Our Long Distance Love Affair

Chapter 8: Departure

“ARE YOU sure about this, Miss Saavedra? You see, you don’t need to apply resignation since we can wait for your return. Resigning is really not a solution. For sure, you wouldn’t take a year in the Philippines right? Three to six months of leave is really fine with the company, Miss Saavedra. This . . .”

Seeing the same and unchangeable expression on Yvette’s face. Those determined eyes and resoluteness in Yvette’s face made the assistant heave a sigh in the end. Desidido na si Yvette at wala nang makakapigil pa sa kanya. Conflicted, the assistant took the letter from Yvette, who finally smiled after coming back to the company after a week of absence.

“I will give this to the boss after the meeting,” then the assistant trailed off again, thinking if she should tell it or not. In the end, she decided to tell it. “I’m sure Boss will be disappointed after learning about this Yvette. Everyone knows how Boss treasured a talent like you. And he’ll blame me for unable to stop you.”

Yvette just smiled at the assistant and then stood up from the seat. “I hope you can console him then, if that really happens. Anyway, just tell Mr. Morris that I will be back in the company once allowed too,” Yvette said smilling lightly at the assistant.

Tinanguan na lang siya ng assistant na tinanguan din naman niya pabalik, bago tuluyang lumabas ng opisina ng boss niya. ’Well, ex boss I guess,’

Yvette sighed when she finally entered the elevator. At dahil nag-iisa lang siya sa loob ay medyo na-relaxed and kanina niya pang stress na katawan.

Halos tatlong araw na rin siyang sunod-sunod ang pagiging busy matapos bumalik ng tiyuhin niya sa California para sunduin siya. Pinakiusapan pa kasi niya ang tiyuhin na bigyan siya ng tatlong araw para tapusin ang lahat ng kailangan niyang gawin, lalo na sa kompanyang pinagtatrabahuhan.

At sa nakalipas na dalawang araw ay tinapos niya lahat ng kailangang tapusin at ipasa sa kompanya bilang pasasalamat sa kompanyang mahigit isang taon ding bumuhay sa kanilang mag-ina. At ngayong ngang huling araw na lang niya bago lumipad pabalik ng Pilipinas, ay nagpasa na rin siya ng resignation letter. Saktong may meeting ang boss nila kaya hindi na nahirapan si Yvette na magresign na paniguradong dadanasin niya kapag sa mismong boss niya siya magpapaalam.

And since she’s done with the company. Kailangan naman ang anak niya ang asikasuhin niya sa natitirang araw niya sa bansa. And she already had a list of what to do with her daughter for a day, before saying goodbye to her child.

Kasabay ng tunog nang pagbukas ng elevator ay ang muling pagbuntonghininga ni Yvette. She stepped out of the elevator, while thinking about how will she miss her daughter, Yvonne. Ilang buwan din siyang mananatili sa Pilipinas, and that’s for sure. Because she’s sure that it wouldn’t be an easy task to make Nickolai sign the contract.

’Yvette, what are you even thinking?’ asked Yvette on herself as she finally stepped out of the building.

At dahil medyo nakayuko siya at lumulutang ang isip ay hindi niya napansin ang limang kalalakihan na nakasalubong niya na papasok naman ng building na nilabasan niya. This five men were all looking so professional with their business suits and a dignified and serious faces.

And among this men, a man in the middle which was the youngest looking man and also, the most attractive among the other four which was already in their middle ages was wearing a very serious and cold expression making him a very introverted person. Despite the old man, being so talkative, he just ignored it and said nothing at all.

“This way Mr. Hernandez, I will ushered you first on my office with the others while I will called out for my best employee, I was talking to you about,” the middle aged man said as he click the button of the elevator to his office.

The young gentleman frowned upon hearing and then returned back from his cold expression, before muttering a low baritone, “Hmm,” acknowledging the words of the middle aged man.

But there was a sudden flash appeared on his eyes while straightly looking outside the slowly closing elevator, specifically to the exit of the building wherein Yvette was still remained standing, looking for something on her bag.

