Loving, Caring Hearts Book II of Lying Cheating Hearts (Completed)

Chapter 22

OMG sobrang ganda na ni Sunita. "Sunita!"

"Aileen! Oh Aileen! How have you been?!" maligayang-maligayang bati ng Indian beauty na si Sunita sa'kin. We kissed and hugged. "And boss," sabi lang nya kay Jake.

"You seem to have lost your enthusiasm when you acknowledged me Sunita," pansin na alam kong biro ni Jake.

"I see you in conferences all the time but I've only seen Aileen now!" sagot ni Sunita. "How are you?" tanong nya sa'kin. "And congratulations to you two on the impending nuptials," bati nya sa'min.

"Thanks Sunita. You look gorgeous by the way," puri ko. Nagkaroon kasi sya ng ibang glow, malamang kakaibang kumpyansa. She looked taller, more authoritative, she's ... she's who I used to be.

We all greeted each other and hugged and/ or shook hands those who attended for dinner before sitting down. They were my UK friends and some were officemates.

Nakaramdam ako ng kaunting inggit nang nagkuwentuhan na sila about work. Nang humingi ng update si Jake sa progress ng isang recent project, hindi na sila natigil sa pagkukuwento ng mga successes nila, whether small feats or massive business deals.

Napayuko ako and I had to stroke myself, I arranged the seams of my dress. Siguro I did that para aluin ang sarili ko dahil sa kaunting inggit na nararamdaman ko.

What could have happened if I stayed here in London for work?

Pag kinasal na kami ni Jake ano na bang mangyayari sa'kin? Mommy na ba agad? Will I work? I have to work. I know that some mothers don't have to and maybe shouldn't but I know in my heart I have to have a career. Ayun ako eh. Dun ko nararamdaman ang importansya ko. I was born to thrive in a corporate environment.

And I can't work with or for Jake or for their family. It would be weird and it wouldn't work.

Di naman ako entrepreneur to start my own business.

Eh ano? Saan? Paano?

Pero will I even have time for work? Eh asawa na 'ko? Nanay na?

"Are you okay?" bulong sa'kin ni Jake. He squeezed my hand and kissed my right temple.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," iling ko at ngiti.

"We might be boring Aileen. After all she's left all this behind for fancy New York," pansin at kumento ni Emile, ang isa pa noong Sales Executive na ngayon ay Marketing Director na nila.

"No, no, no," iling ko. "I'm actually enjoying your stories. It's good that the business' going great."

"It is, it is," tango ni Sunita.

"So are you like their boss then now as well?" tanong sa'kin ni Hashid na asawa na ni Sunita. Noon, kaka-arrange pa lang ng parents nila ng union nila.

"Oh no, no, no," matindi ang iling ko. Hindi dahil sa inasawa ko ang boss nila eh boss na rin ako.

"Oh we assumed you were coming back," sabi ni Hashmi, the IT guy.

"So you're going back to work in New York then?" tanong ni Katarina na life partner slash girlfriend ni Emile na ka-close namin ni Sunita noon nung nagtatrabaho pa ako.

"Um," tumingin ako kay Jake.

"We have something planned," salo nya sa'kin kahit alam kong wala. Ngumiti sya sa'kin. "But we don't want to jinx it so we're not saying it yet." Wala kaming plano. Wala lang talaga ako, pati sya, wala kaming masabi.

Ngumiti ako sa kanilang lahat.

"Oh my God! You're pregnant?! That's why it's so sudden!" Sunita exclaimed.