Imperious Series 3: As Always

Chapter 4

"The Chairman wanted to see you," Sebastian informed him through phone call.

He's been here almost half a year now and he had a good performance as what the manager said to him. He didn't receive any special treatment from the employees of the hotel as what was instructed by Sebastian. At first, it was so hard for him to get along with the work, being the bell boy of the hotel. He can't even choose who to assist. He even got unpleasant words from rude customers. He wanted to back out pero hindi niya magawa so he needed to endure all of it.

Gusto niyang magreklamo sa mga pinapagawa sa kanya lalo na't hindi siya sanay sa ganoong klaseng buhay. But his father was determined and firm in punishing him hanggang sa tumino raw siya. Tanging ang sweldo niya ang inaasahan niya para mabuhay, mabuti na lamang at libre pa ang accommodation kung hindi ay hindi niya alam kung saan siya kukuha ng pangbuhay sa pang-araw-araw. Mabuti na lamang at kahit ganoon ay mababait at maayos ang trato sa kanya ng mga kasamahan, perks of being the heir of course. But iyon lamang. When it comes to work, it's work. No monkey business dahil masesesante ang kung sino mang tumulong sa kanya. Then he was transferred in the maintenance department. Natuto siyang maglinis ng iba't ibang parte at halos lahat na yata ng sulok ng hotel maging ang mga kubeta. He kept on cursing his father and Sebastian but it paid off.

He met different kind of people. He learned to understand their situations, the hardships life which he didn't learn from being a spoiled brat. Lahat ng mga iyon ay natutuhan niya sa lahat ng klase ng trabahong ibinigay sa kanya ng manager nila. From being a bell boy followed by being a maintenance worker, being a waiter, a receptionist and so on and so forth until he reached being the assistant of the manager. He really started from the bottom. Half a year was too long to endure but it was one of the most significant happenings happened to him. And thanks to all the people he was with right now. Because of them, mas naintindihan na niya ang nais iparating ng ama sa kanya. He became responsible. The outlook he had in life changed with just half a year and he was thankful.

"So sudden," sagot niya kay Sebastian. "Kung may gusto siyang sabihin, just tell me. I'm busy right now." He ended his call. Ngayon pang nag-e-enjoy siya sa company ng mga kasamahan sa trabaho tsaka siya nito pinapatawag. Napailing na lamang siya.

He was now in the house of Jeffrey, his buddy. Ito ang una niyang kaibigan at nagtiyaga sa kanya simula pa noong una siyang mapadpad sa hotel. Binyag ng anak nito at ninong siya kasama ng ilang katrabaho nila. He was not really drinking but he enjoyed their company kaya naman nakikipagpuyatan siya at nakikinig sa kwento ng buhay ng mga ito. He wanted to finance the christening but he doesn't have any extra money so he gave his precious watch to Jeffrey at sinabing isanla nito iyon ngunit hindi tinanggap ng huli ang alok niya.

People like Jeffrey, he thought will take opportunities, but he was wrong. May mga tao pa ring gagawin ang lahat nang hindi nanlalamang ng kapwa. And that's what he likes about them. Kahit hirap sa buhay, gusto pa ring mabuhay ng marangal. So instead of giving him the watch, he promised to support his daughter's education through his father's foundation of course. Laking tuwa nito noong ibinalita niya na kasama na ang pangalan ng anak sa susuportahan ng foundation ng ama. It's the least he could do for him being so nice and true.

"Kawawa talaga ang batang iyon. Nawalan na nga ng mga magulang, inilustay pa ng ina-inahan ang kayamanan nila," narinig niyang wika ng isang kasamahan. He got curious but he didn't ask.

"Oo nga eh. Kung bakit kasi nag-asawa pa si Mr. Gusmani kawawa tuloy iyong anak niya. Narinig kong pinalayas yata pagkatapos ng libing," dagdag pa ng mga kasamahan.

He just kept on listening to them. But was thinking na may tao talagang walang puso at kayang mang-apak ng iba dahil lang sa kayamanan. At isa na roon ang pamilya niya. Well, they're businessmen and everything went on legal terms.

They continued talking to this family and he was just listening to them wondering how the daughter was based on the stories he heard from them. Wala naman siyang pakialam actualy but he had this gut feeling over it.

Meanwhile, he bid his goodbyes to them for he still has work tomorrow aside from the fact that the chairman will visit him. Sebastian texted him that the chairman will personally see him. What an honor!

