A Dangerous Fire

"Amanda, how many times do I need to tell you na Yun lang ang tanging paraan sa lahat ng problema mo!" Bawat salita ay pasigaw na isinasabi sa akin ng aking ina para lamang matauhan ako. Yumuko lamang ako at nanatiling tahimik habang tinitignan ang aking mga kamay na namimirmi sa aking mga hita. I don't know how many times mommy tried to talk to me, but I always refused to listen and follow her advice. "We need to sell the plantation! Matagal na itong na lulugi." Dagdag niya pa. "Tinanong kita kung anong plano mo doon, pero wala ka pa din sagot hanggang ngayon. Madaming Tao ang umaasa sa Plantation na Yun. Kung tuluyan itong malulugi paano nalang sila?" I heard Tita Cath sigh. "Amanda, Look..." Mahinahong Sabi ni Mommy sa akin. "Hindi pwedeng ganto... Kailangan mong mag isip agad ng solution para hindi Tayo mahirapan ganun din ang mga taong nakaasa sa plantation." "I know Ma.." I said but try my best not to cry in front of her. "I will talk to Valerique.. Baka sakaling matulungan tayo ni Don Valerique na makaahon. I can't sell the plantation.. that's the only thing daddy left for me." na mamaos man ang aking boses sa kakapigil na wag umiyak ay pinagpatuloy ko pa din sabihin ang gusto ko sabihin. My Dad Died 6 months ago, he got a Cardiac Arrest while Driving home. At sa loob ng anim na buwan ay makikitang nalulugi na ang plantation dahil bukod sa walang nag papatakbo nito huli na din din naming na laman na matagal na pala itong lugi Hindi lang namin ni Mommy nalalaman. However, I remained firm to my decision not to sell it to other haciendero here in Amadeo. Marami mang nag hahangad na makuha Ito, Ay Hindi ko maatim na ibenta kung kanino man dahil Ito na lamang ang isa sa mga ala-ala ko kay Daddy. "Amanda! Anong sinasabi mo? U-utang ka kay Don Valerique? Tama ba?"napupuyos na si Mama sa galit dahil na patayo Ito agad sa kanyang narinig. "Naririnig mo ba ang sinasabi mo? Masyadong tuso si Don Valerique malapit mang kaibigan ng ama mo Yun pero iba na ngayon pera ang usapan dito at Hindi papayag ang Don Valerique na walang kapalit ang bawat sentimo na ilalabas niya." "Ma, Hindi ko pwedeng ibenta ang plantation ng ganun ganun nalang!" Hindi ko na mapigilan mag taas ng boses habang namumuo ang luha sa aking mga Mata. Agad naman tumayo si tita upang daluhan si Mama. Hinimas-himas niya ang mga braso ni Mama upang pakalmahin Ito. "Tama na Ate... Kumalma ka lang." Mahinahong Sabi ni Tita. "Iyon na lang ang tanging ala-ala ko Kay Dad at Mahal na Mahal niya ang plantation... I will try my best to survive the plantation." Sabi ko at garagal na ang aking boses. I couldn't decide everytime mommy ask me what's is my plan to the plantation, I can't help to be hurt to think of selling the plantation. Alam ko naman na makakabangon pa ang plantation at pagaubok lamang Ito. "Amanda, mahihirapan ka Lang," pilit pa ni Mama. "Kahit manghiram Ka kay Don Valerique wala pa din kasiguraduhan na maitatayo mo ulit Ito katulad ng dati. Hindi mo nga alam kung paano Ito patakbuhin dahil wala naman kinalaman sa iyong kursong tinapos sa plantation." "Ate Bethany, Tama na," awat ni Tita Kay Mama. "Amanda we're surely handle the plantation well I know she can. Let's trust her. And Amanda is not yet fully move on sa pag kamatay ng kanyang Ama. Kaya hayaan mo na muna siya alam kong kaya niya." Napabuntong hininga naman si Mama. "I'm letting you do what you want, Amanda. But I hope you can think the better solution for the sake of plantation and to all people who's working there." I'm trying my best not to cry and talking back to Mama, I just bit my lower lip hard. "Amanda..."mahinahong pag tawag sa akin ni Tita kaya na itaas ko ang aking ulo para titigan siya. "I know you can do it." She smile I little bit and follow Mama upstairs. A smile formed on my lips. I really appreciate Tita supporting me. Kahit na alam kong naiisip niya na impossible Yung gusto kong mangyari she still choose to trust me. Ever since Papa died Tita flew back here in the Philippines to help my Mother and she stay by our side. And for the past 6 months Tita always there for me. She always make feel that I'm not alone. That she always there to support me. Tita don't have her own family, she doesn't have Husband or a child. I don't know the reason behind it but she always telling me that she is happy to be alone and she was happy to be our only family. Pagkatapos ng nangyari ngayon sa sala napag desisyonan kong umakyat sa aking silid para mag ayos ng aking sarili. Buo na ang desisyon ko ngayon na pumunta kay Don Valerique at makipag usap. I should be in Manila pursuing Teaching to any public school I want to be part of. I graduated Bachelor of Second Education Major in English ngunit hindi ko magawang umalis para ipag patuloy Ito dahil ng namatay si Dad hindi kuna alam kung paano mag sisimula. I took a deep breath and opened my laptop. Okay, Amanda... this is it. I typed an email to the secretary of Don Valerique, asking for an appointment. Every word I wrote felt heavy, as if the weight of the plantation itself was pressing down on my shoulders. "Dear Ms. Adrielle, I am Amanda Vien Seravine. I hope to schedule a meeting with Don Valerique regarding a matter of great importance concerning my family plantation. I would be grateful for any available time he can spare." I paused, re-read it, and clicked send. Minutes later, my email notification pinged again. But this time, it wasn't from the secretary. I blinked at the screen, my heart skipping a beat. The subject line simply read: "Amanda, we've been expecting you." I froze. We've been... expecting me? My fingers hovered above the keyboard, trembling. I tried to read it again, but the words didn't change. How... how could he already know? I didn't even know if my email would reach him yet, and now... he was already expecting me? A shiver ran down my spine. Was it luck... or something else? Something about Don Valerique already knowing about me felt... dangerous. I swallowed hard, my chest tight. This isn't going to be easy, Amanda. Not easy at all. And just like that, the weight of the upcoming meeting pressed down on me. I had no idea what awaited me at the Valerique estate... but one thing was clear: my life-and the plantation-was about to change forever.