When He Left

Chapter 22

"HELLO?" Bigla ay gusto kong tumalon at sumigaw na lang sa tuwa nang sagutin ni Jannah ang tawag ko. Muntikan ko na ngang maihagis ang phone ko dahil sa tuwa.

Take note of the sarcasm, please.

"Wow! Finally! Sa wakas! Nasagot mo din 'yung tawag ko!" Sarkastiko kong saad habang sarkastiko din akong nakangiti na akala mo ay nakikita ni Jannah 'yon. I heard her sigh on the other line and I almost throw my phone because of that response from her.

"Beng. Para namang ilang buwan kong hindi sinagot ang tawag mo. Like what the? Twelve hours lang ang lumipas." I imagined her rolling her eyeballs at me. I sighed, trying to be calm, pero hindi 'yon nangyari.

"Twelve hours lang?! Lang?! Aba Vienna! Baka gusto mong magmura ako ngayon kahit na nasa bahay ako at wala akong pakialam kahit na marinig nila Mama 'yung mga murang 'yon! Buwisit ka! Bastos kang babae ka! Nag-uusap pa tayo at magchi-chismis ka pa pero bigla kang nawala! Madamot ka sa chismis!" Sigaw ko dito at narinig ko na lang ang pagkatok ng kung sino sa pinto ng kuwarto ko.

"Coming!" Sigaw ko sa kung sino mang kumakatok. I stood up from my bed at inayos ko ang sarili ko dahil baka si Nathan o si Buhay 'yon pero when I opened my door, I saw my Mom with her knotted forehead.

"Sweetheart, can you please lower down your voice? May ka-video conference kami ng Papa mo, client natin from Palawan. Can you do it for us, please?" Bakas ang pagod sa boses at hitsura ni Mama kaya naman nakunsensiya ako.

This is what I want, right? Ang nandito lang sila sa bahay, pero naiistorbo ko pa sila sa trabaho nila. They should have been to Palawan right now, pero dahil sa akin ay pinili na lang nilang makipag-conference through video chat.

"I'm sorry po, 'Ma. Hindi na po mauulit." Sinsero kong paghingi ng paumanhin, bumuntong hininga naman si Mama. She gently caressed my cheeks at pagod na ngumiti.

"I'm sorry din anak for disturbing you with someone your speaking to. It's just that, nahihirapan kasi kami makipag-communicate ng Papa mo with our clients, or even with our business partners through video conference. When we're talking to them, they always have a bad mood kaya laging hindi maganda ang kinalalabasan ng usapan. Para kasing nakakasira kami sa kung ano man ang ginagawa nila. Eh samantalang nagpapa-appointment naman kami sa mga secretaries nila bago kami tumawag sa kanila." Umiiling na saad ni Mama kaya naman napaawang ang labi ko dahil doon.

I suddenly felt bad because of that. I feel like I'm the reason why my parents are suffering and having a problem with our business.

They surely sacrificed a lot for me.

"'Ma. Pwede naman po kasi kayo makipag-meet up sa mga business partners niyo. You know, I can now understand. Medyo nagkaroon lang ako ng emotional problems noon kaya nagtampo ako sa inyo. Pero I am now completely fine. You and Papa can now go to your offices and do your jobs. You can now freely go out of towns to meet your clients. I will just stay here with 'Nang Cora or I can just go out and invite my boyfriend or my friends to hang out, siyempre magpapaalam pa din po ako sa inyo. I can freely understand now that I'm not your only priority." Ngumiti ako kay Mama, assuring her that I'll be perfectly fine and they can leave without worrying about me.

Mama sadly smiled at me as her eyes started to moist with tears. She quickly wiped that tears away. Nanikip tuloy ang dibdib ko sa sakit nang makita ko na halos maiyak na siya.

See kung kanino ako nagmana?

"Wrong. You're wrong Kaycee Lunar. You are our one and only priority. We will not repeat the same mistake again. You already suffered. Your Papa and I promised to ourselves that we will always be by your side. We will guide and protect you no matter what. You are our one and only Princess." Mama smiled at me before she kissed my forehead. I sighed.

"But 'Ma. How about our business? Our architectural firm? It might fall down. Kauumpisa lang noon five years ago, nag-uumpisa pa lang tayong makilala ng mga malalaking companies. Ayaw ko naman na masayang lahat ng pinaghirapan niyong dalawa ni Papa because you're both staying at home for me. I also love our business, dahil ang makasama ako ang isinakripisyo niyo para mabuo 'yon. At ayaw kong mangyari na ako din ang magiging dahilan ng pagbagsak ng business natin. Okay, I now longer know that I'm your number one priority, I understand it, really understand it. But you can do both right? You can have your attention on me, and of course, on our business. So 'Ma, please? I can manage. You can now go to your work and do your jobs without worrying about me."