Wanted: Mommy!

Chapter Four | Beloved Memories

Chapter Four | Loving Memories

LEO planned to stay in his home office for the rest of the night after putting his kids to bed to review the report that Rick from Accenco Makati handed him that morning. Hinilot niya ang sentido saka sumandal sa swivel chair. Hindi niya nagugustuhan ang numbers na nakikita sa file. Kung magtutuluy-tuloy ang ganoong performance ng recently launched drug ng Accenco, the production cost will not be returned within the time he was expecting. And it will eventually be a big loss for the company.

Nag-email siya sa strategic marketing officer ng Accenco para makipag-coordinate sa VN Media, ang advertising agency na kapartner nila sa ni-launch na produkto. He needed the complete documentation from the account manager that handles their company’s product launches. Magpapa-schedule din siya kay Aria ng meeting with the head of Grundells Distributors and Accenco’s Marketing Director. They need to sort this out.

Marahil, para sa karamihan ay napaka-liit na panahon ng dalawang linggo para sabihing hindi maganda ang resulta ng bagong OTC drug ng Accenco. But that’s just the way Leonard Palmer is. He wanted the result he envisioned before carrying out a project, at kung hindi niya iyon makuha, gusto niyang magkaroon kaagad ng solusyon sa mga bagay bago pa lumala at umabot sa puntong hindi na kayang i-resolba.

Kinuha niya ang cellphone na nasa gilid ng nakabukas na laptop at ida-dial sana ang numero ni Aria, ngunit napahinto siya nang biglang nag-flash sa screen ang incoming call mula sa isang unregistered number.

Kaagad kumunot ang noo niya. Inisip niya kung kanino siya may inaasahang tawag nang gabing iyon. Hindi madalas sa kaniya na-ra-route ang mga untagged business-related calls, kay Aria napupunta ang karamihan sa mga iyon.

““If you get any annoying anonymous phone calls, let me know right away.”” Aria’s words rang in his head.

No way, hindi nga kaya may nakakuha sa drawing na ginawa ni Corrine? What are the odds? But then again who would take a child’s drawing seriously?

Leo’s beautiful fingers tapped lightly on the mahogany desk. Nang umugong ang pang-apat na ring ay napagdesisyunan niyang sagutin ito. ““Hello?””

Narinig pa niya ang mahinang pag-singhap ng taong nasa kabilang linya. It sounded like it was from a woman. Naghintay siya sa sagot nito.

““Um, hi. Kailangan niyo po ba ng nanny?””

Leo noticed how she sounded young. Maybe in her twenties. Hindi niya inaasahang sa ganoong edad ay seseryosohin nito ang napulot na drawing ng anak niya. ““I’m sorry. Who’s this?””

““I’m Nathalia Suarez, sir. I found a drawing with your number on it. At gusto ko po sana’ng mag-apply na nanny sa inyo.””

Leo was rendered speechless with the woman’s straightforwardness. Una sa lahat, paano nito naisip na mag-apply ng trabaho dahil lang sa napulot na drawing? This is how a lot of people gets scammed very easily—they trust anybody. Pangalawa, hindi siya katulad ng mga ganoong tao. Kung napakadali para sa iba na magtiwala basta-basta, he’s different. He has enormous trust issues—or maybe just common sense. Isa pa, mga anak niya ang involved, natural ay hindi naman siya kukuha ng kung sino lang para maging nanny mga ito.

““I’m so sorry, Miss Suarez,”” sagot niya. ““May agency na ko na kausap para sa bagay na `yon. But it was pleasure talking to you. And now, I’d like to ask you to not ring this number again,”” magalang na dugtong pa niya. The last statement he really didn’t have to tell her, dahil kahit naman subukan nitong tumawag ay hindi na makakarating sa kaniya iyon. Kaagad niyang i-ba-block ang numero pagkatapos ng pag-uusap nila. He doesn’t have the luxury of time to spend on random phone calls.

