Freed's Playroom

Play III

Play III

Your Unwanted Escape

PANAY ang hikab ni Annie habang nasa harapan ng vending machine dahil hindi siya makapag-decide kung coke ba o kape ang kanyang bibilhin upang buhayin ang umaga niya. Her work is just about to start but she’s already tired.

Nang makarinig siya ng mga yabag at boses at napalingon siya at nakita niya si ang ang dalawa niyang kasamahan sa department at ang kanilang boss na si Freed kaya naman inayos niya ang kanyang tindig at ngumiti sa kanila nang mapatingin sila sa kanyang gawi.

“Oh!” napahiyaw naman bigla si Annine nang biglang tumunog ang vending machine. Paglingon niya ay ang dami na nitong biglang nilabas na canned coke at napagulong sa sahig ang iba.

“Halla!” nataranta naman siya dahil hindi na ito matigil. Hindi naman unang beses na magsira ang vending machine pero hindi naman niya aakalahing maitatapat pa ito ngayon na siyang gumagamit.

Napatingin naman siya nang lumapit si Freed sa kanyang kinatatayuan at inalis ang saksakyan ng vending machine upang matigil ito.

Hindi niya matignan ang kanyang boss dahil sa hiya. Yumuko na lamang siya at pinulot ang mga nahulog na drinks.

“Siguro dapat palitan na natin ito,” aniya sabay tingin sa machine.

“Medyo sira na po talaga ito, Sir…” sabi naman ng isang babaeng kasama niya.

“Sorry Miss Grace,” nag-aalalang napatingin naman si Annie sa head ng finance na kasama ng kanilang boss.

“It’s okay Annie. I know medyo stressful kayo these days dahil on-going ang recruitment.”

“I see. So you’re from the HR,” paglingon ni Annie sa kanyang likuran at nagkatinginan silang dalawa ni Freed. Tumayo naman si Annie upang harapin ito.

“Siya po ang isa sa mga payroll assistants, Sir but, she’s also in charge of the recruitment.” sagot naman ni Grace.

“Don’t overdo your job, okay?” nang ngumiti si Freed ay parang nahawa si Annie. He’s always been the kind of boss that everyone would like to have. He’s always considerate and understanding. Pagdating din sa final interview ay hindi siya ganoong kahigpit. He possesses the trait of empathy that Annie has always adored. Sa buong four years na pagtratrabaho niya rito, nakita niya ang kamuntikang pagbagsak ng company at si Freed ang naging simula ng pagbangon nito. No one could forget that.

“Let’s go, Grace baka hinihintay na tayo ng iba. Good luck for today Miss Annie,” ngumiti pa rin si Freed sa kanya kahit paalis na ito.

“Ang bait talaga ni Sir Freed, sana mahawaan ako ng kabaitan niya,” napailing naman si Annie habang palakad ito pabalik sa kanilang department.

Samantala, habang ginaganap ang meeting ay naiiba ang atensyon ni Freed dahil sa babaeng nagre-report sa harapan na masyadong hapit sa kanyang katawan ang damit na suot. He could see the shape of her boobs and even the firmness of her butt.

“Thank you Miss Laila,” pinangunahan ni Freed ang pagpalakpak nang matapos itong mag-present.

“Gina, how many staffs do we have at the HR? Parang hindi ko masyado kilala lahat ng staffs doon?” habang nagliligpit naman sila ay biglang napatanong si Freed kay Gina. Napatingin naman sina Grace sa kanya.

“Hmmm, there are ten of them, Sir. Pero dalawa lang naman po ang bagong recruit doon. The others are old employees. Like, Miss Camille, Hana, and Sir Jerome…even Annie.”

“Annie…” bulong ni Freed.

“Sir?” tanong naman ni Gina.

“Nope. Thank you for today. Alam kong medyo stressful and meetings but I hope you could bear with me.”

“Kami nga po dapat ang magpasalamat, Sir,” ang sabi naman ni Grace.

“Ah, before I forget. I want to celebrate my birthday with you guys. I have reserved a bar for us. I scheduled it on Friday, so we can rest the next morning, how do you think about it?”

Sa ekpresyon palang ng mga empleyado niya ay alam na niya ang sagot. “We’ll surely be there, Sir!” masiglang saad ni Jerome na papaalis na sana ng silid.

Pagabalik ni Freed sa kanyang opisina ay nakatambak na ro’n ang mga dokumentong kailangan na naman niyang i-review. Nakita niya rin ang iniwang kape ni Gina para sa kanya.

Napatingin si Freed sa kanyang computer. He suddenly logs on to the files of all employees.

It’s still vague to assume but it seemed like he started getting curious about Annie. He was able to find her records but it’s just limited to her professional background.

“So we have an employee who looks like her?” napasandal si Freed sa kanyang swivel chair habang pinagmamasdan ang larawan ni Annie sa kanyang PC.

Annie is a simple woman who dresses professionally but in a simple way. Her hair is shiny black and she always ties half of it which makes her look simpler. She’s got a fair skin and she’s beautiful, unang tingin mo pa lamang ay alam mo nang lumaki siya sa pamilyang may kaya. She has a slender body and her height fits her body just fine.

“Levi,” he said when Levi answered his call.

“Get me all the data you can get from Annie De Vera.”

***

FREED slammed the door when she got out of the car and started at the façade of their mansion. It was unusual for him to pay a visit to their home but he was called by his father.

All of the maids and butlers who walked passed by him bowed their heads in respect of his arrival but he didn’t bother to look at them. He directly to his father’s study room and saw his mother sitting by the couch and it seemed like he was the only one they are waiting for.

“I would like to know the reason why I was called,” he talked directly squeezing the main agenda of this gathering.

Maswerte na kung makakapag-dinner sila ng isang beses sa isang buwan. Freed belongs to a family with a distant relationship. His parent’s relationship is just for a public show. His mother has been in a relationship with different men when he was still a kid. His devoted father got tired of pardoning his mother so he was able to find his lover after years has passed but this is a secret from the public. He grew up without assistance from his parents because he was already a genius and eventually found ways to accomplish every task he encounters. He overcomes all of it alone by his strength and that has been his life until now.

“We want to talk about your marriage for real. You have been avoiding your responsibility as the heir of Eravido. You’re at the right age to marry,” bakas naman ang lamig sa boses na pinakawalan ni Julius.

“Okay. I understand,” he answered with a poker face. He was about to turn away and walk out but his mother speak up.

“Do you have someone that you’ll marry?” napatayo naman si Kiana at tinignan si Freed. “You don’t have to pressure yourself, son. You can just pick a random girl. It’s just for show up,” then she chuckled like everything is just for fun.

“Then you can have every woman you would like…” she walked towards him. “You’re an Eravido. You can own every woman you would like.”

“Stop it, Kiana, you should let Freed decide on his own,” Julius chimed in full of authority. “I will give you a chance to choose which woman you should marry.”

He averted his father’s stares. He always hated seeing those comforting eyes of him.

“What if I don’t want to get married?” tulirong tanong ni Freed na ikinagulat naman ng kanyang mga magulang.

“There is no woman who deserves to marry someone like me…Women are just my toys,” naging matalim ang titig ni Freed sa kanila bago siya tuluyang umalis ng silid.

***