Echoes of Secrecy [UNDER REVISION]

Chapter 21

A week has passed na palaging pumupunta si Kent dito sa office ko habang may dalang bouquet of flowers. I don't know what his purpose is.

Kung tungkol naman iyon sa new project ng company namin, hindi pa naman iyon na simulan. Sa susunod na araw pa namin pupuntahan ang lugar na pagtatayuan ng resort for sightseeing.

Sobrang nakukulitan na talaga ako sa kanya. Nakakainis. May trabaho yung tao tapos manggugulo.

I was busy reading the new contract that I have to sign when I heard my secretary's voice on the intercom.

"Yes, Liara?" I answered her still busy with the papers in front of me.

"Nandito po sa labas si Miss Trishia kasama po ang anak mo." She said politely.

"Let them in," pagkatapos kung sabihin yun ay inayos ko na ang mga documents at contracts na nasa table kasabay ng pagbukas ng pinto.

"Mommy!" I heard my daughter's angelic voice, making me smile. I looked up and saw her running towards mes with Trishia behind her.

I crouched down meeting her embraced as she kissed my cheeks. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hello, Mommy. I miss you!" Napatawa ako. Para namang hindi kami magkasama sa bahay kanina.

"I miss you too, sweetie." Mahinang pinisil ko ang ilong niya. She giggled, making my smile bigger while looking at her. Hearing her laugh is enough for me, it already made my day. "How's your date with Tita-godmother? Did you enjoy?"

Sinundo kasi siya ni Trishia kanina sa bahay para i-date dahil na miss raw niya ang inaanak niya and since wala namang pasok si Ayeasha dahil three times a week lang ang klase nila, pumayag ako para naman hindi siya nakakulong lang sa bahay.

Ayaw ko siyang magkaroon ng takot na lumabas o sa mga tao kaya minabuti kong i-expose naman siya paminsan-minsan. Ayaw ko siyang matulad sa'kin noon na hindi marunong makipag-halubilo kaya walang masiyadong kaibigan.

I want her to enjoy her childhood and have a lot of friends that I didn't have.

"Opo! Tita-godmother took me to Enchanted Kingdom! We rode a lot of rides. After that, she took me to the mall and bought me a new ribbon clip! When she asked me where I wanna eat, I said I wanted to go to Jollibee. My classmate said it's delicious there, so I wanted to try." Pag-kukwento niya. I can see her eyes shining with happiness as she tells me what happened to her date with her Tita-godmother.

"And how is it? Did you like the food?" Pagtatanong ko pa.

Agad naman siyang tumango. "Yup! I love their fries. And oh, the sundae too!"

Napangiti ako sa nakikitang kasiyahan sa mukha niya. Oh, how I would love to look at her happy face everyday.

Bigla kaming nakarinig ng tikhim. "I just want to inform you both that I'm here." Trishia voiced out.

Mahina akong natawa saka tumayo karga si Ayeasha. "Hey, Trish."

"Hello to you too." I can hear sarcasm in her voice.

"Ikaw naman, nagtatampo agad." I chuckled. I walked towards the couch here in my office and sat down with Ayeasha in my lap. Tahimik lang si Ayeasha habang nakayakap sa'kin. This kid is sweet.

Sumunod si Trishia at umupo sa kaharap kong couch. "How's life in the office?" She asked.

I heaved a sigh. "Like a business man should be, busy." I replied. "How about your visit in Texas?"

Umuwi kasi si Trishia last week sa Texas kung saan naninirahan ang mga magulang niya para bisitahin ang mga ito.

Her parents have been living there since I can remember. Gusto rin sana nila sumama ang anak nila but Trishia chose to stay here kaya bumibisita nalang siya doon para hindi magtampo ang parents niya. Every month siyang bumibisita doon.

Trishia smiled at the mention of her parents, I can see love in her eyes. She loves her parents so much just like how I love my parents too. "They're the same love-sick couple." She chuckles. "Hindi mapaghiwalay. Ang tatanda na pero para pa ring teenagers kung umakto." Napailing siya habang natatawa. Natawa na rin ako dahil ganyan din ang parents ko minsan.