"Ihahatid na kita, Bryan," wika ni Jeffrey sa kanya ngunit tumanggi siya.

"I'll take a tricycle. Malapit lang naman." Pero nagpumilit pa rin ito na ihatid siya hanggang sakayan man lang.

When he reached his room, he laid down and took something from the drawer beside the bed. It was a bracelet he found in the swing in the garden that night he was forced to be a waiter in a party. It was a simple gold beaded bracelet with initials LIG. He knew who's the owner, not the name of course, for there was only one who went to the garden and stayed in the swing for the time being. He knew for he watched her and went to the garden to hide but too bad he just stayed there for a short while. Yet, he couldn't forget her, her beautiful face with all those emotions she made because of what she was watching, the restricted laughter, the timid smiles, he couldn't forget all of them. Hanggang sa tuluyan na nitong lisanin ang party kasama ng ama nito. He tried to know who she was but no one can tell who exactly she was. She was on his mind until sleep succumbed him.

The following day as expected, the chairman came. No one expected him to visit aside from him and Sebastian, so everyone was surprised seeing the owner. Kaagad namang pinatawag siya sa opisina nito nang hindi siya nito makita.

"What a surprise!" he said sarcastically when he entered the office and saw his father, Sebastian and the manager.

"Cut the sarcasm," ganting-bati ng ama niya sa kanya. "I heard you did well while you're here." May pagmamalaki ang tinig nito.

"What can I say, I need to work my ass to live." He took a seat and looked at his father.

"But you don't regret it, do you?" The look from his father was telling him he didn't regret it. It was not really a question whether he regretted it or not, but it was a statement telling him he didn't regret it.

"You knew the answer, why bother ask me?" He copied his father's act which made him laugh.

"Very well. Very well," may palakpak pang sagot ng ama niya. Then he talked to the manager regarding his transfer, saying he needed him to be at the main hotel and thanking her for the successful training on him.

The manager gave her honest assessment as she laid before his father all the shortcomings, observations regarding his stay. His father just nodded as he listens to the manager. Afterwhich, she excused herself from the three of them.

"You're not in hurry, right?" tanong niya sa ama.

"I'll bring you with me. Prepared your things and bid them goodbye," sagot ng ama. "We'll leave in an hour."

He nodded and rushed out of the office. Bubulabugin lang niya sandali ang mga kasamahan para magpaalam, so he searched where they are and personally said his thanks to them and his promise to come and visit them once in a while. After that he took some personal items on his room. He looked around and said his goodbye to this room where he stayed for half a year. This room was the only comfort he had back then. He went to see his father after an hour. To be exact, siya na lamang ang hinihintay ng mga ito.

Stepping in the car and taking one last glance at the hotel, his journey to the next chapter begins.

TAHIMIK NA PINAGMAMASDAN ni Isabelle ang Yaya Mila niya habang nag-aayos ng mga paninda nito. May maliit na talipapa ito sa harap ng bahay na tinutuluyan nila. True to what she said before, they lived a new simple life in the city. Wala na ang dating marangyang pamumuhay na kinalakihan niya. She doesn't complain though for her parents raised her to live simply despite the riches they have. Hindi siya pinalaki sa luho ng mga ito lalo na nang mommy niya kaya naman hindi siya nahirapan sa biglang pagbabago ng buhay niya. Her yaya tried to give as much comfort as before kung kaya't nagtayo ito ng maliit na talipapa upang mabuhay silang dalawa.

The house they were staying right now was owned by Yaya Mila's parents. Tanging silang dalawa lamang ang nakatira dahil may kanya-kanyang pamilya na rin naman daw ang dalawang kapatid nito at nasa ibang probinsiya, aside from the house was legally given to her. Ipinagpasalamat niya iyon dahil hindi niya maisip ang magiging hirap ng yaya niya kung sakaling wala silang permanenteng matirhan. But thank Gracious, they were provided with one kahit may kaliitan ito but it was enough for the two of them.

The house has two small bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room. Kung ikokompara niya ang sukat nito sa dating tirahan ay kasin laki lamang ito ng kanyang kwarto. May maliit na bakuran rin ito na pinagtatamnan nila ng mga halaman sa harapan at gulay sa likurang bahagi ng bahay. Kampante rin siya dahil may konkretong bakod ito kaya hindi basta-basta makakapasok ang sinuman. May dalawang aso rin silang alagang nagbabantay sa kanila.

