TERRENCE
Pumasok si Dana sa opisina ko nang may hawak na tray. Bumungad agad sa akin ang maganda at maaliwalas niyang mukha. Her round eyes with thick and long lashes were glowing. Mukhang kuntentong-kuntento na sa naging bakasyon namin. Siguro naman ay sapat na yun para hindi siya mag-demand ng oras ko sa mga susunod na tatlong linggo.
"You're two hours early, mamaya pa ang board meeting mo," mahinang sabi niya habang inilalapag ang kape sa aking mesa.
"There are papers I need to review. Can you get from Freda all the files of Lotus Casino Resort," pormal na wika ko.
Mr. Choi, our biggest investor from Hong Kong is asking meeting next week kaya nagpatawag ako ng board meeting para manghingi ng update report tungkol sa development ng construction ng casino resort.
"Ah yes."
Lumapit ako sa mini model ng casino project na nakadisplay sa gitna ng aking opisina. After this project, my next goal is to build the biggest amusement park in the country. Yung pasyalan na dadayuhin kahit ng mga international tourists. My target next year is to be included in the Philippines' Forbes top 50 richest Filipino.
Naistorbo ang malalim na pag-iisip at pagpaplano ko nang malakas na ring ng telepono. Dinukot ko ang cellphone sa aking bulsa ngunit wala namang tumatawag dito. Tumingin ako sa paligid at nakita ko ang nakapatong na phone ni Dana sa aking mesa. Sa una ay hinayaan ko lamang ang pagri-ring niyon pero may kakulitan ang tumatawag. Hindi ako makapag-focus sa pag-iisip kaya nilapitan ko ang cellphone para i-silent iyon. When I was about to touch it, I noticed the name of the caller. Tita Tonette.... Natigilan ako. Was it a coincidence? Sa pagkakatanda ko Tonette din ang pangalan ng babaeng kilala ko na kamukha ni Dana.
The curiosity is killing me. Kaya sa halip na i-silent ay sinagot ko ang telepono.
"Dana pauwi na ako. I cooked more adobo and left them on the fridge. Iwasan mong kumain sa fastfoods ha..."
Hindi ko na natatandaan ang boses ng Tonette na kilala ko pero sa kung anong kadahilanan parang kinikilabutan ako sa malamig at monotonous na tono ng nagsasalita sa kabilang linya.
"And please wash the dishes after eating... Dana are you listening to me? Dana?"
Tumikhim ako. "Ah... hello, D-Dana left her phone."
"Oh I see..." Ilang saglit siyang walang imik. "Are you her boyfriend?"
"Y-Yes."
"Can you relay to her what I said?"
"Y-Yes ma'am."
"By the way, how old are you?" she asked all of a sudden.
"I'm 38."
"Okay. Bye." And just like that she dropped the call without waiting for my final reply.
Dumating si Dana nang aktong ibinabalik ko sa dating pwesto ang kanyang telepono. Nagtatakang tiningnan niya ang kamay kong nakahawak pa sa phone niya.
"Oh I left my phone here," wika niya habang bitbit ang maraming folders at blueprints.
"S-Someone called. I'm sorry. I was supposed to remove the sound but I accidentally answered it," asiwang pagsisinungaling ko.
"Who called?"
"I think it's your aunt."
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. Dali-daling inilapag sa mesa ang mga bitbit. "What did she say?"
"Ahh...na may tinabi siyang adobo sa ref at iwasan mo daw kumain sa fast food."
"That was embarrassing," namumulang komento niya. "What else?" kabadong tanong niya. I wonder what kind of Aunt she has for her to overreact from a mere call.
Nag-alangan muna ako kung sasabihin ko. "Don't forget to wash the dishes after eating."
Napapadyak siya. "Si Tita talaga!"
"She also asked about my age."
She suddenly looked worried again. "Did you tell her?"
"Yes."
