The Mask

The Mask 5

ILANG MINUTO nang naka titig si Georgina sa hawak na calendar na nakuha sa mismong silid ng yumaong nobyo. Hanggang ngayon ay nasa loob pa rin siya ng opisina. Maaga niyang tinapos ang gawain at nag pa-planong umalis upang puntahan ang ilang lugar na nakasulat sa ilalim ng mga blue marked days sa calendar.

She didn’t think twice and immediately packed her things. She left her office and drove headed to the first place listed on the calendar.

Mag da-dalawang oras din nang tuluyan niyang narating ang lugar na nais tungugin. Ngunit hindi siya agad lumabas ng sasakyan nang mapasadahan ng tingin ang kapaligiran.

“God! this place is too huge," she mouthed and took a deep sigh. “What should I do? Why you making this hard for me?” Lumabas siya ng sasakyan at naupo sa isang malapit na bench mula sa kanyang pinag hintuan ng sasakyan.

She's on a fabulous park. Huge space of the lawn where kids are playing, couples underneath an accacia tree, several trees surrounds her and quite calm. A nice place where she breathes fresh air and somehow freshen up her body after a long days of being exhausted. Dahil dito ay may iilang bagay ang pumasok sa kanyang isip. She's been with Jed for a long time, they were been together for almost five years ngunit, ngayon lang n'ya napag-tanto na hindi man lang niya nakasama ito sa isang tahimik na lugar tulad nito. Madalas n'ya itong kasama sa isang formal gatherings para sa ilang events ng magka-ibang kumpanyang hinahawakan nila. Their dates usually held in some expensive restaurants, it's rather here in PH or abroad.

Usually, they were unwinding their selves on some five stars hotels in other countries. Sa mga gano'ng bagay nila ine-enjoy ang isa't-isa. Ni-minsan ay hindi nya ito naka sama sa ganito katahimik na parke at may malamig na simoy ng hangin.

“Ma’am kayo po ba si Ms. Georgina?” Kunot noong humarap si Georgina sa isang lalaking lumapit. He don't look so strange kung kaya naman agad siyang tumango dito bilang tugon.

“Why?” She asked him.

“May nag papabigay lang po,” ani nito at iniabot sa kanya ang isang bouquet ng pulang mga rosas. She asked her self twice of what’s wrong with her to accepted that bouquet.

“To whom it came from?”

“Do’n sa lalaki—t—teka wala na po siya eh?” sambit ng lalaki at tumingin sa lugar di kalayuan upang ituro ang kung sino man na nag papa-abot ng mga balaklak na ito.

“Sino?” Ulit niyang tanong nang wala silang nakitang kung sino sa lugar na itinuro ng lalaking kaharap.

“Hindi ko po siya kilala, mauna na po ako,” sagot nito at mabilis na umalis.

Isang malalim na buntong hininga na lamang ang pinakawalan ng dalaga at pinasadahan ng tingin ang buoquet. Suddenly, she went stop when she saw a dedication card on the lower part of the buoquet. She took it and read the letter inside.

“Quidd?” The only thing she mouthed as she read the written name on the last part of the letter. Tila nga hindi pa iyon ang una at huling pag kikita nila ng lalaki, hindi na siya mabibigla pa kung sa susunod na mga araw ay makikita n'ya itong muli.

Ilang minuto din siyang nanatili sa bench na kina-uupuan bago naisipang tumayo at maglakad-lakad. She needs to find out what are the places Jed went in this City listed on the calendar.

A sudden idea hits her as she remembered Jed’s favorite spots whenever the were together. And, what usually they doing when they were travelling for a couple of days.

Nag tungo siya sa unang hotel na malapit sa lugar na pinuntahan n'ya. Sinubukan n'yang hingin ang impormasyon at ipinakita ang larawan ng nobyo ngunit umiling ang mga ito. Tanda na hindi nag tungo ang lalaki sa lugar na 'yon. Sinubukan pa n'yang mag tungo sa iba pang mamahaling hotel, kung saan sa palagay n'ya ay nag tungo ang lalaki.

It’s about to turn 7pm and she decided to went to another one hotel. This will be the last hotel she will go for this day. She’s already tired. Hindi na siya ng aksaya pa ng oras at agad na'ng lumapit sa front desk.

“Good evening Ma’am, welcome to Laxus Hotel,” bati nang isang receptionist sa kanya.

“Hello, may I ask if you know him?” She asked them na hindi na nagpa tumpik-tumpik pa. Pinasadahan naman ng tingin ng mga ito ang larawang inilatag nya sa counter top.