““Wait, sir, please! H’wag niyo po munang ibababa.”” Maagap na awat sa kaniya ng babae bago niya tuluyang maibaba ang tawag. She let out a long sigh, which sounded like she was almost giving up but wanted to give it just one more shot. ““Hindi niyo man lang po ba ako bibigyan ng chance na ma-interview? Naghahanap po kayo ng nanny, naghahanap naman ako ng trabaho. Wala naman po sigurong masama kung mag-a-apply ako sa inyo.””

““I know. But I don’t deal with strangers, miss,”” Leo sternly said. Frankly, he didn’t even know why he’s still on the phone. Kadalasan, kapag nalaman na niya ang dahilan ng tawag ng kausap niya at kapag nasiguro niyang wala siyang kailangan dito ay hindi na niya inaaksaya pa ang oras niya. ““Sorry.”” Leo felt the need to add it at the end of his statement not to sound too rude.

““Okay. Naiintindihan ko po `yon. But let me give you an analogy, sir. Sinabi po ninyo na may agency kayong kausap tungkol sa paghahanap ng nanny. And correct me if I’m wrong, but you don’t know anyone of those people personally, right? Which means they are strangers, too. Which also means kung ano’ng background at identification check ang gagawin ninyo sa kanila ay pwede niyo rin namang gawin sa`kin.

““At alam ko po na hindi kayo kaagad na magtitiwala sakin dahil hindi niyo naman ako kilala. Pero kailangang-kailangan ko po talaga ng trabaho. And desperate people are the easiest people to deal with. Makakaasa po kayo na gagawin ko ng maayos anuman ang magiging trabaho ko. At kung gusto po ninyong ipa-background check ako ngayon mismo, lahat ng information na kailangan ninyo, ibibigay ko.””

Muling natahimik si Leo. Those were some logical facts. Hindi niya kaagad mahanap ang sasabihin. He’s usually quick to respond to anything.

Now, he’s careful, but he’s not heartless. Kahit na hindi niya alam kung nasaan ang Nathalia Suarez na `yon, nararamdaman niya na nagsasabi ito ng totoo.

““Fine. Tell me who Nathalia Suarez is.””

There were a few seconds of silence. ““Oh. Um…”” Biglang nagkaroon bahid ng pagkataranta sa boses nito. Maybe she caught on and figured he’s interviewing her on the spot. Tumikhim ito. ““W-well, masipag po ako, at mahilig po talaga ako sa bata. Mapagkakatiwalaan din po ako, at saka—””

Pinutol ni Leo ang sinasabi ni Nathalia. Those were generic responses any employee of his in the past had told him. ““Hindi `yan ang gusto ko’ng malaman. I want know who you are. Who is Nathalia Suarez?””

““Well,”” mahinang sabi nito. ““I’m an artist.”” Mas humina pa lalo ang tinig nito nang sambitin ang huling salita. ““Or at least I’m trying to be. Pero isinasantabi ko po muna `yon, dahil busy pa ako sa ngayon—mostly surviving.””

An artist—that explains the sophistication in her voice, naisip ni Leo. Not that every artist he knew was sophisticated, but her education is apparent in her voice.

““I should tell you, tugging at heartstrings is ineffective if you’re trying to do it to me.””

““Naku, sorry, hindi po!”” Kaagad na salungat ni Nathalia. ““Gusto ko lang po’ng maging honest sa inyo.””

““Alright. You said you’re an artist, but I don’t think I have heard of you.”” Sumandal sa swivel chair si Leo, staring out the window of his home office. Puno ng makikislap na bituin sa langit.

Strangely, he had a déjà vu—ang araw na unang beses niyang nakausap sa telepono si Violet noong kakikilala pa lamang nila.

Nasa Leipzig noon si Violet para sa continuation ng European leg ng music tour ng dalaga at tuwing gabi lamang sa time zone ng Germany kung maka-usap niya. Kahit lampas hatinggabi na sa Pilipinas ay matiyagang hinintay ni Leo ang tawag nito.

