"Attorney Hernandez?" Nag-angat ako ng tingin mula sa cellphone ko nang marinig ko ang pagtawag ng secretary ng Daddy ni Rebekah.
It took my secretary a week to succeed to schedule an appointment with him. I wanted to see him and talk to him about her. I plan to keep her on my side from now on and never let go so I wanted to come clean with her father.
"Yes," I answered before I stood up and followed her inside the office of Mr. Kiko Alarcon.
"Sir, nandito na po si Attorney Hernandez." saka lang nag-angat si Mr. Alarcon ng tingin mula sa mga papel na binabasa ng sabihin iyon ng sekretarya. Agad kong sinalubong ang tingin niya.
"Alright, you can leave now." taboy niya sa sekretarya bago sinenyas saakin na umupo.
"Attorney Hernandez?" he asked with his brow rising as he scrutinizingly stares at my face.
"Yes, sir." confident kong sagot sakanya kahit na nag-uumpisa na akong kabahan. Hindi ko malaman saan nanggagaling ang kabang iyon, sa sasabihin ko ba sa kanya o dahil kaharap ko ang tatay ng girlfriend ko?
"Okay... How can I help you?" he asked with his forehead slightly creasing.
"I'm Rebekah's boyfriend, sir." nakita ko ang pagdaan ng gulat sa mukha niya pero mabilis rin iyong nawala at napalitan ng nanghahamon na tingin.
"So?" Lumunok muna ako para pakalmahin kahit papaano ang sarili bago muling nagsalita.
"I know you're not on good terms with her right now. And maybe you're already close to being estranged with each other. But I just wanted you to know that you're daughter loves you. Rebekah loves and cares for you. She respects you so much."
"Why are you saying all of this?" wala sa sarili akong napangiti ng pumasok sa isip ko ang mukha ni Rebekah habang kinukwento kung paano siya tratuhin noon ng Daddy niya.
He was a great father during her childhood.
"Because I love your daughter, sir. I wanted to inform you that she was currently staying with me. And I don't have any plans of letting her go as well." sinsero kong sagot sa kanya. Bigla nalang nawala ang kabang nararamdaman ko habang nakatingin ako ng diretso sa mga mata niyang kasing kulay ng kay Rebekah.
"If ever magbago ang isip niyo at gusto niyo na siyang pauwiin," I took a deep breath before shaking my head, erasing the depressing thoughts of going home to my unit without her waiting.
"Please know that I am, with full conviction against it." I saw how the corner of his lips rose a little as he leaned over his table and rested his jaw with his clasped hands as he stared at me daringly.
"And why would I leave my daughter under your care? Now that you mentioned it, I don't like the idea of my youngest nesting around the same roof with you, attorney."
"You can try, sir. But you can't take her away from me. I have a high paying job, I owned numerous properties, I can provide for her. I can give her a comfortable life, if that's what you're worried about and I promise to love her and make her happy. Always."
Ilang sandali rin kaming nagtagisan ng tingin bago siya ngumisi at tumawa.
"I see. You got the balls to tame my daughter and to face me. Sure." Ani niya matapos ng ilang segundong pagtawa.
"You two can stay, together." He added before his face went back to being serious.
"Pero oras na malaman kong sinaktan mo ang anak ko, oras na malaman kong umiyak siya sa puder mo, tandaan mo 'to Hernandez,"
"Forget that you even existed in her life dahil sisiguraduhin kong hinding hindi ka na makakalapit pa sa kanya." I took his threat by heart.
Tinatak ko sa isipan ko na hinding hindi dapat siya masasaktan, na hinding hindi dapat siya iiyak or else I would lose her completely.
Kaya ganoon na lang ang takot ko ng dumating si Fryje sa opisina ko saying that what I was doing was enough. That it was time for me to come back to her.
"Let's prepare for our wedding!" excited niyang ani habang iniisa-isa ang mga gusto niyang mangyari sa supposed to be ay kasal daw namin.
