Bitter Sweet and Strange

Chapter 17

Buendavid

Marahan kong pinaikot ang tulip glass habang binabasa ulit sa pangalawang pagkakataon ang Personal Profile ng isang tao.

Si Marvin Ferrer Mendoza, ang lalaking nakita kong kasama ni Ms. Quirino kahapon. I did a background check on him. I also did another round of background checking on Ms. Quirino. I confirmed the thing about her son. True enough, he really is her son.

She got pregant when she was nineteen. She gave birth in a rural health unit, so the alterations of records were easily made. Inako ng mga magulang niya ang kostudiya ni Allerick.

Again, this is all about her.

Simula noong nag-resign si Ms. Quirino ay madalas ko na siyang sundan tuwing lumalabas siya ng apartment niya. Hindi ko na siya makuhang lumbayan. Hinahanaphanap siya ng aking sestima. I can't pinpoint why she never leaves my consciousness. But who cares anyway?

When I saw her yesterday with an unfamiliar man, I almost lost all my sanity and rationality. A very rare thing for me to do, since I perfectly know how to compose myself well in any given circumstance.

Pero hindi na ako nagtaka pa. It's about her, so it's always a different story. Pero lahat ng galit ko kahapon ay bigla ring napawi. Lahat ng aking pag-aalinlangan ay nabigyan ng kasagutan.

She kissed me. And  that was one of the most remarkable moments in my life. It was the day I finally found the conclusion I've been looking for.

Ms. Quirino likes me too.

No matter how she pushes me away, she can't resist me. She can't resist what she truly feels like how I can't resist mine.

Akala ko noon madali lang makuha ang kanyang loob dahil ramdam ko rin naman ang pagkahumaling niya sa akin, pero hindi ko inaasahang pahirapan pala. Iba ang perspektibo niya pagdating sa kanyang sarili at sa pagmamahal. Masyado niyang nilulunod ang kanyang sarili sa mga bagay na hindi niya kontrolado.

She's a different thing that needs to be dealt with a different approach.

So, instead of pushing myself into her, I decided playing it cool until she finally made a firm decision by herself. Hindi desisyon dahil lang sa utang na loob o responsiblidad, kundi dahil ito talaga ang gusto niya. That's the reason why I rejected her to work for me again. Napipilitan lang siya dahil sa utang na loob.

I can't break the chains she bound herself with. Siya rin mismo ang makakatangal sa pagkakagapos niya. All I can do is to stay by her side as she slowly gets free from her shackles.

She is not alone. That's what I want her to feel. Na kahit gaano man kasalimuot ang buhay niya ay nandito lang ako at hindi siya nag-iisa. I am here for her. I am willing to give her things she deserves, like happiness and many beautiful things more.

Napapikit ako at marahang napasandal sa swivel chair. I drunk my champagne until its last drop. This is madness, but this is definitely an overwhelming kind of madness.

I think I already l - - -

"Sir Buendavid, there's someone here who claims to have a personal arrangement with you. He identified himself as, Dr. Montefuerte. Should I let him inside?"

Bigla akong napaayos ng upo nang marinig ko si Alexa sa intercom. May boltaheng dumaloy sa aking kalamnan na tuluyang gumising sa aking sestima.

"Yeah. I'm expecting him. And a thing Ms. Devon, don't entertain interruption as we speak privately inside my office."

"Yes, sir."

Ilang sandali rin lang ay marahang bumukas ang double door ng aking opisina. Prenteng naglakad ang aking bisita na walang iba kundi si Avriex Elcastro Montefuerte. He is Uncle Dennis' son, therefore he is my first cousin.

At age 26, he already made big achievements in the field of biochemistry. He's a biochemist anyway.

"Tsk. This isn't a runway." Napatawa siya sa aking komento at umupo na sa cushion chair na nasa harapan ng aking desk.

"Bihira lang ako makapasok dito, mukhang marami nang nagbago sa opisina mo simula nang huli kong punta."

"You seldomly went outside the world in general. You're always grounded in a cave you termed as laboratory."

"Whoah! That was quite below the belt. Hindi man halata, I know how to get a life."

"Whatever. Anyways, dala mo na ba ang kailangan ko?"

Biglang naging seryoso ang kanyang mukha kaya kinabahan ako nang kaunti. Kahit malamig ang buong opisina, pakiramdam ko ay pinagpapawisan pa rin ako ng husto.

Kinalkal niya ang kanyang briefcase envelope. Nang makita na niya ang kanyang hinahanap ay inilapag niya ito sa aking desk.

I stare intently at the folder like it's a bomb about to explode any moment soon. For a moment, my mind became blank. A mixture of emotions came flooding me. Excitement. Fear. Nervousness. I even felt nauseous for several seconds.

"I ensure the reliability and credibility of the result. I even made several attempts, and the results are all the same. The equipments being used are products of VS Olympus Machines and RMT Medicals, so they are of high-standards. There could be no human, procedural, and technical errors."

Marahan kong kinuha ang folder. Pero napatingin ako kay Avriex nang bigla siyang tumayo.

"Don't worry, ako mismo ang nagproseso nito. This thing is only known by the two of us. It's very confidential in the first place."

"Thanks."

"I think, it's better for you to see it alone."

Tinanguan ko lang siya at tuluyan na siyang lumabas sa aking opisina. Napabuntong-hininga ako at pilit na pinakalma ang aking sarili. Para matapos na ito, mabilis kong binuksan ang folder at binasa agad ang laman nito. My eyes stopped right at the bottom.

I gasped.

To make sure that I'm not just hallucinating, I read it once more. But, it's still the same.

99.99 %

Bigla akong napatayo at nabitawan ko ang folder. Napatukod ako sa aking desk dahil biglang nanghina ang aking mga tuhod. Mabibigat na rin ang aking paghinga tanda ng aking pagkagulat.

My thoughts became static. I can't comprehend and process this information easily. This is a bomb, and it explodes right in my face. I'm currently experiencing the paradox of truth. Hindi ko alam kong magiging masaya ba ako o matatakot.

For five years, I've been oblivious to a huge part of my life. Wala akong kaalam-alam. Wala akong ideya. Walang humpay na mga tanong ang nabuo sa aking utak.

H-how? How can this be possible? Paano ito nangyari? When did it happen? How did it happen? Where did it happen? Why did this happen?

But no matter what, I'm still grateful with it, with this, with them.

Napahawak ako sa aking pisngi, saka ko pa lang nalaman na may mga luhang tumulo na pala bigla. Are these, tears of joy? Napahawak ako bigla sa aking dibdib.

This is so fucking perfect! I'm overjoyed! Ganito pala ang pakiramdam?

I can feel self-fulfillment and contentment. Ever since she came into my life, I've been experiencing different levels of bliss for the first time.

Is destiny playing with me, with us? Or is it just putting things on their rightful places so we could finally stay where we truly belong?