Almost Is Never Enough | ✓

CHAPTER 14

Livrin

"Ano ba namang pinaggagawa mo, Livrin! Bakit biglang bumaba ang sales ng kompanya ko?" naiinis na tugon ni Mom sa akin, halos maibato pa niya ang sariling cellphone sa aking harapan.

"What is wrong with you, mom? I tried everything for the company tapos ito lang mapapala ko? Galit mo? Ano pa, Mom?" anas ko sa kanya bago pa tuluyang talikuran saka nagpunta sa kwarto.

"Don't walk out on me, Livrin. I am not done talking with you!" Mom barely shouted on me. Dinuro-duro niya pa ako.

This is too much.

I was offended.

Nagkasalubong ang aking kilay dahil sa nararamdamang inis.

"Ano, Mom? Isusumbat mo na naman ba mga pagkukulang ko? My failures? My dow—"

I wasn't able to talk more. Bigla na lang nagring ang cellphone ni Mom kaya inis niya itong pinulot sa sahig.

"What is this time, Raquel?" Mom's voice in frustration. 

Raquel Fedrero was our full time secretary, mabuti nga't nagtagal pa siya sa kompanya kahit alam niyang ang sama ng ugali ni Mom.

"Ma'am Roseanne, naunahan na po tayong bilhin ang shares ni Don Enriquez. May nakabili na po kahapon.' Ani Raquel sa mahinahong boses.

"What? Sino?" Mom just sighed in frustration.

"Miss Ylena Lufranco, po ang pangalan, ma'am." Nahihiyang tugon nito kay Mom.

With all frustration, Mom just ended the call. Kitang-kita ki ang inis sa mukha niya't hindi mapakali sa kanyang narinig mula kay Raquel.

"Sino ba iyang, Ylena Lufranco!" anas ni Mom saka napaupo na lamang sa sofa at tinawagan ulit si Raquel.

Ang gulo ni Mom.

"Hello po, ma'am? Napatawag ka po ulit?" mahinanong tanong ni Raquel.

"Do some research about that woman, Raquel at balitaan mo ako kaagad!"

"Noted po, ma'am Roseanne."

Pinutol na rin kaagad ni Mom ang tawag.

Nakita ko kung paano nainis si Mom. She was very tensed and uncomfortable. She was even very scrutinized from head to toe.

Mom's gaze immediately turned to my gaze leaving a pissed-off face.

"You must do something, Livrin. Huwag kang tumunganga lang!" maawtoridad niyang utos sa akin.

I just nodded.

I had not taken my shower yet.

A Livrin Herrera can't do anything but just to following everything she wanted. All the time, I looked like a fool.

I don't have any freedom, I would be forced to follow every directive from the highest powers of my Mom. It would be more difficult for me to learn about life if I had no space for errors, specially to her eyes because freedom for her entails to complete the tasks she gave to me. I would have to act immediately and with extreme precision. In fact, I am continuously under pressure. I am under a lot of pressure, which makes my world more stressful to live in.

After taking a shower, I take a nap for a while. Pagod ako sobra sa trabaho.

"Hon, gumising ka muna," boses ni Abigail na gumising sa akin.

Abigail was my wife after Trisha signed the annulment paper. Lumipas lang ang isang linggo noon at nakahanap kaagad si Mom ng babaeng ipapakasal ulit sa akin kahit hindi ko kilala, kahit hindi ko mahal pero kahit umangal naman ako, si Mom pa rin ang nasusunod. After we got married, nalaman ko na lang na nabuntis siya. For Pete's sake, I didn't even touched her. How could I touch the woman I don't love!