Arrangements

9

"Leo, you sure there's no problem? Why are the invites not given out yet?" Dad asks as soon as I enter his office.

"No. There's just a little delay. Everything is rushed, so it's already expected that not all can meet their deadline," I reason out.

"You better be sure of that," he warns.

"Yes, dad. It's just a minor problem. I can take care of it."

"Why do I feel like I can't trust you on that?"

"What, dad?"

"I better ask Chairman Winter directly."

"Dad! No. Uh..." Damn, he shouldn't find out that Chairman Winter has backed out or else, I'm done. "Actually, I am going to meet him later. Dad, believe me. It's no big problem."

"I'll remind you, we can't afford to lose the Winter group."

"Yes, dad."

I am so stressed, so I decide to drop by at Claire's boarding house. But I don't get to see her.

It is already late in the evening when I decide to go to the Winter's house. I brought with me one journal from Anna's box to read it to tito.

The maids welcome me as usual. But they don't deliver me to the library because they're oriented that no visitors nor maids allowed in the second floor during night time.

I go upstairs on my own. The maids don't forbid me because they know I'm almost part of the family.

When I am already near the library's door, I hear two voices arguing. I guess they are tito and kuya Miko.

It's not in my intentions to listen to their arguments but their voices are too loud.

While waiting for their argument to end, I roam around the floor. I go to the guest room that used to be mine. The walls used to be gray and full of Anna's masterpieces but now, it's just clean white.

And then I walk to the balcony. From there, I see Anna sitting on the swing near their swimming pool. She is holding a sunflower and is just staring at it. I have the feeling of wanting to approach and talk to her for awhile but I shoo away that idea. I'm still not ready to be close with her again.

Minutes after, I guess tito and kuya Miko are already done with their talk, so I return to the library. There is no more loud voices. But when I am about to knock, I suddenly hear kuya Miko's voice again.

"Sooner or later, baka tayong dalawa na mismo ang kakalimutan nya. This silly arranged marriage made her worse! She was doing fine until the Wildias visit. Don't you get it, pa? Leo is no more of help to Anna! And now we're coordinating with Dave Gilvyr?"

"Then what are your plans?"

"Let's fly to states. There, no stress, no one can trigger her. She can focus on her therapy. She'll recover in no time." Therapy... recover? Is Anna sick?

"We already did that. She had progression but eventually lost it again. She even almost killed herself! Where's your brain, Michael?"

"But pa, this marriage plan is nowhere near Anna's betterment. Immediately tomorrow, I'll book our flight to San Diego. If Anna loses it again, we'll level up her treatment again. Transfer her to another state. We won't stop until she's finally well again."

There is a little silence until tito answers. "Okay. I'll think about it, we still need to consult that to Dr Miguel."

"Great! I'll call Lorraine to book an appointment with the Wildias. They should be informed that there will be no mergence anymore." God! What?!

I am already out of it and immediately open the door without knocking. I've heard enough and I can't just stand there.

"Who's that?" tito asks kuya Miko. Tito is sitting behind his desk and is obviously doing his office work.

"It's Leo," kuya Miko answers and then he looks at me, "you forgot how to knock?"

"I'm sorry."

"What is it, Leo? It's almost midnight."

"Tito, I... I heard you're backing out. Tito, how about our investors? They will pull out their investments. They-"

"Your investors, kid," tito clarifies.

"But tito-"

"Isn't it too late for you to be here? Save it for tomorrow, Leo." Kuya Miko suggests but there will be no more tomorrow for me if this mergence gets out of my hands.

"Tito... You told me to return after I read the journals. You didn't believe me the last time I was here. So this time I'll personally read it to you."

"Pa! You gave the box to him?!"

"Hush, Michael. Go on, Leo."

I am nervous. But I am sure that I'm not going anywhere until they say yes again to our original plans.

I take out the book from my case. It is dusty so I have to blow the dust away first.

I fake a cough to start my reading. I look at them and tito is just nodding, telling me to go on. I open the book right at its middle, still standing near the door.

I am confused as I see my name in that page. I turn to another page and it is also addressed to me.

"Leo..." I start. "I came late to our class and my professor embarrassed me in front of the class. Leo, I need you here..." I am flustered but I don't make it obvious to them.

I look at kuya Miko and tito, and they are attentive to me. It seems like they already know about this.

I can't continue reading that page, so I turn to another page, expecting that it is no longer addressed to me, but I am wrong.

"Leo..." I start again. "I have social anxiety and am very afraid of talking to teachers. You said I have you to do the talking to my professors if I have a problem. I need you now." I look at them again to see their reaction but I am indeed right, they already read all the journals. "You lied to me, Leo." I continue.

Again, I look at tito, wanting him to tell me that I've read enough. But he doesn't. My hands start to sweat, and I have to turn to another page again. I turn to the page close to the last one.

"Leo..." I start. I'm already really feeling awkward. Why are these all addressed to me? Just when did Anna write these? Was this when we were still friends or when we already parted?
"You're with her again..." Her? I flinch and look at them again to see if they have a clue about it.

Kuya Miko suddenly speaks.

"Ah, Claire. Anna wished her to shift back to accountancy. She lost you ever since you and that Claire became classmates, you as her boyfriend and her best friend. Anna had a rough day, she failed to reach her major's cut-off grade. She waited for you in your favorite cafe. But you were with Claire. You weren't around so Dave did your role. 'Thank you for the day, Mr Leonard Wildia.'" Kuya Miko recites.

I close the book to end it there.

"That! That part is my favorite," kuya Miko informs sarcastically.

"Hush, Michael." Tito says but kuya Miko stands from the couch and walks to me.

"No, pa. Forgive me this time," kuya Miko says while still looking at me. "You were always with that Claire when you already had a girlfriend? We know you proposed to Claire but now you're pursuing this arranged marriage with Anna? What are you thinking?"

Whoa. Wait. I didn't know this would be about our past.

"You clearly cheated on Anna."

"I didn't! Sorry but can we not talk about the past?"

"You're disappointing me. You used to be a great kid."

Kuya Miko is so serious. Even tito looks like he is too.

Truthfully, I didn't realize I spent more time with Claire than with Anna. And there's no way that I can tell them that. As if they're gonna believe that. But I didn't cheat on her!

I try to remember our college days, which are actually a decade ago. But I can't remember how I made things go wrong. Was it really me?