“Si Sir Jed,” bulalas na wika ng isa at tumingin sa kanya.

“I’m his sister,” she said pretending to be his sister dahil sa ilang bagay na nasa isip n'ya.

“Yes, Ma’am we know him. Madalas po silang nag i-stay dito ni Ma’am Candice but, it’s almost one year since they last visited us here.”

“Sorry, but he’s gone,” she answered them na ikinabigla ng mga ito at nagkatitigan.

“He died in sickness, kaya naman gusto sana naming malaman ng Family ko kung sino-sino ang huli n'yang nakasama few days before he died. Anyway, Candice? who is she?” she asked with a pain inside, after hearing a girl’s name next to her fiance’s name.

“It is his girlfriend, as what I know matagal na po sila.”

Extremely pain hits her, after hearing those words.

“M-may I have the list of dates they stayed here?”

“Sorry Ma’am but are data were ristricted.”

Kaagad siyang tumango at hindi na nakipag talo pa. She will be needing someone's help to gather data inside this hotel.

“Thanks!” she mouthed and seated on the couch she saw in the lobby. Inilabas n'ya ang cellphone at isinulat sa kanyang notes ang pangalan ng babae.

CANDICE

Kasunod ay tumingin siya sa larawan ng yumaong noob. She can't believe Jed could do such of stupid things like this to her. Dahil sa bagay na nalaman nya ngayon ay mas lalong sumidhi ang pagna-nais n'yang hanapin ang sagot sa lahat ng katanungang nasa loob n'ya ngayon.

“Ma’am!”

Kaagad niyang ibinaba ang hawak na cellphone at humarap sa isang receptionist na katabi ng isa n'yang kausap. Ito yung babaeng nasa likuran at nakikinig lamang sa pakikipag-usap n'ya isang receprionist kanina lamang.

“Yes?” She asked.

“If you need any help from me about Ms. Candice, you can contact me with this number. Hindi ko po alam pero, there is something inside me na gusto kang tulungan. Anyway, I am Marcial. Malayong kamag-anak ako ni Jed and I know, he didn’t died in illnes,” may ngiti sa labi nitong wika at ini-abot sa kanya ang isang papel na may naka sulat na numero ng telepono. Ngumiti siya at agad itong kinuha.

“Maraming salamat Marcial.“

“You’re not Jed’s sister. Sa pagkaka-alam ko wala siyang kapatid na babae, you maybe his fiancee.“ She gulped as she hears her saying those things. Mukhang nahulaan agad nito kung sino siya.

“Isang lalaki ang kapatid nya at matagal na itong nakatira sa ibang bansa. I wonder why you need to pretend as his sister, kaya gusto po kitang tulungan. If you are not busy this weekend we can meet. Just call me.“

Kaagad siyang tumango at ngumiti.

“Thank you so much, you will be a big help."

“Sige po, babalik na ako,” paalam nito at bumalik sa front desk. Ang kaninang malungkot n'yang mukha ay napalitan ng ngiti sa labi. Malaking tulong ang matatanggap n'ya pag nagkataon. Ngunit, gayun pa man napaka raming bagay pa din n'yang kaylangang isipin.

Mabilis siyang tumayo at bumalik sa sasakyan. Ipinag maneho ang sarili pauwi sa sariling bahay. Nag asikaso siya agad ng sarili at agad pumanhik sa silid bitbit ang laptop at ilang mga kagamitan. Pabagsak s'yang umupo sa kama at humarap sa laptop.

She put Candice name on her list.

Who ever this woman is, sisiguraduhin n'yang pagsisisihan nito ang pakikipag relasyon sa kanyang yumaong nobyo. After the pain inside her, narito naman ang galit sa kanyang dibdib dahil sa natuklasan.

Ikinuyom n'ya ang kamao at pilit na pinanatag ang dibdib, hindi niya agad nagawang mag react nang banggitin ng receptionist ang mga sinabi nito.

“Yes, ma’am we know him. Madalas po silang nag i-stay dito ni Ma’am Candice but, it’s almost one year since they last visited us here.”

That name Candice keeps on bothering her mind.

Hindi n'ya inakalang magkakaroon ng ganitong lihim si Jed, sa loob ng apat na taon nilang mag karelasyon. Siguro nga ay hindi sapat ang apat na taon para lubos n'yang makilala ang lalaki. Labis n'ya itong minahal at humantong sa nais na niya itong makasama habang buhay ngunit hindi n'ya akalaing mayroong ganitong lihim ang yumaong nobyo.

