This Time ( You Got Me Book 2)

Chapter 16

ANDREA HERNANDEZ

I shouldn’t be surprised na ganito karaming tao ang bisita niya tonight. Maraming businessman at kasosyo niya ang nandito. Some of them I’ve met already. Pero may iba, hindi pa. Natanawan ko si Mikee at Oliver from afar. They look dashing. Bagay na bagay talaga sila. I tried to look for one particular person. Pero simula kanina ay hindi ko na siya ulit nakita. Maybe he left already. I shouldn’t be, but I am disappointed. Kahit sa ganitong pagkakataon, hindi pa rin niya nagawang samahan ako. Narinig ko na ang pagkatawag kay Alfred and the moment he went on the stage, he started his speech. This is it. Wala ng atrasan. A new world will be facing me after this. All my life nasanay ako of being just another face in the crowd. I never really like the attention. But I know after the announcement tonight, marami ng magbabago.

“I grew up in a small family,” Alfred started his speech.

“My mom died when I was very young. I only had my father by my side. Hindi na niya nagawang mag-asawa because he was so busy with the company. Halos buong buhay niya yata ay sa pagpapalaki ng kompanya niya iginugol. When he died, people told me that I should get married and start my own family. After all, sino ang magmamana ng lahat ng pinaghirapan namin ni Dad kung wala akong makakasama sa buhay? But I knew before that, I have to do something very important. Kailangan kong buuin ang pagkatao ko bago ko pagtuunan ang buhay pagpapamilya. And finding this girl is what it means,” he said. I guess this is the moment.

“After years of looking for her, I finally found her. Andrea, please come here on the stage,”That’s the cue that I have to step up on the stage. “You’ve seen her with me during meetings and business gatherings. But never have I told you who she is to me,”” I stood beside him. And from where I stand, I saw the one I’ve been looking for since earlier. He was staring at me with such wistful eyes. There was sadness and longing and regret. Naramdaman ko ang sakit sa dibdib ko. Why? Bakit ganyan ang ipinipukol niyang tingin sa akin. Bigla, parang gusto ko siyang lapitan at kausapin. Ask him what’s with the sad eyes? But once again, he turned his back on me. Just like before.

“So tonight, I want to formally introduce to all of you, Andrea---“Hindi ko na masyadong narinig ang sinasabi  ni Alfred because all my attention  was on him. Mabilis siyang naglakad palayo sa venue. Narinig ko na lang ang mga reaction ng mga tao nang tuluyan na siyang mawala sa paningin ko. At first, they were surprised. But eventually, marami ng kamay ang nakipagshake sa akin. May mga bumeso at bumati. But I wasn’t interested. I should be happy tonight. Pero bakit hindi iyon ang nararamdaman ko. Once again, Jake left me. Once again, pinaramdam niya sa akin na wala siya sa tabi ko sa mga panahon na ginusto kong siya ang kasama ko.

JACOB ARELLANO

Hindi ko pa din maiwasang pagmasdan siya. Kahit saglit lang Jake, saglit lang. I thought to myself. Ilang sulyap na lang tapos aalis na din ako.

Mr. Garcia called her on the stage and started talking about how he waited and found her. I felt the familiar pain. Akala ko masakit na nung naghiwalay kami. Mas masakit pa pala knowing na ilang sandali na lang ay tuluyan na siyang mawawala sa akin. Alam kong hindi ko na kakayanin na marinig pa ang susunod na sasabihin ni Alfred. I immediately left the venue.

Nagpasya akong magpunta sa kotse ko na nakaparada somewhere. Dala dala ang isang botse ng alak at nakasinding sigarilyo, I chose to stay inside the car. Thinking about our past and all the plans we’ve made. Mga pangako at planong nasayang. Ayoko sanang sagutin ang telepono ko pero nakina pa tawag ng tawag si Mikee. Alam ko naman ang reason. Sana magets niyang ayaw ko iyong pag-usapan. Sh*t ang kulit talaga!

“What?” Iritable kong sagot sa tawag niya.

“Are you mad?” mukhang mas mainis pa siya sa paraan ng pagsagot ko. Huwag ngayon Mikee.

“Where are you? Hindi mo ba naabutan ang speech ni Mr. Garcia?” Minsan talaga insensitive ‘tong babaeng ‘to. Sana si Oliver na lang ang kumausap sa akin.

“What’s there to hear and watch? Napakasadista mo talagang babae ka” malamig na tugon ko sa kanya.

“Hey! Don’t you dare talk back to me like that. Anyway, I will send you a video. Watch it. Again, WATCH IT!” nailayo ko ang cellphone sa tenga ko dahil malakas ang boses niya. Nagiging bossy na siya ah!

I started playing the video. And as expected, video ‘yun ng announcement ni Mr. Garcia. Kailangan talagang ipapanuod pa niya sa akin ‘yon?  Pinatay ko rin agad ang video because I couldn’t watch it. It will pain me more.

Mayamaya ay nagtext si Oliver. “Watch it, pare”’

Hays! Pati ba naman siya. Napabuntong hininga ako and started playing the video again. Baka nga may importanteng laman iyon kaya pinapanuod nila sa akin. Baka nung nagpropose na siya nawalan ng kuryente kaya hindi natuloy. O baka naman may bumagsak na bulalakaw mula sa langit at tumama mismo kay Mr. Garcia. Sapol kaya hindi natuloy ang proposal. I know right. Mukha akong tanga sa iniisip ko. But maybe Mikee’s right. Masasaktan lang din naman ako sagarin ko na.

After years of looking for her, I finally found her. Andrea, please come here on the stage. You’ve seen her with me during meetings and business gatherings. But never have I told you who she is to me.

So tonight, I want to formally introduce to all of you, Andrea, my long-lost sister.

Katulad ng reaction ng lahat, I was also taken aback. His sister?  Paano nangyari iyon? I thought they are together. But his sister? Really?

Agad akong lumabas ng kotse at patakbong bumalik sa venue.

I saw Mr. Garcia talking to several men and women. His business partners maybe.

“Ano, napanuod mo na? May pawalk out walk out ka pa kasing nalalaman hindi muna tinapos ang speech,” Salubong na sermon sa akin ni Mikee but I have to time to listen to her preaching.

“Where is she?” Agad kong tanong habang palinga linga sa paligid.

“I think she went that way pare,” Buti pa si Oliver matinong kausap. Iniwan ko na silang mag-asawa at nagtungo sa lugar na itinuro ni Oliver.

Hindi ko siya makita sa paligid. Kung saan-saan ako naghanap until I was led to the garden. May mga nakasabit na ilaw sa mga puno at nagmistulang vines ang mga ‘iyon. She was sitting on the porch while looking at the stars. Her back on me kaya siguro hindi niya namalayan na nasa likod na niya ako.

ANDREA HERNANDEZ

Kahit lagi akong sinasama ni Alfred sa mga board meetings at business gatherings niya ay never akong nag-enjoy sa company ng mga business associates nito. Honestly, it bores me. Wala na silang ibang pinag-usapan kundi negosyo. Parang malulugi sila kung saglit na ibang topic na walang kinalaman sa negosyo ang pag-uusapan nila.

I can’t still forget his face. You’re silly Andrea. Bakit ba naapektuhan ka? Clearly, he’s not interested na malaman ang kahit anong tungkol sa’yo. Kaya nga umalis siya bago ang announcement di’ba?

I sighed at the thought.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” napansinghap ako nang marinig ang baritonong boses niya mula sa likuran ko. Paano bang ang ilang salita ay kayang pabilisin ang t***k ng puso? Paanong ang isang tao ay kaya kang pakanahin ng husto?