Haylee's Point of View
"Ate? aalis ka na po?" lumingon ako at ngumiti kay Kate.
"Oo, e. May pangalawang appointment kasi ako ngayon bunso. Andiyan naman si ate Lily para bantayan at alagaan ka, alis muna ako. Pahinga ka lang diyan." tumango siya ng tipid. Kay Lily napunta ang mata ko kaya agad niya akong tinanguan.
Nakatanggap ako ng tawag sa secretary ni sir Chen at sinabing hired na daw ako. Pag uusapan na lang ngayon ang posisyon at tungkulin ko sa kompanya. Hindi mawala sa isip ko ang nangyari kahapon, inaamin ko namang na-kyutan ako kay Edrian pero nakakagulat ang ginawa niya. Tinawag niya akong mommy at kita ko sa mga mata niya kahapon na desperada siyang makasama ako. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung bakit parang nasaktan ako.
Sumakay agad ako sa pampublikong sasakyan at nakarating sa kumpanya sa loob ng kalahating oras, oo, ganu'n kalayo. Ang creepy pa ng driver ng taxi, parang lalamunin ako, todo bantay tuloy ako sa daan, nag text pa ako kay Lily.
[Lily, kapag may nangyaring masama sa akin, ito ang impormasyon ng huling oras ko. Nakasakay ako sa isnag taxi na may plate number na ******, ang creepy ni manong driver. Ipagdasal niyo na lang na maging ligtas ako, huhu.]
Todo dasal ako bago makababa, akala ko nga, killer, e. Jusme.
"Miss Biñanas, we're happy to see you here. We'll head to the conference room this time, shall we?" tumango ako sa sekretarya. Sinalubong niya ako sa entrance para i-lead ako sa daan. Nakakapagtaka lang dahil sa conference room ako pinapapunta, e kahapon lang ay sinabing dapat sa office daw ng CEO dumiretso.
Malapit na kami sa elevator nang magbukas iyon, lumabas ang matangkad at gwapong lalaki pero mas gwapo pa din iyong CEO—teka, ano ba itong iniisip ko?!
Kasama niya si Edrian pero hindi niya ito hawak. Nasa likod nila ang isang lalaking may salamin at sa pagkakaalam ko, ito ang nagtuturo sa bata kahapon.
"Mommy!" nanakbo ito papalapit sa akin kasabay nang paglingon lahat ng empleyadong nasa malapit.
"U-Uh, good morning, Edrian." kumaway ako habang nakayakap na siya sa binti ko. Ang awkward, takang nakatitig ang lahat sa akin! Hindi ako sanay sa ganito at ngayon lang ako natapunan ng ganitong atensyon.
"Oh, so you are miss Biñanas? Aren't you?" tanong ng gwapong lalaki pagkalapit niya. Alanganin akong tumango. "It's not that surprising, you have a beauty just like her." kumunot ang noo ko pero tumawa lang siya. Anong ibig niyang sabihin? Baliw ba 'to?
"A-Ah, yes sir. I'm sorry for my mistake, but what will we do, sir?" dumako ang paningin ko sa sekretarya habang may kausap ito sa telepono, malamang ay si Mr. Chen na iyon. Mukha siyang kinakabahan, e.
Matapos maibaba ang phone ay alanganin siyang tumingin sa akin. "Uhm, I'm sorry for this miss Biñanas but we have no choice, you have to be with the kid while we're on the way there." sinulyapan kong muli ang bata at natutuwang binuhat siya.
"Okay! Matutuwa pa ako, hehe."
Dwayne's Point of View
This thing keep on flashing on my mind. I'm confused if I would do what Angelo told me yesterday.
"What? Seriously? First, you saw her holding your son few days ago, and now, Edrian called her mommy and even ran towards her? This is less from what I expected. But, she's applying here, right?" I shortly nodded.
"I think she can be a better shareholder because of her profession and background but my son will sure distract her from job. He already distracted her on her interview and burst out crying hard because of being apart with her. Do you think, this is a big matter?" he scoffed and smirked.
"What do you think, Dwayne?" he teased. "Last time, I suggested you to hire a mommy and a wife. Tapos ngayong nakakita ka ng babaeng pwedeng lapitan ng anak mo, bakit hindi mo na lang siya i-hire bilang asawa at nanay ng anak mo? Was she kind? Rich? Beautiful? Sexy? Hot?" I glared at him and threw the can of beer.
"She's kind, I guess. She have this kind of attitude that is a bit clingy, noisy and talkative woman yet can be professional, she's not rich, I don't look on how beautiful women was so I don't care of her look, and lastly, I'm not a pervert like you who always look on women's bodies! Cut the crap, Angelo!" he just laughed and raised a brow.
"Dude, so tinignan mo nga kung mabait at anong pagkatao ang meron siya? Hindi ka nga tumingin sa hitsura at katawan pero sa pagkatao naman." he teased more.
