A LOVE THAT STARTED IN MY BOSS' OFFICE

CHAPTER 7

Yuseff's POV

"How dare you hurt Fere!!"

"Patricia I am not in the mood to talk to you."

"How dare you! Kung hindi pa ako pumunta dito, I won't know how you treat my friend!"

"Patricia!"

"Ano?? Sisigawan mo din ako?! Andun si Fere sa desk nya. Ayaw tumayo, ayaw makipagusap! Nakadukdok at ginagawa ang trabaho nya habang patuloy na lumuluha!"

"Anong pakialam ko?"

Silence.

"Kuya, Ayoko magwork si Fere dito because she's still vulnerable and you being her boss won't help her. She just lost her Dad and Lola this year. Her mom is still in the asylum. Today is her baby sister's family day and thank you cause you ruin it." Patrica take a deep breath. "I know what's with today but not because your having a bad day you'll ruin someone else's. I'll drag my friend with me, please let us be."

Patricia walked out.

Yes, today is not a good day and yes, it'll be forever a bad day for me. Dahan dahan kong binuksan ang drawer ko and I saw the ring she returned to me 3 years ago.

3 years ago, I wasn't the man I am now. I used to be loving, I used to be compassionate. I used to be kind and giving. Smiling on the thought. If I have not been so kind, will I be happy?

Fere's POV

Kanina pagkatapos namin magaway ni Sir Yuseff pinagpatuloy ko na lang yung trabaho ko. Kapag pala matagal kang di umiyak, madami pala reserve ng tubig sa katawan. Kahit gaano kasama ang loob ko, pinagpatuloy ko ang pgtatrabaho. Wala akong choice, eto ang bumubuhay sa aming magkakaptid. Nakakahiya naman kay Madam at Patricia, sa lahat lahat ba naman ng naitulong nila, ano ba naman yung palampasin ko na lang ang pangiinsulto ni Sir Yuseff. Sigurado naman akong maiintindihan ni Faye kapag pinaliwanag ko.

Past 4:00pm nagulat na lang ako ng biglang dumating si Patch.

"What the hell happened???"

I jusy shake my head. Wala akong lakas magpaliwanag sa pinakamakulit na tao.

"You won't tell me ha!"

Nagulat na lang ako ng bigla syang pumasok sa opisina ng kuya nya. Lord, pakikalma po si Patricia, hindi ko na po kaya ng isa pang gulo.

Halos kalahating oras din sila nagsigawan. Hanggang sa humupa ang tensyon sa loob hanggang sa lumabas si Patricia at hinigit ako mula sa pagkakaupo ko.

"Halika!"

"Patch, please."

Ayokong sumama kay Patricia, ayoko na ng gulo. Magtatrabaho na lang ako dahil yun ang kailangan.

"Pumayag sya kaya halika na."

Patuloy  ako sa pagtatrabaho. Hindi ko pinapansin si Patricia pero hinila nya ako pilit.

"Sakay!!!"

Patricia can really be scary. Maybe because she's born getting everything she wants.

"Do you know that Faye is crying to death dahil hindi ka dumating??? Faye called Tamie crying, at si Mama Tamie eh nagpapanic duon sa Davao dahil nagpromise ka daw. I just learned that your boss didn't allowed you to leave."

"Tapos na ang family day."

"Alam ko, andun ako kanina eh. Isinama na lang ni Aira yung dalawa sa amusement park. Ikaw kailangan kitang dalhin sa lugar na payapa."

"Okay lang ba si Fate at Faye?"

"Oo naman! Anong tingin mo? pinabayaan namin ang mga kapatid mo?"

"Hindi naman."

"Magpahinga ka muna, gigisingin kita mamaya."

Hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta ni Patricia, hindi ko din alam kung ano ang plano nya, masamang masama ang loob ko ngayon at wala akong kakayahang suwayin sila. Palagay ko'y matagal kami nagbyahe dahil nagising ako, sobrang dilim na sa paligid.

"San tayo Patch?"

"Bahay to ni Ishie. Susunod daw sya mamaya."

I just nodded. Wala ako sa mood magsalita o magisip man lang.

"I am really sorry Fere for today. I am sorry for letting Yuseff hurt you."

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya.

"You know, Kuya had been the kindest man I ever knew."

"Wag kang joke. Wala ako sa mood."

"I am not joking. Totoong mabait sya, 3 years ago."

I looked at her. She looked pained.

"Today, they should have been married for 3 years." deep breath

"Ever since highschool, Kuya Yuseff have loved Kristina more than everything. He loved her so much he would give her the world. 3 years ago, they plan to get married, who am I to stop the 8 years to forever drama?" Patricia started story telling

"Kuya being so kind arranged everything for her, lahat lahat. But I see it coming. Kristina's love for Kuya is fading. Kristina learned to love another man . It's Kuya Yuseff's friend. Cliche. Kristina two timed Kuya and his friend. It's really hard to accept that the other man was the man Kuya had been helping. God."

Patricia cried.

"Tony is his name. Kuya helped him financially para makapag aral sya. He treated him as his own brother. He gave him what he needed. He gave him shelter, he gave him food. He clothe him. He made him what he is. Nagagalit na kami ni Lola kasi yung para sa kanya, ibinibigay nya pa. He trusted them. He almost gave up everything including us, just to help his friend and what they do in return? They eloped."

I just looked at her.

"Hindi ko sinasabi ito para kaawaan mo sya, I need you to understand Kuya. Like you, he'd had enough. Kaya nga ayaw ko na magtrabaho ka sa kanya, ayoko dahil pareho kayong may broken soul."

"Pero andito na to."

"Kaya nga. Please Fere, let me know if there's something you're being through, I am your friend, we are sisters. Sabihin mo para matulungan kita."

"Andami dami mo nang tulong Patch. Kayo na lang lagi ang tumutulong."

"Who's counting? Wala naman diba? Ikaw ang may kailangan ngayon kaya kami ang tumutulong, kung nagkataon na iba ang may kailangan, sila naman ang tutulungan natin diba? Kung nagkataong ako ang anjan sa posisyon mo, I know yoou'll do better than I do." Patricia then hugged me

"Isa lang naman ang hiling ko sa'yo. Please be happy. Do anything that would make you happy. Nalulungkot kami kasi alam namin na hindi mo pa kayang ngumiti ng kagaya ng dati, pero sana, help yourself to heal. Ikaw lang ang makakagamot sa sarili mo. Mahal ka namin Fere, mahalin mo din ang sarili mo." She said as she caress my face

And hugged her tight while crying out loud. Kailangan ko nga sigurong ilabas ito para mapalaya ko na ang sakit.

Past 9:00 pm dumating si Ishie. She've been aloof since she started schooling. Alam ko, may problema din sya at siguro, kailangan kong mapalaya ang sakit ng sarili ko para matulungan ko din ang kaibigan ko.

And maybe, I don't own all the problems in the world. Siguro nga kailangan ko ring i let go ang grief and pain na meron ako so I can be better of what I am today.