"Then what was her reaction? Was she shocked or did she raised her voice a least?"
"Nothing. She just strangely cut the call." I shrugged.
Dismayadong bumuntong-hininga siya. "Pasensiya ka na sa wierdo kong tiyahin."
"No worries." Kunway kinuha ko ang isang file sa table at nagbasa.
Dana gets her phone. "I'll leave now mukhang busy ka."
"Your aunt's voice doesn't sound that old. Ilang taon na ba siya?" tanong ko bago siya tumalikod.
"She's turning 39 this month."
Natigilan ako. What a coincidence again, she's also the same age with the woman I knew.
"Why are you asking?" Nagtaka siya sa aking reaksiyon.
Kumibit ako ng mga balikat. "Nothing. I thought she's in her 50's or 60's based on the way she shows her concern for you."
She smirked. "Concern? You have no idea what she is." She turned her back and left.
Gusto kong itanong nang diretso ang buong pangalan ng kanyang tiyahin but deep inside I'm anxious to know the truth. Ah ano ba tong pinag-aaksayahan ko nga oras? I have a very important meeting yet I am thinking about a woman I haven't heard about for more than decade.
After the board meeting, napadaan ako sa table ni Dana. Pagkakita ko sa mukha niya at makikislap na mga mata, muli na namang sumagi sa aking isipan ang Tonette na kilala ko. Pagkabalik ko sa aking opisina ay pinatawag ko ang aking sekretarya.
"Freda," I muttered to the employee standing beside me.
"Yes Sir?"
"Does Dana has social media account?"
"Yes sir. We're friends in f*******: at pinafollow ko rin siya sa twitter and i********:. Bakit po?"
"Can you show me all the photos she posted online na kasama ang pamilya o mga kamag-anak niya?"
"Okay sir."
Wala pang isang oras ay inabot sa akin ni Freda ang isang tablet. She opened the gallery and showed me Dana's pictures.
"Stop," utos ko sa kanya sa pag-slide nang makita ko ang litrato na kasama ni Danang umiinom ng tsaa sa hardin ang isang babaeng may mahabang buhok at may nakaipit na puting bulaklak sa tenga.
May malamig na kuryenteng gumapang sa aking buong katawan. How stupid I am this whole time. Her similarity to Dana wasn't a coincidence. They are indeed related.
"Okay na po ba sir?" tanong ni Freda na akmang ilalayo na ang tablet.
"Wait. Does she have more pictures with this woman?"
Muling nag-slide ng pages si Freda. I let her stop after seeing solo and up close photo of Tonette. She aged finely. Napakaganda pa rin at ni walang gaanong pinagbago ang mukha. The picture was posted as birthday greeting last year. Tiningnan ko ang petsa at nalamang birthday na pala nito next week.
"Okay na," I told my secretary and signaled her to leave.
Bigla kong naalala ang boses nang nakausap ko kanina. Why did it sound so cold and lazy? The woman I knew was bright and energetic. Dahil ba nagkakaedad na kaya nagbago na rin ang tono nang pananalita niya?
I loosened my tie. Guilt was slowly striking me. Sino nga naman ang mag-aakala na sa lawak ng mundong ito ay makikilala at makakarelasyon ko ang pamangkin ng babaeng naging espesyal sa akin dati. I need to stop toying with Dana for the sake of the woman I used to admire and respect. We need to break-up before things get complicated.
I called Freda again.
"Yes sir?"
"Please make a reservation in an expensive fine dining restaurant tonight."
"Yes sir. Mga what time po?"
"Around seven to eight."
"Okay sir. Ah but you have a meeting here with Mr. Lee at 7pm sir."
"Please cancel it and reschedule it tomorrow. Alam ko marami na akong schedule bukas pero gawan mo nang paraan," mariing utos ko.
"Yes sir," walang magawang sagot niya.
I need to end things with Dana as soon as possible. There's nothing more important now than breaking up with her.
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