Kabanata XIX. Autumn
"Take a sit, Autumn." Elias said bago ako sinenyasan na maupo sa upuan na nakalagay sa harapan nang malaki niyang lamesa.
Pagkaupo ko, tiningnan ko yung buong paligid. His office looks so elegent. Yung lamesa niyang malaki ay kulay itim that matches his big, leather swivel chair na halatang-halata at kitang-kita mo na pinasadya, because that kind of swivel chair is unusual. Hindi siya madalas nakikita and even if this leather swivel chair was unusual to find, it still looks good.
I heard him groaned a little bit kaya napalingon ako sakaniya. He was holding his right arm like he was in pain, so I got worried. Tumayo ako but he signaled me to just remain sitting.
"I'm okay."
"No, you're not!"
"I am."
Dahil sa tono ng pananalita niya, hindi nalang rin ako ulit nagsalita. After all, dapat wala na rin naman akong pakialam sakaniya and mukha namang kaya niya kaya hindi na ako nagpumilit pa.
"Anyways, what are you doing here?" he intimidatingly asked me. Natigilan ako dahil sa naging tono ng pananalita niya. He.. he was not the same Elias anymore na friendly pag kinausap. He really sounds intimidating. Ganito rin kaya siya sa ibang tao o sakin lang? I bet, sakin lang.
He looked at me na para bang hinihintay niya yung sagot ko. I don't know why I can't speak right now, para bang may bumarang kung ano sa lalamunan ko na pinipigilan akong makapagsalita.
"What? I'm a busy person, Autumn." halatang-halata na sa boses niya ang inis. Sino ba namang hindi maiinis? Eh ayaw kang sagutin ng kausap mo.
C'mon Autumn, talk! Bakit ba hindi ka makapagsalita? Si Elias lang yan. You don't have to worry about him. C'mon.
I cleared my throat first paraa maakapagsalita ng maayos, "Uh... I'm here to look for an architect and engineer."
Finally! There I said it! Finally. Para akong nanalo sa lotto nung masabi ko yung mga salitang gusto kong sabihin sakaniya. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ganito pa rin ang epekto niya sakin, but one thing's for sure, medyo wala na akong nararamdaman sa loob ng dibdib ko.
That's a good thing pero hindi ko naman maitatanggi na nasasaktan ako pag nakikita ko siyang ganyan yung pakikitungo sakin na para bang wala kaming pinagsamahan na kahit na ano, hindi man naging maganda ang kwento naming dalawa pero alam naman naming pareho na may pinagsamahan kami kahit magkaibigan lang.
May kinuha siyang papel at ballpen mula sa kaniyang cabinet. Yung papel ay nasa loob ng isang envelope. I tried peeking kung anong laman 'non and it was a list. Probably, a list of engineers and architects na employees niya.
"I bet you didn't know na ako ang may-ari nito." he said, hindi siya nakatingin sakin at nakatuon lang ang pansin niya sa papel na hawak-hawak niya.
Tama naman siya. Hindi ko naman talaga inexpect na siya yung may-ari nito. I mean, three years ago, hindi ko naman siya nameet bilang may-ari nito and the owner of this business is really mysterious, he never attended any public meetings or never nakipagmeet sa mga kasosyo nila, no wonder walang lumalabas sa internet when I searched it and to my surprise, siya pala yung may-ari nito.
The way he said those lines earlier makes me think na hindi siya komportable na nandito ako, it feels like he wanted me to go but he don't want to be rude as I am his possible client.
I let out a sigh of relief, "I can find another company if you're not comfortable working with me. Thanks for your time nalang," I was about to stand up pero nagsalita siya kaagad.
