Are you sure you want to go back to work? I can give you more time. "
"I'm good, Dane, it's been fifteen days since I mourned." I organized myself first before going back to work. When the three of them visited me, I looked in the mirror when they left and I saw that I am really stink. I'm handsome so I have no right to be stink. Aside from my beard thickening for a week I also didn't take care of my body so it took me another week before coming back.
"Well, that's good. I will discuss something with you later."
"Thanks, Dane, I'm just in the office."
I sorted out the ones I had to fix because I was piled on with a lot of work. Son of ---- it's a headache but it needs to be fixed because there is no one else to do with this but me. While arranging my things I heard a knock. I just looked at the door and didn’t speak when it suddenly opened and the three entered.
"So you're here, sucker?"
"I'm just a joke, Zeus. It's just a soul."
"Welcome back, man." Blaze said.
“Welcome back, dumbass,” Phoenix said.
"It's good that you thought of coming out of your cave. But I guess you're wrong timing." Blaze sat across from me. I just frowned and ignored what he said.
"It's necessary, you're all ugly and there are no handsome in the group."
"Silly," they said at once. I actually missed them too. Even though I was saddened by the loss of Umami I had to fight back. It still hurts for me what happened especially I haven’t been with Margot yet.
"Blaze,"
"Oh?"
"How is she?" They looked at me and then looked at each other. Is there anything wrong with my question? I just want to know how Margot is.
"She's ok," Blaze replied.
"Ah." I never spoke again. I have nothing to say. I just focus on the work I’m doing.
"Ah, Jace ----" I looked at Blaze who didn't go on to say.
"Why?"
"Have you talked to your lawyer yet?" I frowned at his question. What will my lawyer tell me?
"No, I don't need him at all."
"Ah."
"Let him, he's slow, remember?" I heard Phoenix say.
"Get out of here, Phoenix," Blaze scolded.
"Haven't you been called you lawyer, sucker?"
"Nothing, why, Zeus?" But Blaze answered me instead of Zeus.
"Nothing, maybe your lawyer contacted you and said something." Blaze is as crazy as his wife who is just thinking about things.
"What will he say?"
"Don't mind me. I'm just happy because you're here. But it looks like ----" Blaze didn't continue to say anything.
"Looks like what?"
"It looks like you entered at the wrong time."
"You know, Blaze ----"
"Sir Jace, someone is looking for you." I glanced at Blaze's secretary.
"Who?"
"Attorney Cruz." I watched the three who stand one by one.
"He's late, sucker."
"Yeah, I thought he wasn't coming, either."
"Come on, let's leave them, man."
"Hey, what does a lawyer need from me?" I asked them.
"We got your back, sucker." Then they left. What does it mean? Did I do something to the company and was I sued? Why didn't anyone tell me?
"Let him in, Farrah," Blaze ordered and they disappeared completely and the lawyer went in.
"Good Morning, Mr. Enrile,"
"Good Morning, have a seat." I'm really clueless. Why my lawyer is here? "Is there any problem, Atty?" But instead of answering, he took a piece of paper and looked at me.
"The lawyer of your wife came to my office yesterday." Then he handed over the paper. "Your wife file an annulment."
"What?" Then I picked up the paper with Margot's signature and read what was written above. Annulment.
I feel like my life has suddenly collapsed. I wasted a week preparing to organize myself and talk to her. What I worked for was worthless. I suddenly thought that I should not have entered. I wish I hadn’t just organized myself.
"Atty, isn't that a joke?"
"You're restricted to come near her also."
"What?" Then another paper was handed over. Restriction Notice. What nonsense is this?
"She files a restriction that you can't come near to her at least 20meters away." What the fuck. "You're banned in her company, and if you will come to her sister-in-law's house to visit Mr. Gonzales, you are not allowed to meet her. You can talk to her only if her lawyer was there with her." Son of ---- what is Margot thinking? Is she torturing me?
"I have nothing to sign, no annulment."
"I understand, but you are still banned. Once she will complain that you come near her, she can file a report against you."
"What will happen to me if I disobey?"
"You will be charged, and put in jail." What the fuck. Just I will approach him and I will be imprisoned?
