His Personal Driver

HPD 34

[ 34 ]

Nichole's POV

I immediately left New York after sabihin sa akin ni Paul ang ginawa ni Mommy. God! Kailan pa ba titigil si Mommy sa pangingialam sa buhay ko?

I also told James about it and he actually wants to go with me here, but I told him na much better kung kami muna ni Paul ang haharap kay Mommy. Baka mas lalong magfreak out ang witch mom ko kapag tatlo kaming makikita niya.

Hindi ko na sinabi kay Paul ang pag-uwi ko but I'm planning to go straight to his house.

"Ma'am Nichole! Kayo ho pala iyan? Kailan po kayo nakabalik?"

"Mang Kaloy, why are you here? Nasa loob ba si Paul?"

Si Mang Kaloy ang nagbukas sa akin ng gate. I just used a taxi lang kasi papunta rito sa bahay ni Paul. Kinuha niya ang maletang dala ko.

"Ayy opo Ma'am, kasama niya po si Sherlyn."

I smiled when I heard her name.

"Nasa loob din po sina Sir Michael at Sir Anthony..."

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad.

"Si Dad and Kael? Are they having a miting de avance without me?"

Napailing lang si Mang Kaloy. Well, that supposed to be a joke. But Mang Kaloy did not buy it, so babawi na lang ako next time.

"Paiwan na lang diyan ng gamit, Mang Kaloy. Salamat."

"Sige po, Ma'am. Nandoon ho sina Sir sa pool area." Tumango lang ako sabay ngumiti.

I walked to the pool area and I saw the four of them. They all looked so serious.

Is this all because of the silly engagement?

"Binasa ko po ang mga laman niyan at diyan ko nalamang hindi totoong patay na ang Papa ko. Mga sulat po iyan na hindi niya naibigay.  Gusto ko lang po malaman, Mr. Valencia, kung para sa inyo po ba talaga ang mga sulat na iyan ni Mama?" Sherlyn said to Daddy.

Like what?!

"Nichole, hija. Nandiyan ka p-pa..."

Sumenyas ako kay Manang Pilar to be quiet and I looked again to their direction.

Manang Pilar stayed behind me.

"Oo anak, para sa akin nga ang mga ito." Dad answered her.

I literally dropped my jaw and a tear immediately fell from my eye. I also heard Manang Pilar gasped.

Dinig na dinig namin ni Manang lahat. I can't believe all of it.

I'm trying not to make any sound throughout their conversation. I'm just covering my mouth and letting my tears streaming down my face.

Pero parang kung ano na nagpabalik-balik lahat ng mga sinabi ni Daddy about kay Mommy sa isip ko.

Pabalik-balik na parang kinukuha ang lakas ko.

Until I lost my balance.

Sherlyn's POV

Kitang-kita namin ang disbelief sa mukha ni Nichole habang umiiyak siya. Nakaalalay naman sa likod niya si Manang Pilar.

"Nichole, anak..."

Lalapitan sana ni Papa si Nichole pero pinigilan niya ito.

"D-Dad... is it true?... about Mom?... about Sherlyn?... about you?... about us?"

Halos hindi na siya makapagsalita dahil sa tuluy-tuloy na pag-iyak niya. I bit my lower lip. Kung masakit sa akin, alam kong mas dobleng sakit ang nararamdaman niya ngayon.

Naihilamos na lang ni Papa ang kamay niya sa mukha niya sabay tumango kay Nichole.

She lost her balance pero agad siyang nahawakan ni Kael.

"No..." Halos pabulong na lang niyang sabi na hindi pa rin makapaniwala.

"I-I'm sorry, anak..."

Dinig ko ang pagcrack ng boses ni Papa and I know he's stopping himself from crying.

Hindi ko naman napigilan ang pagtulo ng luha ko. Nakita iyon ni Paul kaya mas hinigpitan niya ang pagkakayakap niya mula sa likuran ko.

"Nics!"

"Nichole!"

"Anak..."

Halos sabay-sabay naming pagtawag sa kanya. Tumakbo siya papalayo sa amin and I was about to run after her pero...

"Ako na ang kakausap sa kanya..."

Pigil sa akin ni Papa kaya tumango na lang ako. Naiwan kaming lahat sa pool area na tahimik at wala ni isang umiimik.

Nichole' POV

"Ma'am, okay lang po kayo?" The taxi driver asked me.

"Don't mind me."

I wiped my tears but they continuously falling down. Urrrgh!

No. This can't be happening. I know I always called Mom as witch. I know she sometimes looks like a witch for me, but I never thought she can also be that evil and worse than a criminal!

"Ma'am, nandito na po tayo sa sinasabi niyo."

I looked outside, then I get some money from my wallet and give it to the driver.

At lumabas na ako.

"Ma'am! Sobra po itong binigay niyo..."

Pero hindi ko na pinansin ang tawag sa akin ng driver. What matters to me now is to talk to that person...

"M-Miss Nichole, may kailangan po ba kayo?"

I didn't answer her.

"M-Miss Nichole... hindi po kayo pwedeng pumunta diyan. May board meeting po si..."

I opened the door without knocking. Why do I have to?

Everyone from this room looked at me pero hindi sila ang pinunta ko rito.

"Nichole! Did you forget to bring your respect with you here?"

"We need to talk."

"Can't you see we're in the middle of an important meeting?"

I looked at the people around me.

A look that is enough to remind them who I am.

"Hindi niyo ba narinig ang sinabi ko? I said we need to talk so all of you get out! I said GET OUT!"

Mabilis naman silang nag-alisan sa loob ng conference room. But Mom just remained on her seat, looking at me with full of disbelief.

"What's the matter with you? You really don't know how to respect your mother!"

I sarcastically laughed when I heard the word "mother".

Alam niya pala ang salitang iyan.

"Is it true, Mom?"

"Oh. Is this all about your engagement with Paul? You're being so childish again, Nichole!"

"It's not about that. D'you think I will let you do that?"

"Nichole Erynne!"

"Paul will never be my fiancé because Paul is not my boyfriend and he never was!"

"What?!"

"But that's not why I'm here."

"Do you think I will believe that Paul is not your boyfriend?"

"Who is Sheila Arpiza?"

I looked at her.

At kitang-kita ko ang paglaki ng dalawang mga mata niya.