Recuerdo De Amor Island 3: I'm Yours, Now and Forever

Chapter 1

RAFAEL

I can't help but to groaned because of my stiffened back, ilang oras ba namang nakaupo lang ako at nakatutok sa laptop. Tsk. Even my body is aching. I massage my forehead to relax myself. Ilang araw na akong ganito. Over fatigued and skipping meals, but I need too, sa dami ng paper works at kabi-kabilang meetings... you will lose track of time.

Siguradong pagagalitan ako ni Mama kapag malaman n'yang inabutan na naman ako nang gabi dito sa opisina. I glance at the time in my laptop monitor and it's almost 9 o'clock at night. Hindi ko man lang namalayan ang oras dahil sa daming documento at reports ang kailangan kong basahin. Too important to leave for tomorrow. Well... who am I kidding! Handling two multi-billion dollar company together, need more of my time than usual. A huge responsibilities and task I shoulder alone, hanggat hindi makatapos sa pag-aaral ang bunso kong kapatid na lalaki, na s'yang maging katuwang ko sa pagpatakbo nito.

Bilang panganay, ako ang inaasahang pumalit sa ama ko sa pwesto n'ya sa family company nila at sa kanyang ipinundar na kompanya. I take over managing the Velasquez Empire and Luisa Airlines after I graduated in college while I'm taking my master degree in the same time. I'm not complaining though, I groomed for this and I accepted wholeheartedly. Beside hindi lang ito ang business ko... there's still the Recuerdo De Amor Island na kailangang i-manage, the difference was, I have 6 brothers and members to help me. I feel proud for what we achieve in a short time in our island.

I relax myself a bit, before I decide to fix my table and my things to go home. Nararamdaman ko na rin ang paghapdi ng sikmura ko. Who wouldn't? Nalipasan na ako ng oras ng pagkain. My stomach growled again. I guess it's a cue to leave. Sa restaurant na ako kakain nito.

I sighed and close my office. Napahinto ako sa paglakad nang naramdaman ko ang pag-vibrate ng aking cellphone at agad ko itong hinugot sa bulsa ko.

Mama Calling...

I hope she won't find out that I'm still in my office or else she will scold me again and again.

"Hello Ma?" patanong ko na bati sa kanya.

"Where are you anak? Uwi ka muna dito sa bahay. We need to talk. It's very important. " I can sense the urgency in my mom's voice.

"Somethings wrong? " I asked.

"I think, it's not proper to talk about it in the phone anak. We are expecting you to be here a soon as possible..." she pause, "...the silent in your background got me thinking, you are still in your office right? How many times do I have to tell Prince Rafael Luis Velasquez, don't abuse yourself? Did you eat? Siguradong hindi. Dito ka na dumeretso, I'll prepare your dinner."

Busted. See what I mean... that's the start. She's always concern and care about our well-being kahit kaya na naming alagaan ang aming mga sarili. I can't blame her though... her children are quite handful especially her princess. My mom is much disciplinarian than my father nevertheless we love her so much. We know para rin naman sa kapakanan namin ang inaalala n'ya.

"I'll be there Ma. Bye!" paalam ko na dito.

"Ok anak. Ingat. Bye!" Then she hang up.

Siguradong importante talaga ang pag-uusapan namin dahil kailangan talagang personal nila akong kausapin. Kung hindi ako magkakamali, tungkol na naman ito sa pamilya ni Dad. At paniguradong may kinalaman na naman ang magaling kong pinsan na lalaki.

My boastful cousin that good for nothing kind of man, he always put himself into trouble and I'm the one that cleaning his mess. We don't get along dahil sa kayabangan n'ya plus my grandfather tolerate him. Hindi ako magtatakakung isang araw ilagay n'ya sa kahihiyan ang pangalan ng pamilya.

I decide to follow my mom and drive towards our home, I miss her food anyway. Matagal na rin akong hindi nakauwi doon. I live in the penthouse at C.A Grand Hotel. I own one of 4 penthouses in the hotel since it is much nearer in my work, or sometimes I stay in my condo in Salazar Condominium with my friends as my neighbours.

The gate immediately open the moment my car appear in front, and slowly drive toward the garage of the mansion. Agad akong pumasok sa bahay, tango lang ang sagot ko sa mga kasambahay namin na bumati at naghihintay sa pagdating ko. Our family butler lead me to the family dinning room where my parents are sipping their evening tea while my food was ready across them.

Sinalubong ako ni Mama ng mainit n'yang yakap at halik, I did the same. I miss my mom. She's the only woman that can see the real me in my impassive facade.

Maria Luisa S. Velasquez, my father priceless possession and a woman worth fighting for. At the age of 50, bakat pa rin ang ganda nito na kahit stressful ang trabaho nito bilang professor sa Le Surry University. She's the best mom in the world for me and my siblings. A loving and caring mom.

