TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

A Father's Heart Is The Softest

"Kane, are you alright?" tanong ni Blaze sa kaibigan nang mapansin ang pananahimik nito magmula pa nang mag-umpisa ang meeting nilang walo.

"Sort of," tipid na sagot ni Kane, getting everybody's attention.

Mahigit dalawang oras silang nasa loob ng conference room para pag-usapan ang proposal ni Ryu para sa bagong tayong Alexandros Corp at simula nang mag-umpisa sila'y tila walang naririnig si Kane. He was just silent this whole time; tila nasa ibang lupalop.

Kane, in frustration, ran his fingers through his hair. Nakasandal ito sa isa sa mga mesh chairs na naka-paligid sa oval table.

"What is it this time?" tanong ni Marco na sandaling nag-angat ng tingin mula sa binabasang dokumento. "The last time she got into trouble was last week when she hit someone from her class."

"Nah, that's old news, Marco," sabi naman ni Blaze na naka-sandal din sa upuan nito. "Hindi ba nai-kwento ni Kane na noong nakaraang araw lang ay nahuli niya si Roxanne na lumabas ng alas dos ng madaling araw para makipag-kita sa mga barkada? She was sneaking out to attend late-night parties."

Huminga nang malalim si Kane saka sinapo ang ulo. Halata sa mukha nito ang matinding pagod at konsumisyon.

Si Ryu na naka-upo sa tabi ni Marco at may pinipirmahang mga papeles ay napatingin din kay Kane. He had just joined the company and suggested putting up an office in Philadelphia.

Ilang buwan bago ang pagtatapos nila sa kolehiyo ay nasangkot ito sa isang gulo dahilan upang manganib ang buhay nito. He was in a state of coma for months, woke up, and went into a vegetative state for a few more months before he recovered and went into several physical therapies.

That was two years ago.

Marco, Kane, and Grand originally started the Alexandros Corp. Later joined by Seann, and then followed by Jet, Blaze, and Raven.

Noong naging stable na ang lagay ni Ryu at bumalik ito sa bansa matapos ang dalawang taon. Saka ito nag-invest sa kumpanya at ini-suhestiyon na magtayo ng branch office sa Philadelphia kung saan ito kasalukuyang naka-tira.

At iyon ang araw na naroon silang lahat sa conference room para pag-usapan ang tungkol sa suhestiyon na iyon ni Ryu.

They all reviewed the possibility; pros and cons, the estimated budget, success rate, and a lot more others. Hindi biro ang mag-expand direkta sa Estados Unidos. At pinag-iisipan nila kung makabubuting sa Asya na muna mag-umpisang palawakin ang negosyo.

"Who's Roxanne?" Ryu asked. He lost his memories and he never got to recover them again, so he didn't know anything about Roxanne.

Kane explained everything to Ryu and told him every little detail about his cousin.

"And what did she do this time?"

"Katulad ng sinabi nina Marco at Blaze, sa loob ng isang linggo ay hindi ko na mabilang ang kolokohang pinasok ng babaeng iyon. Natuto nang manakit ng kapwa— she beat up her classmate; causing her to be suspended from school again— pangatlong taon na niya sa senior year. Nagsabi siyang hindi na muling papasok sa eskwela, at hindi ko alam kung ano ang plano niya sa buhay niya. Noong nakaraang gabi lang ay tumakas siya mula sa bintana ng silid niya at nakipagkita sa mga dating kaibigan na nahuling gumagamit ng mga party drugs. And honestly, I am not sure if she's back to using drugs again. She might be— pero ayaw na siyang ipasok ni Uncle sa mga rehab centers. Sa tingin ko ay naaawa siya sa anak, lalo at nagwawala si Roxanne sa tuwing pinag-uusapan ang tungkol sa rehab center."

"Papaano magagamot ang addiction ni Roxanne kung hindi niyo siya ipapasok sa rehab?" tanong naman ni Grand. Naka-upo ito sa kabilang dulo at nakasandal habang nilalaro sa kamay ang Parker pen. "Roxanne needs medical and psychological attention, Kane. Hindi sapat ang apat at anim na buwang confinement niya sa rehab para tumino; kailangan niya ng mahabang panahong gamutan."

"She needs a decade," komento naman ni Seann na naka-sandal din sa upuan katabi si Grand. He was holding his phone and was scrolling through some posts on his IG account. Nag-angat ito ng tingin at sandaling nakipagtitigan kay Kane. "Forgive me for this, but your cousin is a nut-case. Hindi sapat ang isa o dalawang taong confinement sa rehabilitation para sa kaniya. Kailangan niya ng isang dekada."

