“Where’s Gilbert?”, I asked Gino one morning when I noticed he was the one behind the wheel then nobody else was there with us.
*Good morning. I’ll see you at lunch. Take care*
I smiled at Zeo’s text. After we danced all night long on that balcony, we became quite close. I replied him the same greeting. Napalingon ako sa driver’s seat nang mapansin na hindi pa umaandar ang sasakyan at wala akong nakuhang sagot sa tanong ko. Hawak lang ni Gino ang manibela at kunot-noong nakatingin sa harapan.
“Are you not gonna answer my question? Hinihintay ba natin sya?”, I asked again, tulad nya ay bumaling rin ang atensyon ko sa unahan kung saan tanaw ang pintuan ng bahay. Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas at nagpasya na akong tawagan ang hinahanap. Malelate na ako at sesermonan ko talaga si Gilbert dahil sya ang rason kung bakit mangyayari iyon. Nag-ring ang cellphone nya pero walang sumasagot.
“Hey! Wala pa si Gilbert, tinatawagan ko na sya! Sandal nga!”, nataranta ako nang biglang pinaandar nya paalis ang kotse. His turns were sharp, parang syang nakikipagkarera sa kung sino man. “I said stop!”
“He’s not coming so stop calling him. You’re Dad asked him for his assistance today on a business trip in Italy”
Finally!
“Bakit hindi moa gad sinabi? At bakit hindi ako informed?”, I rolled my eyes on him and kept my phone inside my bag.
“Stop looking for people who are not here”
“Kaya nga hinahanap ko, ‘di ba? Kasi wala dito. And please, drive slowly, I don’t want to die yet”
And miraculously, he listened, he was now sweeping the road like he was one of the most law abiding citizen in the whole town.
“Kailn daw sila babalik?”
“No certain information about that, Ma’am”
“At wala silang ipinalit sa kanya?”, tiningnan ko ang kilay ko sa hawak kong maliit na salamin. Again, he did not answer. Nagtataka na tuloy ako kung hindi nya lang ba ako naririnig o ayaw nya lang talagang sumagot. I chose to stay silent after that. He was back to his brooding self and I had no time to deal with it. I had other problems and one of it concerns Mr. Gonzales.
I worked like the usual at the office though.
I was resting for a bit after reading a business deal and business proposal needing approval for next week’s meeting when Gino strode inside. Tahimik ang lakad nya, hindi ko man sya nilingon, alam kong sya iyon. Nakakatawang isipin na kahit paghakbang nya ay kilala ko.
Naglapag sya ng isang brown envelope sa harapan ko.
“What’s this?”, takang tanong ko sa kanya.
“Open it”, tumaas ang kilay ko sa sinabi nya, tiningala ko sya. He looked determined and pissed off at the same time. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang problema nya ngayon. At dahil malapit nang mag-lunch, ginawa ko ang sinabi nya. Binuksan ko iyon, kinuha ang mga papel na naduon.
“What the hell I this?”, I whispered as I scanned the papers. They were information which were very detailed.
“You got him investigated?!”, my blood boiled at the thought. Hindi ko na rin alam kung alin ang una kong iisipin at pagtutuunan ng pansin.
“Yes. Only because I need to confirm his background. He might be a threat to your safety, Ma’am. That’s my job. And as you can see there, he had a bad reputation”
Drug dealing. Drug addiction. Nasangkot rin sa isang nakawan. Pero ang pinakanakapagbagabag sa akin ay ang kanyang pinagmulan. His family background. Para akong nahilo sa dami ng nakalagay doon na hindi ko inakalang nasa katauhan ni Zeo.
Nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang binabasa isa-isa ang mga iyon.
“He’s the bastard kid of Mr. Gonzales. Anak sa labas kaya nakalusot sa mga ganoong kaso”
Is this true?
“Ma’am?”
“M-May lunch date kami ni Z-Zeo mamaya”, I said. Ayokong husgahan ang kaibigan ko. So far, he’s someone I got comfortable with. I shared a part of me with him.
“Hindi mo ba narinig nang malinaw ang mga sinabi ko? He’s not a good guy”
“And do you suggest I get away from him?”, may diin ang pagkakasabi ko. nagugulo ang utak ko sa mga pangyayari. Anak si Zeo sa labas ni Mr. Gonzales at alam ko ang reputasyon na mayroon ang pamilya nila.
“I suggest you cut any connection with him. Stir clear from him, Ma’am”
“That’s not that easy and I have to confirm everything with him. Why do you even got him investigated?”
“It’s my job to know whom you associate yourself with”
Natawa ako doon. Oo nga pala. Trabaho nya kasi.
“And it’s not your job to make decisions for me. I will talk to him about this”
I heard him swear under his breath and moved to go around the table to get to where I was sitting. When he reached me, he held onto the sides of my chair and forcefully pulled me to face him.
“I said, he’s not a good guy. If this man is connected with Mr. Gonzales, you know it. Bago ka pa mapahamak, lumayo ka sa kanya”
Umiling ako at mas lalong nagdilim ang mukha nya. Halos manlisik ang mga mata nya na nakatitig sa akin.
“He’s a friend. It’s not really important if this was true. Past is past”, gusto koi tong panindigan dahil pakiramdam ko ay wala na akong ibang kakampi dito kundi Zeo. Ilang beses nya iyong pinaramdam sa akin. I could feel it. He’s a good man. There was a tiny doubt within me but I want to believe in him.
“Tangina! Making ka naman!”
“Bakit mo ba sya sinisiraan?”
“Hindi ko sya sinisiraan. Sinsabi ko lang ang totoo”, he was gritting his teeth so hard. “I want to protect you”
Namuo ang luha sa mata ko. bakit ang sakit pakinggan ng gusto nyang gawin?
“Don’t make me laugh”, I hissed back.
“Maniwala ka. Kahit noon”
Itimulak ko sya sa sinabi nya. Hindi sya gumalaw kahit malakas ang ginawa kong pagtulak. Naiyak ako.
“Stop talking about that. Stop messing with my head. Alam ko ang nakita ko”
“No,baby. You have to listen to me please. I really really want to protect you, Cresia. It breaks me knowing I failed”, he sounded sincere. Kabadong-kabado ako sa mga sinasabi nya.
“That’s bullshit”
“And I will not fail this time, baby”, he used his thumb to brush off the tears on my cheeks and smiled softly. I was starting to want to believe him not until the door swung open and Heather entered.
“Gino”
