Tedious Tendencies

05

Aurora

"Rory, listen to me carefully. I have managed to get the contents of that storage out through some trusted people and I already have the unmarked cash. However, we still lack the two hundred thousand pesos and you have to look for a way to get your hand on it in a few days time. I just found out that daddy's former EA was one of the moles who led to his arrest and except for the cash, she catalogued every single thing that mommy placed in that storage unit. Carmen's financial help would also be a no go as I also had word that Aragon's team had deployed eyes on you at ayokong pati ang tanging taong tumutulong sa'yo ay mapag-initan nila."

"Ate, forgive me, but what the actual fuck?!." Bigla akong nahilo at nasusuka sa mga sinasabi niyang parang hindi makatotohanan. Was I being duped? Was she...playing with me? Pero hinding-hindi ito magagawa sa akin ng sarili kong kapatid! "Ano ba itong nangyayari? Were you and dad both lying to me all this time? Ano ba talaga ang totoo? Can you just tell me one truth first? At paano si dad? Anong gagawin mo sa pera?" I almost choked in frustration.

"Aurora, we don't have time to discuss every minute detail, but okay you want one truth? I am going to use the money to pay off the hired gun that's going to kill our father in prison five days from now. I did not tell you this earlier for I don't want you to bear such heavy weight mentally. You need a clear head to come up with the money that I should be coming up with but my hands are tied. Mahirap ito para sa akin, Rory. As much as possible I don't want you involved in all of this."

That had me stopping everything that was running inside my head. My heartbeat accelerated and I thought I forgot to breathe.

"Hired gun? This is fucking insane!"

"Save the explicits when we see each other. Trust me on this, Rory. Please? I will not let anything bad happen to you, just please do as I say and be discreet. Ikaw lang ang maasahan namin ngayon ni dad." The line went dead before I could even say a thing at naiwan na naman akong nakatanga.

Though what she just revealed had made absolute sense, there was still this nagging feeling that something was off. Hindi ko alam, siguro in shock lang talaga ako and maybe I cope through being so paranoid that I though Ate Josephine was lying to me. Suddenly, as I recollect my thoughts and go through what my sister said, I felt guilty, and scared, then helpless next.

....

"ANO ang gagawin ko ngayon? The only cash I have is at least ten thousand pesos," I sighed heavily as I sipped on the hot coffee, thinking it would calm me down a bit.

"Hindi ba talaga kita pwedeng pahiramin?" Carmen bit her nail as we sat face to face on her couch.

Umiling ako.

"It's not safe. And maybe I should look for shelter somewhere else, now that I am thinking it, si Sammy. Oh no, he can't be involved in this." I looked at her worriedly, but she looked like she was elsewhere kaya hinintay kong matapos ang iniisip niya.

"Wait...shit...Shit. I think I can help you after all...but.. Ughh!" Umiling siya na parang conflicted ang sasabihin. Pumikit pa siya ng marahan bago nagpatuloy. "May naisip ako, at sa tingin ko ay ito na lang ang pinakamadali na paraan. Pero, unang-una, hindi kita hahayaan na umalis dito, Rory. Magmula nung pinatuloy kita dito ay kargo na kita, alam ko ang consequences and just in case ay nagsabi na ako ng sitwasyon mo sa sugar daddy kong general. You said that the police has eyes on you already, well my daddy has eyes on them as well, mag eye-to-eye pa sila, go, at pati kay Samuelito mayroon na rin, kaya kampantehan muna natin, I got it covered, okay?"

I gaped at her nodding. How could she...be...this...just...good?

"Okay..." I echoed, still unable to form into words how grateful I was to have her.