"Still mad about that night when she broke your pretty nose, buddy?" ani Blaze hindi napigilang tuksuhin ang kaibigan.

Seann gritted his teeth in irritation when the scene of that one, awful night at the river came to mind. "That little witch... Ilang araw akong may suot na cast sa ilong dahil sa ginawa niya."

Everybody, besides Ryu, laughed at Seann.

They all knew that Seann started to hate Roxanne when that night, almost a year ago, happened. It was the last straw for him. He's a nice person, but even the nicest guy had limitations— and Seann reached that point when Roxanne got physical on him; attempting to leave him alone without checking his condition.

"So, where is Roxanne now?" tanong ni Ryu makalipas ang ilang sandali.

Muling nagpakawala ng malalim na paghinga si Kane. "After we caught her sneaking out at night, I persuaded Uncle Damien to lock her up. We have also confiscated everything— her phone, her cards, all the money she has, and all her identifications. It was all my idea, dahil alam kong hindi maiisip na gawin ni Uncle iyon. Sa ngayon, mananatili muna siya sa loob ng kaniyang silid hanggang sa hindi pa ako nakapag-papasiya kung ano ang gagawin sa kaniya. Bantay-sarado siya ng tatlong katulong at dalawang guwardiya ngayon."

"How did she take it?" tanong ni Raven na kanina pa nakikinig sa usapan.

Nagkibit-balikat si Kane. "Like crazy. Tatlong araw na siyang hindi kumakain. Itinatapon niya ang lahat ng pagkaing dinadala sa kaniya ng mga katulong. Tubig lang ang tinatanggap niya. Sa gabi ay bubulabugin niya kaming lahat sa pagwawala niya. Kung ako lang ay pababayaan ko siyang magutom— ginusto niya iyon. But Uncle Damien is a softie. He wanted to teach Roxanne a lesson but he couldn't take seeing his daughter suffer. Wala pang ilang oras ay gusto nang pakawalan ang anak sa koral— papaano matututo iyon?"

"Maiintindihan mo kung bakit ganoon si Uncle Damien kapag nagkaroon ka na ng sarili mong anak, Kane," sabi ni Raven. "They say that the softest person on Earth is a father to his daughter. And believe me— it's tested and proven. Bilang ama, wala akong hindi gagawin at ibibigay para kay Rache."

Doon pinong ngumiti si Kane; sandaling nawala sa isip ang pinsan.

Rache was Raven's three-year-old daughter. Noong araw ng pagtatapos nila sa kolehiyo ay bigla na lamang dumating ang bata sa bahay ni Raven kasama ang isang sulat na nagsasabing anak nito iyon. Raven didn't deny it— because Rache was his carbon copy. Ang dati nitong kasintahan— ang ina ng bata— ay nawala naman na parang bula.

"Naiintindihan ko kung bakit nagiging malambot si Uncle Damien," patuloy ni Raven. "But I think, sending Rox to a rehab center will help them both. They will never have a healthy father-daughter relationship unless Roxanne changes her view about life. At mangyayari lang iyon kung magagamot siya sa loob ng rehabilitation center."

Nalukot na naman ang mukha ni Kane; ang mga daliring isinuklay sa buhok. "I will talk to Uncle about it after his operation."

"Does your uncle know what Roxanne has been doing with her life these past few years?" tanong ni Grand.

Kane released an exasperating sigh. "Yes. He's learned about it. At kahit itago ko ay nagagawa pa rin niyang malaman ang mga nangyayari sa anak niya. Roxanne was probably making sure her father knows everything. And since the day she was arrested and put in jail, Uncle Damien has been going in and out of the hospital. Laging nagkakasakit sa pag-aalala sa anak— which I'm sure was her plan. Balak talaga yata niyang patayin sa pag-aalala ang ama niya."

Tumayo si Kane at nakapamulsang humarap sa glass wall ng conference room. Mula roon ay natatanaw nito ang malawak na lungsod ng Carmona.

"Last month, Uncle Damien discovered that he has prostate cancer, and he needs to have an operation as soon as possible while it's still treatable. He's scheduled to fly to Singapore in two days, and I'm coming with him— which means we have to leave Roxanne behind."

"Iiwan niyo si Roxanne?" Marco asked, startled.

Again, Kane released a long, deep sigh. "I have to. Hindi ko siya pwedeng dalhin dahil alam kong hindi iyon makabubuti sa kanilang mag-ama. Roxanne will just end up giving us headaches— hindi iyon makabubuti sa kondisyon ni Uncle. So, I have to leave her."

