Lead Me To You

Simula

"Welcome back, Ms. Carluccio!" The airport staff in the counter greeted.

Binalik nito sa akin ang aking passport at boarding pass. Masaya kong binalik sa kanya ang ngiti at nagtungo na sa baggage area para kunin ang aking maleta.

It's been five years since I last step my foot here in the Manila Airport. I've been into Tuscany to continue college and train for business. I never really planned on studying abroad if this was not my father's order.

"Let's buy some wine here, honey. I heard that the Carluccio's retailed their brand here." I happened to heard the woman said.

It caught my attention since my last name was mentioned. Carluccio's is the biggest wine producer all over the world for hundred of years straight. Thanks to my grandparents for expanding and manufacturing such successful business.

"Of course, honey. Let's gather our bags so we can rest." Her husband said.

My purpose of coming here is to claim what's rightfully mine. Sa mga taon na wala ako dito, iba ang namamahala ng kumpanya. At sinisisi ko ang pinsan ko dahil hinayaan niya iyong mangyari. My father died mercilessly, I lived miserably and the company slipped through our hands. Ilang daang taon iyong inalagaan ng pamilya ko ngunit ngayon ay mawawala iyon ng ganoon na lang.

I cannot blame my father for doing things that I can't understand before. I can't forget how hopeless he was in front of me with pile of problems over his head.

But now that I'm here, I will make sure to put everything in its right place. I will not allow anyone or anything ruin my plans. I will not allow anyone to stop me.

"What do you mean that you can't fetch me?" I scolded my cousin through phone. I looked stupid right now.

"I can't. Wala akong oras ngayon. Hindi nga ako makatayo rito sa opisina ko sa dami ng ginagawa. Kung nagsabi ka, wala ka sanang problema ngayon." My stubborn cousin said.

Really? Why should I announce my arrival, though? Bumili pa ako ng sim dahil walang signal ang sa akin. Nagpa-load pa ako ng halos limang daan para lamang matawagan itong pinsan ko. Ngunit wala rin siguro mangyayari dahil wala itong pakialam sa akin.

"You make decision, now! I am not leaving this airport if you did not pick me here!" I hung up the call.

Kakarating ko lamang ngunit pinasama na nito ang bungad ko. Galing akong byahe at pagod na pagod ako na gusto ko nang matulog at magbabad sa bath tub na may gatas. Wala naman akong masyadong dala ngunit ang bigat para sa akin ng mga ito.

Minutes passed and he is still not here. I am starting to think of crushing his bones when we meet. And my phone beeped and when I see his name on it, I immediately opened it hoping that he's on the way.

Matteo:

I'm sorry, Monica. I really can't right now. Something urgent came up. Nagpadala na lang ako ng driver, ihahatid ka niya sa condo mo. Take care.

What the f**k? Does he really think that his apology will be accepted?

Ako:

Is this your way of greeting me? Vaffanculo! Merda!

Padarag akong umupo sa mahabang upuan dito sa waiting area sa arrivals. Nakakunot ang aking mga kilay at hindi ko na alam ang gagawin. Pagod na pagod na ako at wala na akong ibang naiisip kundi ang tumulog.

"Umuulan na! Naku, wala pa rito ang sundo ko." Sabi ng matandang babaeng katabi ko.

Tinanaw ko ang labas at totoo ngang umuulan na. Malalaki at malakas pa ang patak ng mga ito.

Malas talaga!

Ilang minuto pa ang aking pinaghintay bago dumating ang driver na inutusan ni Matteo para sunduin ako dito. Dahil malakas pa ang ulan ay napili kong tumigil muna sa hotel na nadaanan namin para makapagpahinga. Hindi rin naman makikita ng maayos ng driver ang daan dahil sa sobrang lahas ng buhos ng ulan.

Talsik ng mga patak ng ulan ang sumalubong sa hamda ng entrance ng hotel. Tahimik ang silid dahil gabi na rin naman. Dumiretso ako sa reception counter para makarenta na ng isang kwarto.

