Shifting Glances

KABANATA 7

“How are you doing?” My grandfather asks. He’s the current mayor of the city. I’m in his office to bid him goodbye for the time being.

“I’m fine.”

Nakatingin lang ako sa bote ng Henri IV Cognac na nasa mini table dito sa sala ng office ni Lolo.

“Ano ang nangyari sa Laguna? Sinabi ni Denver na hindi naging maayos ang sinadya niyo roon.” Tanong pa ni Lolo kahit na hindi ako nakatingin sakaniya dahil nanatili itong nakaupo sa swivel chair niya.

“It happened that the land is still owned by the granddaughter of the Bennet.” Sabi ko at sumimsim sa baso ng alak na hawak ko habang prenteng nakaupo rito sa single sofa.

“May natitira pang Bennet doon? Wow.”

Tumango ako sa sinabi ni Lolo. Yeah, wow. I don’t even know if that girl knows what she is doing, or she’s just plainly ignorant. Imposible namang wala itong alam sa nakaraan ng pamilya niya.

“I’m surprise she’s still alive, or if she’s telling the truth that she has no idea about the Bennet’s past, but then someone should’ve told her about it and stopped her from going back to that place for her own safety.”

Pagkatapos kong sinabi iyon ay narinig ko ang pagak na pagtawa ni Lolo.

“Safety? That’s a Bennet we’re talking about, right?” Sabi ni Lolo na wari ay nakakatawa ang sinabi ko, which I realized, it is. Who cares about a Bennet’s safety? The last thing I want is to have anything to do with that family.

“Anyway, I need to go, I’ll update you from time to time, and while I’m gone don’t bother me.” Sabi ko at binitawan na ang baso sa mini table bago lingunin si Lolo.

Nakatingin lang ito saakin hanggang sa bumuntong-hininga at tumango.

“Fine. But remember your promise.” Sabi nito at napairap ako sa hangin dahil doon pero wala akong magagawa kaya tumango nalang ako.

Pagkatapos ng pag-uusap namin ni Lolo ay umalis na ako sa bahay niya.

The next moves I’ll make are the remaining chances I have. I even resorted to asking my grandfather for help even though I’ve been living my life avoiding our relationship because I literally don’t want to have anything to do with him, despite his wealth and power because he’s in politics, and I hate politics, but I came to him and accepted his name, just to find my father’s murderer.

The first step was to get that land and mansion of the Bennet.

Pagkauwi ko ng bahay ay gabi na. I live in a bungalow house with my mother, and I know she doesn’t know anything about my plans and what I’ve been doing for these past few days, pero para sakaniya na rin ito. She’s also the reason why I want to find my father’s murderer, maybe that would make her speak again, kahit marinig ko alng ulit ang boses niya o makitaan ko ng buhay ang mga mata niya.

Dumaan ako sa kwarto niya at nang makita kong tulog na siya ay maingat ko nalang na sinarado ang pintuan at dumiretso sa kwarto ko.

I undressed and removed my watch then entered the shower. Tomorrow I’ll be moving into a new company because I still have my own life, and as much as my grandfather wants me to inherit his wealth and his business, I refuse.

With the water running down through my skin, while I close my eyes, I suddenly remember that Bennet woman. What a small world it was. I honestly thought she was attractive enough and I thought of lending her some help on the secluded and busy road. It was on purpose.

Ang kaso lang ay isa siyang Bennet. Siya pa ang may-ari ng mansyon, at mas lalo nang ayaw pa niyang ipagbili iyong mansyon at lupa niya. I don’t know if she’s just acting brave, or just being plainly stupid, or ignorant.

I ran my fingers through my hair and shut the shower. I wiped off the water on my face before opening my eyes.

I don’t want to have anything to do with her.

**

And just as fate is too playful and ridiculous, the next morning when I just moved into the new company I’ll be working in as a head engineer, I can’t believe my eyes while staring at the last person I wanted to see daily. Just as how surprised and shocked I am, she’s also looking at me dumbfounded.

“Oh, you know each other?” Pauline, the head architect asked and that’s when I’ve collected my thoughts.

“Yeah, a bit.” I answered and looked away from Icely.

