I never heard anything from her since that day in the orphanage. She got busy with her work, and so am I at the company. It's not that I'm expecting her to make an effort to reach out to me because that would be so impossible given the fact that we're not really on good terms.
Baka nga napilitan lang din iyon magpaligaw sa akin. Pero go pa din.
Weird kong tinignan ang mga employees na nagsitahimik matapos akong matanaw na parating. Hindi pa kasi ako nakain kaya naisipan ko muna na bumaba kesa naman magpadeliver ng foods. Nabuburyot na ako sa loob ng office and as much as possible ayaw ko muna ma tempt na mang stalk sa social media ng asawa ko. Basta ang alam ko nasa ibang bansa ito, ulit. Hiindi na naman nag paalam.
Tahimik akong naupo matapos makuha ang pagkain ko. Hindi ko na pinansin pa ang tingin sa akin ng mga tao sa paligid. Ganyan naman siila simula ng bumalik ako. Parang lagi silang nakakakita ng multo o di kaya monster kasi yung iba nag uunahan pa umiwas sa akin. Buti na nga lang may sarili akong elevator kaya naman hindi ko na sila nakakasabay sa loob niyon.
My days were always gloomy, but I don't blame them if they were all afraid of me. Butler Joe told me before that I was really a scary boss. It's a good thing I have a lot of patience now, and I'm not letting their judgments get on my nerves, especially the board members. Those bunch of old men who doubt my capability to continue leading the company because of my current state. I'm a lady boss who doesn't have a clear memory of my past and yeah, it sucks!
**********
"Hi!" - I greeted her merrily when the door swung open, revealing a goddess in her sleeping attire.
She didn't bother greeting me back. She just stared coldly at me and left her condo door open. I sighed and gripped the flowers I was holding as I made my way inside her unit. I heard that she came back; that's why I'm here to pay her a visit, and by the looks of it, I guess I disturbed her peaceful sleep.
Well, na miss ko sya e kahit hindi nya ako miss. Maingat kong nilapag sa couch yung bulaklak na dala ko at saka ako nagtungo sa kusina para ihanda ang mga pagkain na dala ko sa kanya. Madali lang naman akong nakapasok dito sa condominium dahil ang alam nga ng iba friends lang kami.
Inantay ko syang lumabas ng room nya at nilibang ko muna ang sarili ko sa pagtingin sa paligid. First time ko dito at masasabi ko na ang ganda ng condo nya. Malinis at mabango. May iilan ilan paintings sa pader at sa mga pasamano sa kabilang banda nanduon ang mga achievements nya.
I went closer to have a clearer view of a picture frame that was facing down. Slowly, I touch it and take a glimpse of what is hidden in it. It's her picture with a blue-eyed, beautiful woman. Both of them were smiling there, and I know that it was her real and genuine smile. My breathing becomes hard because, in our past encounter, she never smiled at me like that.
Who--
"What are you doing?!" - she exclaimed, which startled me. She snatched the frame from my hand as she gave me a quick glare. "Don't touch my things!"
I swallowed hard and watched her slowly place the picture back in its position, like she was afraid that it might get broken if she wasn't careful.
"S-sorry.." - walang lakas na bigkas ko at ngumiti nalang kahit nabigla pa din ako. "Kumain ka na ba? Halika, may dala akong foods."
Nauna na akong umalis at nagpunta sa kusina. Akala ko nga hindi sya susunod pero paglingon ko ay nakita ko na sya. Tinignan nya ang mga dala ko at tahimik na naupo sa bakanteng upuan.
"Coffee?" - I asked but she didn't answer.
Bumuntong hininga nalang ako at nagsalin nalang ng tubig sa mga baso namin bago naupo sa katapat nyang upuan. Tahimik kaming kumain. Gusto ko syang kausapin pero mukhang wala sya sa mood dahil walang makikitang bakas ng warm welcome sa mukha nya.
