Prologue
" Congrats bes! You know what? You're amazing! Imagine, being the Magna c*m Laude twice in a row! Buti nalang ikaw 'yong naging best friend ko! " Said Carmela. I just smiled. I graduated as a Magna c*m Laude back in college and now, I graduated again as a Magna c*m Laude. My parents is beyond proud and happy, and I'm very grateful to them because they supported me.
" Alam mo, baka iisipin ko na kinaibigan mo lang ako dahil sa gifted ako ha " biro ko kay Carmela.
" Nako! Hindi totoo 'yan 'no! Alam mo? Ang mabuti pa kumain muna tayo, gutom na ako eh " sabi niya tsaka naunang umalis palabas ng hall.
Napangiti na lamang ako dahil sa inasal nito. Napalingon ako sa banda'ng kanan ni mama nang magsalita ito.
" At ngayon nga ay nakapagtapos ka na. Ano na ang balak mong gawin? " Tanong ni mama saakin. Sandali akong napaisip dahil sa tanong niya.
Ano nga ba ang gagawin ko? Madami na Ang gustong mag-hire saakin pero hindi ko tinanggap. There's something I really want to do.
" I'm going to apply for a job. You don't have to worry, Ma. I already got my license and I'm proudly to say isa na akong CPA with a master's degree. Kaya madali na para saakin ang makapasok sa isang kompanya. Maiaahon ko na rin ang ating pamilya. 'wag na po kayong mag-alala. Ako na ang bahala sa pagpapaaral ni Vince. Tsaka isa pa po, kung makatanggap na kayo ng Pera galing sa sahod ko, 'wag na po kayong magtrabaho Pa, Ma. Lilipat tayo dito sa syudad at dito na Tayo mamumuhay ng magarang buhay. " Sabi ko. Ito talaga ang gusto kong gawin sa buhay, ang maiahon ang pamilya na'to.
Mama patted me in my shoulder and papa patted my head. They both smiled.
" Alam kong makukuha mo lahat ng gusto mo anak, at proud na proud kami para sayo. Pero anak, hindi namin gustong iwan ang probinsya dahil nakasanayan na 'yon namin ng mama mo. Kaya sana maiintindihan mo kami anak. Pero anak, ang gusto lang namin ay bisitahin mo kami kahit isa or dalawa sa isang linggo. " Nginitian ko nalamang si papa sa kanyang sinabi.
" Ano ka ba naman, Roberto. Kakasimula palang ni Elle sa kanyang panibagong buhay, 'wag mo naman sana siyang panghinaan ng loob. " Inis na pagsakasabi ni mama kay papa, natawa nalamang ako sa inasal nila.
Para silang mga bata na nag-aaway ng isang kendy.
I smiled tsaka inawat sila. " Tama na po ang bangayan niyo, Tara na po at kumain na tayo " tsaka ko naman sila hinila palabas ng hall.
Hindi kalayuan, nakita ko si Carmela na nakatayo na nakakunot ang noo. Ngumiti ako ng may pag-aalinlangan.
" Sorry. Kanina ka pa pala naghintay " sabi ko.
" Tagal niyo naman. Tara na! " Masiglang sabi nito tsaka pumunta na sa kotse niya.
I am so blessed to have them. Upon remembering our memories together with the people I loved the most.
*****
" Ms. Aguilar, Mr. Diaz just called saying that we will have a meeting together with the board members and the president may not come, So, Secretary Diaz will be the one to stand in the stead of the president " my PA informed me. I put down the picture frame of me and my family and gathered the things that will be needing in the meeting.
" The meeting will begin shortly and I already contacted your secretary to prepare the things that you need later. Also, the file for the presentation were sent in your email, you can check it out later. Is there anything you would like me to do, Ma'am? " Respect is very visible in her tone and words are appropriate. Very highly professional. Other than that she's very attentive to work. So, it is easy for us to work in harmony.
" No, nothing else. Thank you for the information. " 'yon lang nasabi ko sa kanya tsaka siya ngumiti.
Umupo muna ako sa swivel chair. I opened my laptop to see the file that sends me.
The marketing strategy shows how it works for the company. It really is a great help for my team to create this. Very efficient.
I looked at my phone when it suddenly rang. I answered my phone without looking at the screen.
" Yes, how may I help you? " Tanging sagot ko lamang sa cellphone ko.
" Anak, kumusta ka na diyan? Uuwi ka ba Mamaya? " Was my mother's voice. I smiled. Tama pala, how could I forget it!
" Yes po, uuwi ako mamaya, tsaka okay lang ako dito. Kayo po? Kumusta po kayo? " Sagot ko sakanila na may halong ngiti.
" Okay lang kami anak. Basta ha! Update mo 'ko kapag nandito ka na. Ingat ka diyan " masiglang sabi ni mama. Ngumiti ako.
" Sige po, mama. Papatayin ko na po ang tawag, may gagawin pa po ako. Ingat din kayo " was my response.
Honestly, it's been several months that I've been working as a General Manager and I haven't visited my mother and father's home in province. Ayaw kasi nila dito eh.
Inangat ko ang tingin ko sa glass door when someone knocks on it.
" Come in " sabi ko tsaka ibinalik ang paningin sa laptop. I am working with the file. Studying on it if okay na ba so that nothing will go wrong in my reports.
" Are you free today? " I stop at the moment when I heard my boyfriend's voice. I was so happy Seeing him holding a bouquet of flowers.
" What brings you here? Aren't you busy? " I asked. Bihira na lamang siya'ng bumisita ngayon hindi katulad dati na ay halos araw-arawin na niya.
Anyway, I'm still so happy knowing he is here.
" Yeah, I got nothing to do and I decided to visit you. Are you free right now? Mag-lunch sana tayo " sabi niya. He give me the bouquet to me and sniffed it. Mabango naman siya. I think fresh pa nga ito, eh.
" Nah, I'm not. May meeting pa ako together with the board of directors and with secretary too " katuwiran ko. He shrugged and heaved a sigh.
Its rare to have a close meeting together with the board of directors and I'm responsible for the short reports. They do yearly meeting to discuss the current affairs of the company and issues that needs to be dealt with immediately.
" I see. Next time nalang if okay lang sayo " saad niya. Napaisip naman ako sa sinabi niya.
" No, I'll call you later nalang after I finish my work so that may quality time tayo bago ako uuwi sa province." Ani ko. Para naman siyang nagtaka sa sinabi ko.
" You're going home? " He asked out of nowhere. I make face. " Yes, I haven't gone home for several months. They missed me " sabi ko.
Napunta ang attention ko sa secretary ko nang bigla itong pumasok to inform me. " Sorry to interrupt but Ma'am, the meeting is about to start. Let's go " sabi nito kaya naghanda na ako tsaka bitbit ang laptop na nasa kamay ko.
" I guess, we'll talk later. I'll see you at 4:00 p.m then " was my response and gave him a peck to his cheeks bago umalis.
NATAPOS ang meeting and it went so smoothly. I stretched my body because of the tense I felt earlier that made my body go numb.
Nahinto ako sa pag stretching ko nang mag-ring ang phone ko. Carmela is calling.
" Yes? What is it? " Bored kong sabi. Alam ko na kung ano ang sasabihin niya saakin.
" Bes, believe me or not, I saw your boyfriend with someone else. Check my message and we will take later " and with that she hung up the phone.
What? Is she serious? Baka prank lang 'yong sinabi niya.
I checked my message immediately and she sent me a picture indeed! And I can't believe about what I'm seeing right now. Fvck.
Gorge and Hazel were together.