The neighborhood was nice too. Malamang ay dahil kilala sa lugar ang yaya niya bilang mabait at matulunging tao. Isa lamang ang bilin nito sa kanya, ang huwag basta-basta magtitiwala kahit sino man. Lagi nitong ibinibilin sa kanya na kilatisin muna nito ang kaharap.

"Nay, kain na!" tawag niya sa matanda. Tumalima naman ito at lumapit sa kanya. Pansamantala nitong isinara ang gate upang walang makapasok.

"Wala ka bang pasok ngayon?" tanong ng matanda sa kanya.

"Mamaya pa pong alas dos, Nay," magalang na sagot niya habang naghahain ng pananghalian nila.

Her yaya demanded her to call her Nanay Mila instead of Yaya Mila. She also known as the daughter of her yaya in the neighborhood. Many didn't believe them because of their appearances but they ignored them. Wala daw siyang namana sa nanay niya but her yaya kept on insisting that she took from her father.

She continued her studies but not full time. Gusto sana niyang huminto na lamang ngunit hindi pumayag ang yaya niya. Igagapang daw nito ang pag-aaral niya kung kaya't nagsimula ito ng maliit na negosyo upang mapag-aral siya at may makain sila sa pang-araw araw. She wanted to have a part-time job too but she doesn't have any luck yet.

Ang totoo niyan ay wala siyang pasok sa araw na ito. She was just making that up because her yaya wouldn't agree if she'll tell her that she was searching for a job. Her classes were on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only from three to seven pm. Pero ang alam ng kanyang yaya ay araw-araw iyon. Kinuntsaba niya ang pamangkin nitong kapitbahay nila na huwag sabihin sa matanda.

"Lyka?! Lyka?!" tawag sa kanya ng boses mula sa labas kasabay ng pagtahulan ng mga alaga nilang aso.

She went to see who it was and it was Jane, ang pamangkin ng yaya niya at ang tanging kaibigan niya sa lugar. Nag-aaral ito sa isang unibersidad sa kursong Hotel and Restaurant Management. Gusto raw kasi nitong maging manager ng isang hotel.

"Ba’t ang aga mong napadpad dito?" tanong niya at pinagbuksan ito ng gate.

"May alam akong pwedeng pag-apply-an ng trabaho. Pwede raw part-time roon," balita nito sa kanya na ikinatuwa niya.

"Talaga? Sige puntahan natin mamaya," masayang wika niya rito.

"Makikikain na rin ako ha? Hindi masarap iyong ulam sa bahay."

Napailing na lamang siya sa sinabi nito at ginayak papasok sa kusina kung saan nadatnan nilang patapos ng kumain ang yaya niya.

"Mabuti at nandito ka. Sabayan mo na itong si Lyka at babalik na ako sa harap," turan nito sa bagong dating. "At maghugas ka na rin ng plato pagkatapos niyo," dagdag pa nito.

Natawa na lamang ang kaibigan. "Walang problema, Nay Mila." At dumulog na silang dalawa sa hapag.

Ilang saglit pa ay nagpaalam na silang dalawa ni Jane. Tinahak nila ang sinasabi nitong hiring ng hotel staff. Wala silang inaksiyang sandali. When they arrived at the hotel, iniwan na siya nito dahil papasok pa ito sa klase. Looking at the front view of the hotel, masasabing hindi ito pipitsuging hotel lamang. Mukhang five-star hotel ito base na rin sa laki at desinyo at sa dami ng taong naglalabas-masok dito.

She gathered her courage and went inside to inquire but to her dismay, wala na raw bakante at tapos na ang pagha-hire nila. But she didn't lose hope. Maaga pa naman kung kaya't may panahon pa siya upang maghanap ng trabaho so she started walking and looking for possible jobs she can have. Wala siyang time na mamili ng trabaho. She wanted a job to help her yaya kahit na ano. She doesn't want to be a burden to her anymore.

Ngunit dumidilim na ay wala pa rin siyang nakikitang trabaho. At minamalas pa talaga siya dahil biglang bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan at wala siyang dalang payong. She hurriedly crossed the street trying not to get wet, especially her credentials, when a loud yanked from a horn caught her attention, yet it was too late for her to avoid it. A fast-moving car was on her way, aiming her.