Playing with Fire | On Hold

3: Fear

LUNOD NANAMAN SIYA sa trabaho, yun ang gusto niya. Ayaw niya masyadong nababakante kaya kahit na madaming abogado na makakatulong kahit na sa paggawa lang ng pleadings ay hindi siya humihingi ng tulong o nag-uutos. She likes to keep herself extremely busy just to keep herself from thinking too much. She hates having time to herself.

"Sir?" Nagulat siyang kumatok at pumasok sa opisina niya ang big boss ng firm.

Si PMG, Pacifico M. Guererro, kilala na niya ito noong nasa law school pa kasi naging professor niya ito sa Remedial Law Review and he made such an impact on her kaya naman kahit na kabi-kabila ang offer sa kanya ay nag-apply pa din siya sa opisina nito. He even shooed her away kasi mas madami daw malalaking opportunities na naghihintay sa kanya outside of his offce and that he cannot give her the position she deserves just yet pero okay lang sa kanya. Ayus lang sa kanya na magsimula sa baba. She had all the time in the world.

"Oh, gulat na gulat ka ata hija?" He asked as she tried to regain her facade.

"Ah hindi naman sir, nag-iisip lang talaga ako ng isusulat ko sa pleading." She stood up and moved towards the receiving area of her new office. "Gusto niyo ba ng kape sir? Papakuhain ko si Allisa."

"Ano ka ba Louisa? Diyan lang ako galing sa kabilang opisina, just relax. I just wanted to invite you to our house this weekend." Nakangiting sabi nito.

"Bakit sir? May okasyon po ba?" Napaisip siya, sigurado naman siyang hindi nito birthday.

"Actually yes, it is my wife and I's 35th wedding anniversary at may kaunting salu-salo sa bahay. I invited everyone to come. Sana makapunta ka." Tinapik-tapik siya nito sa balikat. "Anniversaries don't bother you right?"

"Oo naman sir, I was only bothered with mine kaya wala pong problema. I'll be there." Ngumiti siya at hinatid ito sa pintuan.

Funny, yun ba ang tipo ng lalaking gagamitin ang taas ng posisyon? Gigi must not know her boss that much kasi since she met him alam na niya na devoted talaga ito sa asawa. He would never look the other way, ever. Bumalik na lang siya sa ginagawa at nilunod muli ang sarili sa pagtatrabaho. More work, less of her.

Maaga siyang umalis sa opisina kasi may meeting siya kasama ng kaibigan niyang si Celest, she wanted to consult some legal matters with her lalo na at retained lawyer din siya ng kompanya nito at ng asawa. She never expected that her friends would get her as their lawyer and even up to the extent of having the law firm she works for as their retained firm.

"Hello Lou, sorry ang dami ko pang inasikaso sa bahay bago ako nakaalis." Celest sat down right away.

Humahangos itong naupo sa katapat niyang upuan. Hindi naman ito ganun ka-late, mga 20 minutes lang and she texted ahead of time na sinundo pa nga niya ang mga bata sa school kasi may mga sinat daw. Nasa Baguio kasi ang asawa nitong si Aidan dahil din sa trabaho kaya wala siyang karelyebo kundi ang mga kasama nila sa bahay.

"Sabi kasi sayo ako na ang pupunta sa inyo eh." She told her. Ayaw naman niya kasing iwan pa nito ang mga anak para sa meeting lang na ito. She can adjust.

"No, Aidan went home right away. He commissioned the chopper to go home para mabantayan ang mga bata. Yung kambal na yun talaga kapag nagkakasakit sabay, masyadong dikit ang mga bituka." Her friend laughed.

"What a good husband you have there," she smiled.

"Ay nako, let's not go there. Makakahanap ka din ng matinong lalaki, makakabuo ka din ng masayang pamilya. Stop thinking that God betrayed you just because of that man. That man will rot in jail if not in hell, either way it's fine by us." Sabi sa kanya nito.

Everyone was so angry when all that happened to her happened. She lost her child, she lost a human being. Elise was alive but not well enough to live longer than five days. Maybe she just wanted to see Louisa or she just wanted her mother to see her. It was the most painful thing, to see your child suddenly stop breathing and knowing na wala na talaga. Parang pinahiram lang sa kanya. She prayed day and night just so that her baby girl can survive but she didn't.