One More Chance

II

We'll be having dinner with AJ's dad tonight, kakain lang kami sa labas. Sasabihin namin sa kanya ngayon ang plano naming pag-uwi ng Pilipinas. Mabait naman si Dad, and I know na maiintindihan niya kasi mahal na mahal niya si Cayla. Unang apo niya kasi since nag-aaral pa ang nakababatang kapatid ni AJ.

Nagbibihis na kami and we'll be leaving in a few. Manang had to leave for the Philippines kasi na hospital ang isa niyang anak so wala akong katulong sa pagluluto kaya dinner out na lang.

AJ: "Love, dad's on his way na daw sa resto. Let's go?"

Issa: "Almost done love, just gonna fix my hair. Puntahan mo na lang si Cayla, susunod lang ako." I put up my hair in a messy bun. Lumabas na ako agad.

**

Kakarating lang namin sa isang Italian resto. Pagpasok namin, nakita agad namin si dad na nakaupo then we went near him.

Alex: "Hello Issa, son." Sabi niya sabay beso sa akin. "Princess! I missed you so much." kinarga niya agad si Cayla.

Cayla: "I missed you too Lolodaddy."

Issa: "Sorry to keep you waiting dad, may na aksidente kasi along the way kaya mejo traffic."

Alex: "It's okay, kakarating ko lang din naman." Umupo na kami then ordered our food.

AJ: "Dad, Issa and I have something to tell you."

Alex: "Is it a good news or a bad news?" nagulat naman ako dun.

Issa: "Hmmm. It depends if you'll take it as good or bad." I laughed.

Alex: "Ano ba kasi yang sasabihin niyo sa akin?" tanong niya sabay tawa ng konti.

AJ: "Let's talk about it later habang kumakain. Anyways dad, how's the meeting earlier?" they just talked about business. Hindi naman ako makarelate kasi Fashion Designing and Interior Designs ang course na kinuha ko.

Nag CR na lang muna ako while waiting for the food. At sakto naman pagkabalik ko kakaserve lang ng pagkain namin.

Alex: "Okay, now, what is it you want to tell me?" he asked habang kumakain kami. Tiningnan ko si AJ and signaled him na siya na magsabi.

AJ: "Since Cayla is turning 5 in 6 months, we're gonna enroll her for school."

Alex: "That's good, nasa tamang edad naman siya para mag-aral."

AJ: "But she wants to study im the Philippines." Napatigil sa pagkain si Dad at tiningnan niya ng seryoso si AJ.

Alex: "I don't see a problem with that, but I'm just wondering why did you came up with that decision? Of course taking into consideration what happened before." he asked sabay inom ng wine.

Issa: "Yan po kasi ang gusto ni Cayla, actually nagulat rin po kami dad. Ayoko naman maging selfish, at baka magtampo sa amin ang bata kaya pumayag na lang kami. Nakikita din namin na she really wants it." Paliwanag ko. "Kung ako lang masusunod, dito lang po kami."

Alex: "Alam niyo naman na kung anong ikakasaya ng apo ko eh walang problema sa akin." Sabi niya ng mahinahon. "At alam natin na balang araw darating din tayo sa ganitong punto. Everything happens for a reason."

AJ: "How about you dad? Sino tutulong sayo sa company?" alalang tanong niya.

Alex: "Matanda na ako anak, I can handle myself. I was actually thinking of training your sister once you vacate your position. You know I'm not getting any younger son and the company has been our family's legacy. Ayaw kong iba ang makinabang sa pinaghirapan natin."

Von: "Is she ready? And kaya mo naman mag-isa diba dad? Just tell me, kakausapin namin si Cayla so she'll understand."

Alex: "She has to be. We have to prepare her this early so she will have enough time to learn." Sabi ni dad "Like I said son, kaya ko ang sarili ko. There's a great opportunity waiting for you. So you start preparing yourself, embrace the responsibility that will be given to you. Make a name for yourself." AJ nodded. "Anyways masyado na tayong seryoso. Are you leaving anytime soon?"

Issa: "Sa July pa po dad, since August magsisimula ang pasukan dun. Kakaprocess lang din po namin sa papers ni Cayla the other day."

Alex: "Princess, lolodaddy is sad because you'll be leaving me here." Sabi niya sabay pout.

Cayla: "Don't be sad lolodaddy. You can visit us there or we can visit you here."

Alex: "Lolodaddy is only joking princess. I'm happy because you're  happy. And you will finally have friends." Sabi niya at pinisil ang ilong ni Cayla. "AJ say hi to your mom na lang for me okay? Alam kong nagtatampo na yun sa akin dahil hindi ko na siya nabibisita."

AJ: "I will dad." He smiled.

Dinner went well, si Dad and AJ as usual talking about the company na magtatayo ng branch sa Pilipinas, and since AJ will run the company and take thr position of CEO, dad offered me the COO position pero hindi ko tinanggap dahil wala naman akong alam sa pagpapatakbo ng company, he respected my decision naman but he said na he won't open the position to others in case I changed my mind.

**

Pagkauwi namin ng bahay, napag-usapan namin ni AJ to look for a house na bibilhin namin. And surprisingly, ongoing na daw yung construction ng bahay namin which started last year.

Issa: "Pero love how will you make sure na maayos ang pagkagawa ng bahay? How about the materials? Maganda ba yung quality? Wala ka dun to look after it." Sunod sunod kong tanong.

AJ: "Don't worry love, I asked a friend to look after it for me. He would always update me naman from time to time."

Issa: "But wait, I'm confused. Bakit mo naisipan magpatayo ng bahay dun?" I asked.

AJ: "For future purposes."

Issa: "Love.."

AJ: "Future purposes nga. I know we won't be staying here forever, and I know one day uuwi tayo dun. And we are." I heaved a sigh.

Issa: "I can't stop worrying love. Di ko alam anong mangyayari. What if magiging gulo to? Cayla is too young to understand everything that's happening."

AJ: "Love, don't think about it too much. Everything will be okay, trust the process. You have me." I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder.

Makikita ko na ulit si Thirdy.

Am I ready?