat-lipat ang tingin dito at sa kanya. “Malapit na ang birthday niya, eh.”

May kung anong pumitik sa kanyang dibdib. Birthday?

Nabasa ni Beta ang nasa isip niya dahil sa kanyang facial expression.

“Yup. Malapit na ang birthday niya. Next week na.” She maintained a straight face, smiling slightly which showed how fond Beta is of her best friend. Kahit ganoon pa ka-wild, liberated at papansin ni Lily. “Parang na-guilty ako na… iyon na lang ang gusto ni Lily para sa birthday niya, kokontrahin ko pa.”

“Gusto ang alin?” Jared asked before he could even think about it.

Napatitig sa kanya si Beta. He never saw Beta fidget her fingers before. Kinutuban tuloy siya ng hindi maganda. Mali nga yatang inalam pa niya kung ano itong gusto ni Lily para sa birthday nito.

“You see, it’s a big deal for me kasi…” naninimbang pa si Beta. She was trying her best to break it to them gently. “Never nagrequest ng kahit anong regalo si Lily for her birthdays. Kung ano ang binibigay sa kanya, she’s super grateful. And why would she request a particular gift from us? Eh, kung may gusto naman siya, kayang-kaya niyang bilhin para sa sarili niya.”

Jared braced himself and responded carefully. “So, this means, this is something she can’t get for herself.”

Beta answered in one breath. “Jared, she really wants to have sex with you.”

He just could not believe the guts of that woman. Na para bang candy lang ang sex na hinihingi nito. Nakisuyo pa talaga sa mga kaibigan nito?

She’s so damn unbelievable.

He remained composed, contrasting the shock on Walter’s face.

“I am just saying this to give you a heads-up. You are not obliged to have sex with her.”

“I don’t think that’s what she really wants from me,” tanaw ni Jared sa kawalan, inaalala ang maamong mukha ni Lily. She’s just involving sex here to get my attention.

.

.

LILY SAT COOLLY INSIDE JACKIE’S OFFICE.  Pagkarating na pagkarating niya roon pagkatapos mag-lunch kasama si Beta, pinatawag siya agad ng babae.

The HR Department Head eyed her before she spoke sternly, “Good afternoon, Miss Marlon.”

“What do you want this time, Miss Jackie?” pamamarangka niya rito habang pinagpapatong ang mga hita sa pagkakaupo sa visitor’s chair

Kita sa tingin ng babae kung ano ngayon ang iniisip nito sa kanyang inasal. That she’s indeed this self-entitled bitch of an employee because her family owns the company.

But then, Jackie chose to not take her behavior towards her personally. Nanatiling tuwid ang postura ng babae sa kinauupuan nito. She looked so pristine and balanced in her periwinkle blazer that topped her white formal dress. Pantay at unat ang nakapusod nitong buhok. Her hands remained clasped as they rested on her desk.

“It’s not about what I want, but about what Sir Basil has instructed me to do. May kinalaman ito sa psychologist na dapat ay may ma-set tayong appointment para sa darating na team building.”

Did he tell her it’s my fault na naman?

“Are we going to look for another one? Sa akin mo ba ia-assign this time ang paghanap sa bagong psychologist?”

Diretso lang sa kanya ang tingin nito. “No. Ang gustong mangyari ni Sir Basil ay ayusin mo anuman ang nagawa mo para hindi tumuloy sa usapan si Mr. Guillermo.”

The fuck.

She covered up her unease with a nervous little laugh.

“So, he is really blaming me for this,” napailing siya. “I can’t believe it! I feel like being set-up!” Binalik niya ang tingin sa kausap. “You see, Basil believes I still have some issues. Siya ang nagrecommend sa akin na pumunta ako this weekend kay Jared for a talk therapy. And now, he’s assuming that I said some things during that appointment na makakabago ng isip niya? About letting us hire him for the team building?”

Jackie lowered her eyes. Nakatingin ito sa desk na para bang nakasulat doon ang mga naipon na impormasyon at nagsisimula nang mag-compare notes. She was such a calm-mannered woman, Behind the always unaffected look was a considerate person.

“I am sorry, Miss Marlon, if you think things are getting too personal. Pero sa’yo ngayon nakasalalay ang kahihinatnan ng team building. So, I am strictly assigning you this task.”

“Ipapagawa mo pa rin ‘to sa akin? Kahit hindi na ito tama kung ibabasa sa Labor Code?”

“This is still part of the job, Miss Marlon. Ang makuha ang psychologist na kailangan natin para mag-evaluate sa mga employees sa darating na team building.”

She could not believe this woman. “I can’t believe that after your years of experience in the corporate world, you’ll compromise your expertise in Human Resources just to please your boss.”

And she did not give Miss Jackie the chance to answer back. Tumayo na siya at iniwan ang babae sa opisina nito. Naiwan itong napatanga na lang dahil sa mga sinabi niya.