He Was My Cousin

Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Different

"Ma, I'm busy with ABF. May probable extension pa sa Batangas. I'm working for Melendez Corporation. 'Yong sa Dungeon, I'm taking most of Riyu's work as well. Abala siya kay Sky ngayon. Isa pa, pati RC sinu-supervise ko na para sa kanya 'pag may oras ako," Paolo reasoned out right away.

Nalaglag ang panga ko. How could he do all those? Natutulog pa ba siya? Was that the reason why, despite being in a vacation, he was still working? He should loosen up!

I was mentally mourning for his social life, his sleeping schedule... when his known mother suddenly said as if it was nothing, "Oh, kaya mo naman pala nang madaming work, bakit hindi pa natin dagdagan?"

Hinimas-himas niya ang likod ng anak. "Her school's just starting, Pao, I'm sure there wouldn't be so much work load if you help."

There I realized she's freaking serious. Has she gone crazy? But then I found myself contradicting it, there was nothing wrong with the idea.

But still! Paolo's busy! I didn't even know how he could juggle everything in his work schedule. At isa pa, it's just... I don't know, awkward? I can't imagine having him in my school.

I was deep in my thoughts when Tita Carissa suddenly turned her head on me to ask, "Okay lang naman 'yon, 'di ba?"

"AYOKO!" bigla kong sabi. Parehas silang napatingin sa akin. Pati ako ay nagulat sa biglaan kong sagot. Parang gusto ko na lang kainin ako ng sahig.

Paolo looked at me as if he was scrutinizing me. Tinagilid niya nang bahagya ang kanya ulo. "I passed the boards..." he said, defensive, as if to tell me he had the rights to claim such work, his tone as though he was offended with my sudden answer.

A faint memory flashed into my mind. Naalala ko 'yung pamimilit kong mag-take siya ng CPA board exam no'ng nasa San Vicente kami.

I remembered how he always said that he didn't like to take it yet. Naalala ko rin ang text niya kay Papa para sabihing gusto na niyang mag-take ng board exam para ma-promote siya ngunit sinundan iyon ng babala mula kay Papa dahil malapit na raw yata kaming matunton nina Tito Jay noon. He had to resume back to pretending he didn't want to take the board exam yet again.

In that brief moment after he told me he passed the CPA board, not minding the expression on his face, I wanted to hug him and tell him he did well.

Sa loob din ng halos dalawang taon mula no'ng naghiwalay kami ay lagi kong tinitignan ang results ng exam. Every time, I'd be dismayed because I couldn't find his name in it. Now I figured out why... I was searching for the wrong last name all along.

Romualde, Trystan Paolo Romagoza.

Iyon pala dapat.

Naramdaman ko ang pamamasa ng aking mata. I panicked. I quickly glance to Paolo's side. Mabilis kong hinimas ang aking noo ngunit pinadaan ko ang palad ko sa aking mata upang punasan iyon. "Ah, eh... ano. You're busy. Uh... I mean to say, ayoko namang maabala ka pa. Tska ano..." Napahinto ako. Tska ano, Aya?! "Ano... busy ka talaga," ulit ko na lang.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. He didn't say anything though. He just sipped from his tea again.

"It's okay, Aya!" sabi ni Tita Carissa na bumalik na sa kanyang pwesto. Ipinaling naman niya ang kanyang katawan sa aking direksyon. "He's not so busy. Tignan mo, may time pa nga siya mag-stay rito. Tska para ma-practice naman niya 'yung kurso niya talaga..."

"Ma," saway ni Paolo kay Tita. "I told you I'm still doing internal auditing sa Melendez." He seemed to be losing his patience.

"Tita, it's okay. He's busy. Tska, ano... I personally believe relatives shouldn't be involved in each other's businesses. Conflict-prone," I explained.