Wreck Me, Cia Clemente

51:

"Have you thought about it now?"

Marahang pagbuntong-hininga kaagad ang napakawalan ko habang nakatingin sa direksyon ni Ms. Gelai. Dalawang araw matapos ang pag-uusap namin ay narito akong muli sa office niya. Binigyan niya lang ako ng dalawang araw para isipin ang desisyon ko dahil bukas na bukas din ay uumpisahan na ang kaso. She wants the case to end as soon as possible, too. She wants to teach her husband the lesson he deserves.

Nasabi ko na ito kay Esmeralda. Nag-usap na kami kahapon at lahat ng detalye ay wala akong pinalampas. She needs to know everything else in regard to this case and so I told her about it. She was as shock as me on the turn of events and I expected that, but gladly she said yes. Ang desisyon daw kung gugustuhin kong idamay din sa demandahan si Cia ay nasa akin. Besides, it wasn't her to know her and how she acted to let her be the verdict. Kahit ano raw ang maging desisyon ko ay okay lamang. That made me even more anxious. If she should have given me a yes or no at least, hindi ako mahihirapan sa ngayon. Mabait pa rin talaga si Esmeralda dahil iniisip pa rin niya ang kapakanan ni Cia pati na rin ang mararamdaman ko sa mga desisyong ito.

"It's just four o'clock. May ilang oras pa akong natitira sa dalawang araw na ibinigay mo, Ms. Jelai."

She looked at me a chuckled. "So, you are really thinking about it that deep. Siguro ay napakagaling ni Ms. Cia sa kama that even you cannot make up your mind about it. My husband...even got swayed." She sarcastically said.

"No. It's just that Cia is still a kid." sabay buntong-hininga ko ulit. "When I asked Esmeralda, this is what she said. Masyado pa raw bata si Cia. Malapit pa lang siyang grumaduate at makatulong sa pamilya niya. She is just about to get to her next level of life as a young adult. This might ruin how she start her reality."

"So, ayaw mong idawit siya rito sa kaso?"

"No... I mean yes. I don't know. Esmeralda also told me that she needs lessons because she might get comfortable doing what she did in the future. But knowing it's you who's going to lead the case, alam niyang hindi madali ang ipapataw sa kaniya. Esmeralda is stuck in the yes or no option, too, just like me."

"You want me to decide?"

"No." Agad ko na rin lang sambit. I sighed. "It's still too early. I'll just text you before 11:59 PM today. My answer."

Ms. Gelai chuckled once again. I don't even know what her look means right now. If it is mocking me or just really cannot believe I gave that kind of answer to her.

"Okay. Fine. Can you give me the bank account to transfer the money? Ms. Emerald's."

"You really do not need to do that, Ms. Gelai. Just protecting her from your husband is more than enough."

"Chances like this are very rare. You probably have three to five million fortunes in your savings account but are you really sure you do not want it?" she asked once again. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can retire, both you and Ms. Emerald and start your own business using this money. Or you want me to talk to Ms. Emerald instead? You know I hate her, too."

"No. Ako na lang. I'll give it to you. Don't contact her. She hates you, too."