Moving Into the Monster's House

Chapter 20

"Georgina, may problema ba kayo ni Dwight?" Mommy asked pagpasok namin ng office niya. Shocks. Akala ko pa man din hindi niya nahahalata since madalas siyang overtime nitong mga nakaraang araw.

"P-Po?"

"I didn't mean to intrude but I saw you entering the guest room since the other day. May pinagtalunan ba kayong dalawa?"

Hindi ko alam kung sasabihin ko ba kay Mommy 'yong totoo. When I think about it kasi, parang napaka-petty no'ng pinagtalunan naming dalawa. Baka mamaya kasi, kung ano pa ang sabihin niya kapag nalaman niya 'yong cause ng pag-aaway namin ni Dwight and I didn't want that to happen.

Hindi ko alam kung nababasa ba ni Mommy 'yong nasa isip ko o sadyang obvious lang ba ako pero when she started talking again, parang mas lalo tuloy akong nahiya.

"Come on, Georgina. You can tell me anything."

I looked up at her and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, I finally told her the truth.

"Si Dwight po kasi, e. Gusto niya raw po na tumigil na ako sa pagtatrabaho."

"What?! He asked you to what?" gulat na tanong sa akin ni Mommy.

"He wants me to stop working po. Alam ko naman po na concerned lang siya sa akin pero kaya ko pa naman po, e. Saka gusto ko rin naman po 'yong ginagawa ko. I'm actually learning and having fun at the same time kaya hindi ko po talaga ma-gets kung bakit niya ako pinatitigil."

Mommy nodded her head, as if trying to understand my point. I waited for her to defend Dwight or something pero wala. She just kept silent and after a while, she told me her opinion about the issue.

"Sa totoo lang Georgina, I understand Dwight's point. As you've said, sa malamang ay concerned lang siya sa 'yo. Besides, he couldn't trust Courtney just yet lalo na with your history together."

When Mommy mentioned Courtney's name, doon lang nag-sink in sa akin ang lahat. Baka nga natatakot si Dwight na i-bully at pahirapan na naman ako ng babaeng 'yon.

"But don't worry. I'm going to transfer her to another branch of the office so that you could work comfortably. Ako na rin ang bahalang kumausap kay Dwight regarding this kaya huwag ka nang mag-alala. You can work as long as you want but if I think that you should go and rest already, kailangan mo akong sundin. Understood?"

Bago pa man magbago ang isip ni Mommy, I immediately nodded my head and hugged her tight.

"Yes, Mommy! Promise po, hindi ko masyadong ipu-push 'yong sarili ko. I'll let you know agad if may nararamdaman ako. Thank you po!"

Narinig ko ang mahinang pagtawa ni Mommy dahil sa ginawa ko. When I pulled away from our hug, ang laki pa rin ng ngiti niya. It was as if masaya talaga siya na mas magkakasama pa kaming dalawa.

I have to admit. Nung una talaga, feeling ko, ipinasok niya ako rito para pahirapan lang ako. But as the days go by, nakikita ko naman na tini-train niya na rin talaga ako para sa company. Mommy has been making sure na familiar ako sa mga tao sa office and kung ano ang functions ng bawat empleyado at department. I'm really not sure kung para saang position niya ba ako balak isabak but I'm welcome to learning more things naman. Ayaw ko rin naman kasing umasa na lang nang umasa sa pamilya nila.

"I want you to join the board meeting tomorrow. Take note of everyone who's attending and list down your observations about them. May naka-assign namang iba para sa minutes but please pretend that you're taking the minutes as well."

"P-Po? Bakit po?" I can't help but ask. Hindi ko kasi ma-gets kung bakit ko pa kailangang magpanggap na nagmi-minutes. I mean, what for?

"You took up Psychology in college, right?"

"Yes po, Mommy."

"Then this will serve as your training. I want you to study the profile of the people around here. As I've said, list down your observations. After your training and pregnancy, I'll be moving you to the HR Department so take as much information as you can about the people that you could meet in our meetings and when you do your other daily tasks. Magagamit mo ang lahat ng 'yon once you have transferred."

"Mommy . . ." I was speechless. Hindi ko naman kasi ine-expect na pagkakatiwalaan niya ako ng ganito. All along, akala ko, ipinasok niya lang ako dito para pahirapan at sumuko. Siguro dahil nagbago na rin talaga 'yong situation kaya ganito.

"I don't want you to waste away what you have learned in college. I heard from Dwight that you have very good grades in school. Might as well use it, 'di ba?"

"Thank you po talaga, Mommy!" I tried my best not to cry baka kasi makasama rin sa baby. But after that talk, mas lalo na akong ginanahang magtrabaho. Ayaw kong sayangin 'yong tiwala at pagkakataong binigay niya sa akin ngayon.

The day passed by in a blur. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa dami ng ginagawa ko o dahil sa ganda ng mood ko. Either way, hindi ko pa rin naramdaman si Dwight the whole day. So when I saw him standing at the elevator lobby on our floor while talking to our SVP, I decided to hide in the fire exit and use the stairs pababa ng isa pang floor.

Dwight

G, where are you?

Kanina pa kita hinihintay.

Let's talk over dinner, please.

I saw his text habang nakasakay na ako sa elevator. Pero dahil naiinis pa rin ako sa sinabi niya sa akin, hindi na ako nag-abala pang mag-reply sa kanya. Imbis na hintayin siya at sabay kaming umuwi, nag-book agad ako ng Grab para mauna na sa kanya.

Dwight

Damn it, G.

Nasaan ka na ba ha?

You're making me worried!

Wala nang tao sa department n'yo.

Answer your damn phone!

Dahil naiirita na rin ako sa dami ng text messages at missed calls niya sa akin, I finally decided to reply to him.

Georgina

Grab, pauwi na.

Dwight

Langya naman, G.

Hanggang ngayon ba naman?

When I say that I felt his disappointment over that text, seryoso ako. I would have asked the Grab driver to return to the office para balikan si Dwight kaso nanghinayang naman ako sa pamasahe ko. It was rush hour so nasa 600 plus din 'yong pamasahe. Bukod sa traffic na nga, gutom na rin ako.

Hindi naman sa ayaw kong mag-effort na ayusin 'to. It's just that, it feels like things aren't going the way they're supposed to be. Para bang ayaw kaming sang-ayunan ng universe. Ewan. It's too complicated at that time so I tried to make it up to him na lang.

Georgina

Let's just talk at home.

I'll cook dinner.

With my heart on my sleeve, I stayed on my Grab car feeling nervous. I just hope that we could really sort this one out.