Worth of Loving You (A Phase Of; Series #1)

Simula

Simula

"Ma'am Yuki, Mrs. Celeste is already outside." My secretary informed and bowed her head. Tumango ako. I stood up and went out of my office.

Mabilis kong nahanap si Mommy paglabas ko. I sighed when I saw that she's with Dad. Agad akong lumapit at humalik sa pisngi n'ya.

"Anak, how are you? It's been a week since you last visited our house." nalulungkot nyang sabi. Hindi ko rin maiwasang malungkot dahil doon.

"I've been busy with work these past few days, 'my." I answered and plastered a smile. "Don't worry I'll come over tonight for a dinner."

Agad namang nag-liwanag ang mukha ni Mommy dahil sa sinabi ko. Narinig ko ang mahinang pag-ungol ni Daddy kaya napatingin ako sa kanya.

Hawak ni Mom ang wheelchair habang si Dad ay nakaupo roon. May isa ring nurse na nakatayo sa likod ni Mommy. I sighed and lowered my head.

Fate really knows where my soft spot is.

"Hi Dad!" I smiled and held his hand. "Magpagaling ka na! Ate Yvette and I already missed you..." I whispered the last sentence and chuckled as I remember our childhood days with him.

Daddy isn't the sweetest but...yeah, he's still the great father for us.

Dad looked at me weakly and I felt him trying so hard to caress my hand. A month ago, he was diagnosed with stroke which surprised us because we all knew Dad is a healthy person.

"Mommy, where's Ate Yvette?" I let go of Dad's hand to faced Mom.

"She's with Pette, sumama sya sa business trip. Yvonne is with her Yaya..." She answered.

Napahinga ako ng maluwag. Finally, she's happy with the person she loves. Happy and contended.

I'm now at peace.

Hindi ko maiwasang isipin. Ako naman kaya, kailan? Napailing ako sa naisip. Hindi ito ang tamang oras para isipin 'yan, Yukari! Halos pagalitan ko ang sarili.

"Darling, we need to go. Nag-missed call na ang Tita Aubrey mo na nandoon na raw sila sa meeting place namin..." Mom said after checking her phone.

I smiled. "Sige Mommy. I'll just finish my work! See you later. Take care..."

"I love you." She hugged me but I remained silent. She sighed, probably knew that I was going to be like this.

After their car disappeared from my sight, I sighed and went back to my office.

I still have tons of work to do.

After hours of reviewing papers and such, inalis ko ang aking eyeglass dahil sumasakit na rin ang ulo ko. I looked at the wall clock and saw that it's already 5 in the afternoon.

Wow, ang tagal kong nakaupo.

Napag-desisyunan kong mag-out na dahil may bibilhin pa ako para kay Ate Yvette at kay Yvonne.

Isinuot kong muli ang salamin bago inayos ang sarili. Dala ang aking bag ay lumabas na ako ng opisina, bumungad naman sa akin ang mga nagtatrabaho dito sa kompanya namin.

I'm managing our business right now since Dad was diagnosed a month ago. I am not sure but as far as I can remember a year before, Daddy said that he'll pass his position to me in no time so I need to get ready.

Ialready knew it was coming so I had no reasons to complain. After all, this was what they wanted for me.

Lahat ay yumuko nang makita ako. I looked for my secretary and found her talking with Mr. William, a new employee here.

"Kara!" I called her. Agad syang lumapit sa akin at kunot noong iniwan ang kausap.

"Nagtataray ka na naman," Puna ko at bahagyang tumawa.

"Ang kulit kasi ma'am. Type ata ako..." aniya at nag flip hair. Natawa na ako nang tuluyan.

"Nga pala, mag a-out na ako. May bibilhin pa kasi ako e... Paki-ayos ng schedule ko para bukas. Luluwas kasi ako ng Batangas para kitain 'yung kaibigan ni Daddy, may proposal daw, e..."

Agad na tumango si Kara sa aking sinabi. "Okay, Ma'am. Noted... Ingat po sa pag-uwi."

