KABANATA 13
1087 Words
NOSGEL POINT OF VIEW
The elevator doors opened on the 12th floor and what greeted me was...a symphony of sniffling.
Like legit sniff-sniff-snort crying. And not the sad romcom kind—more like konsensyang tinusok ng burning sword of righteousness type.
Tatlo sa marketing girls, nakaluhod sa corner habang hawak ang mini-Bible na pinamigay ni Aethan kahapon. Si kuya from logistics, may luha pa sa salamin ng salamin niya habang pabulong na nagdarasal. And the HR intern? Hawak ang tissue box at pinamimigay 'to parang communion.
Nag-blink ako. “What the—”
Tumango sa akin si Jilly na nasa loob na rin pala ng elevator. "Sis, welcome sa Lift of Lamentation."
“Please huwag mong pangalanan ‘to.”
“Masyado nang huli.”
At that moment, nagsalita si Eloisa. She was seated on the floor—yes, sa sahig—at nagsasalita in between tears. "I lied to my supervisor last week about submitting the budget report. I downloaded a template from Pinterest and copied the numbers..."
May collective gasp.
Yung isa pang empleyado, umiiyak habang nakatingala. "Lord, I said I was on leave for a family emergency, pero totoo po nagpa-Boracay lang ako."
Ako?
Nakatingin lang sa elevator buttons, iniisip kung puwede pa akong umakyat ng stairs instead.
Pero then, Aethan walked in.
Oh my holy Lord.
White button-down. Rosary in hand. May dalang banana bread na siya raw ang nag-bake kagabi habang nagme-meditate on Psalm 51.
“Sabi sa Psalm,” panimula niya habang nakatayo sa gitna, “'Create in me a pure heart, O God.' Today, I ask you all to cleanse. Reflect. Release.”
The crying escalated.
Parang biglang may plug na natanggal, at lahat ng guilt sa buong opisina nagbaha sa loob ng elevator.
Yung katabi kong si accounting girl, napahagulhol habang hawak ang ID niya. "I accidentally used company funds to buy Jollibee last week... I was hungry..."
“Mapapatawad ka,” sagot ni Aethan, hinawakan ang balikat niya. “But you must return the budget and... share the Jollibee next time.”
Nagkatinginan kami ni Jilly.
“Bruh,” pabulong niya. “We’re not in the elevator anymore. We’re in a confession chamber.”
Nagbukas ang pinto sa 16th floor.
I stepped out, my mind fried.
“Kailangan ko ng tubig. O ng exorcist. Either works.”
_____
10:15 AM. Office floor.
Aethan sent another mass email. Because of course he did.
Subject: “Monteclaro Reflection Hour”
“Today’s reflection prompt: What sin are you ready to release? Let us write it anonymously and place it inside the ‘Forgiveness Box’ at the reception. At the end of the week, we shall offer it to the heavens with prayer and banana bread.”
Sinong nag-approve nito?
Si Aethan.
Siya rin ang CEO.
So… siya lang din.
"May banana bread na naman," reklamo ni Jilly. "Mukhang malapit nang ma-DI ang buong department."
"Ewan ko sa kanya," sagot ko habang iniiwasang mapatingin sa forgiveness box na kulay ginto at may drawing ni Saint Peter sa gilid. “I swear, this fake boyfriend plan is biting me in the holy behind.”
“Baka naman may purpose ang lahat ng ‘to,” singit ni Benjo, biglang sumulpot habang may hawak na karatula na may nakasulat: 'Pray More, Panic Less.'
“Purpose?” balik ko. “I seduced him in a red dress. He responded by fasting. Saan mo nakikita ang purpose do’n?”
“Teka lang,” sabat ni Jilly. “What if... the more you try to corrupt him, the more ka niyang maa-associate with sacrifice? Like... ikaw ‘yung test of devotion niya. Ikaw ang trial. Parang Book of Job.”
“Job?” tanong ko. “As in trabaho?”
“As in biblical trials, boba.”
Mas lalo lang akong napatingin sa kawalan. “I just wanted a fake boyfriend revenge plot. Bakit napunta ako sa spiritual warfare arc?”
_____
Lunch break. Cafeteria.
I thought at least dito safe ako.
Nope.
Sa corner table, may grupo na nagpi-prayer circle. Yung isa, hawak ang lunch tray na may note card na may nakasulat: ‘This meal is blessed.’
“Hoy, Nosgel,” tawag ni Eloisa habang nilalapitan ako. “So proud of you.”
What now?
“Ang inspiring niyong dalawa ni Aethan. Love and faith in one relationship. You’re basically the Mother Mary of this company.”
Nabilaukan ako sa tubig.
“WHAT?”
“I mean,” lumapit siya at ngumiti, “you’re patient, loving, and loyal despite everything. Even through his accident. Tapos now, you’re helping him walk the righteous path.”
I wanted to scream, ‘Girl, I lied to him about being his girlfriend!’ Pero hindi ko puwedeng sabihin.
Baka magmukha akong demonyo sa gitna ng born-again support group na ‘to.
So ngumiti na lang ako. Plastic. Guilt-ridden. Tuyo ang lalamunan.
“Thanks,” I croaked. “We’re, uh... strong. In faith.”
Nang umalis si Eloisa, sinugod ako ni Jilly.
“GIRL. We need to abort mission. People are now saying may papangalanan na tayong floor chapel after you two.”
“Ano na bang next? Papal blessing sa engagement namin?”
Benjo appeared beside us.
“Actually…”
“TANGINA BENJO WAG KA NA MAGSALITA.”
____
4:00 PM. Team huddle.
Aethan entered the meeting room, clutching a small brown notebook.
“Before anything else,” aniya, “I want to thank Nosgel.”
Oh no.
“She has been the light guiding me back. I do not remember who I used to be... but if she loved me despite that, then she must have seen something worth redeeming.”
Halos mabulunan ako sa sarili kong laway.
He turned to me.
“I hope I’m becoming the kind of man worthy of your love.”
Nagpigil ako ng iyak—pero hindi sa kilig. Sa guilt. Sa stress. Sa kabaligtaran ng holy.
"Uh..." natawa ako awkwardly. "You're... improving. Like a... religious software update."
Tumawa si Aethan. “Then let me update you all with today’s prayer before performance reviews.”
Everyone bowed their heads.
Ako? Dumilat. At sa gitna ng lahat ng ‘to, ang tanging tanong ko:
“Paano ba magpa-amnesia ulit ang tao?”
Because if this was the result of a bump to the head... maybe one more hit can bring back the devil CEO I once loathed—but knew how to handle.
This saint version? This was messing with my soul.
And worse?
I think I was starting to like the chaos.
- Writer
