The Kiss of the Sun and The Lake

Chapter 28: The Unexpected Redemption

“AND WHERE THE hell have you been!?”

Johann Sebastian Ong, the CEO of Ong Airlines, stormed him as he entered the room. Kauuwi lang niya galing sa isla. Sinundo sila kanina ng isang helicopter, kasama ang kaibigan ni Jacel na si Meriza. It had been revealed that Jacel’s friend set them up. Wala silang imikan habang lulan ng biyahe. Nagsimula iyon nang mag-‘confess’ siya sa dalaga.

  “M-may emergency lang, Pa” sagot niya, tila estranghero sa pandinig niya ang tawagin ito bilang ama.

“Emergency? For four days! Aalis ka ng walang paalam. At alam mong may trabaho kang naiwan. Nagsisimula ka pa lamang sa Lopez Commercial Banks, ganyan ka na. Why do you have to disappoint me all the time?” his father raged.

It hurt him. “’Yan lang ba ang tingin ninyo sa akin? Hindi ka man lang nag-alala na nawala ako?”

Panandaliang natigil ang kanyang ama. “That’s not my point. Hindi pa stable ang LCB para umalis ka na lang basta-basta.”

“I’ve been working for you for almost eight years, and never in my life to experience a vacation during that time, and yet I always end up being a disappointment to you!”

 Sa loob ng walong taon, para silang tigre at leon sa loob ng board room. They had different views regarding business transactions, and no one dare to lie down, they kept engulfing, attacking each other. It help him tough. It brought the best out of him. It challenged him that he was deserving for the position that was originally for James.

“Because you don’t listen! Remember the Cayago investment.”

“We have to risk Dad, and losing that investmetnt is part of that risk. Isa lang iyon sa pagkakamali sa dami nang naisara kong deal. You don’t have to bring it out every time we have this kind of conversation, Dad.”

Don Johann Sebastion inhaled sharply. “If it was James –“

It broke him apart. Wrath consumed him. “If it was James, he’ll follow you. He’ll be like robot following your orders,” he interrupted.

“How dare you speak like that your brother!” he roared.

“But sorry, I am not James! And I know, he’s happy for what I’ve done.”

 

“But I am not.”

 

“Because all you see is James! Can’t you see, Pa, James is dead. He is dead! James is gone, so accept it!”

As he said that, Lindon felt his father’s knuckles punching his face. Pain seared through his left cheek. Natumba siya dahil sa suntok na iyon. But the pain in his heart was far greater than the pain he endured physically.

He looked at him in pain. “I should have known, you died when James died. Y-you just stop living, leaving me and Aiv behind.”