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Six
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2021-03-04 20:51:24"Sure. Tara sa baba?" pag-aaya ko kay Dianne.
"Sige. Gusto ko ng hawaiian pizza, madaming pineapple."
Kung hindi ko siya kilala, I might think na nababaliw siya. Kanina umiiyak, tapos ngayon parang bata na nagrerequest sa mama niya kung ano ang gusto niya for dinner. But I know her, alam ko may tinatago siya. It's her way of keeping her thoughts inside her head.
"Anna?" tawag niya sa akin after ko tumawag sa pizza shop.
"Hmm?"
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked me.
"Oo naman. Bakit?"
"Wala lang. Just making sure na okay ka."
Dianne hugged me so tight. I know she's really worried. I couldn't blame her. I know she can see it in my eyes. Sabi nga nila, 'eyes are the window to the soul'.
Ding dong!
Dumating na ang pizza na inorder namin. Just as Dianne wanted, maraming pineapple. Tuwang tuwa naman ang bruha dahil halos di na makita ang crust dahil sa dami ng pineapple. Tahimik kaming kumain, parang ang awkward tuloy. Then finally...
"Tell me about your boyfriend Dianne." Di ko na napigilan magsalita.
"Boyfriend ko? Wag na. Wala namang kwenta yun eh." ang cold ng sagot ni Dianne.
"Ang harsh mo naman sa kanya." natatawa kong sagot.
"Seryoso, wala siyang kwenta. Feeling ko nga niloloko niya lang ako. Pero syempre, dahil mahal ko siya, di ko siya iiwan."
"Hoy lakas makahugot ah? May dala ka bang baul galing Spain?" I said just to make the conversation lighter.
Natawa na din lang siya sa kakornihan ko.
"Pero tama naman di ba? Kapag mahal mo, willing ka magtake ng risk para sa kanya. Kaya mong i-tolerate yung mga kalokohan niya sa buhay. At hindi ka mapapagod intindihin siya."
"Tama." maikling sagot ko. “Pero lahat naman may hangganan di ba?”
“Malayo pa ako sa hangganan. Kaya hindi ko pa iniisip ‘yun.”
“Tampuhan lang ito. Hindi naman big deal ang pag-aaway namin.”
"Pero anong balak mo? Mahal mo pero nasasaktan ka. Sure ka ba na mahal ka din niya?"
"Anong klaseng tanong ba yan Anna? Syempre mahal ako nun." ngumiti siya pero bakas pa din ang pait ng kanyang itinatago.
"Wala lang, naisip ko lang itanong." bawi ko naman.
"Kumain na nga lang tayo Anna."
Halos hindi kami nag-uusap ni Dianne.
--
“Ano nga pala ang balak mong gawin dito?” tanong ko ulit kay Dianne.
“Bakasyon lang.”
“Bakasyon? Sa trabaho? Super nakakastress ba ang work mo?”
“No. Bakasyon sa bakasyon.”
“What?”
“Wala naman kasi akong trabaho sa Spain.”
“Wow! Big time ka pala dun?”
“No. Hindi ako yung big time, yung boyfriend ko ang big time.”
“Really? Anong trabaho n’ya? May sariling company? Business?”
“Family company yata. I’m not sure.”
“Not sure? Paano kung sindikato pala?”
“Hindi naman siguro. Mukhang malinis naman.”
“Sus! Yung boss ko nga mukhang matino pero parang palaging nakatambay sa gentleman’s club.”
“Alam mo, I want to meet that Gabriel Anderson.”
“Naku! Wag na!”
“Bakit naman?” nagpout si Dianne.
“You wouldn’t like him. Masyadong maangas.”
“Sus! Ayaw mo lang yata maagawan.”
“Wala namang aagawin. He’s just my boss.”
“Really? Not from where I stand.”
“What do you mean?”
“You exactly know what I mean Anna banana."