Noong gabing iyon, marami rin ang bituin sa langit. Nasa balcony si Leo ng dati niyang bachelor’s pad habang kausap sa isang wireless phone si Violet. Sinabi niya rito kung gaano kaganda ang langit na tinitingnan niya, and she told him that she was looking at the stars, too, while talking to him. He remembered her saying how nice was the universe to make them feel like they were not continents apart from each other by letting them look at the same sky. Hindi niya makakalimutan iyon. It was the sweetest thing.

It’s weird how he had a déjà vu of a beautiful moment he shared with his wife while talking to a complete stranger on the phone right now. Siguro ay sobrang nami-miss lang niya ang yumaong asawa.

Naputol sa pagbabaliktanaw si Leo nang marinig ang mahina at nahihiyang pagtawa ni Nathalia sa kabilang linya. ““Struggling artist,”” pagtatama nito sa kaniya. ““I’m still trying to make a name for myself. Pero hindi po pala `yon ganoon kadali katulad nang iniisip ko noong nasa college pa `ko.””

Leo silently nodded. Naiintindihan niya `yon. He has been there, too. ““You have an impressive education, so bakit gusto mo’ng mamasukan bilang nanny?””

““Hindi naman po napipili ang magiging trabaho, e. Kung ano’ng meron at kung saan mas madaling kumita ng pera, doon naman madalas napupunta ang tao. Karamihan sa mga nagtatrabaho ngayon hindi naman talaga gusto ang ginagawa nila.””

““Well, that’s too bad. But I would not hire someone who would only do the job for the money.””

““H-hindi po `yon ang ibig ko’ng sabihin!”” Mabilis na bawi nito. ““I mean, ang maging isang successful na artist po ang lifelong dream ko. But everyone knows that dreams don’t always lead us to a pot of gold like how we imagined, kaya gusto kong subukan ang magkaroon ng ibang goal. At sa ngayon po, `yon ay ang maging dedicated at passionate na nanny ng anak ninyo kung bibigyan ninyo ako ng chance.””

Leo exhaled. ““I can’t say that I don’t agree with that.”” He unwittingly smiled.

The woman struggled what to say next. ““K-kung ganoon po ba…ang ibig ninyong sabihin, tanggap na ako—””

““No, I’m sorry. I’m not saying you’re hired,”” maagap na sabi ni Leo. ““Personally, hindi ko talaga kayang magtiwala sa mga taong hindi ko nakakausap ng harapan. No offense.””

““Oh,”” malungkot na sagot nito. Hindi naitago ng kausap ang pagkadismaya sa sinabi niya. And that obviously, offense was taken.

““But look, if you want a fair chance, I’ll have my assistant screen your application properly. I’ll have her call you at siya na ang magsasabi sa `yo kung paano ka magpo-proceed.””

Nathalia’s voice grew quieter. ““I see. T-thank you, sir.””

““Good night, Miss Suarez.””

NATHALIA pushed her back onto the bed, spreading her arms wide. Hindi na niya pinansin kahit pa nahulog sa sahig ang hawak na cellphone nang lumampas sa kama ang isa niyang kamay.

She sighed—a very long and loud sigh. The guttural sound became deeper until it turned into a low grumble. Pagkatapos ay napanguso siya habang nakatitig sa kisame. ““Ang gwapo pa man din ng boses niya pero parang sobrang suplado naman. Sobrang istrikto siguro n`on. Palaging magkasalubong ang mga kilay, at hindi ngumingiti.””

Clearly, she was wrong about her initial assessment of him based on how lovely his voice sounded when he answered the call. Right now, she just feels really salty and it was all she could do to create an illusion that painted the man as a horrible potential boss para hindi siya masyadong manghinayang sa pagkawala ng isa pang job opportunity. Maybe the stars are not aligned properly for her today. Wala siyang ka-swerte-swerte. Trabaho lang naman ang kailangan niya. Is that too much for a girl to ask?

Napabuntonghininga siyang muli. ““It would have been nice to receive a yes after an entire day of being rejected.””

Bumangon siya at dumiretso sa banyo para maligo. She’s going to try to do some painting and then go to bed to prepare for another long day tomorrow.