And before the elevator was completely closed, the young gentleman lift up the corner of his lips as the coldness of his eyes was erased.

Hindi din naman nagtagal ay narating din nila ang office, kung saan bumungad sa kanila ang assistant ng boss na agad inabot sa kanya ang ilang papeles na kailangan niyang pirmahan.

“Good afternoon, Boss. Mr. Morris is actually in the meeting right now because of the sudden problem about the company. But you don’t have to worry for, it was all solved as of the moment. But these papers needed to be signed as soon as possible,” the assistant seriously said.

Fortunately, the boss seemed in a good mood. He just waved the assistant away while holding the papers that were passed to him and look at Mr. Hernandez.

“I’m sorry to made you hear that, Mr. Hernandez. Don’t worry, it won’t be affecting the contract that we have. And I am confident it was the work of my best employee since she was like my son’s personal assistant,” ngiting-ngiti na kwento ni Mr. Morris tungkol sa anak at sa best employee niya, with a very proud voice.

Speaking of, habang papasok sa opisina ay nilingon ni Mr. Morris ang assistant, “Please call Ms. Saavedra for me to my office,” nakangiting utos nito sa assistant na agad naman naging awkward ang mukha.

She started sweating for it was unexpected to meet Old Morris in this day. Parang hihimatayin tuloy sa kaba ang assistant, at hindi malaman anh gagawin.

It was already hard to think of a way how to tell the news of Yvette resigning to Young Mr. Morris and yet the old ones came looking for Yvette. Akala niya ay naiwasan na niya ang madilim na sasapitin kay Mr. Morris, but here she was facing a lot more harder person to console.

She just wish to disintegrate now.

Back to the main culprit of the suffering of the assistant, Yvette, after finding her phone whom she forgot that she had pocketed instead of putting inside her bag, was now currently at her car, ready to drive home. She sent a messages to Uncle Carlo that she will be home early now to start her last day with her daughter.

LOOKING at her daughter’s sleeping figure, Yvette couldn’t held the tears which was already withheld for more than an hour now.

Kung kanina habang nagpapaalam siya sa anak, nag-iiwan ng mga bilin niya, at kung ano-ano pang payo ay todo pigil na siya sa mga luhang gustong-gusto nang pumatak. Sa ngayon nga ay isahang nagsipagbuhos ang mga iyon habang masuyong tinitignan ang natutulog na anak.

This will be her last night with her dear daughter. Matapos niya kasing asikasuhin ng nga dapat niyang asikasuhin ay ginawa niya ang lahat para masulit ang huling araw nilang mag-ina. Kahit pa nga sa loob lang sila ng hospital. She cooked the favorite foods and snacks of her daughter, Yvonne. She bought all the toys her daughter asked. She play with her daughter whatever play she think of. She poured all her time and attention to her daughter, until the very last hour of them being together.

She will miss her little darling. Sa halos apat na taong nakasama niya ang anak ay ibang saya na ang naranasan niya. At sa nakalipas na taong mag-isa niyang pinalalaki ang anak ay hindi iyon naging dahilan para mabawasan ang saya niyang nadarama kasama ang anak.

Honestly speaking, para kay Yvette ay ang anak niya na lang naman ang rason niya para magpatuloy sa buhay. Not because she’s depressed or what. But because she just find living useless if she had no reason to live. Except for her daughter, Yvonne, wala naman na siyang matatawag pa na pamilya niya. She has no husband, no parents, well she has parents, but they are not her own biological parents. She had no real friends, well she’s not saying that Cassy and Michelle isn’t real to her but it was her, who isn’t real to them. And for her, it’s just so unfair to call them her friends when she didn’t feel that way towards them.

Sabihin na nating ang gagawin niya ay para din naman sa anak, pero hindi talaga niya magawang makampante. Hindi dahil sa wala siyang tiwala sa tiyuhin at tiya niya, maging sa mga kaibigan na magbabantay sa anak niya habang nasa Pilipinas siya, pero dahil sa hindi talaga siya sanay na wala sa tabi ang anak kapag hahanapin niya ito.

