Play Pretend

Chapter 39

"That's fine. Ilang taon na rin naman ang lumipas," sabi niya.

I awkwardly nodded and sipped on my coffee. Ang totoo niyan ay hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin. I was glad to meet him again, but I also felt uncomfortable having a casual conversation.

"Are you new here? Sa DVH?" tanong niya nang napansing natahimik ako.

"Uhm, parang oo na hindi..." magulo kong sagot. "Simula pagka-graduate, dito na 'ko nagtrabaho. Nag-resign ako ilang buwan na nakakalipas tapos bumalik lang ako. Medyo magulo... pero ikaw ba? Matagal ka na ba rito? Parang ngayon lang kita nakita."

Umiling siya. "Three months or so," sagot niya. "I transferred from another company. Ni-recommend ako ng kaibigan ko na dating head ng marketing na nag-migrate sa Canada. I took over his post. Malaki ang offer nila kaya kahit gusto kong manatili sa dating kong kompanya, I decided to give it a go. I also thought it was time for me to be in a new environment. I want to explore and learn more."

"Kaya pala hindi kita nakikita noon..." sabi ko at tipid na ngumiti. "I'm happy to know na malayo na ang narating ng career mo. At kumusta nga pala si Tita? Are you in a relationship or are you married?"

"Mom's fine," he answered. "And I'm not married yet."

Kung sabagay, bata pa naman talaga kami. Maaga lang ako nag-asawa.

"Girlfriend?"

Muling umiling si Charles.

Doon na ako hindi makapaniwala. A man with good looks and a stable career is missing a girlfriend. Hindi ko maiwasang maihalintulad siya kay Xaiver, lalo na't parehas silang mukhang wala sa isip ang pakikipagrelasyon. It was until he decided to marry me, of course.

"Talaga? Parang ang hirap paniwalaan!" natatawa kong sabi.

"I didn't have any girlfriend after you."

Mabilis kong tinikom ang labi sa idinagdag niya. His words sat uncomfortably in my stomach. How should I reply to that?

"I was busy building my career, trying to win a promotion every opportunity I got, and making life better for me and my mom," he continued, making me forget how he started it.

"And now it paid off?"

Tumango siya at sumilay ang maliit na ngiti sa labi. "It did."

I'm proud of him. As someone who has seen his struggles before reaching this point in his life, I can't help feeling nothing but genuine happiness for him. Masayang-masaya ako na natupad niya ang mga pangarap niya.

Malayo pa ako sa mga narating niya. I didn't want to compare pero kusa iyong pumasok sa isipan ko. Sabay kaming nangarap pero mas nauna siyang marating 'yon. Aside from surviving being the secretary of the CEO for Xaiver for three years, getting a new job, and marrying the love of my life, I couldn't proudly say that I'm already successful.

I'm still lacking individually. And I'm not trying to throw a pity party, but that's just how I genuinely feel about myself. On a brighter note, it made me more determined to reach new heights in my career.

"Enough about me." Nakuha ulit ni Charles ang atensyon ko nang umayos siya ng upo at nagsalita. "How's life? Kumusta rin si Tita?"

"Ayon... Nagda-dialysis pa rin siya at maintenance, pero ayos naman siya," sabi ko. "At ito... kakasimula ko lang ulit sa DVH."

"Sabi mo dati ka na nagtatrabaho rito."

Tumango ako.

"Why did you resign?" he asked, curious and worried. "Hindi ka ba nabigyan ng promotion sa loob ng three years? Ano ba ang trabaho mo noon? Did you just get reinstated?"