I gazed back at Dustin but before I could react to the confusing things he said, Helen returned to my office.
"Excuse me Ma'am."
He quickly removed his hand from my face and simply returned to the sofa. Inabot sa akin ni Helen ang isang wireless phone.
"Ma'am si Sir Richard po."
"Yes Kuya." I prepared my ears to some serious scolding.
"Okay ka lang ba? Hindi ba nananakit ng ulo mo?" di ko inaasahang bungad niya sa akin.
"I'm fine Kuya Richard. But aren't you going to scold me for coming here unannounced?" kabadong wika ko.
He laughed. "You're my boss. So how could I get mad at you at work."
"You worked for me?" Hininaan ko ang aking boses sabay tingin sa paligid to make sure there were no staff listening.
"Yes. You appointed me as CEO in your manpower agency. But since you're sick now, I'm temporarily acting as CEO in all your companies."
Naantig ako sa nalaman. Hindi lang pala kalusugan ko ang pinagmamalasakitan ni kuya kundi pati na rin mga kumpanya ko. "Kuya thank you for taking care of everything in my behalf," sinserong sabi ko.
"Is it true that you also surprised the employees by taking Dustin with you?" he asked.
"Yes but I didn't know they would be surprised. He is my fiance so I thought everyone knows it already."
"Deany..." he paused for a moment.
"Yes kuya?" pag-abang ko sa sasabihin niya.
"Nevermind."
Bumulong ako. "Dustin is guiding me not to commit mistakes. I'm aware no one knows about my memory lost. I'm doing a good job," buong pagmamalaking sabi ko.
"That's good. By the way since you're already there mas mabuti sigurong pirmahan mo na ang mga nakatenggang dokumento na nangangailangan mismo ng pirma mo."
"Oh sure!" ganadong tugon ko.
After our conversation, I sat on my desk. Wala pang ilang minuto ay isa-isang nagdatingan sa table ko ang mga papeles hanggang sa maging gabundok ito. I started signing them pero bago ko gawin yun ay binabasa ko muna maigi ang bawat dokumento. I got too engrossed that I almost forgot the existence of Dustin.
Napansin ko siyang muli nang saglit akong sumandal sa upuan. He was just entertaining himself by looking at his cellphone every now and then."Sorry Dustin. Are you bored?" nag-aalalang sabi ko.
"I'm also busy monitoring the restaurant." He looked at the file of papers on my table. "Don't worry about me but worry about yourself instead. Baka pinapagod mo ang sarili mo. You're here for a quick visit, not for work."
Tumingin din ako sa mga papeles at ngumiti. "It's not tiring at all. Pumipirma at nagbabasa lang naman ako. Buti na lang hindi ko binago ang pirma ko sa loob ng sampung taong nakalimutan ko or else I'll be caught now," tawa ko.
"Sabihin mo lang kung pagod ka na at aalis na tayo," he said.
"Kung marami ka ding mga gagawin pwede mo na akong iwan. Magpapasundo na lang ako kay Manong Mario."
"It's okay. I'll wait for you," desididong sabi niya.
I amiably continued signing the paper. Maya-maya lang ay may pumasok uling lalaking empleyado. He was holding folders of project proposal, designs and blue prints.
BINABASA MO ANG
MAGICALLY YOURS,
RomanceDeanery Mortel was a single woman with fat pocket. But despite of wealth and success, she was secretly empty inside because of a man she let go. Her life was full of 'what ifs'. One day, she died and the next day she opened her eyes living in her pa...
