ChaCha's Chances

ChaCha 43

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"Are you saying ba that you are my lola? Maybe you are nagkakamali lang. My mom said I have no grandparents na."

"I didn't know your mom let you live with all her white lies."
I guess this nagpapakilalang lola ko ay mayaman yata. Wait, parang she is pamilyar to me.

"What do you mean, Madam?" Ice make tanong her. Wait, why Ice ba is calling her 'Madam'. Sabagay, she looks na parang Madam nga talaga. She is in her late fifties siguro. She is looking so smart and elegant sa kanyang business suit. She has an aura na maatowridad.

"ChaCh is my granddaughter. I am the biological mother of her mom, Chaminia Estrelita. Chaminia grew up with her dad, Isaac Estrelita. I was a floozy when we met and had an affair. I wasn't able to raise a child so he decided to took my child with him, Chaminia." She is teary-eyed na nagkukwento. I am nakikinig lang, kami ni Ice. "I didn't like the idea na mahiwalay ako sa anak ko but like what I said I was a floozy. Mapusok ang kabataan ko at ang ina ni ChaCha ang naging bunga ng kapusukang iyon. Chaminia was aware that Lucy, Isaac's legal wife was not her real mom. She grew up as an illegitimate child and I have been cursed myself for that. ChaCha, your mom was a piece of me that I've lost. Nahihiya akong magpakita noon sa kanya but I gathered all my guts when I finally went up to her last year."

"Really you are nakipagkita na to my Mommy? She never make sabi that to us. She never make kwento about you."

"Like how she hid the truth to you that she was your father's mistress."
I am nashock with her sinabi. It couldn't be. Papa stayed with us ng matagal before he make iwan us. What her pinagsasasabi ba? This matanda is sinungaling yata. I felt Ice squeezing my hand.

"Your mother already forgave me but she said she can't live with me. Apo, gusto kong ikaw sana ang magkumbinsi sa Mommy mo. We are family and we should be together." The expression sa kanyang mukha softens.

"Sorry po, but I am thinking na it is maigi po yata if I talk to Mommy muna. But I am happy naman po that you want to be with us. Sigurado po na Nessa will matutuwa if she meets you po."
Part of me is masaya pero I can't make waglit from my isip her sinabi that mom was a mistress ni Papa. What my alam kasi is he is nakahanap lang ng bago.

"Sige, apo. I want you to call me Grammy, okay?"

I'm tumango lang. She is ngumiti naman to me.

"Can you give Grammy a hug?" She is tumayo naman. And I automatically na tumayo din from my seat. Ice make bitaw na may kamay.
My loob is so magaan naman sa kanya and there is posibilidad yata that we are maglola because she posses features that are kapareho kay Mommy.

As I hugged her, my puso is natuwa talaga. This is lukso ng blood yata. But blood is not jumping naman, diba?

Ice is tumikhim. I am humiwalay na din from my pagkakayakap to her.

She make labas ng something from her shoulderbag. It is Channel yata ang brand. Wow, my lola is mayaman.

"You can contact me anytime. Kapag may kailangan ka, give me a ring." She make abot to me the calling card. "Mr. Fuentebella, can I talk to you? Alone?"

Ice nodded. "Candy, sa kwarto ka muna."

"Okay, it's nice na makilala po kita." I bowed my head sa harap sa nagpakilalang my lola. I am mabilis na umakyat to my pink na kwarto. I have to confirm if this is totoo. I have to call Mommy.

When I make pasok na to my pink room, I make hanap agad my phone.

I dialed nga the number ni Mommy.

"The number you have dialed is either unaattended or out of coverage area. Please try your call later. *toot* *toot* *toot*"

Maybe, mommy is lowbat or she is busy talaga in the palengke. If Mommy's mom is mayaman, why Mommy is nagpapakahirap in the public market na magtindera? Is she a mistress ba talaga? No! It can't be! Mommy is not maglilihim to me. That matanda is nagsisinungaling lang. But my loob is magaan sa kanya.

