When We Happened

Chapter 49: Hard Conversations

Chapter 49

Hard Conversations

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

As I stared at the spread I prepared tonight, the food I cooked and slaved over, I couldn't help but fume in anger and frustration at being stood up. Well, this was supposed to be a surprise dinner for two at home, but he has to come home for it to be a successful surprise.

Yeah, he wasn't coming home since there was a social media crisis sa isa nilang client, and he's one of the people who was tasked to help in that work emergency.

Gosh. I know it's an emergency... but this has been happening since I came home almost a week ago! Ano pang point na meron kaming joint calendar when we can't even plan accordingly? We can't even make our days off in synch!

"So you're telling me, umuwi ako for nothing?" I asked him through the other line, after listening to him apologize and saying na 'babawi ako' for the twentieth time.

"Babe, it's not for nothing. Hindi lang talaga nagkatugma schedule natin now because of the emergencies I have at work," he explained, his voice patient. "Hindi rin naman dapat sa akin lang umikot ang mundo mo kapag may free days ka. You can spend it with your friends or your parents, they all missed you while you were gone for London."

I get what he's saying but I don't like how he said it. Ginagalit niya lang ako lalo sa mga sinasabi niya!

"Can you please stop, Storm?" I asked him before I calmly reminded him why I was here. "From the beginning, you knew the only reason I pushed for these dates to come home to is because of you."

"I know. I'm just saying—"

"No. You're done talking," I snapped at him for interrupting. "You're now going to listen to what I'm about to say."

He didn't say anything, so I continued with my tirade. "You're saying na hindi sa'yo lang dapat umiikot ang mundo ko kapag may bakasyon ako. Tama ka naman. In fact, I have spending these past few days with my friends and family, exclusively. So don't say that to me, mag-isip ka ng bagong pampalubag-loob."

"I'm not making excuses, I'm just simply giving you options on how you could spend your day without me."

"I already did all of them!" I shot back in annoyance. "I just want to do one thing. I just want to spend a day with you. Kailan ba kita nakita this week ha?"

"We get to see each other every night. Sa'yo naman ako umuuwi."

"I know, but I don't even see you! You leave the morning before I'm awake, you come home when I'm already fast asleep. Kung meron mang araw na nagkikita tayo, iilang oras lang 'yun. I went home for you and you're not even here half the time–no, most of the time!"

I heard him heave a deep sigh from the other line. "I have a job, Asher—"

Well, so am I! But the difference is, I love my job but I still find a way to leave it behind and come home to him. Pero sige, unahin natin 'yung trabaho niyang alam naman nating ayaw niya at bigay ng kinamumuhian niyang tatay.

"Yes, you have a job that you hate! A job that makes you fucking miserable!"

I may have touched a nerve when Storm responded, this time his patient voice is gone. "It's the job that pays the bills, puts food on our table, takes you out on dates! It's the job that doesn't push you to provide for us!"

What? Does he think siya lang nagta-trabaho for the two of us? I'm saving up for our future, too! I've always wanted to help with our expenses, but he never accepts my offers. Tapos may ganito pala siyang nararamdaman ngayon?