LUNES, nagulat pa si Rivi nang maabutan ang kanyang ama sa hapagkainan. Akala niya nakaalis na 'to dahil alas-sais y media ng umaga ang laging alis nito sa trabaho at alas-syete na ngayon.
"Good morning, dad!" She greeted her father and kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning, Nay Inday!" bati niya rin sa kapapasok lang na mayordoma slash yaya niya simula bata pa lamang siya.
"Good morning, Riv." Pinagsilbihan agad siya nito, nilagyan ng pagkain ang kanyang pinggan at juice ang baso.
"Thanks, nay."
"Walang anuman. Sige na kumain ka na."
Her father was sitting at the center end of the table while she was on his left side. He put down the newspaper he was holding and then looked at her seriously. She already knows when her father is like this.
"Good thing you still wake up early even though you went home early in the morning.."
"Were you still awake when I got home, dad?" Ang isipin na hinihintay siya nito buong magdamag ay ikinabahala niya. Hindi na bata pa ang kanyang ama, kaya hanggat maaaring ay pinaalalahanan niya ito sa kalusugan nito.
"No..." Nakahinga siya ng maluwag. "Kyle just told me where you went yesterday." Oh, his driver. Hiniram niya kasi ang driver nito kahapon sa lakad nila magkaibigan. "You told me you were only going to Tagaytay but why did you go to La Union, Paulina?" She winced at the name his father called her. She hated that name. And when her father called her that, she knew he didn't like what she did. "Idinamay mo pa talaga si Kyle sa mga lakwatsa ninyong magkakaibigan, alam mong may trabaho iyon." He continued.
They were really going to go to Tagaytay, but the plan changed when Soliel called them to go to La Union because she was there with her boyfriend and friend.
"We're just the same, dad--"
"But your work is different, Paulina. What if that young man falls asleep while driving due to lack of sleep?"
"Sorry, dad." Ayaw din naman niya mangayri ang sinabi nito.
"Nu'ng Sabado madaling araw ka na rin umuwi. Kulang na lang gumapang ka na paakyat ng hagdan sa sobrang kalasingan mo. Kailan ka ba magtitino, Paulina? You're thirty and you are not young anymore."
"Dad, naman. Hindi ko naman pinababayaan ang trabaho ko, eh." She just likes to go to bars and wander everywhere, but when it comes to work, she's serious and a perfectionist. Pag-ba-bar at paggala na nga lang ang kasiyahan niya, eh. Ayaw din naman niya iburo ang sarili sa loob ng bahay matapos ang limang araw na pagsusunog ng kilay sa trabaho.
"Hindi nga, pero 'pag weekend at holidays naman ay hindi ka mapermi dito sa bahay. What if something happens to you outside, Paulina, huh? Ayaw kong may mangya--"
"Dad, I'm always careful," pagputol niya sa sasabihin nito. Kay aga-aga nag-dadrama na naman 'to.
"Careful ba 'yung lasing na lasing ka palagi umuuwi 'pag nag-ba-bar kayo magkakaibigan?"
"Malalasing talaga kami, dad, puro alak ang nandoon, eh."
"Paulina!" tila nauubos na pasensiyang utas nito. "Noong kabataan ko hind--"
"Noon 'yun, dad, iba kami ngayon," pagputol niya uli. Lagi na lang binabalikan ang nakaraan nito, eh. "Late ka na, dad."
Her father immediately looked at his expensive wristwatch. "Oh, I have to go." Tumayo agad 'to. "Before I forget, what is the progress of Mister Tan's commercial building?"
"Nasa engineers na ang architectural blueprints, dad, at sisimulan na ang ground breaking bukas."
"Make sure to finish it before the deadline that Mister Tan said, Riv. Monitor the site from time to time."
BINABASA MO ANG
Fated To Love
General FictionHe is quiet and serious among his friends. The type that will only listen to complaints and speak up when necessary. Filipino, Russian fintech mogul Zero Allen Federova is the type of man who when entering into a relationship is serious and strict...
