THE PERFECT SABOTAGE
The long, cozy bus ride finally came to an end as the vehicle hissed to a stop at the city station. The air here was noisier and busier than the quiet province and both Fay and Kei felt a pang of sadness that their bubble had finally burst.
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"Ummm....call me when you get home" kei said
"How am I to call you if I don't know your number?" Fay said
"Ohhhh right.....here is my number" kei said
"Here's also my number" fay said
They stood together on the sidewalk, their fingers lingering as they finally let go to hail separate taxis.
"Get home safe," Kei said, giving Fay a warm, tired smile that reached her eyes.
"you too," Fay said
Fay's taxi arrived first. When she finally reached her house, she didn't even bother to unpack. Exhausted from the sun, the emotions of the day and the heavy sleep on the bus, she kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto her bed, falling into a deep slumber in seconds.
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When Kei arrived at her own home, she didn't head for the bed immediately. She checked her phone, waiting a few minutes before calling Fay to ensure she was safe.
Ring…
Ring…
Ring…
No answer.
Kei chuckled to herself, a soft look on her face. "She must be fast asleep," she whispered.
Then, Kei's expression shifted. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes as she dialed her secretary, Yumi.
[Yumi]
Kei said into the phone, her voice dropping into her most serious "Boss" tone.
[My car broke down. It's parked near the Taal Basilica in Batangas. I need you to go there right now, find a mechanic and bring it back to the city].
[Right now, Boss?]Yumi groaned on the other end.
[That's a long drive and the traffic leaving the city is a nightmare!]
[Yes, right now. No excuses, Yumi]
Kei insisted, though she was currently leaning comfortably against her kitchen counter.
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A few hours later, a very cranky and exhausted Yumi finally arrived at the grand stone church. The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows over the Basilica. She found Kei's car exactly where it had been left.P
With a heavy sigh, Yumi took out the spare key, climbed into the driver's seat and turned it.
VROOM!
The engine roared to life instantly. It sounded smooth, powerful and perfectly healthy. Yumi stared at the dashboard in total shock. She turned it off and tried again.
VROOM!
It started every single time without a single hiccup. Yumi's face turned a bright shade of red as she grabbed her phone and dialed Kei, her voice vibrating with suppressed fury.
[Boss!]
Yumi shouted the moment Kei picked up.
[I am at the church! I just started the engine! There is nothing wrong with this car! It's perfectly fine!]
On the other end of the line, Kei was lying back on her bed, looking completely relaxed.
[Oh? Is that so? I guess the miracle of the Basilica fixed it then]
[Boss! Don't give me that]
Yumi cried.
[Why did you make me come all the way to Batangas?! Why didn't you just drive it home yourself?!]
Kei smiled, her mind drifting back to the bus ride the shared earpods, the weight of Fay's head on her shoulder and the way their hands had been locked for hours. If the car had worked, she would have been stuck behind the wheel, staring at the road instead of staring at Fay.
[Just bring the car back, Yumi. No more questions] Kei said calmly.
[But Boss! I had plans! I...]
Click.
Kei hung up with a satisfied grin, staring at the photo on her phone of their kiss in front of that very church.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
"Ohhhh..... it's happening again"
Kei rushed to the toilet.
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Yumi stood by the car in the darkening church parking lot, looking at her phone in disbelief. She wanted to scream into the night air, but she liked her high-paying job too much to quit.
"I am a secretary, not a professional car-fetcher!" she muttered, slamming the car door.
It was a bit mean to poor Yumi but to Kei, it was the most successful "engine failure" in history.