It's Always Been You | ✅

18: Choices

"WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT I can force you to come back here?" Yun ang bungad ng ama niya sa kanya. He didn't really want to come back. Masaya na siya sa Pilipinas. Doon may sense lahat ng ginagawa niya, his father is not controlling him. He can live a life he planned out on his own at hindi siya puppet ng ama.

"What is it that you want me here for?" Tanong niya dito. He wants to go back home, ayaw na niyang magtagal pa ng tatlong linggo dito. He misses her already, he usually does.

Since that night when he kissed Lorie hindi na nawala ang dalaga sa isip niya, mas tumindi ang kagustuhan niyang makasama na lang ito palagi, more than the usual. Ever since he got back hindi niya maiwasan na mag-iba ang tingin niya sa kaibigan, she's starting to carve her own space in his heart. Dati pagkakaibigan lang talaga ang meron sila pero ngayon he wants more. Lorie made him feel that care he's always been looking for.

"Why the rush? Gusto mo na bang umuwi kay Loraine?" Nagulat siya sa sinabi nito. Is he still checking up on what he's doing. Sawa na siyang palagi na lang siyang nasa ilalim ng mga galamay ng ama.

"Dad, wag natin siya idamay sa usapan. You want me here for business, let's talk business." He said. The faster this is over, the sooner he can go back.

"But your relationships are part of my business." Tumikhim ito. Sa tagal siguro nilang magkalayo ng ama niya, pati loob nila malayo na sa isa't isa. He's good at being a businessman pero he's never been good at being a father to him and his sibling, heck he wasn't even a good husband. "Do you remember Chloe Mirabelle?"

"Ikaw ba ang nagbigay ng number ko sa kanya? She has been reaching out, what about her?" Nagtataka kasi siya dahil ilang beses na siyang tinext nito at tinawagan.

"You loved her very much. The first one you genuinely wanted to marry." Parang mali nang pakinggan kung gaano niya minahal si Chloe lalo na ngayon na wala na siyang nararamdaman para dito. She's a great girl, they loved each other very much pero she wasn't satisfied with the time he could give her. She wasn't happy and she left. Hindi siya nagalit sa dalaga kasi kakulangan niya yun pero she left him the impression that love was only about the good times kasi she barely stood by him through the bad times.

"Things change dad, lahat nagbabago over time." Inayos niya ang upo niya sa harapan ng ama niya.

"Well, she's reaching out. Alam na niya ang naging mali niya. Relationships are like businesses son, hindi lahat ng minsan ng naging failed ventures ay hindi mo na uli susubukan. You and Chloe are perfect together, malaki ang negosyo ng ama niya and a marriage between the two of you will secure a very large merger." Doon siya napatayo. Hindi siya magpapakasal kay Chloe. What they had is long over.

"No!" He refused at akmang maglalakad na papalabas.

"Tingin mo ba Loraine would want you and accept you wholly? Ikaw na madalas mawawalan panahon para sa kanya? Ikaw na hindi alam kung paano ibigay ang buong attensyon kasi may kahati siyang kompanya? Marcus, they always leave. We are not ordinary men who will have the luxury of time. Are you willing to give Loraine that life? Alam mo ang buhay na naibigay ko sa mama mo, she was living in luxury but I was never really able to give her time. She was never the top priority." Noong niya lang narinig na magsalita ang ama niya tungkol sa paghihiwalay nito at ng kanyang ina.

"Lorie will not leave dahil lang sa commitments ko sa Selbago at iba pang mga kompanya na hawak ko." Hindi ganun ang pagkakakilala niya sa dalaga, not then, not now. She always sticks by him.