Chapter 2

Maaga ako kinabukasan para makauwi sa condo. Pinagbigyan ko lang si nanay Soledad kagabi na sa mansyon ako matulog. Wala rin naman sina mama at papa kaya ayos lang. Iginugol ko ang buong araw sa pamamasyal at pamimili sa mall. Bukas ang board meeting at bukas din ako pormal na ipakikilala bilang COO ng Lopez Hotels Inc.

I haven't visited the building in a year at masasabi kong may iilang pagbabago rito. I asked a close friend of mine who happens to be an architect to re-design the whole building lalo na ang office na gagamitin ko. The renovation started last year according to my liking. Mas pinauna ko nga lang ang magiging office ko kaya siguro hindi pa natatapos ang lobby ng first floor.

I find our building a bit boring at first given its close to ancient interiors at antigong mga sculptures and paintings. I wanted it to become more modern with a pinch of Western style designs kaya ko naisipang ipa-renovate.

Hindi ko pinansin ang mga empleyadong bumabati at yumuyuko habang papunta ako sa elevator. All of them knew me already since bumibisita naman ako rito minsan to oversee the operations of the hotels. Hindi nga lang madalas but I make sure I monitor them from time to time kahit nasa States ako.

I lazily pushed the 20th floor button at tahimik na naghintay. May 30 minutes pa ako bago magsimula ang board meeting at mabuti nalang at sa 20th floor din iyon. Hindi na ako mapapagod pang pumunta kung saan iyon. Maya-maya lang ay tumunog ang elevator hudyat na nasa tamang palapag na ako. Agad akong lumabas at namataan ang nag-iisang double doors na kulay itim sa dulo ng pasilyo.

The conference rooms are here at lahat ng iyon ay glass sliding doors. May blinds naman for privacy but that isn't really needed since ang office ko lang naman ang nandito sa buong floor. But then again kung may mga team meetings and board meetings madalas ibinababa ang blinds.

The corridors are quite so I suppose wala pang ni isang dumating. Kung gaano katahimik dito at walang katao-tao, ganoon naman ka busy ang floors na nasa ibaba. Dumiretso ako sa dulo ng pasilyo at pumasok sa aking office. A long glass table with the glass wall behind it overlooking the whole of Baler welcomed me. 

The whole interior and furnitures are gray and white. A bookshelf on the right side, coffee table along with it. A large sofa in front of the glass table at iilang abstract paintings na nakasabit sa dingding. I smiled with satisfaction. Marahan kong inilapag ang aking handbag sa sofa at agad tinungo ang aking table. Sa likod nito ay makikita ang kabuuan ng Baler.

The clear blue sky gave an ounce amount of light into my dark office. Nakapikit kong hinarap ang kabuuan ng Baler. The busy streets, the tall buildings, and the people pacing back and forth. Surely this place have gotten busier than the last time I was here.

Marahang katok sa pinto ang pumukaw sa nagliliwaliw kong isip.

"Miss Eirene, five minutes po before the board meeting starts," seryosong anunsyo ni Bella.

She's my assistant. Hindi ko namalayan ang oras. Tinanguan ko lang siya at saka nag-ayos ng sarili at tinungo ang conference room.

Everyone's already here, well, almost. Nakipagkamay lang ako sa mga board members at agad nang nagtungo kay papa. He will be the one introducing me as the Chief Operations Officer of LHI. He hugged me and kissed my forehead.

"Are you nervous?" Baling niya sa akin nang pareho na kaming nakaupo.

"I'm fine, Pa." I smiled a bit and roamed my eyes around the people who attended.

Aside from the shareholders, naroon din ang mga managers ng iba't ibang branch sa iba't ibang lugar sa bansa. They came here all the way from those places para lang sa meeting na ito. I've met some of the executives and investors noon. Palapit sa akin si Armando Rodriguez, one of the major shareholders. He runs the Rodriguez chains of restaurants at may mga branches na rin all around Asia.

"We haven't met for a very long time, hijah."

He was all smiles while shaking my hand lightly. I smiled back.

"I was based in the States po, tito."

"Are you staying here for good, then? Lalo pa ngayon at pormal ka nang ipakikilala sa lahat ng investors at shareholders," ang kanyang ngiti ay hindi nawawala.

"I guess so, tito."

