Connections

When Margaret arrived at Cusina ni Ikay, she went straight to the reception and asked where Fatima’s hut is. Here at Cusina, each table is placed inside bamboo huts, providing privacy to the customers. But since Fatima was not the one who made the reservation, her name was not on the records of the reception.

“If you know who reserved the table for them, then maybe I could help you locate her, Ma’am,” the receptionist said to Margaret.

Now, that is something that Margaret is not sure of. She tried to remember if Fatima told her who made the reservation. Certainly not. She could only remember some names she mentioned while telling her about the get-together. Iñigo. Auguste. Astrid. And there’s a certain royal prince.

Yeah, maybe it’s not every day that Cusina has a prince as a guest. That could be something that she could tell the receptionist.

“I think she went here with a prince.”

It didn’t take long before the receptionist recognized who Margaret was talking about.

“Ah! The prince of Xeglington. Yes, I know what hut they are in. But, because of security issues, I could not just let you walk into their hut like that. His bodyguards might not let you in.”

Margaret looked inside the restaurant area. The huts are located in al fresco field, and their walls are only up to the waist making the open space serve as the oversized windows of the huts. Surely, Fatima could see her if she calls her outside their hut, but that would make her look quite silly in a way.

“If you like, I could just give the cell phone to her,” the receptionist said.

Fatima's cell phone is the newest iPhone model. Margaret just felt a little unsure if she could entrust the unit to the receptionist. Not that the receptionist does not look trustworthy enough, but her boss would surely not like a random stranger handing her the mobile phone.

“Sorry, but I can’t do that. Uhm, how about you inform Ms. Fatima that someone is looking for her at the reception area?”

Before the receptionist could answer, a woman who is nearly Margaret’s age approached them.

“Margaret?”

She looked at the woman. “Ms. Jac!”

“Hey! Long time no see!”

Margaret smiled at her.

“How are you? Oh! Do you have a reservation?”

“No. Uhm... I’m looking for my boss. But they said I could not go to their hut because some important person is dining with her. Security issues, they say.”

“Oh! Whatever security issues. Come, I'll take you to her. What is their hut number?” Jac looked at the receptionist.

Who told her the location where Fatima is. Jac was about to take Margaret inside the restaurant area, when her phone suddenly rang.

“Sorry, it’s just a very important call.” Jac looked at the receptionist. “Take her in.”

The receptionist has no choice but to follow her boss’ order. She indicated the way to Margaret, who smiled at Jac and mouthed ‘Thank you’ before following the receptionist. The latter is already engaged in her phone conversation.

"You are friends with Ms. Jac?” the receptionist asked as they walked to where Fatima is.

“I was an intern at the Quinto group,” Margaret answered. “Ms. Jac and I used to work together as at that time, she was just starting at their company as well. She’s very kind to befriend me.”

“The Quintos as really kind,” the receptionist said.

Margaret smiled in agreement to what the woman said.

As they approached the hut where Fatima and her friends are, two bodyguards in black suit blocked their way.

“She is to see one of the guests,” the receptionist told the guards.

Margaret smiled at the men. “Hi! Here’s my ID. I am Ms. Fatima’s assistant.”

One of the bodyguards examined the ID.

“I just need to tell my boss something important,” Margaret said.

The bodyguard gave her ID back. “Okay.”

They allowed Margaret to come to the hut as they followed behind her. Margaret immediately saw Fatima as she approached the entrance, though she knows she could not just barge in the scene like that. Of course, she needs to be courteous especially a royal prince is in the group.

“Excuse me!”

Everyone's eyes shifted to Margaret, but as she looked at her boss, her eyes caught sight of the man sitting beside her. She was shocked as she recognized him.

“Yes, who are you?” asked one of the men from the group.

Margaret looked at the guy who spoke, ready to answer him. But before she could do that, the guy beside Fatima called her name.

“Marga...”

She looked back to guy beside Fatima. He is now standing up with his gaze fixated on her.

“Marga?” asked one of the women in the group. “That means she’s Auguste’s Cinderella!”

Margaret looked at the woman with a frown. “Cinderella?”

Before the woman could explain to her, Margaret suddenly felt someone grab her hand. It was the guy she met at the bar! He suddenly pulled her out of the hut, dragging her outside.

The two bodyguards just looked on as Margaret and the guy walked away from the hut. They were a few meters away when Margaret kind of recovered from her shock and was able to pull her hand from the man’s grip. He let go of her easily and stopped as he looked at Margaret who stopped walking.

“Where are you taking me?” Margaret is really feeling alarmed right now. She held her handbag close to her body as if guarding it from the man in front of her.

The guy seems to realize what he just did. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to. I just… wanted to take you away from there– Why are you here, anyway?”

“I just came to give my boss her cell phone,” Margaret answered. “She left it in the restaurant earlier.”

“Your boss?” the guy asked.

“Yes. Ms. Fatima. She is my boss.”

The guy suddenly looked like he’s contemplating. Then, he said. “So you told her everything! You told her what happened to us at the bar!”

“What?” Margaret is suddenly confused.

“She knows that I was talking about you, her assistant. And how could she know if no one told her about us meeting each other? Someone really could have told her, and for sure it wasn’t me.”

“Are you accusing me of gossiping about us meeting at Pure Act? Well, first of all, how can I tell anyone about you when I don’t even know your name?”

Margaret felt a little offended. How dare this man accuse her of spreading rumors about him? And besides, even if she did tell anyone about this guy that she met at the bar, they wouldn’t know it was him because, as she mentioned, he didn’t tell his name to her when they first met.

“I actually don’t know how you know my name. I can’t remember telling it to you.” Yes, she got drunk that night at the bar, but she can still remember what happened. He just suddenly called her ‘Marga.’

The guy looked like he had a realization of some sort. But before one of them could speak again, Fatima suddenly joined them.

“Auguste! Margaret!”

The two of them looked at Fatima. The latter shifted her gaze between the two. When no one spoke, Fatima just asked Margaret.

“Why are you here anyway, Marga?”

“Ma’am, you left your cell phone.” Margaret took the cell phone from her bag. “You left it at Roberto’s earlier. Sir Stan called, and he said he wants you to call him as you received your phone.”

Fatima took the cell phone. “Thanks. How stupid of me to forget this.”

“How did you know that Marga is your assistant?”

The two women looked at Auguste. He was looking straight at Fatima.

“You said earlier that my Cinderella is your assistant. How did you know that we’re talking about the same person?”

“Well, you said that her name’s Marga, and that she’s from Gerona,” Fatima answered. “I remembered Margaret, my assistant, and I thought, maybe we could use her background for your Cinderella. I just don’t want you to look lost in front of Iñigo.”

“You really don’t know they’re the same person?”

“I don’t,” Fatima said.

Now, Margaret is getting confused. “Wait! What same person? What Cinderella?”

The two friends looked at Margaret.

“One of your friends called me Cinderella earlier. What does that mean?” she asked the two.

“I’ll explain later,” Auguste said. “But first, we must get out of here.”

“What? Why?” Fatima asked.

“The others might go out here as well, and they might say things and ask questions that they shouldn’t,” Auguste answered. “I’m sure you know what I mean. I just don’t want your assistant to be in a very awkward situation.”

“My assistant, or you?” Fatima asked.

Auguste did not answer. He looked at his friend like he was caught red handed. Then suddenly, he grabbed Margaret’s hand again.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take her home and she’ll be safe,” he told Fatima. Then he started pulling Margaret away from her boss.

“Hey, wait!” Margaret said as she tried to pull his arm from Auguste’s firm grip.

But she was not able to get lose as Auguste took her out of Cusina ni Ikay.