CHAPTER 6

Chantel's Point of View

“Here, I think it’s better to put the window here, than there since you want a better lightings.”

I prefer the most to be the one who chooses the furniture, but they won’t allow me to. So, I guess, my work will be done in just two days. And note, we’re still in the ground floor, which is the first floor in the Philippines.

“What room is this again?”

“Pantry area.”

“I see, I prefer to place the pantry area in the room next to this, yeah, the one before the kitchen. Then, here, you can make this as your candy room. I mean, you’re planning to have a room for candies, so why not put here, right? And you have a winery, so, instead of the room in front of this, you can put your wine there.” They keep on nodding, and the men beside him is just, I guess, taking notes to important details I say.

They won’t allow me to do anything than talking. They’re more likely hiring a person who have suggestions. This is more okay than what I usually do, so, I’m fine with this.

“So, back to this room, since candies is for your children, like what you’ve said earlier, why not design this as a colorful one room? Candies are colorful, and so should this room.”

“I think, it’s also nice that we should, uhm, make this a play room, what do you think?”

“Uhm, it’s okay. If that’s what you want, you can put some anything that is meant for your children.”

“Right,” he said while nodding, “Let’s go to the other room.”

We walked to the room next to the candy room, the pantry area, “Since, this area is kind of small for the candy room, the pantry area suits here. I prefer, white lights and the color is right, it’s white so it’s okay. Uhm, to be organized and be more spacious, uhm, you can put shelves here so you can organize everything you buy and everything you want to be placed in your food room. And, I suggest to put some mats or carpet, but it’s up to you since its more suggestion than decorating.”

I finalized the look in my brain and we proceed to the next room, in front of the candy room and this room. “Uh, here, I prefer the theme of this room, vintage, mostly, when you come to a wine-producing estate, you can see the theme that it’s kind of vintage, and mostly in wine rooms, you can see that it’s vintage and kind of dark, so I prefer that, and also shelves, vintage shelves, you can pick a wooden shelves to place here so you can separate wines and organize it.”

“Alright, Larry, tu l’as eu?” [trans: Alright, Larry, you got it?]

Men in black suit nodded. I didn’t get it but I think he’s asking. Thanks that they could actually speak English and understand it. Working in a different country is hard, if you don’t know the lifestyle and the language.

“Let’s go to the next area?”

“Uh, sure.”

I’m after them when they stopped at the living room, I guess. It’s a door, and in front of the door inside is the stairs to go up.

“What do you think?”

“What do you think you prefer in this area?”

“Can we make this as an entrance instead?”

“Uh, sure, it’s your house after all. So, here, since I bet you’re a luxurious person, you can put gold statue both sides of the door and add some yellow light or any light that could suit the gold one. The purpose is to add some highlights to you statue so.”

They nodded. I think of nothing more to put in this area so, that’s where I stopped, then they led me to the living room.

“Oh, your living room is so spacious, I like this area here.”

“Thank you.”

“Hmm, anyway, uhm just usual things you can see in the living room. The sofa, the center table, you can add some anything you want and you think that suits the living room. You can add some statue on the edge. Or a piano one, or a table for coffee since the living room is the usual area where you can let your visitors do freely. And uh, flowers. Flowers can make your things beautiful.”

“Yeah, I know, my wife once love flowers.”

“Just like my mom, then hahahaha.”

“Anyway, we can rest for a while, then we can continue to the last room.”

“Aren’t we supposed to look for outside first before the inside?”

“Outside will be on the last day.”

“Right, French things?”

“Nope, my things, hahaha.”

“Anyway, your house is so big hahaha.”

“It’s not just a house.”

“Oh?”

“My wife loves to take care of children, it’s hers. She wants it to be like a house so the children coming here won’t feel like they’re someone in the orphanage.”

“Nice choice, but why does it have to look like a luxurious house?”

“Because, our house is like this and she wants the children live in the house like this. We have money, we can’t take our money with us in our graves, that’s why we also decided to make it like this.”

“Ah. Good people, huh.”

“Hahaha, outside, you can see a very big spacious ground, she planned to put the playground there.”

“This house cost a billion euro.” I said, roaming my eyes around.

“It is hahaha.”

