Chapter 18
When we got back home, he ordered me to pack up some clothes and I immediately do what I was told to do. He booked the latest flight to Kobe so we could be there as soon as possible. I still have no clue what's the hurry pero mukhang emergency ang itinawag ni Tonton.
Trent mentioned he wouldn't be able to go back home to Kobe because of his busy schedule to work but now, he called to his office and dropped all of his schedule for the rest of the week. Maybe it was really an emergency that's why he didn't hesitate to do a decision for a quick second.
We booked a car heading to the airport. Trent said we could go on road to Kobe but that will take us over six hours just to get there, but if we'll fly there, it will only took us an hour and a few minutes. Hindi rin naman nagtagal nang marating na rin namin ang airport. We presented our ticket and our identification to get passed from the check-in. A moment later, we waited for the announcement for the passengers boarding.
Habang naghihintay kaming dalawa ni Trent sa waiting area ay hindi ko naman naiwasang hawakan ang kamay. Paraan para mapalubag ang nararamdaman niya. He then clutched his hand with mine. It feels like it was nothing kaya mga ilang minuto rin kaming nasa gano'ng posisyon hangga't sa naglakas loob na akong magtanong.
I rubbed my hand on his arm. "Hey... I hope you don't mind me to ask about it, but what happened?"
He heaved out a deep sighed. He washed out his face with his hand at pumadausdos siya sa ng kaunti sa kinauupuan niya. "There's an emergency back in Kobe."
I was right.
"And what kind of emergency?"
"My mom," he told. "Tonton said my mom just passed out. I was afraid she suffered a heart attack but Tonton said that it was a different case. When he called, she's still in the emergency room so I have no idea now what's her condition."
"I hope she'll be fine," aniko. "I know she will be."
He exhaled, big time. "I just don't want to lose another parent again."
"You won't lose your mom," I said to him. Telling him an assurance coming from the person who had never been with family was unbelievable. But it's kind of comforting for me to say that. Hindi naman magical ang mga salita ko but I know that helps him a little. Kahit papaano. "You'll see her when we get there."
He then took a deep breath. He tapped the back of my hand and a little smile from his face shown. "Thanks, Lav..."
And I guess, that's the only thing I need to hear from him.
Hindi rin katagalan ay tinawag na ang mag pasahero to board to go to Kobe's. I only carried a bag that's enough to have my clothes for a week. Gano'n din naman ang dinala ni Trent. I know we can't stay there for too long but because of this abrupt situation and an emergency that we need to attend, we'll stay there as long as Trent feels everything is good.
As we headed to our seats, at kahit nakaupo na kami ay pansin kong hindi mapanatag si Trent kaya naman muli kong hinawakan ang kamay niya. He's shaking, and today I'm seeing another Trent. His emotional side brings me closer to him. Ayoko mang isipin na dahil mag-isa siya ay kaya na niya ang buhay, hindi pa rin pala. He's alone and he misses his family back home and now that everything is on jeopardy, his priorities instantly changed when it comes to family.
I just hope na kaya kong sabihin 'yan sa sitwasyon ko. That I was a part of something important to my family. Though they never see me as one—completely, ayos lang naman sa akin, Tanggap ko naman. Matagal na.
All throughout the flight, nakatingin lamang si Trent sa binata na parang gustong liparin na lang ang kalangitan para makarating kaagad kami sa Kobe. Naaawa man ako sa sitwasyon niya, wala naman akong ibang magagawa para mapagaan ang damdamin niya. Hindi na naman ako gumawa ng ibang bagay na baka makasama pa sa kanya kaya hinayaan ko na lamang na makalapag kami sa Kobe.
It's not that long when we finally landed to the city. Parang gusto na agad makipag-unahan ni Trent sa ibang pasahero na maunang bumaba ng aircraft. It only took us a few minutes bago rin kami nakababa at nagmadali rin kaming lumabas ng airport premises at sumakay ng taxi patungo sa hospital kung nasaan ngayon ang mother ni Trent.
Trent wasn't talking while we're on our way. Nang marating namin ang hospital ay dali-dali din naman kaming tumungo sa private room ng mother niya. Naunang pumasok si Trent at nakasunod lamang ako sa kanya. As I entered the room, kakaibang lamig naman ang bumalot sa katawan ko. When I roamed my eyes around, una kong nakita si Trent na nakatayo sa tabi ng hospital bed.
"Lav!" tawag sa akin ni Tonton. Lumapit naman siya sa akin para kunin ang bitbit kong bag at itinabi niya iyon sa gilid.
"Lav?" isang boses ng babae ang narinig ko. Nilingon ko naman ang direksyon kung saan nanggagaling ang boses Nakita ko naman ang mother ni Trent na nakatanaw mula sa kanyang kama na ang tingin ay nasa akin. "Are you my son's girlfriend?"
"No, I'm not," iling po kasabay ng pag-wave ng kamay ko para itanggi ang sinasabi niya.
"She's not my girlfriend," sagot ni Trent. "She's my helper."
"Oh... I see..." his mom mumbled.
Lumapit naman ako sa kanila at tumayo sa tabi ni Trent. "How are you, ma'am?"
"I'm fine, thank you," she smiled, but a weak one.
