A Confusion

Prologue

PROLOGUE

 

Eika's POV

Nababasa na ako ng ulan. Pababa ako ng sasakyan ko at dahil wala akong dalang payong, heto at nababasa na ako. I shook my head mentally. Kung sinuswerte ka nga naman. Ngayon pa umulan na wala akong dalang payong. I locked the door of my white Honda City and ran to the entrance of Channel 8 building.

"Good morning Kuya Marion." I greeted the building's security guard. I had only been here more than two months pero kakilala ko na ang security guard dito na pang-umaga at panggabi. Kahit mga utility dito kakilala ko rin. Michele ang pangalan nung janitress sa floor namin. Oh diba? Kilala ko sila.

"Good morning po ma'am. Naku nabasa pa po yata kayo ng ulan." Puna ni Kuya Marion.

"Naiwan ko po ang payong ko eh. Sige po, una na ako." Sagot ko naman, patuloy na naglalakad habang nagpupunas ng panyo sa braso ko.

I continued my way to the elevator, smiling to my colleagues na nakakasalubong ko. Timing at pababa dito sa ground floor ang elevator. Pipindutin ko pa sana yung UP button when my phone suddenly rang. I put the handkerchief I used to wipe my arm inside my bag and took my phone.

"Ericka Soriano, hello." I answered the call not looking who the caller is. Sakto naman at bumukas ang elevator. Two persons went out from there; one is Clara, yung Casting Head at yung isa di ko kilala. I smiled at Clara as she smiled back at me too. Hawak-hawak pa rin ang phone ko, I stepped inside the elevator and pushed button 29.

Ibinalik ko ang atensyon ko sa phone na hawak ko. Oo nga pala, may kausap ako sa telepono. Nakarinig ako ng tikhim mula sa kabilang linya.

"Uhmmm." I heared an uncertain manly voice from the other line. I frowned and looked at my iPhone 5's screen. It's an unregistered number.

"Yes, who's this?" I asked, frowning to whoever the caller is.

Nakarinig ulit ako ng pagtikhim bago ito sumagot.

"Is this Ms. Soriano?" May pag-aalinlangang tanong ng kung sino man sa kabilang linya.

"Uh yes." The person from the other line cleared his throat once again. It took some time bago siya muling nagsalita.

"I am very sorry to inform you Ms. Soriano that Don Seviro passed away 3 am today."

I blanked for a few seconds. Hearing nothing. Seeing nothing. Feeling nothing. And then it suddenly dawned on me. It's like my universe suddenly turned upside-down. Parang huminto ang oras. I can feel my eyes water. My vision's blurry due to unshed tears. I can hear the person on the other line speaking. But hindi ko na alam kung anong sinasabi niya. I'm feeling blank. Then I heared a buzzing sound. Naputol na ang linya. Napasandal ako sa dingding ng elevator and I laid my hand weakly, holding my phone. Now I'm feeling numb all of the sudden.

I am now sitting in my desk facing the computer. I am at work pero tumakas na yata ang utak ko. Lutang ako mula nung matanggap ko ang balitang yun. I can't believe it. The  only man who believed in me even all I did is put his name at risk, the only man who reached out to me when I went away, the only man who loved me earnestly, the only man who treated me as a human being and not a puppet. Ngayon wala na siya. I don't know what to say, what to think, what to act. But I surely know what to feel. I'm in deep agony. I'm aching. I want to cry but I can't. Not here.