Silently wiping her tears away, Yvette leaned down to her daughter until she kissed the forehead of the sleeping child.

“I will missed you, my darling baby. Mommy will miss you so much. But I have to leave you for a while so that I could be with you until I die,” Yvette whispered and quitely stood up from the bed.

Napatingin naman siya sa pinto nang biglang may mahinang katok ang tumunog mula doon. ’It’s time, I guess,’ she muttered to herself.

Isang sulyap muna ulit ang ginawa niya sa anak bago inayos ang sarili at mahinang naglakad papuntang punto. She opened it and wasn’t surprised to see the person behind the closed door.

“I’m really sorry Yvette hija, if I only took a flight for this time. Masyadong marami talaga ang bumabyahe ngayon since it’s a winter season, and also the vacation kaya maraming nalipad ng ibang bansa para magbakasyon,” Tiya Marina worriedly said to Yvette as soon as she saw Yvette.

Napangiti naman si Yvette sa tiyahin bago napatingin sa nakaayos pa ring si Uncle Carlo. Tapos, napababa ang tingin niya sa mga bagahe na nasa tabi ng tiyuhin.

Pamilyar ang dalawang kulay blue na bagahe dahil iyon ang mga inimpake niyang damit na dadalhin niya pabalik sa Pilipinas.

“This other one is mine and your Tiya Marina’s. Dinala ko na rito dahil dito muna mananatili ang tiya mo habang hindi pa ako nakababalik,” Uncle Carlo explained when he saw Yvette staring at the luggages.

Napatango lang naman si Yvette sabay angat ng tingin sa dalawa. She opened the door widely, para makapasok si Tiya Marina samantalang siya naman ang lumabas sa kwarto ng anak. Ngayon nga ay nagkapalit na sila ng pwesto ni Tiya Marina, wherein she’s the one who’s outside while the other one is inside.

“Ako na ang bahala sa bagahe ko, Carlo. Ang mabuti pa ay bumyahe na kayo papuntang airport at baka mahuli pa kayo sa flight,” baling ni Tiya Marina kay Uncle Carlo sabay hila ng bagahe nila sa tabi.

Then Tiya Marina looked at Yvette who was just looking at her, obviously still hesitating. Nakangiting nilapitan ni Tiya Marina si Yvette at hinawakan sa magkabilang balikat, earning Yvette’s attention.

“I know you’re worried hija, but you have to trust me. I will take care of your Little Yvonne as much as you did so that you won’t be worried of her. Lagi ding bukas ang cellphone ko para sa tuwing gusto mong makausap ang anak mo ay lagi akong available. Hindi namin pababayaan ang anak mo,” nakangiting sabi ni Tiya Marina, assuring Yvette.

Napabuntonghininga na lang si Yvette bago hinawakan ang bagahe niya. She look at the inside of the room trying to see the figure of her daughter kahit pa nga alam niyang hindi niya makikita iyon. At dahil doon, she just smiled and look back at her aunt.

“Tiya Marina, ikaw na ho ang bahala sa anak ko. I will finished this as soon as I can, so that I can go back here. Please Tiya Marina, ikaw na po ang magsabi kay Yvonne pagkagising niya. I am sure, she’ll be looking for me as soon as she woke up. If that happens, pakisabi na lang ho na tatawag ako as soon as I have time,” bilin ni Yvette sa tiyahin.

Nakangiting napatango lang naman si Tiya Marina. “I will hija. Sige na, humayo na kayo’t baka mahuli pa kayo. Malayo-layo din ang ibabyahe niyo,” said Tiya Marina encouraging them to go.

Naramdaman na lang ni Yvette ang mga braso ni Uncle Carlo na nakahawak sa mga balikat niya, motioning her to walk. So she smiled to her aunt and walk as she was told to.

to be continue...