My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

23: Mira

"Hay, salamat! Tapos na ang month-end!" Pabagsak ang naging pag-upo ko sa tabi ni Alexia, na noon ay sitting pretty sa aming favorite spot dito sa Serendipity. Since we survived another grueling week's worth of accounting work, napagpasyahan naming mag-relax muna saglit sa aming paboritong tambayan, sans Hannah na noon ay may departmental meeting kasama ang mga taga-Marketing.

"Sinabi mo pa, sis. Look at my eyebags! One week straight akong nag-overtime!" pag-e-emote naman ni Baklita. "I look so losyang na!"

"Tigilan mo nga ang pag-iinarte mo, Alexia. Ang sakit sa tenga," sermon sa kanya ni Mavi na sakto ang dating sa aming table dala ang tray na naglalaman ng mga in-order naming inumin – strawberries and cream smoothie for me, French vanilla iced coffee for Mavi, and cold brew coffee for Alexia. "Kumusta ang meeting kanina, Mira?"

I sighed. This morning's meeting, attended by all department heads and presided by Medialink's chief operating officer, was about the Canada annex. Basically, he talked about plans of further integration of our operations with that of the annex, and we department heads were expected to cascade the information relayed to us to the members of our respective departments. Exactly what Hannah was doing, and what I was planning to do after this short break.

"Information overload, friend," sagot ko sa tanong ni Mavi. "Maghanda na kayo sa mahaba-habang meeting natin mamaya."

Matapos ang maikling kwentuhan ay bumalik na rin kaming magkakaibigan sa opisina.

Medialink's floors were structured in a way that on one end was the commonly-used elevator, and on the other was the alternative, good old flight of stairs. Bihirang-bihira lang na may gumamit ng hagdan dahil bakit nga ba naman kami magpapakapagod kung meron namang elevator?

When Alexia, Mavi, and I stepped out of the elevator, we were greeted by the sound of running coming from the far end of the hallway. Nagkatinginan kaming magkakaibigan, at lalo kaming nagtaka nang makarinig naman kami ng sigaw.

"Juli!" It was a child's voice. "Espera aquí. ¡Encontraré Mamá!"

"Miggie?" Agad akong tumakbo papunta sa hagdan habang sina Alexia at Mavi naman ay nakasunod sa akin. Patakbo rin akong sinalubong ng pamangkin ni Vren. "What are you doing here?"

"Aunt Mira, help! It's Juli!" The little boy started dragging me by the arm. "She's dying!"

"What?" Lalo ko pang binilisan ang pagtakbo. Pabilis nang pabilis ang tibok ng puso ko dahil sa kaba.

Nang makarating sa hagdanan ay tumambad sa akin si Juli na noon ay sobrang putla at halos mawalan na ng malay habang nakaupo sa huling baitang ng hagdan at nakahilig ang ulo sa pader. The poor girl was clutching her chest as if in terrible pain.

"Juli! What happened?" Ni hindi ko na nagawang itanong kung ano na naman ang ginagawa nilang magkapatid dito sa company premises. Did Vren bring them here again? O baka naman kasama nila ang mommy nila, para dalawin ang kanilang tito?

It was Mavi who voiced out the question, after she and Alexia caught up with me. "Mira, sino ang mga batang 'yan? Anong ginagawa nila rito?"

"Mga pamangkin ni Vren – mga anak ni Vira," sagot ko sabay luhod upang maging ka-eye level ni Juli. "Hindi ko rin alam kung anong ginagawa nila rito, pero..."

"I... I can't breathe, Aunt Mira," mahinang sambit ni Juli. "It's so painful." Beside her, Miggie starting crying.

"Dios mio! Mga pamangkin ba kamo 'yan ni Sir Vren?" high-pitched na tanong naman ni Alexia. "Nasaan ang mudrabels ng mga 'yan?"

"Hindi ko alam!" medyo hysterical ko nang sagot. "Alexia, bilis, buhatin mo na si Juli para madala natin siya sa ospital!"

"Ha? Ako, pagbubuhatin niyo sa batang 'yan? No way! I can't! Masyadong heavy!"