I sat down at the bench just in front of the park waiting for the car who is going to pick me up right now. I looked at my watch to see the time... 5:10
5:30 pa naman ang usapan pero inagahan ko na dahil gusto ko pang makapagisip-isip. I sighed.
"Toys." A little kid approached me and showed me his transformers. I smiled at him. Cute.
"Hey, where's your mommy?" I caressed his hair. Lumapit siya sa'kin at inilagay ang kanyang laruan sa mga hita ko. Inobserbahan ko lang siyang habang naglalaro siya may hita ko. I'm guessing he's 3 years old by the looks of it.
Tumingin ang bata sa'kin, I gasped as I was mesmerized by his green eyes. "Play broom broom." He said and handed me his toy.
"Xian!" Napalingon ako sa babaeng paparating. Kinuha ng babae ang kamay ng bata, hinarap ito sa kanya at lumuhod. "Xian, I told you to hold Mommy's hand!" Pagalit na sabi ng Ina kaya napaiyak ng kaunti ang bata. "Shh sorry love..." Tahan ng babae sa anak niya.
I handed them my handkerchief... "No it's okay..." sabi ng babae, "I'm sorry for my son."
Umiling ako. "Don't worry..." I smiled. Kumuha siya ng tissue sa bag niya at pinunas ang luha ng bata. "His eyes are pretty." I said.
"Thank you," she smiled at me. "He got it from his dad."
I nodded. "Half?" I asked out of curiosity. Hindi ko napigilang magtanong, I was just curious... that... that little boy's eyes... he has the same eyes as him. And I never thought I would see such eyes again...
She nodded and smiled. "Again, I'm sorry and thank you..." She said and even bowed at me.
"No it's okay really..."
Naglakad siya buhat ang kanyang anak papunta sa isang ice cream stall. I observed them as they walk. Nang nakarating na sila sa may stall, nakita ko na binigay ng babae ang laruan ng bata sa isang matangkad na lalaki. Sumingit bigla ang mata ko nung nakilala ko kung sino iyon... Tatayo na sana ako at puntahan siya kaso...
"Ma'am?"
Nagulat ako sa nagsalita kaya napalingon ako.
"Y-yes?"
"Okay lang po ba kayo?" A man in uniform asked.
"Ah yes. Kayo po ang kukuha sa'kin?"
"Ah opo. Hindi pa po kasi tapos si sir sa meeting. Ihahatid na lang po namin kayo sa kanya, sa office na raw po kayo mag-usap." He explained. I just nodded and went in the car.
I stopped and turned my gaze again at the ice cream stall... wala nang tao. Maybe I was just mistaken.
"Ma'am? May problema po ba?"
Umiling ako. "Tara na po."
Inobserbahan ko ang kabuoan ng interior ng office bago umupo.
"Patapos na raw po si sir..." Sabi ni Kuya Mon. I nodded and said thank you.
I can't believe that I am agreeing to this deal. Last month, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, it was the first time... the first time na umiyak ako sa harapan ng mga magulang ko. I thought I was strong. One thing about me is that I never cry in front of my parents, never akong nagpakita ng kahinaan sa kanila because my mother always told me that crying is a form of weakness and with that, I should never cry.
"Sierra." Napatayo ako nung pumasok siya.
"Sir..."
Lumingon siya sa'kin at natawa. "Please, that's too formal, just... Kaden." Umupo siya sa kabilang sofa sa harapan ko. "Please, sit."
Hinubad niya ang kanyang blazers at tinabi ito sa kabilang sofa. He also loosened his tie and proceeded to dial a number sa telephone. "Ah yes, Fel, coffee and..." Inalis niya ng kaunti ang telepono sa tenga at tiningnan ako...
"Just water..." I said.
"And water... thank you." Binaba niya ang telepono and opened the envelope infront. Inikot ko na lang ang mata ko sa office habang abala pa siya sa mga papeles. "How's your dad?"
Napatingin ako bigla sa kanya, he's reading something without looking at me. "Uh, stable. He's coping up." I said. He just nodded.
Silence.
I really do not know what to say or how to discuss this. I'm an introvert, and I am not that kind of person who strikes the conversation first. Plus, itong deal namin? It's an awkward topic.
"So-"
"Are you-"
"No, you first..." I said.
"Okay..." He licked his lower lip before putting down the papers he was reading earlier sa gitna ng mesa. He placed both of his elbows on his thighs and clasped both of his hands like he was thinking... thinking of the right words to say to me... "Are you in?"
Huminga ako ng malalim at tumango.
"Sierra, if you're uncomfortable about this, I can tell both of our parents to-"
"No." Tiningnan ko siya sa mata like I'm dead serious about this deal. "I'm in. Trust me, I'm not saying 'okay' because I'm forced to. I want this."
Tiningnan niya rin ako sa mata. For a whole minute, we were staring at each others eyes... it's like he's assessing me of my sincerity in this situation.
"All right." He said and broke the gaze. Kinuha niya ulit ang kanyang mga papeles and was about to read again...
"How about you?" I asked. Napatigil siya at tiningnan ako ulit... "Tell me, are you just forced to do this?"
He blinked 3 times bago nagsalita, "No. I'm more than willing to do this." He said with much more sincerity than my words earlier.
I nodded.
"Okay then, let's make an Heir." He declared with firmness in his voice.
