See You Soon, Love

Chapter 2

02

Nasa loob na ako ng sasakyan at hawak-hawak ang manibela pero hindi iyon pinapaandar. Pabalik-balik kong iniisip ang sinabi ni Giro kanina. Hindi ko alam kung gusto kong matuloy o hindi. Paano kung ayaw niya sa akin dahil sa ginawa ko? If that's the case, ayaw ko na rin. I will never let myself live a miserable life.

But isn't it an edge for me? Na medyo kilala ko na ang mapapangasawa ko? What if hahanap si Mommy ng iba at mas miserableng buhay pa pala ang kalalabasan?

"Deputa." Bulong ko at pumikit bago isinandal ang ulo sa steering wheel.

Nakaharap ako sa salamin habang binoblow-dry ang maiksing buhok ko. Wala na akong ibang ginagawa kundi asikasuhin ang Treecup at mag-aral. Dahil wala naman akong balak makealam sa ibang negosyo ng pamilya.

Ibinaba ko ang blower nang tumunog ang phone ko dahil sa isang tawag. It was Tita Celeste, Giro's mom.

"Tita! Good morning. Napatawag ka?" Maligaya kong bati.

Bago pa man nakauwi si Giro, palagi niya akong tinatawagan dahil gusto niyang makipagkita. Madalas wala si Mommy dito sa Manila kaya kaming dalawa lang ang palaging nagkikita.

"Good morning din, Ija. Are you busy?" She asked in a pleasant voice.

Madaming kailangan asikasuhan sa ibang branch ng Treecup but because siya ang nagtanong...

"Hindi naman po."

"Then can we meet for dinner tonight? If that's okay with you."

Even her voice sounds so kind.

"Sure, Tita!"

"I'll text you the time and place then."

Dumiretso na ako sa main branch ng cafe. I have an office there where I work on things.

It's past two in the afternoon when I got there at hindi naman marami ang customers dahil afternoon na kaya hindi na muna ako tumulong sa pag-aasikaso.

I read some emails and reports at dahil nabored, lumabas ng opisina para tumulong sa staff. Nang napagod naman ako ay natulog na muna ako sa kwarto ko dito sa opisina.

I woke up and immediately looked at my phone para tingnan ang text ni Tita Celeste. I still have an hour left to prepare and fix myself at malapit lang naman iyon kaya maiksing drive lang at nakarating na ako.

Tita was already there nang dumating ako. Agad siyang tumayo at nagbeso sa akin as I greeted her.

"Wow, you look beautiful as always, Ali."

If I would describe her in one word, it would be elegant. No wonder why Giro is so attractive, it runs in the blood.

"Thank you, Tita. You too."

"Kumusta nga pala ang Mommy mo? I heard they're in Australia?"

Mommy and Tita Celeste are friends that haven't kept in touch with each other. Nagkita lang ulit some time in summer dahil palaging nasa Mindanao sina Mommy.

"Maayos lang naman Tita. At uuwi rin sila next week."

"Your engagement with Giro is in three months. But until now he still insists na ayaw niya. Ewan ko dun. I didn't marry him off just because of the merger. Dahil rin twenty seven na siya at wala pang pinakikilalang girlfriend! Ever!"

Right. He really doesn't want it. Kung sasabihin ko kay Mommy, papayag ba siya? It took her years to find someone again for me.

Callante Corporacíon Naviera is the country's top grossing company in shipping industry with billions of revenue every year. They even own some cruise ships and I didn't even know. Walang sinabi si Giro!