Ace's POV
"Anak, why don't you just take a visit in Okada for two days? Saturday and Sunday?"
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Kanina pa nandito sa office si Mommy asking me to visit in Okada this weekend. For I know that in Okada, Soleil is staying for the whole month.
Soleil is one of the daughters of the COO of the food industry company kung saan isa sa mga Partners si Dad. Nili-link siya sa akin ni Mommy since last week mula noong umuwi ito sa Pilipinas galing South Korea.
"Mom, what is this all about? Is this because of the rumors na malala ang sakit ni Dad kaya natatakot ang ibang share holders?" I asked her directly.
"W-well..." She looked away.
I sighed and looked at my advisers na nakaupo sa sofa. Kasabay sila ni Mommy na pumunta dito sa office to encourage me towards Soleil.
"Don't worry about it, okay? Our share holders are still evaluating the situation. Kung wala silang tiwala sa akin or to what I can do, they could freely sell their shares and get out of this company."
"Son, it's not that. I know what you are capable of doing. In fact, there has been a more organized system when you took over. Kaya lang, I've been told na mayroon mga shareholders na nag-eencourage sa iba to sell their stocks at bibilhin nila."
"I don't see any threat in that, Mom. We still have more than half of the shares kahit pagsama-samahin nila ang kung anong meron sila. Are you really threatened because of that or are you threatened because of something else?"
Mom looked at my advisers, subtly asking for help. One of them cleared their throat.
"Well, to further clarify Mrs. Linden's purpose. She is actually worried that if something worse came up from the in-depth laboratory tests being conducted to the Chairman, it might bring you to focus more in the company and would have no time for other..."
"Oh goodness."
Mom started to complain when she saw me getting uninterested to the topic.
"Son, I just want you to settle down before any of my fears happen. Ayoko naman syempreng mag-isip ng ganun, and God knows I've been praying that your Dad would have a healthier life after this rest pero son, you're not getting any younger. We're also getting old na anak."
Lumapit pa talaga siya sa akin para mas maramdaman ko ang urgency ng bagay na ito.
"Your Dad and I are also wanting to have many apo running around the house. You see? Isa ka lang naming anak dahil sa situation ko nung ipinagbubuntis kita."
She keeps on telling me her reasons for a while na kahit nag-uusap lang kami, drained na drained na ako.
"Do you prefer someone else? You know? Ahm... An LGBTQ perhaps?"
My jaw dropped on the floor because of what she said.
"Son, I'm not condemning the LGBTQ. In fact, we have a lot of friends na kabilang sa kanila pero kung ganun pala ang dahilan, sabihin mo naman sa akin agad para mapaghandaan ko."
Natatawa ako dahil sa hindi kapani-paniwalang mga imagination ni Mommy. Niyugyog pa niya ako ng mahina sa balikat dahil doon. Ang kulit pala ng nanay ko?
"Okay. So what do you want me to do? You want me to date?" She didn't say a word. "You want me to visit Soleil as a start?"
After a while, umuwi na si Mommy after makapag-book ng hotel room para sa akin sa Okada this weekend. I felt harassed na napasandal na lang ako sa upuan.