Trishia and talked a lot more things, catching up for the past week that we haven't seen each other.

I missed having a bond with her. Noong nag-aaral pa lang kami, we have a lot of time together and we are always the study partner. But now that we've grown and finished our studies, minsanan nalang kami magkita dahil sa mga responsibilidad.

"I remembered that you told me about your new project and Kent is part of it. How's it going?" Trishia suddenly asked.

I have mention to her the past days about the company's new project and Kent constantly visiting me. "Pupunta kami sa Batangas sa susunod na araw for sightseeing para masimulan na ang pagpapatayo ng resort." Imporma ko sa kanya.

Her eyebrows raised as if waiting for another answer. I sighed. "If you're asking about Kent constantly visiting me here, mabuti at hindi siya bumisita ngayon. Siguro napagod na dahil palagi ko rin naman siyang pinagtatabuyan."

"What about Ayeasha? Hindi mo pa ba sinabi kay Kent ang tungkol sa anak niyo?" Nagulat ako sa tanong niya. Not this again.

Napatingin ako sa anak ko na nakatulog na pala sa mga bisig ko. Nakasiksik ang mukha niya sa leeg ko habang nakayakap pa rin sa'kin.

Hinalikan ko ang noo niya at hinaplos ang buhok niya. Mabuti at nakatulog siya bago umabot sa ama niya ang topic namin.

Hindi naman sa ayaw kong malaman niya ang tungkol sa ama niya, ayaw ko lang siyang masaktan. Kent has a girlfriend. And I don't want her to know that her father loves another woman. Kids always want a complete family. And I know my daughter is not exempted.

Nagtataka nga ako na hindi siya nagtatanong tungkol sa ama niya pero mabuti na rin yun. Dahil hindi pa ako handa na ipakilala si Kent sa kanya dahil sa takot na baka kunin siya ni Kent sa'kin at ilayo.

Pero kung gusto talaga niyang makilala ang ama niya, haharapin ko ang takot ko para sa kanya. I will always put my daughter's happiness first over my fears.

When I accepted my parent's request to stay here and take over the company, I also accepted na darating talaga ang araw na magkikita silang mag-ama at makilala ang isa't isa kaya unti-unti kong hinahanda ang sarili ko para sa araw na yun.

"Pinangungunahan ka pa rin ba ng takot mo? Alam mo naman na kahit anong tago mo kay Ayeasha, darating talaga ang araw na makilala nila ang isa't isa." Wika ni Trishia na nagpabalik sa'kin sa kasalukuyan.

Bumuntong-hininga ako. "I know that, Trish. Unti-unti ko ng hinahanda ang sarili ko para sa araw na yun pero hindi pa rin mawawala ang takot ko. At tsaka, I don't want to just barge in and tell Kent that we have a daughter. He has a girlfriend and you know who. You know how much he love Kyla. I don't want to ruin their relationship again." I explained.

That's also one of the reason why I'm afraid to tell Kent about Ayeasha. I don't want to ruin his relationship again. Tama na yung nasira ko sila noon dahil sa pagmamahal ko sa kanya. No, I won't do that again.

"And also, if I tell Kent about Ayeasha, what if he don't want to accept her? I don't want my daughter to feel rejected. I don't want to see her in pain because of her own father. Hindi ko kaya yun." I added. I can feel my heart breaking just the thought of my daughter being rejected by her own father. "Kung malaman man ni Kent ang tungkol kay Ayeasha, I'll left it to fate. Tadhana na ang bahala kung kailan iyon. For now, I'll focus on my daughter and the company."

Lumapit sa'kin si Trishia. I can see understanding in her eyes. "I am so proud of you, Zane. You're a great mother. I'm sure, Ayeasha and your parents are proud of you too."

"Thank you, Trish." I smiled, she smiled back.

"But what if Ayeasha will ask about her father?" She questioned.

"Then maybe, it would be the right time for them to know each other."