Hanggang sa Huli

7

~ OCTOBER ~

Gonna book us Palawan tickets and hotel

Which resort did you stay before with your ex?

She's not my ex

If you want to go to Palawan, we'll go to El Nido 

I don't want our memories of that resort tainted by you

Fine, I'll give you this one win

El Nido's better than Puerto Princesa, anyway 

Michelle rolls her eyes. 

Witch with a b.

Checked with Mike for your schedule, I booked the trip on November 1 to 4

Michelle frowns and immediately texts Pam back.

I can't on those dates

Cancel it. Change it.

Why? Because it's Anntonia's birthday?

Why'd you think I chose those dates?

Her blood boils faster than a kettle placed on the hottest fires as she dials Mike's number. Mike knew. He knew that Michelle has those days off because it was Anntonia's birthday. What was he thinking? Mike picks up the call on the first ring.

"Mike, what the hell!" 

"I'm sorry, Michelle, she specifically asked for those dates. She knew it was Anntonia's birthday beforehand, I told her you both can leave on the 3rd and I'll move some of your schedule around so you can still have 4 days there but she insisted."

"And so what if she did?" 

"Our hands are both tied on this, Michelle, you know that. I tried though, I really did."

"We already signed the contract, what happens if she doesn't get one thing, one thing, Mike."

"Exactly, Michelle, we're bound now even more with the contract," Mike reminds her.

"Fuck, Mike, fuck!" she says out of anger. And then she breathes in deeply as she realizes what she just said. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Mich," Mike says back. They discuss some more things to help Michelle cool down before they ended the call.

After getting herself together and getting a better control of her emotions, she leaves the bedroom and goes downstairs to the den where Anntonia was currently working. She tells Anntonia everything concerning activities that Pam has demanded of her ever since this whole thing began. Anntonia knew everything in her schedule like an open book and this was something that Michelle didn't want to hide from her any second longer. 

She finds Anntonia typing away in her computer and Michelle pulls on the empty chair near the desk and places it beside Anntonia's. She sits down and waits for Anntonia to acknowledge her proximity, and she wills her presence to beg for attention.

"Something in your mind?" Anntonia stops typing and looks at her.

There wasn't really any point in beating around the bush, "Pam booked a trip for me and her."

"A trip?" Anntonia asks in a neutral tone. "What? Out of the country?"

"No," she shakes her head. "Just to Palawan."