PIA: Son, are you awake? (nakatayo sa labas ng pinto)
ELMO: Yes Mom, come in.
PIA: (pumasok sa room) Good morning, Son! (beso)
ELMO: (beso) Morning, Ma. What brought you here? (nag-aayos ng bag)
PIA: I just came here to give you this papers. Maxx told me you’ll be needing this. (hawak ang isang envelope)
ELMO: (tiningnan ang hawak ng ina) Thanks, Ma. But you should have just asked Manong to drop this to my office para hindi ka na napagod na pumunta dito.
PIA: It’s okay, Son. I also wanted to see you kaya I volunteered na ihatid ito dito. Hindi ka na kasi pumupunta sa bahay para bisitahin kami.
ELMO: (tiningnan ang ina) I’m sorry, Ma. I’m just so busy. Ang daming trabaho sa company. Don’t worry I’ll visit you there soon.
PIA: Well, you should. Miss na miss ka na ng mga kapatid mo.
ELMO: I miss them too, especially you. (smile)
PIA: I miss you too, Son. ( smile then hug) So, how are you?
ELMO: (bumalik sa pag-aayos ng gamit) I’m fine, Ma. I’m doing good. Don’t worry about me.
PIA: I just wanna make sure. Bakit hindi ka na lang kasi bumalik sa bahay natin instead of living here alone.
ELMO: Ma, we’ve talked about it already. It’s not that I don’t want to live there, it’s just that I’m old enough to live alone. I’m already 24. Besides, this is more convenient for me malapit lang sa office ang condo ko.
PIA: Yeah… And speaking o your age, malapit na ang birthday mo. Don’t make any appointments on that day and be sure to be at home, okay?
ELMO: Okay, I will.
PIA: Good. (smile)
ELMO: I have to go now. I have a meeting at 8. (sinarado ang bag)
PIA: Ok. Here are the papers baka makalimutan mo. (inabot)
ELMO: (kinuha at nilagay sa bag) Thanks, Ma. (beso)
PIA: I’ll stay here to do some cleaning for you. Ang gulo ng room mo.
ELMO: Thanks, Ma. Call Manang for some help.
PIA: Will do.
ELMO: (lumabas na)
PIA:(naiwan) (POV: I miss you so much, Son. Sana bumalik na ang dati mong sigla. Sana bumalik na ang ningning sa mga mata mo kapag ngumingiti ka. Sana bumalik na ang dating ikaw.) (malungkot)
SA COMPANY:
EMPLOYEE1: Good morning, Sir.
EMPLOYEE2: Good morning, Sir.
ELMO: Good morning. (tuloy tuloy sa office nya)
SANDY(secretary):Good morning, Sir. Here’s your schedule for today. (inabot ang planner)
ELMO: (tiningnan at umupo) Ok. Can you get me a cup of coffee?
SANDY: Yes, Sir. (kumuha ng kape)
ELMO: (binabasa ang schedule)
SANDY: Here’s your coffee, Sir. (nilapag sa table)
ELMO: Thank you. Uhm, do I have any sched for the 27th of the month?
SANDY: Wala pa naman po.
ELMO: (binaba ang planner) Good. Don’t any appointment on that day. Leave it free.
SANDY: Yes, Sir. Uhm, Sir, the news just came in. One of our investors will be arriving first week next month. I think we got the building project for their company.
ELMO: Really? What company?
SANDY: The SJC, Sir.
ELMO: SJC… (nag-isip) Give the complete details of that company. I want it on my table after lunch.
SANDY: Yes, Sir.
ELMO: You can go back to your work now.
SANDY: Yes, Sir. (lumabas na)
INTERCOM: Elmo, please come to my office now.
ELMO: Yes, Sir. (lumabas ng room)
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
FRANCIS: Come in.
ELMO: (pumasok) You called me, Dad.
FRANCIS: Yes, come here, Iho. Have a seat.
ELMO: (umupo sa harap ng table) Is there any problem?
FRANCIS: Nothing really. I just called you to inform you that we have and investor arriving next month.
ELMO: Yeah, my secretary just told me.
FRANCIS: Good, good. Now, I want you to be the one in-charge of that business. They gave us the construction project of their new building and I want you to work with them on that project.
ELMO: (nakatingin sa ama) Okay, I’ll take care of it.
FRANCIS: (tiningnan ng seryoso si Elmo) Son, I want you to be very careful and well prepared on this project. We don’t want to lose an investor and a construction project. This is a very important project. That investor is very important.
ELMO: Sounds like it’s not just an ordinary investor. Don’t worry Dad, I’ll do my best on this project.
FRANCIS: (POV: Yes, Son, it’s not. You’ll be working with them.) (seryoso pa rin ang tingin) All investors are important, and so do every project. They are important in different ways. This investor has been supporting us since the first day of our business. That’s what makes them special.
ELMO: (kunot noo) The SJC? I didn’t know that.
FRANCIS: Yes.
ELMO: I’ve been working here for years and yet I still don’t know that company.
FRANCIS: Relax, Son. They changed their company name last year from NAS to SJC. They are one of our major investors and business partner.
ELMO: NAS…. Yeah, I remember that company. Hindi ba kayo ang palaging humaharap sa kanila? Why do you want me to take charge now?
FRANCIS: You are the VP and the future President of this company that’s why I want to know our investors. From now on, you will be in-charge of all the meeting with our investors and partners. I’ll just guide. You get it?
ELMO: Yes, Dad. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.
FRANCIS: I know you will. (smile)
ELMO: I’ll go back to my office now. I have a meeting in few minutes.
FRANCIS: Ok.
ELMO: (lumbas na)
FRANCIS: (POV: Sana maging maayos ang muling pagkikita ninyo. Sana napatawad ka na nila.)