Marami pang shareholders at investors ang bumati sa akin at nakipagkamustahan. Naroon din si Santi. Saglit kaming nagkuwentuhan tungkol sa negosyo nila sa Bulacan at kinamusta ko rin si Lola Gracia. Naagaw ang aming atensyon nang tumikhim si Papa hudyat na magsisimula na ang meeting.

"I would like to thank everyone for attending this meeting. I know most of you are from the different provinces of the country and some are even from other other countries that's why I warmly welcome all of you. The purpose of this meeting is for me to finally introduce to you my only daughter, and the Chief Operating Officer of Lopez Hotels Inc., Eirene Lopez."

Malakas na palakpakan ang pumuno sa kabuuan ng conference hall. My father, all smiles, welcomed me as I graced my way to him. Mataman kong pinagmasdan ang lahat ng tao na nakatanaw sa akin ngayon. Most of them seemed pleased, some are still formal with a hint of smile on their lips. I can see familiar faces particularly the members of the board na nakakasama ko na noon sa mga meetings tuwing umuuwi ako rito. I smiled a bit when the applause died down.

"Good morning everyone. I'm more than pleased to finally meet all of you. As you may all know I have been working for the company for quite some time now from the States. Now that I'm here, for good, I look forward to be working with you hand in hand from this day onwards. I hope for your continuous support for the company and its vision. Thank you."

They all clapped as I ended my short speech. I turned to look at my father who seems more happy than anyone in this room. I faked a smile as he hugged me tight.

"I'm proud of you," marahan niyang bulong habang nakayakap.

It's funny to think how I almost beg for him to say those words few years ago. How I wanted so much their attention na halos mamalimos na ako niyon. Now that I got older I realized how pathetic I felt back then. True enough time did its job to heal the wounds of the past na kahit ako hindi ko na halos maalala kung bakit ko nga ba naramdaman ang mga iyon. I learned that realizing your worth is way more important than the value people around you can give you. 

When I look back at my pains during my childhood they all seem like a fading memory vanishing into thin air. I've learned about life now cause it taught me the hard way.

Iilang kamustahan pa ang naganap nang matapos ang meeting. Ang ilan sa mga shareholders ay nagpaalam na upang asikasuhin naman ang kani-kanilang mga negosyo. Some of the managers stayed for the resorts to be studied nasa ibang palapag nga lang sila. Nakipagkamay ako sa ilang mga investors at nakipagkuwentuhan na rin tungkol sa negosyo.

"I'm so happy and relieved you're finally staying here ffor good para pamunuan ang hotels hijah. It must have been hard for you to monitor na operations when you were in the U.S."

Mrs. Maxine Remus looked stunning as ever even in her formal suit. Hindi mahahalatang she's in her 50's already with the way she carries herself. Nga naman, it's already expected for a famous fashion designer whose works are acknowledged not just in Asia but also in Europe and United States. I looked at her with awe and respect.

"Yes po, tita. Though I would still prefer working from there pero sa maraming projects na kailangang asikasuhin kailangan pong nandito ako."

"Oh well I'm confident that you'll pull this through kahit pa man noong nandoon ka. Ngayon pa kayang nandito ka na," she laughed gracefully. "Nga pala, did you tell Denver about your stay here?"

She's Denver's mother. Nang makita ko siya ulit sa States at nalamang mommy niya si Mrs. Remus doon ko napatunayang ang liit nga ng mundo. Parehong school ang pinasukan namin though ahead siya sa akin ng isang taon. He was the very first friend I made in the U.S at hanggang ngayon we kept in touch.

"Yes po, tita." I smiled.

"Alam mo bang he couldn't stop talking about you when you met again sa States? He said he's a fan of yours. You were into Fashion designing pala, hijah? Why didn't you pursue it?"

Naroon ang panghihinayang sa kanyang boses. My fake smile faded in an instant. Naging uneasy agad ang pakiramdam ko that I had to mentally slap myself back to reality. I managed to flash another fake smile.

"It's just my hobby po tita."

Agad tinalunton ng aking mga mata kung sino ang pwede kong gawing excuse para maiwasan ang kanyang mga tanong. I felt relieved when I saw my cousin talking to three businessmen on the right side of the hall. Malumanay akong nagpaalam kay Mrs. Remus at walang lingon-lingon na tinungo ang kinaroroonan ni Santi.

To be continued...