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Stand Still: Please Stay Epilogue
Dianne married Lance Anderson for two years. It would have been three, but they chose to wait a year because Lance didn’t have a best man. Lance didn’t want any other best man. He only wanted his brother, Gabriel. Dianne gave birth to a lovely daughter, who is three years old. It turned out she was pregnant before Anna went away.Dianne named her daughter Annie as a tribute to Anna, her best friend. Annie is just like Anna. In her early years, she’s been brave and carefree. She doesn’t like the smell of her mother’s tea but she’s addicted to the smell of her dad’s coffee. Surprisingly, Annie also likes cheese and grapes. She reminds Dianne so much of Anna.Dianne was five months away from her second baby with Lance. I’m thinking of naming him after Gabriel but she wasn’t sure if Lance would allow it.Gabriel thought he couldn’t make it without Anna, but turns out he could. He realized more people are willing to stay beside him, even in his darkest times. It’s a good thing he has Lance
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty Nine
“What are you doing?” Anna asked Joshua, who was following her.“I just want to talk to you.”“I don’t want to talk to anyone. Especially not you.”“Why? Are you that angry?”“You’re making me crazy. I don’t want that.”“I just want to explain.”Anna stopped and faced him. Her face was turning red from anger.“Explain? After all, that’s happened? How dare you? Do you think your explanation would change what’s already happened? After how I’ve felt, do you think I would believe you?”“I just want you to know why I left. You deserve to know.”“Well, you should have thought of that before you went AWOL. And what’s the point of that? Are you here to make me feel bad or do you just want me to forgive you?”Joshua did not react. Anna could see tears welling up and when a tear fell, he looked down as to not let Anna know how he was losing his faith.“If it makes a difference, I forgave you the moment you left.”“Then us alone – Alexandra and me.”Anna did not hold back when he slapped him. Sh
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty-eight
“What do you think? Come out and let me have a look at it,” Dianne shouted and tried to wait, but in the end, she barged into the fitting room. Anna was startled but did not mind the company. “I like how it fits me,” she said while removing the creases. Dianne looked at her with teary eyes. “Look in the mirror,” she pulled Anna. “It looks good on you,” she added while Anna continued with what she was doing. Anna was in awe when she saw what gown she was wearing. “Dianne, this isn’t a bride’s maid dress,” she looked at Dianne. “I am not the bride. This is a wedding dress.” “I just wanted to see you wear a wedding dress. I might not be able to see you wear one soon, and that’s why.” “Dianne!” Anna protested along with another familiar voice outside the cubicle. Dianne quickly responded. “Honeyboo!” Dianne left me and run to greet Lance. Even at the distance, Anna could make out the silhouette of the man Lance was with. Anna wanted to walk away, but her feet seemed to have a life o
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty Seven
“Are you okay? What’s on your mind?” Dianne asked when she saw Anna staring blankly at her cup of coffee.“Nothing,” she answered.“Nothing? Daydreaming is one thing, but smiling while daydreaming is another,” Dianne pointed out.“Yes, this is nothing,” she denied and went up to get an apple from the fruit basket on the table.“Fine,” Dianne admitted her defeat.*** “It looks like your prince charming misses you,” Dianne pointed at Anna's cell phone. It was ringing to Gabriel's call.“Shut up!” Anna said mockingly while grabbing and answering the call.***“Hello?” Anna answered the call shyly.“Hi,” an unfamiliar woman’s voice came from the other line.Anna pulled the phone away from her ears and looked at the screen. She made sure it was Gabriel's number.“Hello?” she said again, hoping to hear Gabriel's voice.“Anna? Anna Miller?” asked the woman on the other line.“Yes. This is she.”“Gabriel asked me to tell you that you are fired. He said you don’t have to bother going to the o
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty Six