"Thank you, Atty. noted."
"Do you want to take any action?"
"No, as of now I won't sign any of this."
"Ok, if you need any legal advice you can contact me anytime." Then he stood up.
"Thank you."
When the door closed I tore the paper and threw it in the trash. Who said I would sign? Who also said that I will abide by that restriction? Nonsense. If I will be imprisoned, I will file bail. Wait, is that what the three wanted to say earlier? Does that mean they know something?
I went to Blaze’s office and found him there alone.
"Oh, the attorney has left?" he asked. I stood in front of the table.
"Do you already know something? They already know something?"
"Yup."
"I won't sign," I said.
"Nobody told you to sign."
"I want to talk to her."
"You can't, she's not ok, yet, so she is not allowed to get stressed."
"Until when will I wait?"
"Until when she's ok."
"When?"
"I'll tell you."
"Blaze," I call him and give a puppy eyes. Have mercy on me, Blaze. You'll get to my pity.
"I want to help you but I can't. Maggie will kill me if something might happen bad to her sister." Fuck!. "Dangerous."
"'Fuck." I walked out of Blaze's office resentful.
Out of annoyance I never went back to my office. I lost my energy and when I forced myself to work I couldn't do anything. I went home and just drank. Fuck that, when I want to fix this problem then Margot decided like this. I was no longer talked to and confronted, I was even banned.
My cellphone kept ringing but I just turned it off. I also turned off all the lights in the house and I didn’t turn on even one. For if they come here they will think there is no one. The car is in the parking lot so they can't see it there.
I don’t know where I’m going to start. I can't give up on Margot. Yes, I'm wrong but there's nothing wrong with talking to her before she makes such a decision. It's not that there will be an annulment all of a sudden.
Afternoon when I hear a car stop outside. I peeked out the window and saw Zeus outside looking at it. He rang the doorbell and since I did not open he went up to the gate and slammed the main door.
I just smiled because soon after Blaze's car arrived and he got off with Phoenix. I don't know what they were talking about but Phoenix called someone and signaled nothing. The two also went up to the gate and slammed the door.
'Just keep on slamming there and I'll just drink here.'
The rattle stopped and I saw Phoenix and Blaze leave. While Zeus still slammed the door. Is he still not tired? I went back to the kitchen and got some wine. I was just drinking and he still wouldn't stop rattling.
'Just keep it up, Zeus, until your hands are swollen.'
The rattle stopped so I stood up. But I was surprised to see him come down the stairs.
"Fuck, how did you get in here?"
"I know that you are here."
"How did you know I am here?"
"Stupid, your car is in the parking lot but the shutter isn't closed, stupid." Fuck that, I didn't close that?
"Who told you to come here?"
"Brother's code isn't it?" I didn’t answer and I just sat on the sofa and drank.
"Because BCC is still closed so I'll just drink here. Go away and I'm fine." But he did not listen to what I said and just sat across from me.
"Why are you driving me away? What are your plans? I thought you were going to fix your life?"
"I fixed it, didn't I? Nothing happened because of what Atty said. What other reason do I have to fix it."
"You know you're an asshole? Instead of fixing it completely, you were immediately disappointed with what the attorney said."
"You know already about it, but, you didn't tell me either."
"Why, are we your lawyer to let you know."
"Even though, and at least I have a clue that something bad is going to happen. It's not like the bad news will come all of a sudden."
"We gave you a clue that you had bad news, but because you're slow you don't know anything. See, Jace, what happened right now is the result of your actions."
"Insist more."
"Just saying, sucker." I blew air and leaned back on the sofa. "Jace, not too late."
"My life was ruined because of my stupidity Zeus. It was a bit ok when Umami came, but fuck it got worse now that he's gone. When Umami came, my life was in order even though I had a mistress but now that he's gone, everything I have is gone. It's as if I had ageusia because umami disappeared."
"It makes sense, but you'll make more sense if you fix your life first." Then he stood up. "Maybe, your umami will be back."
"What?"
"Slow, you motherfucker."
Is he stupid? he said maybe, my umami came back. Who is umami he says? Umami my son who I know is dead or the umami of my life ------ Margot.