Maybe You & I

18

DAN

My cousin Toby said na dito sa bar na to kami magkikita. Our other cousins are already here and Toby as usual is late.

"Oh nasan na si Toby? Malapit na akong malasing " my cousin Mark said.

"Ano daw ba ang sasabihin sa atin at pinapunta tayo dito?"

"Ayan na siya"

"Guys, kanina pa kayo?'

"Oo. Lasing na nga ako"

"Hahaha. Pasensiya na. Idinaan ko pa si Leila sa bahay nila."

"Kamusta naman siya?"
i asked

"She said yes mga pinsan."

And hell broke loose sa group namin. Some heads turn to us. Toby has been asking his girlfriend Leila to be his wife. Sa amin 7 na magpipinsan pag nag asawa tong si Toby ako na lang at si Gab ang single. Gab is a priest pano mag aasawa.

"So, si Daniel na lang ang bachelor pag nagkataon. Kailan ka ba makakapili ng mapapangasa pinsan? Masyado kang pihikan."

"Ako na naman nakita niyo."

"Hahahaha pinsan, ikaw na pinakaguapo, pinakamayaman sa amin dito pero ikaw ang walang nag aalaga sa iyo? Hindi na tayo bumabata pare. Teka, di ba may girlfriend ka nun? Yung minor? Yung kinausap ka ng nanay na iwasan mo siya?"

I gritted my teeth when I heard that. I remembered when Mrs Escudero came to my office and told me that Allie is a minor and she would not like her to be side tracked. She would appraciate it kung iwasan ko muna siya. She said na kung someday magkita ulit kami at stable na si Allie, hindi siya haharang. I always bump into her father, Atty Escudero and we would shake hands. He will not say anything about Allie and I. He would ask me kamusta na ako etc but never mentioned her in those times we get to talk.  He seemed kind. Pero alam ko ayaw din niya na magkaroon ng relasyon si Allie at ako.

Umiwas ako sa kanya. I learned she went abroad to finish her studies there. Mula nung umalis siya, hindi ko maexplain kung ano ang nararamdaman ko. Gusto ko siyang makita. Enough na sa akin yung makita siyang naglalaro sa conputwr ko sa opisina. Or kinukulit ako pag may conference ako. Or oag nasa opisina siya at busy akonsa paper works, pupunta sa likod ko and she would blow air in my ear. Kung alam lang niya yung effect nun sa akin. I wanted to gather her in my arms and kiss her pero her being a minor stopped me from doing so. Nag iisip din naman ako nun.

That night when she left, I was supposed to propose to her na totohanin na lang namin yung relationship namin. I wanted to tell her na mahal ko na siya. Pero, yeah bata nga siya. Hindi pa niya alam yung mga bagay na yun.

"Uy huwag niyo asarin at siya nagbabayad nga mga ito. Hahaha"

"Mga ungas talaga kayo. Inum lang kayo, ako na bahala. Pero toilet muna ako."

I stood up and went to the toilet.

Two weeks after

"Sir, Atty Escudero is on line 4"

"Ok Thank you Mrs Sarmiento"

I know he's calling for the merger.

"Hello, Atty."

"Hello Daniel, let's talk about the partnership that you are offering. I would like to ask you for dinner this saturday?"

Merger is in the bag. Of course I would likento have dinnet with you Atty. This merger would make both companies the largest foreign company in Asia outside the Philippines.

"Come sped the weekend  with me and my family at our rest house in Baguio. If you're not busy. You can bring a date if you want."

"The whole weekend,sir?"

"Yes. But if you have other things to do, wecan always postpone it. It's no problem with me."

Postponing it is a no-no in business, you might lose your chance.

"I'll be there for breakfast on Saturday Sir."

"Okay then. No need to bring formal clothings, it will just be weekend with the family. I'll let my secretary talk to your secretary for the address and other details."

"Okay sir."

Will she be there? I am not bringing anyone just in case she would be there. And why would her father want me to go there for the weekend? We can always talk about it here in Manila.