Her Unheard Weeps

Hired

Chapter 25

"Magtataxi lang kayo pauwi?" Tanong ng kaibigan ng makalabas na kami. She didn't left our side simula kanina. She even hold emie for me while i shop for supplies.

"Oo. Naibenta na kasi namin ang sasakyan namin noon" i lied.

"Ah okay. Halika. Ihatid ko na lang kayo"

"No nissy, it's okay. Magtataxi na lang kami. Ayaw kitang maabala"

She even forgot what she came here of. Ni isa wala siyang nabili dahil sa kakahawak kay emie, she just left her cart on the side.

"No, i insist. We have so many catching up to do. Marami pa akong ike kwento sa'yo. Sige na ash. Matagal din tayong hindi nagkita" pamimilit niya.

"Nissy. Really. We're fine"

"Oh." Umiwas siya ng tingin. "Okay...sige. Tulungan na kita diyan." Aniya.

Naguilty naman ako dahil sa biglang pagbago ng kaniyang ekspresyon.

"Okay then.."

Kaagad siyang napataas ng tingin. "Talaga?" She said in a high pitched voice.

Tumango ako tsaka tumawa ng bahagya.

"Okay! Okay! Halika na!"

Sumunod na ako sa kaniya. Karga niya pa din si emie as i was pushing the cart papuntang parking lot.

Pagkatapos malagay ang lahat na pinamili ay pumasok na din ako sasakyan. I let emie sit on my lap on the front seat. Then nissy drove off.

"Kamusta ka na nissy? It's been so long. You changed. A good change. Not that it's not good before—"

Napatigil ako sa pagsasalita ng tumawa siya.

"Oh ash. It's fine. If ur talking about me losing a lot of pounds, it's fine. I'm also happy about it you know? It's like a huge satisfaction for me so yeah...good change"

I can see on her face that she really is happy.

"How about your life? Your love life. Do you have a special someone?"

I remembered correctly that years ago she was curious about my love life and i know, even though she didn't said anything, she also wanted to have someone on her life, a relationship with an opposite s*x.

Nilalaro ko ang kamay buhok ni emie, pero nang mapansing natahimik ng ilang segundo ang kausap ay agad akong napabaling sa kaniya.

"Nissy, may problema ba?"

She smiled in an instant tsaka umiling, "wala"

"Huh?"

"Wala akong boyfriend ngayon."

"Ah" tumango ako.

Natahimik na naman kami ng ilang minuto.

"But i had one before..." biglang salita niya.

"Huh? Talaga?"

"Oo. It's hard to believe but i really had." Tango-tango niya.

Napaawang ang labi ko sa kaniya. "T-talaga?"

"Oo" she scoffed.

"Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa amin? Kaya naman pala nagtatanong ka sa akin noon" i chuckled. "Bakit hindi mo sinabing may boyfriend ka pala? Anong pangalan niya? Schoolmate ba natin noon?"

Umiling siya. "Hindi. He was years older. Tsaka hindi ko na nasabi. We became official weeks after you left. Kaya si tori lang ang nakaalam"

Napababa naman ako ng tingin. "Oh. So wala na kayo ngayon? Anong nanngyari?"

Bahagya siyang ngumiti tsaka umiling lang at binalik ang tingin sa kalsada. "I just can't wait to be loved properly ash" aniya.

Tinitigan ko lang siya dahil hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin ko.

Nginitian ko siya ng bumaling siya sa akin. Ngumiti din siya pabalik.

"So how's life treating you so far?" Tanong niya.

"Like s**t" pero siyempre tinabunan ko ang magkabilang tenga ng anak bago sabihin iyon.

She chuckled amusingly. "Oh really? Same" aniya.

"Magkaibigan nga talaga tayo" i chuckled.

"Hey. Did you know that i opened up my own restaurant?"

"Talaga?" I asked amused. "Wow! I'm so proud of you nissy!"

"Thank you. Like finally right?"

"Yeah! Finally!"

"I have one in palawan...like in a legit island? At meron din ako dito sa maynila. Actually kakagaling ko lang doon kanina bago ako pumunta ng grocery. If you want, i can fetch you in your house at mag lunch tayo doon minsan. My treat" ngiti niya.

"I'm not sure about that nissy uh...but i'll try"

"Okay" ngiti niya.

"I wanted to open more branches but i doubt that i would handle them properly"

"And here i thought you would end up as a nurse like me" i chuckled.

"Well...now i know that bigger things happen when we least expect it. But i'm still thinking about it, na mag apply sa isang ospital. Sayang din kasi ang ang four year course na kinuha ko diba?"

Nginitian ko siya sabay tango.

Nang makarating sa bahay ay pinauna ko munang pinasok si emie sa loob, iniwan ko lang siya doon sa sofa dahil kailangan ko pang kunin ang mga pinamili namin mula sa sasakyan ni nissy.

"Uy! Ano ka ba! Ako na diyan!" Saway ko ng lumabas na ako at nakita kong nagbubuhat na si nissy ng mga plastic na alam kong mabigat. Naka boots pa naman din siya.

