Eudaimonia

I

"Maraming salamat, kung hindi dahil sayo malamang ay namatay na kami sa gutom. Balang araw ay makakabawi rin ako sa iyong kabutihang binibigay saamin. Pagpalain ka nawa ng makapangyarihan sa lahat" sabi ng matanda sa babae

Tumayo ang babae mula sa pagkakaupo sa damuhan. Niyakap nya ang matandang nagpapasalamat.

"Wala po 'yon. Ang ginagawa ko po ngayon ay ayon sa gusto ng aking puso. Hindi nyo naman na po kailangan makabawi pa dahil ang ginagawa ko po para sainyo ay walang hinihinging kahit anong kapalit"

Sila ay napapaligiran ng mga damo at malalagong halaman at mga bulaklak. Tila ang kapaligiran ay hindi naaabuso at napapabayaan. May biglang yumakap sa babae. Sinambit nito ang pangalan ng babae.

Lumuhod ang babae para maging kapantay ng batang yumakap sakanya. Ang bata naman ay may ibinulong at humagikgik. Kumunot naman ang noo ng babae at napailing.

"Kahit kailan talaga, ikaw talagang bata ka napaka asusera mo lahat ng bagay ginagawan mo ng malisya" sabi ng babae sabay tumawa at sinabayan naman sya ng bata tumawa.

Nagising ako ng masakit ang ulo at namamangha. I often have those weird dreams and when I say it's weird, I mean it. Naiintindihan ko naman kung mananaginip ako about random things but what I have dreamed about is not that random kasi it is continuous. Last Month pa 'tong panaginip na 'to and every night iba't ibang scene and familiar faces pero super labo ng mga mukha nila.

Noong first time kong nanaginip about doon nagising ako ng nagtataka, then sumunod doon which is ung kinabukasan naman nagising ako ng bwisit na bwisit at every time na gigising ako mula sa panaginip na 'yon iba't ibang emosyon ang nararamdaman ko. It feels so real and so weird.

It is Monday and I have work. I'm working at AEDIA Architecture, Inc. I graduated Bachelor of Science in Architecture with flying colors and I could proudly say that I'm an excellent employee of AEDIA to the point that I got promoted during my first month. Yes, that fast.

Nang makarating ako sa building ng company kung saan ako nakadistino ay sumalubong saakin ang secretary ko he complimented me at tinanong kung may gusto raw akong food or drinks.

"Iced coffee nalang, Threo" he nodded. I mouthed 'thank you' and he leave to get Iced coffee.

Umupo ako sa swivel chair ng bago kong office. There's a huge window on my right and it has a beautiful view. The Mount Taal. Have I already mentioned that I'm in Tagaytay? If not then I'm in Tagaytay. The temperature is quite low but I demand my secretary to get me an Iced coffee. What a brave woman I am.

Since the temperature is low unlike in Bataan where my hometown is located and Manila where I am currently living. Grabe talaga sobrang init both Bataan and Manila. Even my office in Manila it has an aircon turned on, walang patayan pero you can still feel the heat.

I'm wearing a white graphic shirt, a plaid trousers for my bottom, a white not-so-high heels and also a cute hoodie where I got from UK last 2 days bago ko nadistino dito sa Tagaytay. Maraming magagandang damit sa UK and you can get them for a lower price. There are a lot of UK in short for Ukay-ukay stores in your area just search it on the internet or ask your friends. The World is modernized nadin kaya meron na ding ukay-ukay or thrift shops sa internet lalo na sa Instagram, they are selling preloved items but in a higher price kesa sa mga physical ukay-ukay stores. So I suggest na go find a physical UK stores nalang than paying for the shipping fee.

Hindi ko namalayan na I've been staring on my window for minutes. I took a deep breath and focus on reading the contract about the new project here in Tagaytay. Naaalala ko tuloy 'yung napaginipan ko kanina, how beautiful the surrounding is. I find it relaxing. 'Yung feeling na pag nandoon ka you will feel free and the vibes is very light. I don't know but whenever I see a nice and clean place I can't help but to feel happy.

