All This Time

If Only I Could Turn Back Time

“Come in.”

I opened Tito Teddy’s office door slowly and peeked inside. He was signing a thick pile of documents.

“Hello, Sir. Uh, I can come back po later.”

He looked up and saw me.

“O ikaw pala, hijo. Come in. I’m just finishing this up. Come and sit down.”

I stepped inside his all mahogany office and carefully closed the heavy wooden door behind me. I walked in and sat on one of the chairs in front of his desk.

“Thank you, Sir.”

He looked up from the document he was signing.

“You may call me Tito naman. Pareho pa kayo ni Menggay na Sir ang tawag sakin dito sa office.”

I just smiled. He signed one last page then closed the document and pushed it aside.

“Ano, did you find your office okay? Are you ready for your meeting with Menggay?”

“Uhm, that’s the reason nga po why I’m here. I wanted to ask what to expect from the meeting. She looked so surprised po kasi earlier when you left us alone.”

He clasped his hands together and leaned back on his chair.

“Well, I’m not surprised by her reaction, because she didn’t know.” He said casually.

I sat up straight and cleared my throat. I felt a little betrayed and wanted to ask him why he didn't say anything, but at the same time, how could I confront the man who’d stood by our family for years and practically took me under his wings, even from thousands of miles away?

“Oh. Sorry, Ti-- uh Sir, I just assumed that she knew and was expecting me.”

I wanted to say more, but there was no way I could ever disrespect the old man.

“Yes, she was expecting a replacement for her Assistant VP. You were my choice. I didn’t have to tell her that. I hired you to work with her so you two can lead this company in the future. Hindi na ako bumabata, hijo. I would like to spend some years just traveling and vacationing with my wife. Kaya nyo nang dalawa ito when I retire next year.”

I almost choked at what I just heard.

“Next year? Uh but tito, sir, alam ba ni Meng?”

“No. But she’ll soon find out.”

How soon?

“With all due respect, Sir, I really think you should talk to her first before our meeting. Just so she doesn’t feel out of the loop. Magugulat po sya. Baka po masaktan sya na hindi nyo sya binigyan ng heads up.”

He pursed his lips and I thought I had offended him, but he smiled so I instantly felt relieved.

“Okay, RJ. I guess you do have a point. I should have told her about you.”

“Sir, I’m assuming that she doesn’t know we’ve kept in touch all these years?”

I asked but I already knew the answer.

“No, RJ. And I am sorry. It just never came up. She was always busy with school and working here. She never asked about you.”

My heart sank at this blunt revelation.

Sige RJ, saktan mo pa ang sarili mo.

But I didn’t see anyone to blame but myself. He probably noticed because he stood up and walked around his desk to sit on the chair in front of me.