“Shall we find another bar or shall we crash at my place?” Lance asked.“I think we should go to your place. So, Anna won’t complain of any smell,” Gabriel suggested, thinking he was funny.“You think you're funny, right?” Anna said, still feeling feisty after the scene in the bar. “Continue that and you'll regret having met me.”“But, of course, I’m just kidding,” he hugged Anna from behind and she wasn’t sure if Gabriel's turned on or he was hot from alcohol. She could feel his warmth amidst the cold air.Their laughs echoed in the almost empty parking area. This night, they are just normal people having fun. Who would think they are a CEO, a sibling of a CEO, a multi-billionaire businesswoman, and a friend of a multi-billionaire businesswoman? Who would think they are all connected while should usually be fighting over power and other company issues? No one!***Anna was impressed when they arrived at Lance’s condo unit. It looked stunning in its black and white interiors and furni
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty Five
“Congratulations, Dianne!” Anna hugged her. “I’m excited for you!”Anna looked at Gabriel who was smiling from ear to ear and also looking at her.“Good job, Dude! I’m happy for you,” he said, averting his eyes from Anna.“Kuya, I’ll be first this time.”“Don’t worry, Kid. I’m not too far behind,” he smiled and looked at Anna.Don Miguel cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Let’s enjoy the night people. Hit it, DJ!”***Anna and Gabriel went out. The party’s getting a bit noisy for them. Old people went home to rest, leaving the party to younger people. The speakers blasted electric music, almost blowing them out“I envy them,” Gabriel said.“Why do you envy them? Once upon a time, you’ve also been married.”“So, you’re the one who should envy them.”“Me? Why me? I’m perfectly fine. That’s why I’m still single. Why should I envy them?”“What?”She knew he'd react.“You heard me right, Mister Gabriel Anderson. Besides, I don’t have anyone courting me, so, I don’t have any b
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty Four
“Okay, that was unexpected,” Don Miguel smirked. “Let it be a reminder to those social climbers, gold diggers, and cheaters. You might have met your karma already. You wouldn’t know when they’ll strike.”Everyone laughed, except Alexandra, Madamé Rebecca, and Joshua.“Don’t leave yet, I still have my announcement,” Don Miguel added when he saw Alexandra leaving.“It has been twenty-six years since I started the Anderson Group of Companies, and I think it’s about time I give my throne to someone worth my trust. To someone who also worked hard for the company. It’s time for him to take over. Gabriel, son, prove me that I'm doing the right thing. And if you want to ask why not Lance? It’s because he has a different announcement. For now, I'm calling Gabriel for an impromptu speech. Gabriel?”“Wow! I don’t know what to say,” he looked at Don Miguel who just exited the stage. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll make you proud dad. You would not regret giving me your throne, but honestly, Dad, this is terri
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty Three
Everyone in the room made a fuss. She didn’t hear but she knew they were judging her.“It was him, the man of my dreams. Unbelievable, isn’t it? Anna Hemsworth Miller had a love life even though she wanted a private life, but you heard me right. I met the man of my dreams in that blogging team. He was kind and sweet. He was caring and thoughtful. He does not pretend to be anything that he’s not. He was just a humble blogger waiting for the right time to shine. And what brought me closer to him? He was not rich.”Everyone went quiet, even Dianne and the Anderson Family. Joshua, however, was sweating like a pig.“Yes. Once upon a time, I fell in love. I loved someone who was not rich. I know you’re wondering why I’m saying this, but this is just to prove that I was not a gold digger or a social climber to get to where I am. My family belonged to the lower class, but we were lucky enough to afford three meals a day. I was attracted to that guy because he understands me and because I thou
Stand Still: Please Stay Thirty Two
In Anna’s eyes, everything slowed down – the music and the people dancing. Even Alexandra was in slow motion. Anna could see Alexandra talking, but she could not make any sense of it. Gabriel was calling me and pulling me away. Dianne was crying and Lance was comforting her. All of a sudden, it was only her and Joshua left in the ballroom.“Anna?” Joshua said softly.“I thought you’re…” she said – voice breaking. “I thought you were dead.”Everything became blurry. Her eyes welled with tears. She’s confused and wanted to run. She’ll leave everyone and everything. She thought she was invincible. She made it through four years of her life without him. She was successful without him. She could not understand why she was feeling weak.“Anna…” Joshua said, almost out of breath. “I’m sorry. Let me explain.”He was trying to touch her, but she moved away. Joshua continued to try, but Gabriel push his hand away.Gabriel looked at Anna. He’s now her knight in shining armor. Anna saw anger in G