A pain triggered her tears.

To someone who is really fragile inside, this kind of revelation is such a heavy tanks to carry.

How come those happy moments with Jed’s before can be so painful now. She asking her self now, how come and why?

How came she never noticed this kind of things before.

Why Jed’s needs to find someone, isn't she enough?

“Baby, can you come with me to L.A next month? I am planning for vacation with my family,” her boyfriend Jed asked her, while they were in the living room and watching some movies.

“Why in the sudden? baby, I have work to finish this and to the next coming months,” sagot niya dito at ipinag patuloy ang pag ta-type sa laptop na kasalukuyang nasa binti kahit na ang dapat nilang ginagawa ay nanonood ng movies.

“George, I am asking you now, so you can be prepare next month. Ayos lang kung hindi ka pwede. Alam ko namang busy ka.”

"Then what’s wrong with that sad face?”

“I'm not sad," he replied and smiled bitterly.

Aminado siyang nagkulang sa lalaki, but are these things enough to hurt her this way?. They've been together for years, kung kaya’t hindi n'ya maiwasang isipin kung sa pa-paanong paraan ito nang-yari.

Malalim siyang huminga at pinunasan ang luha sa mga mata. She decided to be brave enough to conquer this.

“You are Georgina Lewis, there is no one could mess up with you.” Tumayo siya at nag tungo sa teresa ng kanyang kwarto. Ipinanatag ang sarili bago umupo sa isang stool at tumitig sa kalangitan.

“Bakit Jed..” she mouthed.

Sa lumipas na apat na taon, hindi n'ya akalaing may ganitong mga lihim ang lalaki.

“Ano pa ba ang mga bagay na hindi ko alam tungkol sayo? at ano ang mga bagay na dahilan ng pagkawala mo?”

For her, no matter how painful it is right now, nanaisin n'ya paring malaman ang lahat.

“Who are you Candice?...”

..

NANG sumunod na araw ay maagang pumasok si Georgina ng opisina. Inabutan n'ya ang ilan na nasa kanya-kanyang cubicle na maaga ding pumasok. She didn’t bother her self to greet them back usual when everyone greeting her.

She stopped in front of her office and saw Luke Athadeo sitting on his desk with it's new look and hair style. She never imagine he will be good as this. Napaka-laki ng ipinag bago ng itsura nito. Kumpara sa una niyang nakita ang lalaki.

“A-Ah! a-ako po si Luke, Luke Athedeo” Uutal-utal na sagot nito. She rolled her eyes and stares at him. He was scrubbing his two hands together while answering her question. He was wearing a black rounded eye glasses, a nerdy eye glass with his waxed hair. Heavy tied colorful necktie and old fashion yellow green coat, slacks and a cheap pair of rubber shoes.

Now, he was wearing a charcoal coat and tie, new hair cut and pair of black shoes. More decent than before. His perfect shaped body, totally suits his attire now.

Nang mapansin siya nito ay agad na ngumiti at tumayo upang pag buksan siya ng pinto sa opisina ngunit hindi nito sinasadyang matabig ang isang baso ng kape na nasa lamesa at agad tumapon ang laman sa ilang papeles na naka ginagawa nito.

“Tsk!” she hissed and rolled her eyes.

“Stupid!” she added at hindi na inantay pang pag buksan siya nito ng pinto bagkus ay agad na siyang pumasok sa silid. Hindi n'ya napansing sumunod ito sa loob.

“M-Ma'am Georgina,” tawag nito sa kanya na ikina-angat ng kanyang kilay.

“MS. LEWIS!” she emphasized her surname and tossed him a death glare.

“Since you’re new here, I will tell you my rules. I never let anyone enter my room. Unless you knocked twice and I allowed you to enter. I don’t want conflicts on my schedules, so please! do your job well, as well as your salary,” she told him with a very cold tone, that made gulped and wiped the lenses of his eye glass.

As he put his eye glass back to his eyes, he nodded to her.

“I don’t allow you to talk to me as if we’re close. It’s either inside or outside of this company. And don’t act so stupid if ever I bring you on some of my meetings, business events and futher more. One more thing, be consistent of your looks now.” Ibinalik n’ya ang mga mata sa trabahong naka latag sa kanyang lamesa. Hindi naman na umimik ang lalaki at yumukod bago lumabas ng silid.

She took a deep sigh and looked at the closed door, where he exited.

“I wish, you couldn't make any mess.”