Meeting Halfway (Under Revisions)

Road Twenty Two

*ELMO*

"Oh, he's here! Come here Elmo, we have something important to tell you" agad na wika ni Daddy ng makalapit ako sa kinaroroonan nila.

Agad akong nagpaalam kay Janella at pumunta sa restaurant na sinabi ni Dad pagkatapos akong tawagan ni Daddy sa cellphone para ipaalam na may dapat kaming pag-usapan kasama si Chai at Mr. Xua Lee.

May gut feeling ako na tungkol ito sa kasal namin ni Chai.

Agad kong kinamayan si Mr. Xua Lee at bumeso kay Chai.

I settled on the chair beside her, sitting across my Dad with a satisfied smile on his face.

"How've you been Sir? I'm glad you came here to visit us" pormal kong wika kay Mr. Xua Lee.

The man was already old, his hair already white pero nandun pa rin ang authority sa aura nito.

Tiningnan lang ako ng pormal ni Mr. Xua Lee and straightened out in his chair.

"Hijo, I hope you still remember the agreement between I and your Dad about your wedding with my granddaughter Chai" he said in a formidable tone.

Napatuwid ako ng upo and clasped my hands in front of me above the table. I looked at hin directly in the eyes. "I have never forgotten about it Mr. Lee and makakaasa po kayo na mangyayari po ang kasal namin ng apo niyo"

Ngumiti ang matanda. "Good, I came here to confirm some things with you. I've been hearing reports from my reliable sources and from my apo that you're getting close with this Jellela Salvador"

"It's Janella Sir, not Jellela" pagtatama ko sa kanya.

He just shrugged off his shoulders. "Whatever it is hijo, I hope this certain Salvador won't be in our way" wika nito sa seryosong tono habang nakatutok sa'kin ang mga mata nito.

I clenched my jaw and turned to Chai who was grinning from ear to ear and then to Daddy who was shooting me with warning look.

Then, I turned to Mr. Lee and flashed a fake smile. "Of course Sir, there's nothing going on with me and Ms. Salvador Sir. Makakaasa po kayo na wala tayong magiging problema sa kanya"

I saw Dad smiled in my peripheral view and Mr. Xua Lee nodding his head with a satisfied look.

"If that is, then wala palang magiging problema sa kasal niyo next month ng apo ko" nakangiting wika ng matanda habang nakayuon ang tingin nito sa apo nito.

Gulat akong napatingin kay Daddy.

He seemed composed, meaning alam na nito ang plano ni Mr. Xua Lee na imove ang kasal namin earlier.

"I thought the wedding will happen at the last month this year?" hindi ko mapigilang tanong kay Mr. Lee.

"May problema ka ba hijo sa desisyon ko?"

I cleared out my throat. "Wala naman po, I just thought you wanted this wedding to be grand"

"Oh, walang magiging problema yan hijo, don't forget that Chai is my granddaughter. I can make her wedding the grandest by just one month. I and your dad have talked about this already, ako ang bahala sa lahat. All you need to do is be with Chai for the rest of the wedding preparations." he said with a big smile on his face.

I gave Dad a questioning look.

All these time, nakaplano na pala ang lahat and Dad didn't even tell me any single thing about this freaking plan!

"For one month, ako muna ang hahawak sa Zap Over habang busy ka sa pagpi-prepare ng kasal niyo ni Chai" wika ni Daddy sa pinal na tono.

Wala akong nagawa kundi ang yumuko at ikuyom ang kamao ko sa ilalim ng mesa.