She smiled at me lovingly but her eyes are full of worries. I kiss her in forehead to ease her worry. My attention dart to my father watching us lovingly, especially to my mother. Hernan Rafael Velasquez, the man I idolise since I was young. His love to my mother is beyond and something he's proud of. He choose to live here in the Philippines and learn our culture and language kaysa maging sunod-sunuran kay Abuelo. Mas pinili n'yang mamuhay ng simple at malaya. Bagay na lalo naming hinangaan na magkapatid. He's our mentor in life and we love him so much.

Matapos ko silang batiin, umupo ako sa harap ng pagkain. I eat in silent while they continue drinking their tea and whispered on each other ears and waiting patiently until I finish. Mababasa ko sa mukha nila na may bumabagabag sa mga ito.

****

"What with this sudden talk Dad?" I promptly asked pagdating namin sa library/home office ni Papa at Mama.

He let out a long sighed and sit next to my mom. Magkaharap kaming makaupo sa sofa.

"It about your grandfather..." my father paused and clenched his jaw. "...he's in coma right now. Nagkaroon s'ya nang heart stroke when he saw the news in television na nakabuntis si Carlos, isang babaeng naging karelasyon n'ya. Lumantad ito sa media nang inabandona sila ni Carlos at napanuod ito ng lolo mo. Galit na galit na pinagsalitaan si Carlos hanggang sa atakihin s'ya sa puso. Buti na lang mild stroke at walang naapektuhan sa katawan n'ya, but the doctor put him in coma for farther examination. They want our presence there when he wake up, so we are leaving day after tomorrow. And the King itself command us to be there and resolve this issue. The last time they want is a scandal around Royal family, " mahabang pahayag ni Dad. I know he's worried too but more annoyed in the reason of my grandfather's heart attack.

This is what I'm expecting to happen from my dimwit cousin. Public humiliation. Tsk! People knew he was already arranged to be marry with the Baroness, but his pants still down all over the place. Hindi ako magtataka kung pati ang hari galit na rin. Few more years he will step down and let his son reign the thrown, same as my grandfather. Tha last thing they want to have some stupid scandal because of my dimwit cousin.

The king and my grandfather are cousin. My grandfather's mother was the younger sister of King's father... a Princess. My grandfather is a Prince in his own right, but he's known as Duke of Calabria. So am I. What happened in our family affect in the monarchy too.

"Do you I really have to go?" I asked. This is not the first time my grandfather suffered a mild heart attack because of my cousin. Nasanay na yata kami doon ngunit hindi nakikialam ang Royal family. This is more than a scandal, for sure.

"You have to be there too son, the King demand your attention there. Like I said, day after tomorrow ang alis natin. Tapusin muna natin ang mga dapat gawin sa opisina same as your Mama, she still need to file her leave of absence in the university. Sa condo na muna si Philip titira hanggat hindi tayo makauwi dito."

Napakunot ako ng noo sa sinabi ni Daddy. "Why would the King wants me there?" As much as possible iniiwasan kong makipaglapit sa kanila, kaso mas close si Dad sa hari. He look confuse too.

"I don't know son, siguro may kinalaman din ito sa kompanya ng pamilya doon. Sa nangyayari ngayon doon siguradong naapektuhan na ang pinamamahalaang kompanya ng pinsan mo. What he did was a sign of being irresponsible leader. I don't think investors will trust him now. Alam naman nang lahat na hindi gan'on ka galing sa pamamalakad ng kompanya ang pinsan mo. And as the eldest Velasquez in your generation, kinakailangan mong narinig ang sasabihin nila. I have bad feelings about this, but we can't give a conclusion unless we hear thier motives to you," he explained. Sabay sulyap nang makahulugan kay Mama. That manners I knew for years about them kapag may alam sila at tinatago sa'ming magkapatid.

Alam kong may kinalaman din ito sa arrange marriage ng pinsan ko at ng dalagang Castañeda. They better not involve me with that s**t's problem dahil wala rin silang mapapala. Never, I follow their command.

"Lets just hope local media won't find out about this Dad. Dahil sigurading mauungkat na naman ang relasyon n'yo ni mama nito. Increase your bodyguards tomorrow, mabuti na iyong nakahanda kayo," I suggested.

Philippines is 10 hours ahead of time in Spain. Umaga pa lang ito doon ngayon, kapag lumabas na ang balitang ito sa international media, bukas pa makarating ito dito sa Pilipinas. Hindi ako magtataka kung pati sila ay gugulohin ng media para lang malaman ang panig nila. They nod at me in unison. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako.

" Good night mom, dad. Mauna na kayong pumunta doon, sumunod din ako. Kailangan ko lang tapusin lahat ng transactions and meetings ko dito." Ayaw kong pilitin sila na sabihin sa'kin ang alam nila. I kiss my parents good night and leave the library without waiting for their reply.

I sighed again deeply. Another responsibility I need to shoulder. Paano ko na naman hatiin ang atensyon ko sa mga kompayang ito? Paniguradong hindi ako makaalis ng Spain hanggat hindi maresolba ang isyu ng pamilya. Tsk. Sumasakit ang ulo ko sa nangyayari. Kaysa isipin iyon mabuti pa na itulog ko na lang ito.