Her Unheard Weeps

Protective

Chapter 13

"So you like already met the Tan senior?"

"Yes...i did" sagot ko.

Both of my friends looked at me amused.

"You mean you already met The great surgeon Tan? Chairman Oseias Tan?" tori asked amused.

"Yes. I just did"

"Woah!"

"Why do you seem so awed?" I chuckled.

Well, can't argue. That's the same contained emotion i felt when i first shook his hand.

"Are you serious!? He's the senior! Kung papalarin ay magiging kataas taasang boss natin if ever we'll be qualified for the job on his own hospital!"

"Siyempre alam ko 'yon no!" I rolled my eyes. "But you do know that oliver—his son is the heir of all his fortunes right?" I asked.

"Of course i know that" Simangot niya.

Nissy chuckled. "And you have the audacity to demand him to buy you a hotdog during last week at the family day"

Napatawa din ako. "Exactly"

"I didn't demand him! He offered!"

Nissy just laughed and victoria rolled her eyes at her. "So what does he look like? Does he look scary? Strict? Old? Magkwento ka naman! Anong nangyari no'ng dinner?"

"Tori! You are not suppose to call the poor man old!" Awang ng labi ko.

"What?" Natatawa niya.

"He's actually pretty kind. And no, he doesn't look strict...but thinking that he's that rich...and just like you've said, that he owns the whole building that we are about to apply in, you would view him as professional and...fright-worthy. Actually, naalala ko pa din hanggang ngayon kung gaano ako kinabahan. And i think majority of oliver's looks came from him. He is like the older version of oliver"

"Yeah, i've seen him too. No'ng sinama ako one time ni daddy sa social gathering nila. They pretty much look alike" ani nissy.

"So anong nagyari no'ng dinner?"

"Hija"

"Po?"

"I heard from my son here that you are planning to apply for a job on GoldenCrest?"

"Ah Yes po. I will take it a shot as soon as i'm finished with my board exam"

"Good. That's good." Tango-tango niya. "That will be a good idea so that My son here won't be all grumpy scaring his colleagues away while doing his rounds" he chuckled.

I heard his son beside me groan for bringing him up on the conversation. I chuckled too.

"Is nursing care your first option for career hija?" Tanong niya ulit.

We were seated in a long rectangular table with all of oliver's close relatives, his aunts, uncles, cousins maybe? Just family. Intimate nga talaga.

Gustohin ko mang tumahimik at kumain lang, hindi ko magawa because i know i have to mingle and get in a conversation with his family, especially his father who i think is really curious of his son's girlfriend. Mukhang tama nga siguro ang mommy niya, ako ang kauna-unahang babae na dinala niya dito at pinakilala since the senior is so yearning to get to know about his son's girl.

Hindi agad ako nakatugon. Nagkatinginan pa kami ni oliver.

I smiled minimally turning to his father once more.

"Y-yes po" i tried to sound doubtlessly.

Tumango-tango siya ulit. He said something again but this time, needless for me to say anything, nakinig lang ako while nwas saying something, an advice about my future career, he is a professional after all.

I was glad that he turned to his wife at nawala na ang attensyon sa akin. Bumalik na ako sa pagkain.

But minutes later, i silently but my lip when his father turned to me again.

"If you don't mind me asking again hija..."

"What is it po? You can ask me anything" i said.

"Where is your father? I'm just curious since as far as i remember, i only heard about you talking about your mother and sister, you never mentioned about your father" he asked, full curiousity indeed evident on his tone.

Doon ako natigilan.

Seconds later, i felt oliver's hand layering mine. Tumingin ako sa kaniya at bahagya siyang umiling, like he was saying that it was necessary for me to answer his father's question.

"Dad, i believe my girlfriend doesn't want to talk about it"

Mabuti na lang no'ng pagkasabi niya no'n ay hindi nakatingin ang iba niya pang kamag-anak, most of them were having their own conversation. It could've been slightly embarrassing.

I saw oliver looked at her mom like he was telling her something.

Next thing i know, i heard mommy lisa chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh Oseias, you ask so many questions. Let your son's girlfriend finish her meal" she said tapping her husband's arm.

Napakagat ako ng labi.

"Wala na po siya" i said looking at my plate. I looked up and forced a smile.

"Ash..." i heard oliver whispered.

"Oh honey, i'm so sorry" tita said. Nakita kong bahagya niyang siniko ang asawa. Bahagya akong napatawa.

"I'm sorry hija. But what happened?"

"He died when i was three—"

"Lung failure. Now, can we eat...dad?" Oliver said in a slightly annoyed voice.

"So that's how it turned out." I chuckled telling my friends what happened.

"That was a disaster" nissy commented.

"It was" i moved from my seat.

"Turns out boyfie couldn't contain his anger management issue. Mas nainis pa siya sa daddy niya kesa ikaw" tori said. "God these doctors are easily annoyed!" i heard her whisper but decided not to comment.