"Fryje, walang kasalang mangyayari." I told her immediately na nagpatigil sa mga pagpaplanong ginagawa niya.
I saw how her expression shifted into something dark after she heard me say it. Hindi ko siya kinontact sa loob ng dalawang taon naming relasyon ni Rebekah. I changed my doorknobs and the security pins just to make sure na hindi na siya makakapasok sa unit ko.
I don't want my girlfriend to misinterpret.
Fryje might twist the story to her advantage, and we wouldn't like that. I already had long realized who's the vicious one between these sisters. And it was Fryje. Gagawin niya ang lahat mapahamak o mapasama lang ang kapatid niya. And I can't seem to wrap my head around the idea that I might be her next weapon to hurt my Rebekah.
"Napag-usapan na natin 'to, Brent." mariin niyang saad habang nakatingin sakin.
"Let's be clear here, Fryje. I never agreed with your plans."
"Really? Then anong ginagawa mo ngayon kasama ang babaeng yun---"
"I love her. I trully love her." sinsero kong amin sa kanya na nagpadilim ng mga mata niya.
"No! That's not true! Ako ang mahal mo!" Histerical niyang sigaw na halos mapapikit ako sa irita sa lakas ng boses niya.
Paano ko ba natagalan 'to noon?
"Mas magaling ba siya sa kama? I can do better than her!" sigaw niya bago nag-umpisang maghubad sa harapan ko.
Napahinga ako ng malalim bago napapikit ng mariin at mariing hinilot ang magkabilang sentido. I opened my eyes and directly stared at her eyes.
I don't mind her nakedness. Ni-wala akong maramdamang libog sa kanya. All I can see is a desperate woman. Desperate for love, for attention and for revenge. For a moment ay nakaramdam ako ng awa not until the crying image of my girlfriend resurfaced on my mind.
No. Hindi dapat kaawaan ang mga ganitong uri ng tao. People like her who do nothing but plot against someone else.
"Get dress, Fryje. You're starting to disgust me." I told her before I stood up, pick up my coat and my phone before heading out of my office. Leaving her inside without any second thoughts.
I need to do something to ensure that she won't be able to come close with her sister. Natatakot ako sa mga pupwede niyang gawin o sabihin. Rebekah might misunderstand and leave me.
Leave me.
I can't. Hindi ko yata kaya iyon.
Huminga ako ng malalim para pakalmahin ang puso kong nagwala dahil sa mga naiisip. I took me a few more minutes before I finally reigned back my control. I took out my phone and dialed her number.
"Hello?" a smile immediately broke into my lips after I heard her sweet voice.
"Hey, babe. What about a lunch date?" tanong ko sa kanya, tuluyan ng kumalma ng marinig ang boses niya.
I heard her chuckled a bit and a quick sound of paper shuffling. She's probably checking her workloads. A moment later, she agreed and asked where we should meet. I told her to just wait for me and I'll be the one to fetch her.
While driving, I was plagued with thoughts if I should just tell her about my connection with her sister. Would that be better? Hearing it from me instead of coming from another mouth?
I already made up my mind to tell her about it. But the moment I saw her waiting by the entrance of their building, smiling and waving as she noticed my car, I chickened out.
"I love you babe, wag mo kong iiwan." nakita ko ang pag-tataka sa mukha niya ng iyon ang ibungad ko sakanya.
"Hala ka! Bakit kita iiwan?"
"Just because..." I answered as I stared at her face. Her face softened before I felt her hands cupped my cheeks before she gave my lips a loud peck.
"May nangyari ba?" she asked worriedly, slightly turning towards my direction to stare at me more.
Should I say it?
I tried to open my mouth to confess and come clean but then, no words would voluntarily come out.
I stopped trying when I heard her sigh and I immediately felt her soft caressing.
"It's alright babe. No matter what happens, I won't leave you," she assured before she pulled my head closer and kissed my forehead tenderly.
I closed my eyes as I reflected on her words.
I just hope you'll stick to your words babe.
Please don't leave me.