Planning Ahead
1602 Words
Cris POV
We were gathered here sa dining for dinner. I can see that Janelle was too nervous as she was seated in between ate Therese and Tiffany.
Tiff saw me looking at Janelle kaya napalingon na din siya. She held her hand and smiled at her.
“Don’t worry, we don’t bite. Joke lang.” biglang bawi niya nang samaan ko ito ng tingin.
“Please, feel comfortable. Wag kang mahiya. Mom cooked a scrumptious dinner for all of us. Right Mom?” bigla niyaang lingon kay Mommy.
Mom nod and smiled. “Wag kang matakot. You will be safe here. Please, kumain ka. Wag kang masyadong mag alala.” Mom said.
“Pinaayos ko na yung isang room sa taas katabi mumg kay tope para in case may kailangan ka. Madali mo siyang mahahanap.” Dad said while getting food.
“okay naman po ako kahit katabi nung mga katulong.” Sabi niya. Dad frowned at umiling.
“You are our guest. Bakit ka naming patutulyin sa maid’s quarters?” dad answered, tila nashock sa sinabi ni Janelle.Mom smiled and said.
“it’s not too much iha, compared sa ginagawa mong pagtulong samin. Please, don’t think too much and just use the room beside Critoff.”
We continued eating while she looked at me then down her plate. I smirked then continued eating too.
Napuno ang hapag ng kwento at kainan. Mom and Tiff, and ocassionally Ate had a lot of questions for Janelle.
Paeang nag iinterview and tatlong to while Kuya and dad was busy listening to their chats and also sometimes gets involved. Ako ang ata walang imik.
Nang matapos kumain ay inakyat ko na sa kwarto niya ang mga bags at gamit niya while Tiff was talking to her sa garden.
After a while, I called them saka sinabi kong okay na things niya sa room. So may ever dear sister accompanied her sa kwarto niya.
Di pa nga nakaka akyat ng huling hakbang sila ay pumasok naman ang napakagaling at daldal kong best friend kasama ang Kuya kong di ko alam nobyo na pala niya.
I scowled at her while she had that big of a smile running towards me and hugged me.
“Tope! I missed you!” sigaw niya nang makalapit sakin.
“Nagkita tayo sa opisina kaya manahimik ka.” Sabi ko naman.
“eh san amiss kita eh, tadong to.” Inismiran niya lang ako saka lumapit kay Kuya at isinakbit braso niya sa braso ni kuya.
“ako o si kuya ang namiss ko, klaruhin mo kundi kakalbuhin kita.”
“Ate trina!!!” sigaw naman ni Tiff galling taas.
Nagbuntong hininga ako saka nakita ko nalang ito na patakbong pumunta sa taas. Ayon nagsama ang tatlo papunta sa kwarto ni Janelle.
Nang lingunin ko si Kuya, he was smirking. I rolled my eyes saka umupo sa sofa, He went to the kitchen and when he came out, may dala na itong beer in can.
“Papunta si Matt ditto. He wants to talk to us, kasama si Daddy.” He said saka binigay yung isang can ng beer, tinanggap ko ito.
“Bakit daw? What’s wrong?” I asked him and he just shrugged.
“Ewan. But…”
“But?” tanong ko.
“Feel ko dahil sa pagpapatira kay Janelle dito.” He said.
“Ah yung lang naman pala. Decision ni dad yun, not mine.” I said.
“I’m not talking about that, you know. The deal you and him have.” Nanlaki naman mata ko, nakalimutan ko na yun. I looked at him saka napa upon g tuwid.
“It’s still on, just not now na magulo pa.”
“Just a hunch.” He said and shrugged once more.
We were just drinking when Dad came down from the third floor ng bahay. He looked at us saka sa taas.
“Don’t let your Mom see you drinking. Baka mapagalitan nanaman kayo. You know hindi pa yun nakaka move on sa accident niyo.” He pointed at us and at our beers.
We nodded at napatawa, but quickly hid the can f beer sa likod naming when we saw Mom pababa, galling siguro sa kwarto ni Janelle. She was with Trina already.
“Critoff..” she called as she descended the stairs.
“Please take care of our guest, okay? She’s a bit shy kaya siguro di siya lalapit sayo ng ganun kadali.” Mom said.
“Mom, di naman ako manhuhula kung ano kelangan niya. She need to tell me.” I said.
“Don’t give me the attitude, Cristoffer. Pag nakita kong di mo siya massist ng maayos, matutulog ka sa labas.” She said that made me sighed.
