7. Despite the fear.

Inilipat ni Nate ng school si Elisha. Syempre nakakahiya naman daw na sa mumurahing school nag-aaral ang prinsesa ni Nate Sarmiento. So walang pakialamanan kung patapos na ang school year. Basta mailipat sa magandang eskwelahan si Elisha.

 

"Thank you so much for entrusting your daughter to us, Mr. Sarmiento. We assure you that she'll be taken good care of," nakangiting sabi ng school administrator ng super exclusive school na pinag-enroll-an ni Nate kay Elisha.

 

Ms. Cruz was a young school admin. She was pretty and sexy too. Obviously, she'd been trying to charm the too formal Nate Sarmiento since they came into the room.

 

"I'm counting on that, Ms. Cruz. By the way, this is Hannah Rodriguez," sa wakas ay pakilala ni Nate sa kanya, akala niya nakalimutan na nito na kasama siya nito. Kanina pa kasi nag-uusap sina Nate at Ms. Cruz and he never introduced her, that she could only guess based on Ms. Cruz' subtle gazes na nagtataka na ito kung sino siya. ‘Yong pagtataka na nanghuhusga. Like how come a very handsome and rich man like Nate Sarmiento would have a garbage company like Hannah. "She'll be the authorized person to fetch Elisha."

 

"Oh yeah... We do have a waiting area for nannies, Sir," Ms. Cruz almost answered cheerfully like she was right all along that she wasn't an important person.

 

"She's Elisha's mother," Nate corrected her in his famous suplado look.

 

Napatingin naman siya sa binata. She didn't expect him to say that. She wanted to say thank you for saying so pero hindi siya nito tinatapunan ng tingin.

 

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Sarmiento," Ms Cruz apologized, flushing a little. "But still, we have the same waiting area for mothers and nannies." She looked at her in a way to tell her she hadn't actually won yet.

 

Napakunot-noo naman siya. May problema ba ito sa kanya? Parang baliw lang.

 

"Just make sure of my daughter's safety." Tumayo na si Nate.

 

"Security is our priority, Mr. Sarmiento."

 

Hindi na sila nagtagal. She proceeded to the waiting area while the ever busy Nate, the businessman, went his way to his office.

 

She didn't get the chance to thank him for introducing her as Elisha's mother. Paano kasi, the moment they got out of the admin's office, he dismissed her right away. So she decided to just send him a message.

 

Hannah: Thank you for introducing me as Eli's mom... You don't know but it means so much to me.

 

That went unanswered. He's a very busy man and she's just a nobody to him so that's understandable.

 

"Hi," nakangiting bati sa kanya ng isa sa mga nasa waiting area. "I'm Leah... Bago ka rito?"

 

"Hello… I'm Hannah." Tinanggap niya ang pakikipagkamay nito pagkasabi ng pangalan niya. Leah looked nice. Maliwanag ang mukha nito at mukhang hindi yaya. Tant'ya niya ay panganay lang ito sa kanya nang kaunti kung hindi man sila magka-edad.

 

"A mother, I hope?" Mas nagliwanag ang mukha nito nang tumango siya. "Thank goodness!"

 

Iginiya siya nito paupo, expressing how thankful she was to finally have someone to talk to other than the yayas who were supposedly too young and can never relate to a mother like her.

 

Masyadong friendly at cheerful si Leah at nakakahawa ang energy nito.

 

"So, how come I never saw you before?"

 

"My daughter just got here," sagot niya.

 

"Really? But it's the end of the school year in two months!"

 

"I know. Her dad just wanted to transfer her."

 

Kung siya rin naman talaga ang masusunod, patapusin na lang ang klase sa taong iyon bago ilipat ang bata. But then again, wala siyang karapatan na magsabi ng saloobin niya kay Nate. Gugustuhin ba niyang magalit ito lalo?

 

"Let me guess, the Sarmiento Princess? I heard it through my friend." Leah's eyes grew wide. "OMG, are you the wife? But no, I think he was supposed to be married to that actress, Olive Concepcion."