"Ciao! Buona sera. s**t! I mean good evening. One suite, please." Kabado kong sabi sa lalaki.

Masyado akong nasanay sa lenguwahe ng Italia na kahit dito ay nadala ko pa.

"One moment, Ma'am." Sabi naman nito.

Hinintay ko siya na magbigay sa akin ng susi dahil gusto ko na talagang matulog at magpahinga ngayon. Ilang pahina ng notebook na rin ang kanyang nabuklat at naiinip na ako sa kanyang ginagawa.

"I'm sorry po but we're fully booked for tonight, Ma'am." Sabi nito bago isara ang notebook na hawak nito.

"What do you mean? Hindi pa naman malalim ang gabi para mapuno kayo." Inis na inis na talaga ako.

"We can't do anything about that, Ma'am. You can transfer to other hotels nearby." Is he freaking kidding me? The rain is pouring hard outside and he want me to transfer to other hotels at this very moment?

"It is raining cats and dogs outside! Do you think I can transfer now?" Singhal ko.

Teddy D. Corporal. That's his name written in his nameplate.

Who is he kidding right now? I glanced at that notebook and there are still vacant suites. Did he really think that I am dumb? Akala ba niya ay wala akong alam sa ginagawa niya? I have checked-ins in many hotels in Italy that I got familiarized by the work in reception.

"Can you please check again? I really need a room right now." He opened the notebook again and I am not mistaken. There are still vacant suites!

"I have checked twice, Ma'am and it didn't changed at all." He said.

There is something going on right now. I can see it through his eyes and hidden smirks. I have experienced this kind of treatment before when I went to Los Angeles. And I am afraid that this is happening again.

Italians often faced racism all over the world especially in the United States. Anti-Italianism or Italophobia is a negative attitude regarding or people with Italian ancestry, often expressed through the use of prejudice, discrimination or stereotypes. The reason is that the large majority of the Italian immigrants were Catholic, as opposed to the nation's Protestant majority.

I have experienced this before, I know how to handle them now.

"Can I talk to your manager?" That's the first move.

"The manager is out, Ma'am. Something urgent came up to his neighborhood." He said.

"Then, can I talk to the property manager?" There is no way you can escape this.

"I'm really sorry, Ma'am. But the property manager is not talking to the clients." Marami kang palusot ha.

"Then, who is available right now that I need to talk to?" I am not leaving this place!

"Ma'am if you may, the security will escort you outside-" That's it! He just got to my nerves.

"Do you think that I am dumb? Do you think that I don't know what you are doing right now? Do you think that I am not aware of the kind of treatment you're giving me?" I bursted.

Napalakas ang aking boses kaya naman napatingin sa aming direksyon ang ibang taong narito sa lobby ng hotel.

"Mr. Corporal, I know the owner of this hotel. If I make my calls right now, you might not have work tomorrow." He got stunned by what I said. Yes, I know the owner but we are not close. So I will just use my connection to win this and knocked this racist down.

"Ma'am-" he shivered.

"Enough talking. Book me my suite." I said.

Hindi ito kumilos bagkus ay tumingin lamang sa akin. Sa kabila ng banta ko sa kanya ay hindi man lang siya natinag. Mabait pa ako sa mga oras na ito ngunit kapag hindi ko pa nakuha ang gusto ko, makakatikim siya ng sakit.

"Fine. We're done here." Lumayo ako sa counter at binunot ang aking cellphone sa bag. Mabuti na lamang at may numero ako taong tatawagan ko ngayon.

Nang nag-ring ang tawag ay itinapat ko ito sa aking tainga. Ilang ring pa ay sumagot na rin ito.

"What kind of workers do you have here?" Bungad ko nang sagutin nito ang tawag.

"Hey, who's this?" Ivan Augustus asked.

"It's Monica! Porca miseria!" I scolded.