"Hindi! Okay lang ash. Saan ko ba ito ilalagay?"

"Nissy" pinanlakihan ko siya ng mga mata ng sinubukan kong kunin sa kaniya ang mga iyon pero ayaw niyang bitawan.

"Ash. I just wanna help. Let me help" Aniya kaya napabuntong hininga na lang ako at hinayaan na lang siya.

Kinuha ko na ang mga natirang plastic sa kaniyang trunk at pumasok na din sa loob.

Nilapag ko sa lamesa ang mga iyon at nakita ko si nissy na nakaupo doon sa sofa katabi ni emie, tinitingnan siyang naglalaro.

"You know, hindi pa din talaga ako makapaniwala na may anak ka na" aniya.

I just chuckled. "Well there she is"

"Does oliver know?" Aniya pero ilang segundo, she shut her mouth. "Sorry for asking"

"He does"

Tumalikod na ako at sinimulang iabala ang sarili sa paglalagay ng mga pinamili sa mga top shelves. Ginawa ko iyon para makita niyang hindi ako naapektuhan sa simpleng pagrinig ng pangalan niya kahit na alam ko sa sarili kong oo.

"Nasaan pala ang mommy at ate mo? Bakit parang ang tahimik?"

Napalingon ako sa kaniya. "Ah—wala, wala dito. Hindi sila sumama sa'min. Kami lang ni emie dito. May mga trabaho kasi sila"

Shit! Salamat naman at hindi ako nautal.

"Ah" tango-tango niya. "E ikaw? Wala ka bang trabaho?"

"Wala. Kaya nga maghahanap pa ako ng trabaho bukas kaagad"

"Talaga?"

"I was actually thinking of it. Maybe an assistant on a pediatrician who has their own clinic? Or if possible, nurse talaga sa isang ospital. But i doubt that they would accept me, hindi din kasi kami tatagal dito. Sooner or later ay magri resign din ako. It would take a miracle."

Nakitaan ko ng lungkot ang kaniyang mukha. Oh nissy...

"A-aalis kayo ulit?" Mahina niyang tanong.

Tumango ako. "Bakit pa?"

"Nissy...we just came here because we have a little business...to attend to. Tsaka kailangan pa naming bumalik sa iloilo kasi nandoon si ate...tsaka si mommy. Hindi ko sila pwedeng iwan doon ng matagal"

"Kailan?"

"Maybe after a month? Or less...it depends"

"A month" she whispered.

"Nissy..i'm sorry"

"No, it's okay...really"

i just looked at her. Nagi guilty talaga ako. This is exactly why we didn't want out paths crossed. Kasi sooner or later ay aalis din naman kami kaagad. It would just sadden the person who actually cares for me. And i care too, it's just that...hindi talaga pwede.

"May maitutulong ba ako?" Aniya

"Huh?"

"Gusto mo ako ng magbantay kay emie? Kasi nga diba maghahanap ka ng trabaho? Walang magbabantay sa kaniya."

'Yon pa ang isang problema ko.

"No nissy. Alam kong busy ka din. Kasi nga diba? Nagmamanage ka pa ng restaurant mo. Ayaw din naman makaabala"

"Ash..kahit kailan ay hindi kayo magiging abala sa akin"

"Sige na nissy. Okay lang. Maghahanap na lang ako ng magiging yaya niya"

"Then maybe i could help you find a job? I can pull off some string if you want"

"Nissy...we're fine..really. You don't have to worry. I understand that you also have a life right now. And i really don't want to be of trouble"

"Ash. Ilang taon din tayong hindi nagkita. Just let me help. That's the least i can do." She squeezed my hand.

I looked at her for a couple of minutes and she smiled widely when i sighed. She already knew what that sigh meant.

"Okay! So i'm gonna find baby emie's yaya now. 'Yong mapagkakatiwalaan talaga" ngiti niya ng malapad.

She was always like this. Her happiness is when she helps us..her friends. Pero kami, hindi sa ayaw namin sa tulong niya, more like nahihiya lang kami, because she's rich. She's the only rich friend among us three. We didn't want her to believe that we just befriended her dahil sa mapera siya.

"That'll do nissy, thank you very much. Ako ng bahala maghanap ng trabaho"

Ngumuso siya pero tumango din naman kaagad.

"Okay. So i have to go now. Babalik pa ako ng resto" aniya pagkatapos tumunog ang kaniyang phone.

"Don't you have more time to spare? Ipagluluto pa sana kita"

Mukhang nagulat naman siya pero tumawa din kalaunan. "Oh wow! Ikaw ba talaga 'to ash? Si Astrid haydn Dizon? Marunong ng magluto?"

I chucked too. "Yes nis, i have to learn. May anak na 'ko e. And thanks to your vlog"

"Oh wow! That's more shocking. Mabuti naman at natuto ka sa vlog ko" tawa niya. "But i can't stay. Maybe next time"

"Okay"

After she said goodbye to emie ay umalis na din siya. And the whole house was silent again. It was almost deafening. And i was used to it.

