Husband for Hire: Carl Iago Dela Paz (The Driver Mechanic)

What To Do

JAIME

Jaime’s chest tightened. Tinalikuran na nito ang garden kung saan naroon ang pamangkin niyang si Luc. Kundi lang sa alaala ng ina ni Luc ay matagal na niyang pinabungkal ang mga dilaw na roses na nakatanim doon. Itinanim ng hipag niyang si Almira ang mga rosas isang linggo matapos ipanganak si Luc. Maayos na na-maintain ang mga bulaklak kahit na wala na ang hipag at ang Kuya Joaquin niya. It has been two years and yet Luc is still lacking the drive to continue living.

Sure. Humihinga ang pamangkin niya. Kumakain, nakakausap niya, pero hindi kailanman lumabas ng bahay maliban na lang sa periodic check-ups nito sa doktor. At twenty two, Luc is not really “alive”. Hindi rin minsan itong nagtangkang wakasan ang sariling buhay.

The last time Luc attempted to take her own life, she nearly died. He felt like a complete failure then. Nangako siya sa mag-asawang Joaquin at Almira bago sila binawian ng buhay na aalagaan niya si Luc. Pero muntik na itong mawala. Ni hindi niya ito magawang kumbinsihin na ipa-opera ang mga mata. Luc’s eyes are failing each day. Isa pa ‘yon sa ikinakatakot niya pero wala siyang magawa.

Then, Jaime's thoughts were cut off by the ringing of his phone. Nang makita niya ang pangalan sa screen ay napangiti siya. Kahit paano ay nabawasan ang kunot sa noo ng binata.

“Antonio. You’re back in town?”

“Si. I just got off the plane an hour ago. I am calling to check if your offer still stands.” Antonio’s R’s rolled off his tongue in his Argentinian accent.

“Of course. How long are you staying this time?” tanong ni Jaime.

“Depends, mi amigo. If you could introduce a hermosa mujer or hombre guapo to me, I might stay longer.”

Natawa si Jaime. Kahit kailan talaga itong si Antonio. Kahit saang lupalop ng mundo mapadpad, good time ang hanap. Sa pagkakaalam niya ay bata lang sa kanya ng apat na taon si Antonio. Kung hindi lang ito palikero ay papasa na ito sa kanya para sa pamangkin niyang si Luc. But Antonio is not the marrying nor the serious type no matter how good looking he is.

“I know a lot but it would depend on your wooing skills.”

“Bring it on. I am never the one who backs off from a good challenge,” puno ng kumpiyansang saad ni Antonio.

“Okay. But let’s schedule that some other time.” Niluwagan ni Jaime ang suot na kurbata. Hind pa man siya nakakaalis papasok sa trabaho ay stressed na siya dahil kay Luc. “I think I need a drink.”

“It’s just a little over nine in the morning. Though it’s Saturday and you can get off work early, don’t you think it’s a little early for that?”

“I know. It’s just that…” Hindi magawang ituloy ni Jaime ang sasabihin.

“It’s your sobrina. Lucresia, right?”

“Yes.”

“No progress?”

Jaime sighed in admission. “None whatsoever.”

Napapalatak si Antonio sa kabilang linya.

“It has been two years, mi amigo.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, if you’re up for it. A have a few bottles of good spirits here. Come to my unit then. It’s close to your office.”

“Okay.”

“See you, man.”

Nasa Taguig ang main office ng Ethos Mining and Steel Corporation. Manggagaling siya sa Tagaytay kung saan nakatayo ang bahay ng Kuya Joaquin niya. Doon kasalukuyang nakatira si Luke simula nang mamatay ang mga magulang nito.

Malayo man sa trabaho ay sinisiguro ni Jaime na araw-araw siyang umuuwi doon para samahan ang pamangkin. Bagamat may sarili siyang bahay sa Makati ay pinili niyang doon muna sa Tagaytay. Luc’s last attempt was the last straw which made him decide to stay with his niece. Ayaw na niyang masalisihan, baka hindi na siya kasing-suwerte noon.

The house was his brother’s gift to Luc when she turned eighteen. The place was ideal for her retreat from the bustling city. Isang alagad ng sining ang pamangkin niya na nabiyayaan ng galing sa pagpipinta at paglililok. From time to time, Luc needs the space that the metropolis couldn’t provide.

Like him, Luc has a house under her name in the city. Doon nakatira ang dalaga bago ang aksidenteng kinasangkutan nito kasama ang mga magulang. Disiotso pa lang ay nakabukod na ng tirahan si Luc. She has the money and the means to be independent. Hindi rin naman istriktong mga magulang sina Almira at Joaquin. They encouraged their daughter’s independence early on. In fact, they groomed Luc to be self-sufficient at an early age.