I am not mapakali, I am paikot-ikot in my kwarto so I decided to call my kapatid na lang. She make sagot naman it agad.

"Nessa?"

"Oh, ate kong mahal. Diba, off mo bukas? Bakit di ka matulog dito sa bahay mamaya? Kayo na naman ni Kuya Ice, papayagan ka nun." Nessa nanaman is walang preno with her bunganga.

"Wait lang naman, you are so fast magsalita and has many sinasabi. I want to ask lang if what time Mommy is uuwi mamaya?"

"Di pa nagtetext si Mama, ate. Mamaya pa magtetext 'yun. Ui, ate hah. Sige na dito kana matulog. Please. Magchichikahan pa tayo sa nangyari kanina."

"Okay, I'll try."

"Sige na, ate! Say yes yes 'cause I need to know! Why you gotta be so rude?" Nababaliw nanaman my kapatid.

"If Ice is pumayag then okay, I am matutulog there."

"Oks 'yan ate! Byeee!"

Bastos! I am binabaan na ng telepono.

After ng how many minuto yata there is kumatok in my pink na room. I am nagmadali naman to make bukas it.

"Candy..."

Ice is suddenly make yakap me. I am not makahinga na because of his so mahigpit na yakap. What is nangyari ba?

"Ice, I am not makahinga na promise, hope I am mamamatay na."

Ice is bumitaw din naman and he is nakatitig lang to me then he make yakap me ulit ng mas mahigpit that my katawan na yata is going to crash. You know naman, Ice katawan is so tigas because it is lean.

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ICE POV

"I'm pulling out all my investments in your companies, Mr. Fuentebella."

Stunned by what Ms. Zuri said, I open my mouth to talk but I can't find the words on the tip of my tongue.

Ms. Zuri got the biggest amount of investments in our companies. Isa siya sa mga stockholders. And I can't let her just pull out all her investments.

"Madam, our companies are doing good. Our businesses are on its peak. I wanted to know why all of a sudden you are pulling out your investments?"

"I'll make this brief, Mr. Fuentebella. I don't want you for my granddaughter. Hiwalayan mo siya and we'll continue doing business. I'm giving you one month to think about this."

Fvck. Ngayon lang ako nawalan ng dila. Sh!t.

"Madam, I love her. I love ChaCha."
That's all I can say.

"You're too young for love, young man. Marami pa akong magandang mga plano para sa apo ko. I'm giving you one month after that bitawan mo na siya. Aside from pulling out investments, alam mo pa ang mga kaya kong gawin."

Fvck*r! Bakit si LouLou Zuri pa ang lola ni ChaCha? She's known for being so controlling. She made her way up to the business world by her own ability. She can turn bronze to gold in a minute. Ganun siya kagaling sa negosyo.

"I have to go, Mr. Fuentebella. Further inquiries, set an appointment with me. By the way, you did good last conference. I see so much potential in you, young man. One month. Pakisabi sa apo ko na umalis na ako. Good day!" She smiled at me before she stood from her seat and regally walked towards the door.

Naiwan akong tulala sa living area. Damn. Never in my life umurong ang dila ko. Yun lang yung nasabi ko? Kasi naman kapag si ChaCha na ang usapan, nawawala na ako sa tamang huwisyo.

I know what she can do. Pwedeng gumuho ang Fuentebella Towers in just one snap. Pero hindi ko ata kayang hiwalayan si Candy ko. Fvck this. Kaya ko na ngang kalimutan ang lahat para sa kanya tapos biglang papasok ang lola niya sa buhay namin. God. No.

Hindi mawawala sa'kin si ChaCha. She'll stay in my side until I ask her to leave.

I went upstairs. I nearly ran to her room and knocked. Pinagbuksan naman agad ako.

This breathtaking and heart-warming sight of hers, hindi ko talaga kayang pakawalan. Not in this lifetime.

I reached her to hug her. I felt like I can't breath thinking that I might lose her anytime.

One month...

Damn that one month!