Ngumiti ako at may biglang naalala. "Oo nga pala..." agad akong kumuha ng pera sa pitaka at inabot iyon kay Kara. "Pakisabi kay Kuya Reynan, bumili ng makakakain para sa inyo. Alam kong mamaya pa kayo makakauwi..."

"Ang bait mo talaga, Ma'am!" nakangiting sabi ni Kara at nanlaki ang mata nang makitang papalapit na si Mr. William sa gawi namin.

Napailing na lamang ako at lumabas na ng building. Pumunta na akong parking lot at agad nahanap ang kotse ko doon. Nang makapasok ako sa kotse, nahilot ko ang noo. Masyado ko bang pinapagod ang sarili ko?

I drove by the nearest mall to buy some things for Ate Yvette and Yvonne.

Nang mabili ang bibilhin ay nag drive na ako pauwi sa mansyon. It's been a week since I last visited the mansion. Sa condo na kasi ako nauwi, mas malapit iyon sa kompanya.

Pagpasok ko ng mansyon ay puro tawanan agad ang aking narinig. Kumunot ang noo ko at napag-desisyunang magtungo sa sala ngunit bago pa ako makahakbang ay may umangkla na sa paa ko. Binaba ko ang tingin at nakitang si Yvonne iyon.

"Baby!" Sigaw ko at binuhat sya. Nasa likod nya ang Yaya nya kaya tumango nalang ako at ngumiti bilang tanda na ako na ang bahala kay Yvonne. Agad naman itong umalis.

"Yay! Tita Ganda..." she chuckled and kissed my cheeks. Agad akong nanggigil sa cuteness nya.

She's Ate Yvette's two year old daughter, Yvonne.

"How's our baby, hmm?" I asked and played the tip of my nose with her's.

"Tita Ganda, donut?" she innocently asked and pointed the plastic that I was holding.

I nodded, smiling. "Yes, baby. Tara na kila Mommy mo, later na natin kainin 'yung donut. Okay?" by that, she nodded.

Natuwa ako doon at naglakad na patungong sala habang buhat si Yvonne. Natigil ako sa paglalakad nang makilala kung sino ang katawanan ni Mommy sa sala.

"Yukari!" Tita Andrea hurriedly headed towards me. Kung hindi ko pa nga buhat si Yvonne ay hihigpitan nya pa ang yakap nya sa akin.

"Oh my gosh! Namiss kita, inaanak ko! Kamusta ka na? Ang ganda ganda mo pa din! Naaalala ko pa noong bata pa kayo ng anak ko, tumatakas ka pa sa nanay mo para makipaglaro kay-"

"Hungry po..." nagulat ako nang pilit abutin ni Yvonne ang plastic na hawak ko. Alanganin akong ngumiti kay Tita Andrea na naka'y Yvonne ang tingin.

Mom stood up. "Oh, anak? Nasa itaas ang Ate mo. Kadarating lang nila, ibigay mo na si Yvon-"

"Hungry po! Donut!" palahaw ni Yvonne sa bisig ko. Agad akong nataranta at tiningnan si Tita Andrea.

"Pasensya na po, Tita. Nice to see you again po. Excuse me po muna, asikasuhin ko lang po si Yvonne."

Pagkatalikod ko sa kanila ay parang nabunutan ng tinik ang puso ko. Sobra sobra ang paglagabog non sa kaba.

It's been what? 9 or 10 years since I last saw them? I don't know, I lost count.

"Baby, behave okay?" kalmado kong sabi kay Yvonne nang makarating kami sa kusina. Inupo ko sya sa kitchen counter at binuksan ang plastic na dala kong may lamang donut.

"Yehey! Favorite von-von..." she was pertaining to her favorite barbarian donut.

Such a cutie.

I was silently watching her eating her donut when I felt a presence behind us. Natigil din si Yvonne sa pagkain ng donut nya at napatitig sa may likod ko. My forehead knotted and turned my head to see who is it.

My body froze when I knew who it was. Oo nga naman, nandito si Tita Andrea at paanong hindi ko naisip na hindi malabong nandito rin sya?

"Deyan..."