Bygone Memories of Yesterday (Affliction Series #2) ✔

Chapter 17

“I am so sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford,” I said while occupying the seat in front of them. 

Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford are a married couple planning to have their second wedding this year, in celebration of their 40th year of being married. Si Mrs. Rutherford ay isang Pilipina kaya naman gusto nitong sa Pilipinas gawin ang okasyon. 

“It’s okay, Angelique. We know that you’re busy.” I just forced a smile and chose not to tell them the real reason why I was late. 

“Shall we start?” The couple nodded and I started explaining my plans for their wedding. 

At the age of 23, instead of finishing college, I worked as a wedding planner. Mula ng maging fully recovered ako ay kinulit ko si Auntie na turuan ako kung pa’no maging wedding planner gaya niya. I was hoping to help her but I didn’t expect na ako ang sasalo sa trabaho niya ngayong may sakit na siya. 

We didn’t know she had gastric cancer until she collapsed and screamed in pain. Her sickness took us by surprise. Noong una, kaya pa namang tustusan ang pangangailangan namin. Not until my mother’s café in the Philippines was robbed by its own manager and we had no choice but to close it down. We don’t have enough money to cover for the losses. Natanggal din kasi sa trabaho si Papa.

I’m now basically the breadwinner of the family.

Pero hindi naman ako nagrereklamo. We won’t lose everything kung hindi ako nagkasakit in the first place. My hospital bills is what turned our lifestyle upside down. Kulang pa nga itong ginagawa ko para makabawi sa kanila.

“Anj, take a look.” Ang boses na iyon ang pumukaw sa naglalaro kong isip. “What’s that?” tanong ko habang dumudungaw sa pinagkakaabalahan ng kaibigan kong si Gloriebelle.

“I made an account for the business,” she answered with a thick American accent. Kumunot ang noo ko.

“Don’t we already have a social media account?” 

Gloriebelle and I are members of this organization that specializes on planning events. Karamihan sa mga miyembro ay Pilipino o may dugong Pilipino. This organization aims to help the Filipino community here in the US. Si Auntie talaga ang kasali rito but since she’s sick, I took her position. Kabilang si Auntie sa mga tulad ni Gloriebelle na wedding planner. 

“Not for this, silly.” Gloriebelle showed me her tablet. “Para sa business na itatayo ko sa Philippines.”

Napatangu-tango ako. “Itutuloy mo na talaga,” I concluded.

“Yep.” Hinawakan niya ako sa balikat. “Have you changed your mind about joining?”

Glori offered me to take part as a co-owner of the business. Hindi naman kailangang problemahin ang malaking halaga, she said. She and her cousin, Diana, plans to start little, she said. And compared here, Philippines is a better location for wedding planners like us kaya hindi naman daw mahihirapang makakuha ng kliyente. The business will bloom in no time. But still ...

“No.” Bumagsak ang balikat niya. “I just don’t see the importance. My life is here and I’m contented with my job. It’s not enough to sustain my family’s needs but at least, I’m able to provide for the majority. And ...” I glanced at her. “If we go to the Philippines, we’ll start from zero, right?”