Nang magpaalam siya sa pamangkin ay hindi ito lumingon. Naiiling na inihabilin uli niya sa nurse si Luc bago sumakay sa kotse. Ilang sandali pa ay binabaybay na ng sasakyan niya ang highway na maghahatid sa kanya pabalik sa Metro Manila. Balak niyang dumaan saglit sa opisina para sa mga nakabinbing papeles na kailangan niyang pirmahan.

Bago magtanghalian ay nasa opisina na si Jaime. He signed a stack of documents waiting for him and left last minute instructions when done. Antonio opened the door for him with a tired smile when he reached the former’s condominium unit.

“You look beat. Are you sure it’s okay?” paniniguro ni Jaime habang nakasunod sa kaibigan.

Antonio waved him off in dismissal.

“I tried sleeping but I couldn't. A drink is the perfect solution.”

Pabagsak na naupo si Jaime sa kulay itim na sofa na nakapagitna sa unit ni Antonio. His long legs stretched out before him. Above, his eyes locked on the plain grey of Antonio’s ceiling. It is a typical house where evidence that a man lives there screams at every corner.

Mula sa kulay ng mga dingding at kasangkapan, tatatlo lang ang kulay na nangingibabaw; puti, itim at abo. Even the carpet beneath his feet is in shades of grey and black. One side of Antonio’s living room opens to the view of BGC’s towering buildings and winding roads below.

Inabutan siya ni Antonio ng basong may lamang whiskey. Kumalansing ang tatlong bloke ng yelo sa loob ng baso nang tanggapin iyon ni Jaime. Walang pag-aatubiling sumimsim ang binata. Mainit ang pagguhit ng alak sa lalamunan niya pero balewala ‘yon sa kanya.

“Now tell me your problem about su sobrina.”

“She’s no longer alive.”

Tumango-tango si Antonio.

“If she’s your niece, then it's a given she’s stubborn. You won’t get past whatever wall she erected around herself,” Antonio stated as a matter of factly.

Hindi na nagulat pa si Jaime. He’s been friends with Antonio for years now. Sa tagal ng pagkakaibigan nila ay kabisado na siya ng lalaki. They met in a party at Maldives seven summers ago in a resort where Antonio was working part-time as a DJ. Kahit magkaiba ang personalidad ay nakakapagtakang nagkasundo silang dalawa.

“Exactly. And I don’t know what to do with her anymore. I can’t let her grieve all her life. My brother left half of Ethos to her. But she wants none of it. You know how many times she attempted to kill herself. The last time, she nearly succeeded. I am afraid the next time she does it again, she won’t be that lucky. She even refused to have her eyes fixed. The longer she delays, the damage keeps on spreading.”

“I wish I could help you, mi amigo. But my powers are limited to seducing handsome men and beautiful women. And your niece is off-limits,” nakikisimpatiyang sambit ni Antonio.

“I’m already running out of ideas. She doesn’t even get angry, annoyed, happy or anything. She only knows how to get sad,” patuloy ni Jaime.

“You used to annoy her, remember?” paalala ni Antonio.

Jaime shook his head.

“It doesn’t work anymore. She finally let her hair grow out, maybe a couple of inches past her usual cut. I tried teasing her. You know what she did? She dyed it blue and shaved one side of her head!”

“Really?”

“Yes! I nearly busted an artery. It was her stating her defiance in screaming blue. It shouldn’t be a surprising thing considering her unusual tastes but still…” Jaime trailed off.

“Don’t sweat out the details, mi amigo. I believe she’ll pull through. No Santocildes is a wimp.”

“Hell, yeah!” Muling lumagok si Jaime sa baso. “If only I could convince her to go out, meet new people, it might trigger something in her or pique her interest. Anything. Heck! Literally anything as long as it’s not harmful to her.”

Tinaasan siya ng kilay ni Antonio. Parang naging interesado ito bigla sa pinagsasabi niya.

“Do you really mean that? Anything? What if she finds a boyfriend and brings him home to marry?”

“Even better then. Heck! I won’t even mind if she does.” Inabot ni Jaime ang bote ng alak sa mesa at nagsalin muli sa baso niya.

“What if she finds some random guy with no money and then marries him in heartbeat just to spite you?” patuloy ni Antonio. “Or worst, hire someone to marry her because she got fed up with your nagging?”

“By all means, she can!”