“Yes mom.” Yun na lang sinagot ko para di na humaba yung usapan.
“Ahh, tita how about we talk sa garden nalang?” Trina said and Mom nodded.
“Yaya, paserve naman po ng tea sa may garden.” Mom called out to yaya.
“Sige po mam.” Saka sila nagsipunta sa garden.
Dad came out from his office saka lang din naming nalabas yung can ng beer namin. Dad knew Kuya was coming so he sat sa isang couch as he waits with us.
“So, let’s talk about what will happen now.” Dad said.
“di ba natin hihinatayin si Kuya Matt, Dad?” I asked.
“He’s here. Nasa office lang.” he said still not glancing to us but with the papers with him.
Bigla naming bumukas ang door ng office ni Dad, and in comes Kuya na ipinasok sa bulsa niya yung phone niya.
“Sorry, had to take that. Si Xavier kasi hinahanap ako. Been crying kaya kinausap ko muna.” Banggit niya sa bunso niya.
“How are my pamangkins, Kuya?” I asked. I miss those kiddos so mucn.
“Ayon, Jacob still the eldest. Napaka protective sa dalawa niyang kapatid. Princess, still the protected little girl and yung bunso, siya talaga iyakin.” He said. I laughed kahit saan o ano pa yan, iiyak si avier pag gusto niya.
Even Jacob as having a hard time sa kapatid niya and he was just a toddler.
“Masyado mo kasing inispoiled kaya nagkaganyan.” Dad said.
“Like you never did that to Tuffany.” Napatawa nalang kami ng mahina ni Kuya Alex.
“Anyway…” pagpuputol ni Dad. “Let’s start talking about the plans we’ve made.”
“Sino daw umatake sa kanya?” Kuya asked about Janelle.
“It’s her aunt. Nakapasok while the guard was roaming the dormitory for inspection.” I said.
“Kelangan higpitan pa ang security ng school. If that is happning, malamang mangyari yan sa ibang students.” Kuya Matt said.
“Therese took care of it habang nasa hospital si Janelle, she added a lot of security guards na kahit mag roving di mapapabayaan yung gate and yung ibang are ng school. We had reports idn kasi that some of the rooms are being used by tudents without permission.” Kuya Alex added.
Kuya Matt nodded. “Our problem right now then is the safety of Janelle as we further investigate. Any development daw ba, Dad?”
Dad nodded. “As per report, the man supposed to be behind this, nakapagpiyansa since th judge handling the case was also an accomplice. That judge has now been relocated pero that was after he got bailed.”
Kuya Matt and Alex frowned. “Ang dali naming makapag bail. Truly he can get out of everything kung ganyan na mga accomplice pa siya.”
“As per investigator din, he hd one or two business, all legal, na siyang nakakapag strive sa kanya na mabalik ang nawal sa kanya during those days na nakakulong siya.”
“It’s as if he now wants revenge and is taking on anyone na kasali sa family na to. And that’s why he targeted Cristoff since siya ang nakikita nito sa club. Tama diba?”
Dad nodded.”Gaya ng sabi ni Janelle.”
“Did you contact Tito Ned about thus?” Kuya Matt asked. Dad nodded.
“I did, but he is out of town at the moment. And you know he is retired already. But I have asked for help on this.”
“Yes, kasi siya ang mas nakaka alm about this guy.” Kuya Matt said.
“teka, we have been mentioning security for the kids at school snd Janelle. But what about us?” I asked.
“Don’t worry.” Kuya Matt said.
“Nadagdagan security and bodyguards natin. I also have to mske sure na ligtas tayo. Kaya kung pwede ag muna tayong mag gagala.” Dad said.
We were still in the middle of planning when Mom and Trina came in laughing. We looked at them and they stopped.
“Ehen. Trina will be sleeping here too, just for the night.” Mom said.
We all just nodded but Kuya was shocked, leaving his mouth agape.
“K-kaya ko po siya ihatid.” He said to Mom.
Don’t be silly. It’s past 10 tapos magddrive ka pa, bukas na kayo umalis.
Walang nagawa si Kuya but follow them with his eyes
Napansin naman yun ni Kuya Matt and spoke so soft.
“Am I going to witness another love story beginning?”’
Sinamaan lang siya ng tingin ni Kuya Alex and he laughed so loud.
“Oh so dalawa palang love story aabangan ko?” Kuya Maat teased me and Kuya Alex.
“Yeah right.” I rolled my eyes.
- Writer
