Saving Forever For You

*10*

[Simon]

Both my eyes pinned into her whole being on stage when she's delivering her speech but naalala ko yung nameet kong girl sa Baguio kasi magkamukha sila.

Don't tell me.. She's that woman???

If she is that woman, then it's really very small world for us. Nilibot pa niya ang tingin niya nasa paligid hanggang sa nagtama nga ang tingin namin sa isa't isa. Umiwas na ako agad.

"Si, Si.. What a coincidence!" bulong sa akin ni Sandro na katabi ko lang naman. Agad ko naman siyang tinitigan kasi mukhang sure naman siya sa sinasabi niya.

"Ang alin?" tanong ko rin pabalik.

"That woman, Callista.. That day, I entered the wrong car by mistake, and she is the driver. Ughh! small small world.." tugon niya.

So, it means she met me first then Sandro. Small world indeed.

"I actually met her first.." sabi ko at napatingin siya sa akin.

"Ohw.. when was that?" umayos siya ng upo. Nakikinig ang mga tao at eto kami nag-chichismisan.

"During there Anniversary in Baguio farms. We met there and I didn't know that she was Callista kasi hindi ko naman alam ang hitsura niya." pumalakpak na ako kahit di ko naiintindihan kasi hindi kami nakinig kasi chismis kami ng chismis ni Sandro.

"Callista is so funny right?" tanong ni Vinny after Callista's speech. Binigyan lang namin siya ng ngiti at nagkibit balikat lang.

"Hala Pops oh si Sandro and Simon did not listen to Ms. Callista's speech." sumbungero talaga tong si Vinny.. Tsssss..

"Hayaan mo na.. wag mo din istorbohin si Simon kasi mag-iispeech din yan in a bit" sabi ni Pops. Pinaalala pa talaga. nawala na sana yung kaba ko.

"Good evening! I want to thank all my kompadres, komadres, my staffs, partners,  and my family who give their time to join us here in this important event in our family. I appreciate the Marcos clan who are all present here to support me and my daughter Callista. As all you know I am from a family who has farms in Mexico and Columbia that my parents built. Pinamana sa akin ng aking ina ang mga farms na yun kaso napilitan kaming ibenta to accommodate all her hospital bills and medication. But when my parents died I went to the Philippines to find myself a decent job to build my own farms here in the Philippines, there I met my wife and had 4 kids. Caroline, Carlos Miguel, Callista Ynez and Colt Gabriel. Now I'm here expanding the family business and now I'm happy to announce that after a decade of deliberation the time has come, I'm happy to announce that SSVGroup will be our major stockholder in Hacienda Ferrera. They were so loyal shareholders in Baguio and Bacolod Ferrera farms too.." ito na talaga sure na ako na ako na ang tatawagin ni Tito Bart. 

"Please may I call on the COO, Ms. Callista Ferrera." dagdag nito at nakita ko rin siyang paakyat ng stage. May binubulong sa kanya si Tito Bart. Siya yata ang tatawag sa akin..

"Son, ready?" tapik sa akin ni Pops at sobrang lapad ng ngiti na nakakaasar din. Tumango na lang ko bilang sagot.

"I'm back po. Dapat kasi si Daddy na mag announce pero I need to follow orders.. " natatawang sambit nito. Malakas ang sense of humor ng babaeng to for sure.

"As what Mr. Ferrera announced that SSVGroup will be our major stockholder. I happy and excited to work with SSVGroup in the future. And I welcome you the CEO of SSVGroup. Mr. Josef Simon M-Marcos." nauutal pa siya nung binasa niya ang surname ko. Agad na akong umakyat sa stage to deliver my message.

Inabot niya sa akin ang mic pero may binulong siya na very unexpected talaga.

"What a small world huh.. ikaw pala yun." yun ang binulong niya pero ang dating sa akin parang kuryente na biglang dumaloy sa katawan ko. I just smiled after.