Dealing with Mr. Ice (To Be Published SOON)

Chapter 27

A/N: Hi Monica! Dahil masipag ka magvote, this chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you for reading my works and for voting. Super appreciated. Hugs!

Clarisse

"Bakit nyo ako pinapunta ditto? Ano bang meron?", I said while looking intently at the gorgeous people I ever known on earth.

Tanya took a bite of her salad and looked at me calmly.

"Bakit nga ba natin sya pinapunta ditto, hon?", lalo akong napakunot nang itanong nya iyon kay Andrew na relaxed namang umiinom ng wine.

"I wasn't the one who asked her come here... It was your idea...", mas lalo pa akong naguluhan sa sagot ni Andrew.

"It was yours." Sagot ni Tanya.

"Teka nga muna... Pinaglalaruan nyo ba akong dalawa?" don't tell me, joke lang ang pagpapapunta nila sakin ditto sa Ilocos.

"What? No! No...", halos sabay pa ang mag-asawa sa mariing pagtanggi.

"E bakit ba kasi ako nandito? Iniwan ko ang trabaho ko sa Manila dahil akala ko may emergency."

"There's no emergency..." sabi ni Andrew.

"But there's a surprise!", excited na salo naman ni Tanya.

"What---"

"Missed me?" napalingon ako nang may marinig na boses ng lalaki sa linkuran ko.

My eyes grew! Halos kuminang ang mga mata ko sa tuwa at excitement. Agad akong tumayo at tumakbo palapit sa kaniya.

"Daaaaaaaaddy!!!", I know I looked ridiculous! E bakit ba? Sobrang namiss ko si daddy.

"Wala man lang ba akong hug?", napalingon ako sa likuran ni Daddy at nakita ko si mommy mula doon. Looking so sophisticated.

"Mom!", I walked hurriedly to her and hugged her tight. How I missed my parents.

Nang mag-die down ang excitement ko, saka lang kami naupo sa harap ng dining table.

"Thank you...", I said to Tanya and Andrew, "But why didn't you tell me they're coming?"

"Well, if you are aware of the word 'surprise'.", Tanya winked playfully.

"And I really am surprised. But why do you have to come here? Hindi pa kayo sa Manila?", I asked dad.

"Well, we arrived this morning and Andrew and I had a lot of things to talk about. So we decided to go here straight." Paliwanag ni daddy.

"And besides, we were thinking of having a vacation here for at least 2 weeks." Napalingon ako kay mommy.

"Vacation? Kakagaling nyo lang po sa bakasyon diba?", I said almost laughing. Kakatapos lang ng trip around the world nila ni daddy and now, gusto na naman nila magbakasyon.

"Vacation with you, ayaw mo ba?"

"I'd love that, mom. Pero have you forget that I just got home two weeks ago from Misibis? Ganito na lang? Why don't we just stay at home? Just like the old days. You as the cook, dad as the gardener and me.... Just as I always be.. your princess." I smiled sweetly. Yung tipong nakaka-convince.

At sa tulong ng hindi ko matatawarang convincing powers, sa wakas pumayag silang mag-stay na lang sa bahay. Hindi condo kundi bahay. And after so many months, babalik ako sa dati naming bahay sa CorinthianGardens. Matagal na rin akong hindi nakapag-stay sa bahay namin na iyon. Wala kasi akong kasama doon and I don't feel like living in a house alone.

We spent 2 days in Ilocos with my parents. Tapos bumalik na rin kami agad sa Manila. I have tons of work to do in the office. And my dad cant blame me. He knows how dedicated I am with the company. Lalo na sa mga panahon ngayon. Doble ang client naming kumpara sa normal. Madaming nagpapatayo ng resorts and buildings dahil maganda ang panahon.

I was very busy with my job and I didn't even notice that many days have passed already. It was like, I'm waking up every morning just staring at the blank ceiling, just thinking of him and wishing that one day he'll be back and we'll fix things out. And everything will be alright. Pero ilang linggo na ang nakalipas, wala naman nangyayaring ganun. So instead, everyday, I always wake up with tears in my eyes. Saka lang ako babangon just to fix myself and go straight to my office. Doon ko na uubusin ang oras ko sa buong maghapon.

A week ago after Ice left, I received an email from him saying:

"I'll be right back. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Two weeks na ang nakakalipas and I don't know if I still have to believe that. Baka nga scam lang ang email na yun dahil hindi na ulit nasundan pa ng ibang message ang PM. But everyday I never fail on thinking of him. Kahit na ilang beses ko na rin naitanong sa sarili ko kung iniisip nya rin kaya ako?

Mabuti na nga lang at nandyan si Daddy. Kahit na retired na sya, pumupunta pa rin sya sa RCF to help me out with the company. Napakasupportive na daddy. How lucky I am to have him. Kaya kahit paano, hindi ako masyadong nahirapan sa kasagsagan ng peak season. And it's so amusing that no one between him and mom dared to talk about Ice. I'm not sure if it was because they already know the story or they don't wanna make me feel upset. Well, whatever they reason is, I always know how much they love me.

"Hey, princess, arent you going to take a break?", napatingin ako sa relo na nasa office table ko saka muling lumingon kay daddy.

"3pm ang break, dad. We just had lunch 45 mins ago...", I said with a playful smile.

"Mukha kasing super seryoso ka dyan. Baka mabaliw ka sa kakatrabaho. Remember, mahirap gamutin yan." He teased.

"Daddy naman..." I said pouting. He just laughed softly.

"I was just kidding... Anyway, I have something for you.", he grabbed an envelope and gave it to me. "Take a look at it.", kunot noong inabot ko sa kanya iyon.

"What is this?"

"Why don't you take a peek?", he said without removing a grin from his lips.

Sinunod ko ang sinabi ni Daddy. I grabbed the envelope opener and cut the paper off. Mas lalo akong napakunot noo nang makita ang laman noon.

"A plane ticket?", binasa ko pa ang nakasulat doon. "To Paris? What am I going to do with Paris?"

"I just came out from the board, hija and we are having a business transaction there. We have to choose the representative of this company to be sent on that event. And since, you took my place as the President, we chose you to be there.", I don't know how to react. Bakit ngayon pa nangyari to? Kung kelan wala ako sa mood umalis ng bansa. I just wanna stay where I am.

"Dad... It's not that I'm complaining. Pero wala bang ibang tao na pwedeng pumunta doon? I mean, I cant just leave my job here.", sana gumana ang convincing powers ko ngayon.

"Well, that's the reason why I'm here. Ako muna ang bahala sa company natin habang nasa Paris ka para sa business trip. And don't you worry, hija. You can handle things perfectly. I know you are just nervous dahil ito ang unang business trip na pupuntahan mo. You'll be meeting a lot of businessmen there. But I know your capabilities and I believe in you.", he grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. "And you cant say 'no'. I am still your dad and your boss and you have to follow my rules.", nang-aasar pa na sabi nya.

I took a deep breath. Ano pa nga ba ang magagawa ko? Utos ng hari, hindi pwedeng mabali, 'ika nga. Pero ayoko kasing umalis sana sa bansa ngayon. Paano na lang kapag biglang bumalik si Ice? Paano kapag wala ako sa pagbabalik nya?

Once again, I glanced the plane ticket placed on my table. Lalong nanlaki ang mata ko. Bakit hindi ko to napansin kanina? The flight will be tomorrow morning at 9am! That soon?!