Hindi napigilan ni Seann na pumalatak. "Hindi ka ba nag-aalala na baka sa pagbalik niyo ay nasusunog na ang buong mansyon? O nawawala ang ibang mga gamit, o hindi kaya ay si Roxanne mismo ang hindi niyo mahagilap sa inyong pagbabalik? You can't leave that witch behind, Kane. Parang hindi mo naman kilala iyong pinsan mo."

Mula sa pagtanaw sa malawak na lungsod ng Carmona ay hinarap ni Kane ang mga kaibigan.

"Yes, I know what Roxanne can do. That's why I decided to hire someone to look after her while we are away."

Lahat ay nag-angat ng tingin at binalingan si Kane nang marinig ang huling sinabi nito.

"Hire someone to look after Roxanne? Who could handle your cousin, Kane?" magkasalubong ang mga kilay na tanong ni Seann.

Sa kanilang lahat ay ito ang may karanasang makasama nang matagal si Roxanne, maliban kay Kane, kaya hindi ito kombinsido sa ginawa ng kaibigan.

"No one can handle Roxanne," Seann continued. "More than a year ago, I tried, but no amount of kindness and patience could tame her. Ilang segundo lang ang nagdaan noong nawalan ako ng malay at marami na siyang ginawang kababalaghan. I'll bet that the person you hired won't even last for a day."

Bumuntonghininga si Kane. "I have no choice, hindi ko siya maaaring dalhin para lang bantayan. Uncle Damien needs to have peace of mind before the operation— but with Roxanne around? I don't think it's possible."

"Well, I guess someone from this brotherhood will have to take your place and look after Roxanne while you are away, Kane."

Ang lahat ay marahas na napalingon nang marinig ang sinabi ni Ryu. Ang mga mata nito'y nasa mga papeles na binabasa na muli.

Ryu continued, "Everybody here knows what Roxanne can do, which means we are all prepared for what's coming. Hiring someone to look after her won't be practical."

Umiling si Kane. "Thank you for the suggestion, Ryu, pero magiging abala kayong lahat sa pagdating ng mga investors mula sa Japan at Australia. I don't want to burden you guys with Roxanne."

Kane glanced at his watch. "I have to call someone, may naka-schedule akong meeting sa Madrigal Enterprise mamayang hapon. Excuse me for a minute."

And the moment Kane went out of the room, the men started on something...

"36 hours," Marco said while leaning back in his chair.

"No, I bet on 24," sabi naman ni Grand.

"12 hours," sabi ni Jet na ikinatawa ng dalawang naunang nagsalita.

Si Ryu ay isa-isang tinapunan ng tingin ang mga kasama. "What are you betting on?"

"Kung gaano ka-habang oras magtatagal ang taong ni-hire ni Kane para bantayan si Roxanne," sagot ni Seann bago tumayo at nakapamulsang hinarap ang lahat. "I bet on two hours."

Ang lakas ng tawanan ng lahat sa sinabi nito.

Napa-iling si Ryu saka sandaling ni-hinto ang pagbabasa ng mga papeles. "C'mon, boys. Are you even serious about this? It's not right to bet on a woman."

"If that woman is someone like Roxanne Marie Madrigal, I'll bet half of my properties just to prove to you that no person could handle her monstrosity for over sixty minutes," sabi ni Seann na muling ikina-tawa ng lahat, maliban kay Ryu na malalim na nag-isip. "Believe me, I know her better than everybody else in this room."

"You're right," Marco said while smiling. "Mas kilala mo si Roxanne at madalas na nakaka-daupang palad; you must know her really well. Kaya bakit hindi na lang ikaw ang tumingin sa kaniya habang wala sina Kane at Damien Madrigal?"

 Seann grimaced and shook his head in objection. "I won't do it— never again. Unless si Kane mismo ang humingi ng tulong ko."

What's the difference?" Marco asked, grinning.

"I don't want to present myself, but I won't say no to him should he ask me for it."

"Yes, kailangan nating tulungan si Kane sa kahit na anong paraang alam natin— irrespective of what we feel towards the person involved," Ryu said again. "But let's wait for him to ask for it— h'wag natin siyang pangunahan. He must have a plan." Humalukipkip ito at muling nag-isip habang ang mga kasama ay nanatiling nakapako ang tingin dito. Ilang sandali pa'y ngumiti si Ryu at muling sinalubong ang tingin ng lahat. "You know what? I guess the betting game is not a bad idea at all."

***