"You're here? Why? What happened?" I can't wait anymore.

"I am here at your hotel. And your receptionist is treating me like a dog! I need a room right now but he can't provide me one when there are still a lot of vacant room. Did he really think that I am dumb? I am tired and my legs are trembling for standing in hours. My butt is aching for sitting in plane for almost sixteen f*****g hours! I cannot stretch my neck because it became numb! Don't you have mercy?" Hiningal ako matapos kong sabihin ang mga iyan. Sa haba ng aking litanya ay hindi makasagot si Ivan at hindi niya ako masingitan.

"Calm down, okay? I will talk-" I cut him off.

"Calm down? Do you really think that I can calm down right now? Ivan I am tired. And your receptionist doesn't have any respect to a client. He really got into my nerves!" I yelled.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming there." Huli niyang sabi bago ibaba ang tawag.

This is hell!

I can't calm down right now when I am tired. Wala pang galang ang tauhan ng hotel ng ito at dumagdag pa sa sakit ng aking ulo. Don't expect me to relax when I know that i can't.

Dumating si Ivan na nakapantalon at itim na T-shirt at sapatos lamang. Mapula ang mga mata nito nang humarap ito sa akin. Kakagaling lang siguro nito sa pagtulog at naabala ko pa. Hinarap ko ang receptionist nang makalapit sa akin si Ivan at tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. He kissed my hair as an act of greeting.

Mas matanda ito sa akin ngunit takot siya kapag sumisigaw ako. Para ko na itong kapatid dito sa Pilipinas nang makilala ko siya dahil kasintahan nito ang aking kaibigan na si Lauren.

"When did you came?" He asked softly.

"Enough s**t, please. I'm tired. Get me a room." I said. Wala na rin akong lakas para makipagtalo pa.

Pumasok ito sa counter ng reception at ito pa mismo ang kumuha ng susi para sa magiging kwarto ko. Nakayuko lamang ang lalaki at halatang kinakabahan nang makalapit ang amo nito.

"We will talk tomorrow," I heard him said to the man.

"Let's go," Ivan said while carrying my bags.

"Oh grazie Dio!" I whispered. That means thanks God in Italian.

Those kind of people need to learn their lesson. Racism is not a joke that they can just do to me or to anyone. If that will become a crime, I guess the prison center will be full.

Ivan swiped the card and typed the password. The code is written to the card and seconds later, the door finally opened. Nauna akong pumasok at pabagsak na tinapon ang aking katawan sa malambot na kama. Agad akong nakaramdam ng ginhawa nang maramdaman ko ang lamig sa aking balat.

"I'm sorry about earlier. Don't worry, I will talk to him tomorrow and fire him immediately." Ivan said.

Tumayo ako mula sa aking pagkakahiga. "Don't!" I hissed.

"Just talk to him. But don't fire him." I said. 

Hindi naman ako masamang tao. Kahit gaano pa kasakit ang ginawa niya sa akin, hindi pa rin kaya ng konsensya ko kung mawawalan man siya ng trabaho. Hindi naman natin alam baka may pamilya siyang binubuhay at ayokong maapektuhan ang mga iyon dahil lamang sa pagkasakim ko.

"But he hurt you," he said.

"Verbally, yes. But forget about it. Leave him be." Bumalik ako sa aking pagkakahiga.

"Sometimes, people will become like that for a reason. I just need to forget about it and move on." I don't want his life to become miserable. I don't plan that.

"Are you sure?" Ivan asked.

"Yeah," and silence resurfaced.

Bumibigat na ang talukap ng aking mga mata hudyat na gusto ko nang matulog. Unti-unti nang gumagaan ang aking katawan at nagpapalamon na lamang sa malambot na kutson.

He sighed. "Okay. I'll lock the door. Call me when you wake up tomorrow." He placed the card beside the lampshade.

"Okay, send my regards to Lauren." I said.

"I will," and the next thing I heard is the creaking sound of the door as it closes.