 

"No..." so kahit saan pala talaga kilala sina Nate at Olive. Ganoon ka-famous ang dalawa. "Just his daughter's foster mom," she added, a matter of fact. After all mukha namang mabait si Leah. "Sa pangangalaga ko lumaki ang anak nila."

 

"Oh... okay," tumango lang ito and didn't pry further which she was really thankful for. Mukhang nabasa nito sa mga mata niya na sensitive sa kanya ang usaping iyon.

 

"Anyway, I think she's in the same class as my little Seth."

 

"Really? That's wonderful!"

 

"It is!" They giggled.

 

Hannah thought she really didn't have a friend beside Olive. So Leah might just be added to her friend list. Mukha namang gano'n na rin agad ang turing nito sa kanya. 

 

"Ayokong ipagkatiwala sa yaya ang anak ko so I make it a point that I watch over him," Leah continued. 

 

"Only child?"

 

"Not in five more months."

 

"Wow, congratulations!" saad niya nang marealize na buntis ang kausap niya.

 

"Thanks. I'm so happy that I’m having a girl this time. Seth is so ready to be a kuya," she said excitedly.

 

Suddenly, she felt a pang of jealousy. Mukhang happily married si Leah. At masayang-masaya ito sa pagiging ina. She was a happy mother too, a week ago. But now everything has changed. And she's just trying to be happy despite the fear that she just wouldn't see Elisha again one day.

 

"How about you, Hannah?"

 

"Well, I have Elisha." She managed a smile and she knew by the way Leah nodded that she wasn't satisfied with her answer but nonetheless, didn't push on the issue anymore.

 

Nag-focus na lang ito sa pagkukwento at pagsasabi sa kanya ng mga ilang school rules which she found really informative kaysa basahin pa niya ang binigay kanina na handbook. But still she thought she'd find time to read.

 

Hindi naman nagtagal at uwian na ng mga bata. Leah introduced Seth to her and so she did with Elisha. The two kids as well exchanged pleasantries before they parted.

 

Sinundo sila ni Paul. Ang appointed driver slash bodyguard ni Elisha. Hannah remembered him to be the security personnel na sumundo sa kanya noon sa gate ng subdivision when she met Nate the very first time..

 

"How are you coping up, Ms. Rodriguez?" tanong nito matapos mag-report kay Nate na nasundo na sila.

 

"Doing just fine." She smiled a bit.

 

"Good to hear that. You know Nate can be hard sometimes, but he's kind." He smiled as well, revealing white set of teeth, so he wasn't too formal after all. "Medyo kailangan lang ng panahon para mag-warm up. Hindi talaga siya mabilis magtiwala."

 

"You're calling him by first name?"

 

"Best friend. That's how we treat each other, Hannah," he threw her a glance. 

 

"Really? But you work for him."

 

"Nothing beats having your best friend as your boss... " proud pa nitong sabi.

 

"Wow... Your patience must be that long–"

 

"Believe me, Nate is the one with long patience," he cut her. "I have known him for like twenty years now and I can say that he's really a good guy."

 

"You honestly don't have a crush on him, right?" She stifled a smile, puro papuri kasi kay Nate ang lumalabas sa bibig nito.

 

"Straight male here, Hannah," he answered, not the least offended. "But I feel obliged to warn you."

 

"About?" She raised a brow.

 

"Nate has this charm that makes girls go crazy–"

 

"Oh please, that's not gonna happen." As if naman makakaya niyang ma-inlove sa lalaking kontrabida sa pagiging ina niya kay Elisha.

 

Isa pa, mahal na mahal ni Nate si Olive. 

 

"At least I warned you." He shrugged, natatawa pa rin.

 

"Well then, thanks for the warning, Paul."

 

She focused on the sleeping Elisha on her lap. Falling for Nate was not one of her problems because she's positive that she'll never fall for the man who wanted to take Elisha away from her.

 

Ang problema niya ay kung paano mananatili sa tabi ng kaniyang anak…