"Well it's not like he's always like that. Kung natitrigger lang. And that trigger happened to have a name. She's called Astrid" nissy chuckled. I did too.

"Aalis na po kami" nakangiting paalam ko.

"Sure sweetie. I hope we'll see each other again soon." Ani ng mommy niya. "Thank you by the way" aniya referring to the small gift i gave.

"You're welcome po"

"Bisita kayo minsan dito ah? Dalhin mo 'yang workaholic mong nobyo"

I laughed. "Sure thing...mommy lisa, i promise"

His father on the other hand tapped him on the shoulder. "Drive home safely son, especially that you have your lady with you"

"I will dad"

Tita came to hug me for the last time before we finally got in the car.

"You know...you shouldn't have acted rude towards your father." I lectured once we were alone.

"I wasn't ash. Believe me, that wasn't the full of it. And he was making you uncomfortable"

"He was just curious. He knew nothing" i defended.

Natahimik naman siya. It's not like we were fighting over it, pero pareho din kaming natahimik, i just leaned on the seat, facing the window while he continued driving.

Ilang minuto ding byahe, i was expecting that it would be a silent full time of drive but he suddenly spoke.

"Are you angry?"

"No..." i said still back facing him. "Are you?"

"No" he said. Natahimik ulit siya at ilang minuto pa ay bumuntong-hininga. "I'm sorry"

"Hindi ako ang dapat mong sinasabihan niyan"

"I'll call him later then"

I just hummed to tell him that i was listening and not in a slumber, or worse...angry.

"Alam ko kung gaano kahirap para sayo ang pag-usapan ang daddy mo." He started.

Napalingon na ako sa kaniya. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"Your point being?"

"I just want you to know that the reason why i acted that way is because I didn't want the topic to go further. I know how difficult it is for you to just even hear his name. That's why you never talked about him"

I bit my lip and didn't said something.

While his eyes was on the road, he still managed to grab my hand and bring it to his lips, kissing my knuckles.

"And you don't have the slightest idea how much important i felt when you opened all of it to me, for telling me your story"

"We were in a get-to-know-each-other stage back then" i chuckled.

"Still. Thank you"

Umiling ako. "No...thank you"

Tumingin ako sa harap at ilang minuto pa ay napangiti na lang ng walang dahilan. I was getting crazy.

"Alam mo ba?" I said out of the blue.

"Ano?"

"Sometimes i would think...wish..na sana nandito pa siya" pabulong kong sabi.

"Who? Your father?" He asked confused. "Bakit pa?" Aniya sa iritadong boses.

Napatawa ako, ruining the mood. "Alam mo, minsan, nararamdaman ko na mas galit ka pa sa kaniya kesa sa'kin"

"Damn right i do" he murmured.

Napatawa ako ulit but it faded seconds later.

"It's true." I stated. "I sometimes think of some possibilities if he is still with us 'til now. On what our situation would be. Maybe mom wouldn't have to work her ass off. Who could've been his favorite? Me? Or ate? Maybe it was better if he was here so that I wouldn't have to face her wife's wrath alone" i chuckled coldly.

"Maybe it was a good thing that he's dead"

Napaawang ang labi ko. Pero natatawa din naman siyang hinampas sa braso. He grunted and laughed. "What?"

"Ang salbahe mo!" Tawa ko.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry" he chuckled. "Pero 'pag iisipin mong mabuti huh? Kung buhay pa siya...Sa tingin mo sa mommy mo ka tumitira ngayon? Would you even have the chance to meet your sister? Me?"

Natigilan ako doon. He's right..damn!

"You're right" i whispered. "My brain is working pathetic sometimes"

I heard him laugh. "No, it's not. It's working pretty good. I understand. You just...yearn..for a father figure. At kahit hindi mo man aminin, hindi mo man sabihin, i know you miss your father, and you wish that you could've known him better by yourself"

"He's already out of the picture" ani tori.

"I know"

"so why do you even bother to think?"

"I hated the fact that despite everything he has done, i can't contain the emotion that keeps on telling me that i yearn for him. I yearned for a father."

"So that makes me lucky? Us?" Tori chuckled sarcastically referring for nissy and her.

I just shrugged.

"We have our own problems...all of us" ani nissy. "Magkakaibigan nga talaga tayo"

"We have. But mind you that both of you have your own fathers. Ikaw nissy, nandiyan pa ang daddy mo, patuloy kang sinosoportahan. Ikaw tori, at least ikaw nakilala mo ang papa mo"

"Oh wow. Magdiwang. Yey!" Tori rolled her eyes and lazily raised her bottled water. "Cheers to that"

Nagkatinginan kami ni nissy sabay tawa. We just raised our bottles too like tori did. Men can be problems at times, that's for sure...