Chapter 98 - Maureen Peralta-Hilario, commonly known as Pilar
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Chapter 98 - Maureen Peralta-Hilario, commonly known as Pilar
“Habibi! Nagbalik ka na pala! Kamusta nang lakad mo? Kamusta si Bansot?”
“He is not doing very well,” I answered. “I’m afraid he would not be able to last long, separated from his mate.”
“Eh, anong ginawa n’yo?”
I gave a deep sigh.
“I told his mother several times that he would need to be reunited with his mate, but his mother is too stubborn. She does not seem to want her son to have a relationship with someone she does not agree of.”
“Aba, at bakit naman s’ya `di pabor sa syota ng anak n’ya?” asked the professor who loves to gossip.
“How should I know? I did not have the chance to interview her about his son’s personal relationships. I don’t even know that their family does for a living.” I replied.
“Eh, `di lalo lang lumala ang lagay ni Blondie?” he asked me instead.
“Well, I did persuade her to let Rome keep Jinn’s used uniform. The scent of his pheromones can help keep him calm. I also told him to meet with his mate as often and as long as he could tomorrow.”
“Tingin mo ba, sapat na `yun para sa kanila?” saked the professor, ”Sa itsura ni blondie kahapon, mukhang malapit na s’yang mag-lapse into a comma...”
”Exactly, in fact, he was unresponsive when I met him earlier.”
“Kung ganon, maari na s’yang matuluyan! Sa ilang mga kasong ganyan, particularly, sa mga marked omegas na hinihiwalayan ng mates nila, matapos magka-comma ay `di na nagigising ang pasyente! Paano pa kung may FPS sila?” asked Eric, looking concerned.
“I cannot help it, since the stubborn mother refuses to let her son meet with his mate. But I did my best. I even made her sign a waver.”
“Anong waver?” Eric frowned at me.
“It states that she is unwilling to follow the doctor’s suggestion. If her son dies, then Dr. Fuego and myself have no legal responsibility. She would acknowledge that she killed her own son.”
“Woah, lakas makakunsensya n’yan, ha?” Eric grinned.
“I only hope that she has a conscience, so to speak.”
“Wala naman sigurong magulang na gugustuhing mapahamak ang anak nila...?” the professor sounded doubtful. “Anyway, umaasa ako’ng hindi s’ya ganoon katanga.”
“We both do,” I sighed. “So, professor, have you eaten already?” I asked as I slouched on my seat beside the professor’s desk.
“Ah, oo, binili ako ni Pilar kanina nang bumaba sila, pinilit pa `ko kumain, hindi umalis hangga’t `di ko natatapos ang lunch ko,” he said pouting. “Natapon pa nga ng konti ang sabaw ng binili n’yang bistek tagalog kanina, eh, masyado kasing apurado, pinaglinis ko tuloy s’ya ng `di oras. Sayang nga, walang nadumihan sa mga tambak na dissertations sa mesa ko! Puro scratch paper ko lang ang nadale,” he chuckled.
I looked at his table.
Sure enough, a small part of it was cleared and was even gleaming. I looked at his trash bin next.
“Did Pilar take your trash out?” I asked.
“Oo, baka daw kasi ipisin tayo.”
I stared at him.
“Professor, where you not working on the new suppressant?”
“Hmm?” he asked absentmindedly as he looked through a microscope. “Actually, I’m working on some improvements for our SGT kits. `Di ba’t nabanggit ko na gusto ko’ng maging mas mabilis ang labas ng results nito bago natin s’ya mai-mass produce?”
“Yes... then those papers that were thrown out...”
“Wag ka’ng mag-alala, mga notes lang `yun ng mga balak ko’ng sitahin na points sa binasa kong dissertations kanina,” he replied. “Bakit? May problema ba?” he frowned.
I hessitated before answering him.
“I don’t trust Pilar.” I told him frankly. “She was acting suspiciously last week, I caught her near your workstation, out of breath and perspiring, as if she hurriedly ran off from somewhere.”
“Ano kamo?” Eric asked, wide eyed, “Hindi kaya... may tinatago s’yang kalaguyo?!”
He suddenly burst out laughing, slapping my arm.
“Ikaw naman, Habibi, masyado ka’ng seryoso, `wag kang praning, malamang may kalandian lang si Pilar noon, at takot mahuli. Alam mo naman ugali noon, mahilig umalembong sa mga pogi, eh, may poging alpha tayong intern ngayon, `di ba? Ang tatag nga, nung loko, `di pa nawawala, eh.”
“Professor, I’m serious!” I frowned at him.
“Kaya nga, `wag mo’ng pagdudahan ang mga alaga natin, matagal na nating kasama `yang si Pilar, kilala ko na `yan, kahit malandi `yan, tingin ko naman `di n’ya tayo kayang traidorin!” he pushed his swivel chair and went closer to my seat, placing an arm around my shoulder. “Isa pa, never ako’ng nagsulat ng importanteng formulas sa papel, nandito silang lahat,” he said, tapping his temple, “kaya wala ka dapat ika-bahala. Ligtas silang lahat sa utak nating dalawa. At dagdag pa, tinatapon ko diretso sa lababo ang lahat ang mga experiments ko. Kaya walang makukuha ang sino man sa lugar na `to.”
I sighed. If the professor says so, then I guess there is nothing for me to worry about.
“Okay then, I shall take your word for it.”
“Good, dapat lang, at ayoko’ng nakikita’ng nakasimangot ang Habibi ko!” he grinned.
“And yet, you keep calling me Habibi.” I frowned.
The professor laughed and gave me a quick hug.
“Sige na, mahal, alam ko marami ka pa rin balak gawin ngayon. Malapit ko na’ng magawan ng paraan ito’ng improved SGT kit ko, matatapos ko na `to by tomorrow, just in time for the start of production.”
I couldn’t help but smile at my brilliant professor.
”I’ll be in my workstation then.” I said standing up.
I guess I really am thinking too much. I shook my head as I left the professor’s work station to work on my own experiments. I have more things to think about, other than a colleague’s possible betrayal.
I shouldn’t waste my time on such petty things.
True to his word, Eric finished his new formula the next day. The SGT kits are now able to release results in just 15 minutes. He was also able to lengthen its shelf life to six months from the former four months, as long as it is kept in below freezing temperature.
The mass production of the SGT kits started immediately.
We would be ready to supply our customers as early as May next year and release batches of 300,000 kits monthly for the first three months.
If the sales reach the target amount, the company would then double or triple production the next year to supply demand.
Everything was going as planned.
Eric was at high spirits.
Even the interns were happy.
Then, come Friday morning, Maureen Peralta-Hilario, commonly known as Pilar, handed over her resignation.
- Writer
