Dumating ang araw para sa meeting na sinasabi ng mga magulang ni Kiel. Actually, it is a meeting between the important people in our business. Kaya hindi na ako nabigla pa nang madatnan si Mr. Guineva na nakaupo sa oval table. Naroon na rin ang mga magulang namin ni Kiel. I was about to sit beside dad when Kiel motion me to sit with him on the corner part— perhaps, center upfront, kung saan nasa magkabilang gilid namin ang ilan sa mga importanteng tao, including our parents. "Since we are now complete, why don't we start the meeting?" mayabang na panimula ni Mr. Guineva.So, kami na lang pala ang hinihintay nila!Kiel immediately stood up and went in front. He position himself in front of a tall desk where the laptop is placed. Nagsimula na s'yang mag discuss ng mga bagay-bagay. Everything is still complicated to me honestly. Especially now that I rarely went to office and I don't know what was happening."Here's the latest update of the division of rights," as Kiel said those wor
I never thought everything would come into this. Everything's a mess!"By next month, Mr. Guineva might start acting like a boss. Baka rin ay maraming pagbabago ang maganap, maging sa sistema ng kumpanya. So, brace yourselves." Hindi na mawala sa isipan ko ang iniwang mga kataga nang kanang kamay ni Daddy. "Baby," pagkuha ko nang atensyon ni Kiel. Narito kami ngayon sa kwarto. He's again taking care of me like I'm an infant need to be fed or what. Kanina ay napagpasyahan n'yang s'ya ang magluluto nang pagkain namin. Hindi lang natatapos dun, dahil maging sa pagkain ko, gusto n'yang subuan ako. Hinayaan ko na lamang din s'ya sa gusto n'ya."Hmm?" malambing na aniya at saka ako binalingan ng tingin habang hawak-hawak ang kutsarang mayroong pagkain."What do you think about Mr. Guineva? Tingin mo ba, mahirap nang mabawi ulit yung rights n'ya sa kumpanya natin? Because I swear, I didn't sign up anything for me to approve such things," depensa ko.Napalunok naman s'ya saka ibinaba ang k
The whole week was a mess, our company is in a chaos. Kaliwa't kanang tawag ang natatanggap namin lalo na sa ilang investors na nagbabalak mag pull out sa kumpanya. I can't blame them. Kilala si Mr. Guineva bilang gahaman na businessman. Kaya nga nakapagtataka rin papaanong nangyari na nakapasok s'ya sa kumpanya. Bakit s'ya hinayaan ni Daddy?Apart from the calls I am receiving, pansin ko rin na naging bihira na ang pag uwi ni Kiel sa bahay. Hindi ko na rin s'ya tinatanong pa rito because obviously, it is related to the company. He promised me that he will fixed it and I'm sure he is starting doing what he promised me he would.The last time I visited our company, marami na nga talagang pagbabago. Some employees even decided to turnover because their salaries were affected. Mr. Guineva did not just change the system but the whole company kaya apektado lahat nang parte ng kumpanya! Maging ang mga workers na walang ibang ginawa kundi ang payabungin ang kumpanya.Everything was really s
Nanatili akong tahimik. I'm trying to think how to start. "Baby..." malambing na sabi ni Kiel habang yakap-yakap ako. "You're mad at me," he added when he noticed my silence.Sunod-sunod naman ang naging pag-iling ko sa kanya. I am not actually mad, nagtatampo lang."Hindi naman ako galit," sabi ko sa maliit na boses."Then why it seems like you are avoiding, hmm?" "H-Hindi lang kita napansin kanina.""I won't buying that," aniya at saka ipinatong ang baba sa balikat ko. "Tell me, hmm? Everything. I promise you, I won't be mad with whatever you'll tell me."Bumuntong-hininga ako sa narinig at pinaglaruan ang mga kamay. Hindi ko kasi alam kung papaano talaga sisimulan pero bahala na! Besides, we are spouses. We should be open to each other."I... I uhm... just curious why you seemed to be late going home lately... I-I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, okay? Since I know it is because of our business, right? B-But, parang nakakalimutan mo na rin akong i-update o sagutin man lang