True to her words, which was really fast, hours later i received an email from an unknown sender. She claims to be inquiring for emie's yaya, she said she was sent by Cornelia venice Celeste, which was nissy. Maybe that's why she asked for my email and number before she left.

She sent a complete resumé of hers which was really unnecessary pero okay na din dahil at least alam ko kung sino ang magbabantay kay emie kung saka-sakali.

Okay naman siya. I called nissy after that and she told me na galing pa daw iyon sa mapapagkatiwalaang agency kay napanatag talaga ako. Kaya umoo na ako kay nissy.

Morning came and i got up early to prepare for my job hunting. Pinapakain ko na si emie ng makarinig ako ng katok sa pintuan.

Nang buksan ko iyon ay nakita ko ang magiging yaya iyon ni emie. The girl was in her 20's i think, mukhang bata pa, siguro ka edad lang namin nila nissy. She looked kind naman and trustworthy.

Pinapasok ko siya and i got her to meet emie at mabuti naman at lumaki si emie na hindi naki keep sa ibang mga tao kaya mabilis siyang nasanay sa bago niyang yaya.

I see to it that they were settled down. I had a list wrote down sa sleeping pattern, routine at mga kakainin ni emie bago ako umalis. I also told her to lock the doors at wag magpapasok ng kung sino on which she did after i went out the doors, nilock niya kaagad ang pintuan. Napanatag naman ako.

Mahaba-habang lakaran na naman papuntang labasan ng village at doon na ako nag hail ng taxi sa labas. I had a list of clinics and hospital na pwede kong aaplyan. All of the clinics and hospitals here in manila as possible.

But of course...there's one exception. That one hospital that i limit my self with.

I started with small clinics. Nagpasa ako ng resumé. I did a lot of interviews which exhausted the hell out of me. Sobrang init pa. Pagkatapos sa mga clinic ay dumeretso na naman ako sa mga ospital. Katulad lang ng mga ginawa ko sa mga clinic, i passed my resumé and did some interviews.

I was confident. Ang mga nag interview sa akin, they seem assured naman. Pero nang sinabi kong part time ko lang iyon and that I wouldn't be fully committed dahil nga one month lang ang itatagal ko sa ospital nila, their smiled faded.

So...I wasn't confident either...that i would get a job when that day ends. I went home with a heavy heart. But of course, there was a certain little bundle of joy who would always lift my soul up. I was even more motivated to find a job.

Sure it was just easy na hindi na maghanap ng trabaho, but i think that we would not really last a month, a week maybe dito sa manila kung hindi ako maghahanap. I'm running out of money after all.

Nung gabing iyon ay nakatanggap ako ng tawag galing kay nissy.

"Nissy...napatawag ka?"

"Nakahanap ka na ba ng trabaho?"

Napabuntong hininga ako.

"I already know the answer based on that sigh" she chuckled.

"I'm just...frustrated"

Kailangan ko din kasing magbayad pa sa yaya ni emie. Hays! Ano ba 'to!

"I know you are. But hey! Cheer up! May good news ako!" Maligaya niyang sabi.

"And what is that?"

"Well i don't know but i was in my office earlier when one of my waitress came in and told me that a certain customer called for me. Noon akala ko may mali sa customer service namin o sa pagkain pero hindi."

"So what happened?"

"Well...nang makalabas na ako at napuntahan ko 'yong table na sinasabi ng waitress, wala na 'yong customer doon. Tinanong ko sa waitress ko kung kilala niya ba 'yong customer pero sabi niya hindi, basta ang sabi niya babae daw. But that doesn't matter, the good news is...i didn't know if it was coincidence o talagang malakas ka lang talaga kay lord at ako ang pinadala niya para ihatid sa iyo ang kaniyang biyaya...i felt like hermes" She chuckled.

I laughed too. "Oh come on nissy"

"But there was flyer on the customer's table. It says na may isang ospital daw na naghahanap ng staff. Nurse..to be exact"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. My eyes formed an 'o'

"Are you serious?"

She chuckled. "I am"

So ayon nga, i asked her if she could send me a picture of it and she did. The picture contained all the details and information i needed such as contact number, email, address and the name of the hospital.

Kinabukasan ay pinuntahan ko iyon. And i can't help but gape at the high well-structured building. Mukhang bago iyon, o bagong pintura lang? Ah basta! It was perfect to work in.

I stepped inside at hindi ko mapigilan ang kabahan. Especially when i was guided by another staff to be interviewed. And what a miracle indeed, when i told the interviewer about my concerns, he didn't have the same expression as the others. He just smiled and shook my hand. He didn't said anything about emailing or getting back with me the other days, he said i'm hired!

Like what? I'm freaking HIRED! Wala ng pagdadalawang isip o mga kondisyon!

Hindi pa din ako makapaniwala hanggang sa makalabas ako ng ospital.

Pero nang tuluyan na akong makalabas ay napalingon ako ulit sa loob. Kumunot ang noo ko at Napahawak ako sa dibdib.

What i was feeling certainly wasn't excitement nor overwhelmed. It was something else...

More than that...more confusing...

Why am i nervous? And why do i have this feeling that I shouldn't have gotten here?