She’s an architect? The small world, getting smaller as it can. Even so, I don’t like her, aside from being a co-owner of her ancestral mansion, I don’t want to have anything to do with her, and I heard it clear that she doesn’t like me as much, so I supposed she wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me either.

Hindi ko lang inasahan na makikita ko siya rito kaya hindi ko naiwasan sambitin ang pangalan niya. I was caught off-guard, but that’s fine.

“Small world? Are you friends—

“We’re not.” I interrupted Pauline.

“We just know each other by name, you know Ms. Pau, the world of architects and engineers is interconnected.” Icely said with an awkward tone.

Everyone was looking at me, so I just smiled a plain one. Tumango ako kay Pauline bilang hudyat na ituloy ang ginagawa.

“O-Oh, okay.” Pauline said but with a tone of wanting to ask more or not being convinced enough.

“Nice to meet you everyone.” I greeted them to get back to the normal atmosphere, and it worked. Just a few minutes later, we left the Architecture Department.

It’s good that we’re not in the same office.

**

After all the introductions and tour in the company, I’ve finally settled in my own office. Everyone’s sure is fine, and they’re nice, they’ve welcomed me just fine, and aside from knowing that Icely Bennet is also working here, there’s nothing wrong in here. Madami naman kasi ang nag-aalok ng trabaho saakin, and much higher positions, but I refuse because I want a normal life.

“Hello Engineer, please accept this coffee as our welcoming gift to you.”

Tumingin ako sa may pintuan na siyang nakabukas at doon ay isang babae na kasama sa department ko at may hawak itong paper bag.

I smiled at her and nodded. She came in, gave me the coffee, I thanked her, and she left.

Sumandal ako sa swivel chair nang bigla naman tumunog ang cellphone ko at nakita kong tumatawag si Denver.

“What?” Bungad ko sakaniya.

“When are you available? Para masabi ko kay Ms. Bennet kapag kinausap na niya ang abogado niya at magkapirmahan na tayo.” I didn’t speak for a while, remembering the fact that Icely and I are now in the same company.

“May sinabi na ba siya sa’yo?” Tanong ko pabalik,

“She said she’ll contact her lawyer and make the paper arrangements for her, and then we’ll meet her. You know man, I have a lot of things and cases to handle aside from yours, ayaw ko na ngang hawakan ‘yan kung hindi lang kita kaibigan. My profession’s being questioned just because you’re avoiding the legal procedures from that attorney that ran away, tapos iyong katotohanan pa na alam na nating fraud ‘yan una pa lang, nagmukha pa akong stupid. One more thing, I don’t like her.” I chuckled.

“So do I.” I said with a grin.

“Sana ay hindi ko na makadaupang palad pa ‘yan. Hindi lang ako makaangal sakaniya kasi kailangan na kailangan mo ang mansyon na iyon.”

Mukhang inis na inis si Denver rito na alam kong ako rin ang may kasalanan, “Chill kalang Denver, that’s on me.”

“Tsk. I still hate the way she speaks. Sana ay matapos na ito. Bakit kasi hindi nalang niya ipagbili iyong mansyon, baka gusto niya bilyon. Why not try to tell her that? Get it for billions, I know you can afford that.”

Napahinga ako ng malalim, “I don’t want to. It’s my grandfather’s money—

“You grandfather that has no heir aside from you, basically, sa’yo lahat maiiwan ang bilyones niya.” He interrupted me.

“I don’t like where this talk is going. But maybe I’ll be available this Friday night, after office hours.” Pagbabalik ko sa usapan kanina.

“Alright. Nga pala pare, alam mo ba, sa Bulacan pala nakatira si Ms. Bennet. What a small world!”

I chuckled once again, “Alam ko, she’s in the same company as me. PrimeLine, she’s an architect here.”

“WHAT?!”

Napailing ako sa pagsigaw ni Denver. He can’t believe so do I, natatawa siya na ewan, and few more chitchat, he hung up.

I rested both of my elbows above the table and my hands on my chin. Balak ko na talagang i-offer siya ng mas malaking halaga pero hindi muna ngayon. Maybe a week after or next month, kapag napag-isipan na niya ang lahat.