"Nonsense, do you think I'll accept an employee without looking on their personality? You can now take your leave if you can't say anything good." he stand up and leaned closer.
"Think about it, Dwayne. People who can be attached from Edrian is rare so take the chance. I know you, you're not a prisoner of love but do this for Edrian." he seriously said and tapped me on my shoulder before taking his leave.
I stopped from thinking when they're not here already. They're late now, 6 minutes, how I hate waiting so I called my secretary.
"You are late for 6 minutes, what do you think of me? Want to be fired?"
"I'm sorry sir. It's just, we bumped into your son. He's now hugging miss Biñanas' leg and we can't move."
"Damn it. Do your job as my secretary."
"A-Ah, yes sir. I'm sorry for my mistake, but what will we do, sir?"
"Just bring Edrian over." then I ended the call.
I decided to take the appointment on the conference room because I thought, Edrian will not see her for now. I told Angelo to walk him around but it turns out like this. I have no choice but to let him go along with them. And another thing, I made up my mind.
Maybe I should take Angelo's advice, now that my son desperately wants to have that woman as his mother.
Back to Haylee's Point of View
"Edrian, bakit mommy ang tawag mo sa'kin? Hindi ako ang mommy mo." malumanay kong wika sa bata habang naglalakad kami patungo sa conference room. Buhat buhat ko pa rin siya ngayon.
Inosente itong tumingin sa akin. "You are mommy, my mommy." napahilamos ako sa mukha. Kailan lang ay nasagi ko lang siya noon pero bakit sa isang beses na pagkikitang iyon ay itinuturing na niya akong ina? Ano bang ginawa ko?
Nakapasok kami ng conference room habang buhat ko pa din si Edrian. Nakatalikod sa amin ang CEO sa harapan.
"Sir, we're here now." du'n siya lumingon.
"Okay, you can now leave." agad lumabas ang sekretarya at naiwan kaming tatlo sa loob. Sinundan ko ng tingin ang binata sa paglabas nito bago ibalik sa CEO ang paningin. Nakatingin na ito sa akin.
"You can sit down now." dahan dahan akong lumapit at umupo sa tapat niya, iniupo ko din ang bata sa tabi ko.
"U-Uh, I'm sorry sir for touching your son again. Do I have to be punished this time?" alanganing taning ko dito.
"We're here because of your job. And I'm assigning you to a one job. You can receive money every month, suggest any price." nagtaka agad ako at may namuong tanong sa isip ko. Hindi ito ang nasa company requirements, ang pagkakaalala ko, two months bago maka sweldo ang mga empleyado, how come I can receive in only a month?
"Uhm, what will be my job, sir?" pinasadahan niya ako ng tingin.
"A wife and a mother."
"Okay, si—teka?!" napaatras ang upuan ko nang bigla akong napatayo. "A wife and a mother?! Ang huli ko pong natatandaan, walang ganito sa company's information. And who will be my husband and son?" hindi ko napigilan ang sarili.
"You're going to marry me and be Edrian's mother."
"U-Uh, excuse me lang sir, ah. Sorry for the act but I can't just marry someone. I'm sorry."
"50 thousand a month or I'll make it 100 thousand. Is that not enough?" nainis ako sa tanong niya, ano ba ako sa tingin niya?
"I'm not with the money, mr. Chen. I can't marry someone who I just met. Marriage for me is all about love. I didn't applied here just to be married. I'm sorry but I won't agree on that." his eyes narrowed.
"I'm now giving you an opportunity. You're in your hard time right? All you have to do is to be Edrian's mother because you are the only person who can ba attached on him and can even touch him. My son desperately wanted to be with you." tumingin ako sa bata at kita sa mukha niya ang kaba at lungkot habang pinagmamasdan ako.
" M-Mommy." napalunok ako. Paano ba ako napunta sa ganitong sitwasyon?
"This may be an opportunity for you but I want to have an acceptable job. Yes indeed that I'm in time of need right now. But this do not belong to any of my options. I can be you son's nanny if you want me to take care of him but—" nagulat ako dahil sa biglaang pagtayo niya kaya naputol ang pagsasalita ko.
"I will give you a day to decide. If you agree, the wedding will take it's place on my mansion. This is the only job that suits for you. The time is over, Edrian, let's go. Take time to think about it, Haylee." kinuha niya ang anak sa tabi ko.
"Mommy?" sinulyapan ko ito. "Mommy, you are my mommy." wika nito habang papalayo sa akin.
I DON'T HAVE ANY TIME LEFT. KAKAGAT NA BA AKO DITO O MAGTITIIS PA PARA MAGHANAP NG IBANG TRABAHO? KAILANGAN AKO NG KAPATID KO PERO AYOKONG MAGPAKASAL SA TAONG HINDI KO NAMAN LUBOS NA KILALA. PAPAIRALIN KO PA BA ANG SARILI KONG KAGUSTUHAN O UUNAHIN KO MUNA ANG KAPATID KO?
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Astrid Manunulat