Someone knocked "Pasok, bukas 'yan." At iniluwa ng pintuan ko ang aking secretary na may dala-dalang Iced coffee and a box that I guess pagkain ang laman non.

Threonine Velasquez, my secretary, my friend, my partner in crime, and the only person I trusted that's why I told the AEDIA that if they don't hire Threo as my secretary then I don't want any secretary and they agreed. He is the one who comforted me everytime I have a problem whether it is about family, friends, or Acads. And also he is a father of a very cute little Threo but in a girl version. His child name is Serine ( Hindi ko rin alam anong trip nila sa buhay bakit ang mga name nila ay galing sa Amino Acids pero ang cool tho ) while the mother of Serine ay si Ate Serenity oh 'diba pang milktea shop lang ang name. She is 2 years older than us. Ate Serenity and Serine ay nasa province ni Ate Serenity. Threo and Ate Serenity got separated for some reasons and I don't get their reasons feeling ko there's something deep pa.

"Here's your Iced coffee and your breakfast, Madam." As he placed it on my table.

"Madam ka dyan, magkaedad lang tayo kaya." Tinawanan nya ako.

May inilapag din syang Ipad sa table ko. "Eto 'yung schedule mo for a whole week. 'Wag na 'wag kang makakatulog mamayang tanghali dahil baka malate ka you have an important meeting regarding sa project. You can check nalang the Ipad sa ibang details. That's all for today Ms. Ava Maria Ezrah Sandoval, just call me when you need something." He really knows me. Antukin kasi talaga ko lalo na pag tanghali.

I rolled my eyes. Tama ba 'yong banggitin ba naman buo kong pangalan? "Buong-buo talaga kailangan? Sige salamat at magbreakfast kana rin ha. Tsaka Monday ngayon makakavideo call mo 'yung inaanak ko. Send my regards to her." And he left my office.

After kong kainin ang dinala saakin ni Threo, chineck ko 'yung Ipad na nilapag nya sa table ko. Kakaunti lang naman pala ang schedule ko for this week. Important meeting later with the President, Vice President, Architect Department and Engineering Department. It is very important dahil it will be about sa new project which is itatayo rito sa Tagaytay City. The boards will assign every Architect team kung ano ang work na dapat nilang gawin. My team is always ready sa project na 'to, nang in-announce na may new project dito sa Tagaytay nagpatawag agad ako ng meeting. Ganoon ako karesponsable. I want the boards to be impressed by my team. I don't wanna be their team leader for nothing and I won't let them down. Gusto ko lahat makikicooperate at gagamitin ang utak. Also, my team consists of a very excellent Architects and I'm proud of them. I've been working in this Company for 2 years snd they never disappoint me.

I opened my laptop to review what we are gonna present later. I checked it one by one and also review the possible questions they may ask. Busyng-busy ako nang magring ang phone ko. Tinignan ko ito, the call is coming from my mother.

I answered it. "Hello?" sabi ko, I can hear their noise parang may fiesta.

"Anak hello, kamusta ka dyan sa Tagaytay?" Tanong ni Mama. Kahit kailan talaga sobrang nag-aalala hindi naman kasi ako mawawala or what.

"Eto po ayos lang, nakakapagtrabaho naman po ng maayos. Kayo po kamusta kayo dyan? Tsaka 'wag po kayo masyadong mag-alala kaya ko po sarili ko 'di na po ko laging nadudulas. Kayo po ingatan nyo po sarili nyo. Bibisita po ko dyan pag natapos na po 'tong project na 'to. Miss ko na rin po umuwi dyan sa Bataan."

Narinig ko ang buntong ni Papa. "Hay nako anak, ingat ka dyan sa mga lalaki dyan. Magtrabaho ka mabuti. 'Wag ka muna magboboyfriend dapat kilalanin muna namin." He sounds so protective as ever.

They ended the call at itinuon ko ang atensyon ko sa ginagawa ko.