Stonehearts 7: Ruby

Thirty Eight

Mom was suppresing her happy tears but doing a bad job at it. I'm halfway revealing to her my relationship with Bryce that I have to stop midway when she suddenly cupped her mouth to muffle her cries.

"I'm so happy for you, sweetie." She choked out, her eyes losing that constant fear and worry I've been dealing with ever since we buried dad. "You're good for her, I know it." Your dad knew it, too.

My own tears formed when I heard in my heart her unspoken words. Bryce instantly knew it, too, for I felt his arms tightening around my shoulder.

"So, this means you're not going back here in America?" Mom asked, effectively steering the conversation away from the emotional pit we almost fell into.

"Kung gusto po ni Rubs na diyan kami, wala naman pong problema sa'kin." Bryce answered on my behalf. It's too early to talk about it. Pero mukhang sigurado na siya sa mga salitang binitiwan niya.

"If that's not love, I don't know what it." Mommy hummed.

"We'll talk about it when the time demands of it. I know you may want me to run the business, since ako lang naman ang magmamana. But Bryce is operating their own company, too –"

"My sister can take the majority of the shares. I can help her remotely if we are to live in the States." Bryce muttered. I peeled my eyes off the laptop's screen and gazed at him. He's looking at me as if I'm the only thing that matters to him.

"Your dad readied a contingency plan just in case you may want to live there in the Philippines." My mommy revealed. "You'll take 40% of the company's shares, the other 60% will be distributed to the board members, which are your ninongs and ninangs. Lahat ng properties nakapangalan din sa'yo. You can read his final will and testament kung gusto mo na. It's all written there, sweetie."

Bryce and my mom conversed some more after that. Tahimik lang ako sa tabi, tumatango at sumasagot kapag kailangan. Hindi naman ako nalulungkot. Quite the opposite actually. I'm just astonished on the great lengths daddy had done for me. Hindi ko nga naisip na baka sakaling mamabutihin kong tumira rito sa Pinas. When he died, I was sure to live there to be closer to him, so I can reach him whenever I need to.

Bryce happened and my decision shifted. Fortunately for me, I'm a daughter of someone with a critical mind. Kasi may alternative ng iniligay si daddy para sa'kin kung sakali mang mas piliin ko ang Pilipinas kesa sa America.

"You're quiet. You don't have to read your dad's will kung hindi ka pa ready." Tugon ni Bryce ng nagpaalam na si mommy.

Mabilis akong umiling, "Hindi naman 'yon. Hindi ko lang ma-explain nararamdaman ko pero I'm not sad or depressed. I'm more veering to the positive side actually."

"And I'll do everything to keep it that way." He supplied, combing my hair out of my face. My phone started ringing again and groaned when I see the name of the caller.

"Lil sis, nasaan na kayo? We're here already." Sage's voice boomed on my ear. Medyo nag-iinarte sila, I mean silang dalawa ni Claus, since Reid is fine with how they learned my relationship with Bryce.

Two days ago, Aly talked me into putting our relationship status on Facebook. She said, it's more of like a victory dance for me because finally, after years of loving him, may pinatunguhan naman daw pala.

Hindi ko nga mawari kung supportive ba siya o nang-aasar lang. The thing is, Byrce is on-board with the idea. Siya pa nga nag-request ng relationship status sa'kin.

That's how we ended up with a schedule meeting with Sage, Claus, and Reid, and of course, with Aya and Ferris later this afternoon.

"Paalis pa lang kami. Sabi namin eleven o'clock. Ten fifteen pa lang." I spout. Sinundan naman ako ni Bryce ng sinenyasan ko siyang umalis na kami.