He left his coffee on the table as he walk towards the pond. Nakalagay ang isang kamay n'ya sa bulsa ng kanyang black slack habang ang isa naman ay hawak ang kanyang telepono. I could see how firm his hold was as I went near him.Just like earlier, I didn't make much noise para hindi n'ya ako mapansin. At mukhang gumagana naman iyon lalo na ngayong mukhang busy s'ya sa kausap n'ya. To be honest, it is not my intention to eavesdrop and so, I decided to walk away until I heard him mentioning me and my parents.Napahinto ako sa paglalakad papasok ng bahay at muling napagpasyahang lumapit sa kanya. Enough distance to hear everything."You know I like her and you used that to manipulate me!" "Fuck you! It was not my intention to lure her! You pushed me to that extent!" he said angrily on his phone.Her? Lure her? Hindi naman ako iyon, 'di ba? And it really shouldn't be me! I know Kiel... I know him! He won't do such thing."I'm going down with you, Mr. Guineva. And I don't fucking care! Y
Patuloy pa rin ako sa pag-iyak hanggang sa makarating ng bahay. Our driver even had to look out for me dahil muntikan na akong mawalan ng balanse kanina mabuti na lamang at naalalayan n'ya ako.Pagod na ako. I felt like my legs would easily give up anytime."Jusko, hija! Anong nangyari? Wala rito ang mommy't daddy mo ngayon," our former maid Nanay Rosa held my hand and help me walk until inside our home.Narinig ko ring pinasalamatan n'ya ang driver ni Kiel kanina bago ako iginiya papasok."N-Nana," I sobbed, isinubsob ko rin ang mukha sa kanyang balikat. At dahil nga malaki na ang tiyan ko, may malaking gap sa pagitan namin. My position's uncomfortable pero hindi ko na inalintana pa iyon dahil ang gusto ko lang ngayon ay ilabas lahat ng nararamdaman ko."Tahan na, hija," she tried to calm me."Kiel... Si Kiel po, sinaktan n'ya ako. Nagsinungaling po s'ya sa akin." Mas lalong lumakas ang pag-iyak ko. Ilang oras din ako panay ang pag-iyak kay Nay Rosa, hanggang sa hindi ko na namalaya
As we passed by the gate of our subdivision, agad kong napansin ang ilang mga nakadududang sadakyang nakaparada sa gilid, ngunit ipinagsawalang bahala ko na lamang ito.But as we reached the place kung saan hindi matao, pawang pinagsasakahan sa magkabilang gilid ng kalsada lamang ang makikita, biglang may humarang sa aming sasakyan.It was a small car that's why I thought, it was just a mistake... that the driver just mistakenly took an overturn but it turns out I'm wrong dahil pagkalabas ni Mang Roman, para kumustahin ang driver ay s'yang paglabas at pagtutok din nito ng baril sa kanya.Hindi ko na napigilan pang mapasigaw na s'yang ikinalingon ng mga magulang ko na parehong busy sa kani-kanilang mga telepono."Mom... dad... we need to get out of here," ani ko sa nanginginig na boses, hindi ko na rin napigilan pa ang maluha."What's happening, darling—" Hindi na natapos ni mommy ang sasabihin nang sundan n'ya ng tingin ang tinitingnan ko. Napahawak s'ya sa kanyang bibig, nanlalaki a
"Mommy, I feel sick," I told my mom when we were left alone.Kaaalis lang ni Daddy papunta kina Tito Easton— his best friend here in Florida. After Tita Jackie told us I can be sent home, agad na nagpatulong si daddy kay tito Easton para mabilis na maproseso ang mga papeles paalis ng bansa.I haven't been able to bid my goodbyes to Kiel. I'm still mad at him. Hindi ko pa rin maalis sa akin na sisihin s'ya sa lahat-lahat. If he didn't make a deal with Mr. Guineva, siguro ay hindi mangyayari lahat ng ito. Ethan could have been alive.Hindi na rin kami nagdalawang isip na pumunta ng Florida sa takot na baka muli kaming saktan ni Mr. Guineva. We can't risk it.The last thing I know too, days after being away, hiningi ni Kiel ang katawan ni Ethan kay Tita Jackie. He was cremated and his remains were put in a little purple jar. As much as I want to keep it, hindi iyon encouraged ni Tita Jackie because it triggered something in me. Bumabalik lahat ng memorya, trauma at stress na napagdaana