“It’s like a small village.”

“A village inside the fence.”

“It’s a castle.” I said with admiring voice, because it really is. The look on the outside and in the inside. “You know, there’s this orphanage in the Philippines where I’d like to go when I’m sad. Children cures sadness, and it’s effective to me. They’re so cute and kind. And you can just imagine how desperate they are to have a family.”

“I’m not a fond of children until I had three.”

“Let me guess, they have a very good heart too?”

“Yes hahaha. They’re overseas for now so they’re not here.”

“I see.. Anyway, I won’t ask any questions. I might get personal so, I’m going to say quiet.”

“It’s okay but if that’s what you want.”

“Hahahaha, your family is a group of good peoples, I won’t wonder why you pay me so well but you only allowed me to talk.”

“It’s kind of hard to let people see what we buy, I mean, the cost.”

“Luxurious things, luxurious value.”

“Right.”

We spent time talking about things in France, no personal questions, just France for an hour and we get back to work.

“This is the entertainment?”

“Yup.”

“This is good. Uh, red cinema chairs is a good choice. With a cup holder on the armrest. It makes you feel like you were inside the cinema in the mall, and, a big screen, perfect.”

“Alright, Larry, copy it.”

We started walking outside, he told me earlier that I shouldn’t stay late, I think, it’s seven in the evening here, and he told the hired driver of the van I’m riding that he should take care of me. He said, I should make the van my home for three days until I get in the apartment in Paris. And that he’s sorry because he couldn’t provide me a decent room since the house is still empty and there’s no furniture you could see.

I told my driver to take his rest, and that I’m okay with it, and I think, it’s Larry, served me my dinner.

I’m eating when Gabriel called me, face time. I placed my phone in front of my food, leaning my phone to the board, and I answered it, and, started eating while talking to him.

“Hello! How’s the first day?”

“Hi, hahaha, it’s okay. I’ll send you the picture of the venue tomorrow. It’s kind of dark here so.”

“Yup, you should. Are you eating?”

“Yup, dinner. Hahahaha.”

“Don’t you have jetlag?”

“Hmm,” I let myself feel me, “None. I guess, because of the excitement hahaha. It’s good here.”

“Where are you, anyway?”

“I’m inside the van.”

“What?!”

“It’s a customized van. At least, I get to stay in a van that only artist or rich people can afford. Hahaha.”

“But you were the highest paid designer and decorator here and they actually let you to stay in the van?”

“Calm you as- down, Gabriel. I have an apartment, and you know, I have three days for work and a two weeks for

vacation.”

“Alright. Whatever, if that’s what you want.”

“I want the place hahahaha, it’s refreshing.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

I laughed while looking at him, talking to his employee for a minute and the he looked at me, and I’m busy eating.

“How’s my family?”

“They are good hahaha,. They invited me earlier to have dinner with them.”

“And what time are you going home? What’s the time in the Philippines now?”

“Uh,” he placed the phone down and maybe he looked at the time, “It’s one in the morning.”

“And you’re still in the office? What are you? A bat?”

“Just do overtime with my team, and I won’t be afraid if you’re scolding me because I’m staying late because you’re in

France. You can’t pinch my ears.”

“Then, wait ‘til I get home.”

“Whatever, stay healthy, bye!”

And just that, he ended the call. And I finished my food. And that’s when I felt the sleepiness. Jetlag..

I threw the paper plates I used to a trash bin, and took my toothbrush out of the bag and started brushing my tooth, and while I was brushing, I thought of where to wash my body.

Uh, no, I won’t wash my body and just go to sleep first.

I know, I’m kind of dirty, but I changed my clothes in Paris before we go here, or did I?

Never mind that. I’ll just wash my body tomorrow morning. I’m sleepy..

I finished brushing and went to bed, but.. the moment I closed my eyes and let myself fall to the bed..

I miss Brent...

My eyes, widened.

WAIT!!! I.. who’s Brent? Do I know someone named Brent?

I don’t know what it’s called like, but some people tend to think or dream something they actually don’t know if they existed or that existed but they felt that it happened when it’s not.

It must just be that or the jetlag.. yeah, it must be the jetlag. Never mind that.

I shook my head and fell asleep, fast.