"She's still not fine," sagot naman ni Trent at tiningnan ang mama niya. "You made me so worried. I had to come here as soon as possible when Tonton called me. His call was the death of me."
"Sorry to do that to you, kuya." Paglapit ni Tonton kay Trent at tinapik ang balikat nito. "But I know this is serious matter to you."
"I know. Thanks for doing that," he smiled.
"I'll be checking out tonight," his mom announced.
Pero agad namang umiling si Trent dahil hindi siya sang-ayon sa gusto nitong mangyari. "You're not leaving the hospital tonight. I cleared off my schedule for the rest of the week so you can stay here for a few days. Don't worry, I'll handle all the bills just make sure that you'll be safe and good."
"Why would you do that, Trent?" tanong ng mother ni Trent.
"It's because I care and I don't wanna lose you, just like I lose dad."
Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ang mother nito at ngiti ang ibinigay. And I know with that kind of gesture, sobrang close sila sa isa't isa kahit na malayo si Trent sa kanyang magulang.
Hinayaan ko na naman muna sila mag-usap at sinamahan ako ni Tonton sa couch.
"When did we see each other nga ba?" tanong ni Tonton.
"I think two to three weeks ago?" sagot ko sa kanya. "Not sure pero mukhang gano'n na nga."
"And I do think... mas naging close na kayo ni kuya," ani Tonton.
Napakunot naman ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "Pa'no mo naman nasabi?"
He shrugged off. "I just know it. And when you know it, you know it naman."
"Hindi talaga," ngiwi ko pa.
"Sabi mo e," kibit balikat pa niya. "But look at him." Pagturo pa ng nguso niya sa direksyon nina Trent at ng mother niya. Tiningnan ko naman silang dalawa ro'n. "Trent looks like the person na akala mo cold-hearted at walang pakialam. Na puro trabaho na lang ang nasa isip niya at lahat ng taong nakapaligid sa kanya ay wala siyang pakialam but he will if there's an important thing to do. But apart from those things na akala ng tao kapag nakikita siya, when he's around with his family—the people he really cares about ay makikita mo talaga ang different side niya."
"I noticed that. Since you called and we travelled all the way here ay nagbago siya—not in a bad way dahil his soft side came out when it's about his family. The last time, he brought me to his father's grave and I thought it would be nothing but I guess it means more than just a nothing."
"I agree," pagsang-ayon ni Tonton. "But did he really bring you to his father?"
"Yes," I nodded continuously. "Nagulat nga ako kasi hindi ko ine-expect. I thought we'll do something pero 'yon pala."
"And I must say something," he said, saka umayos sa kanyang pagkakaupo. "Trent was very close to his father. Even though he's far from where they live. He's in Tokyo and they're in Kobe. There's a distance to where they live, but I know kuya always checked them. So when his father died, it broke him so he tried to do his best to cope with his situations. And yes he's very close to his father that he didn't tell anyone but only those close to him. And you must be."
"Ako?" taka kong tanong sa sinabi niya. "Parang hindi naman."
"Ganito lang 'yan. If he care, ibigsabihin he really care and if his actions came to an extent na halos pinapasok ka na niya sa buhay niya ay hindi isang normal bagay 'yon. You must be special to kuya."
Napalingon muli ako sa direksyon ni Trent. Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ako at hindi ko alam kung anong papaniwalaan ako o maniniwala pa nga ba ako.
"Maybe you're not just a nanny after all, Lav..." Tonton said then patted my shoulder. Tumayo naman siya at iniwan niya ako saka tumungo sa banyo.
Then Trent attended me and asked a few things about me. He was just asking about my comfortability at dahil wala namang problema sa akin kung nasaan kami ngayon, I just told him that shouldn't worry about me. But then he noticed that I was shivering from the cold kaya tinanggal niya ang suot niyang jacket at pinatong niya sa akin.
The private room was spacious. May personal TV, cleaning area, at kung ano-ano pa. I think it's Trent's request that her mother should be in this grand room at wala namang problema 'yon if they can really afford it.
A moment later ay nakaramdam ako ng antok at dahil wala naman sa akin ang atensyon nila ay minabuti ko munang bawiin ang tulog ko. Maaga kasi kaming nagising kanina para dalhin si Sasa sa bago niyang employer.
Sometime later when I woke up that there's a blanket covering me. Napabangon naman ako sa pagkakahiga ko sa couch at inikot ko ang ulo ko and to see no one but Trent's mom on her bed. Nakatingin naman siya sa akin at nakangiti.
"They went out," she said. "They will buy some food. Hindi ka na niya ginising because you felt so tired. Maayos na ba ang tulog mo?"
Tumango naman ako. "Yes po, but I do think I should be the asking that. How do you feel now?"
"I'm actually good now," she said.
"Good to know that po. But what's the cause po?"
"Oh, it's a fatigue," she answered. "I have working for the past few days—just doing housework but then it took a toll on me so I think from now on, I'll be doing less things na. Thank you for asking. You're so nice..."
"No problem po," ngiti ko pa.
"Tonton mentioned you before and I thought he's joking," aniya. "You're a Mercondia, right?"
I nodded. I guess I know now what Tonton meant to what he said before.
"But why are you working as a nanny?"
I sighed and pressed my lips together. "It's a long story to tell. And being a Mercondia doesn't always fun and happy. Unfortunate of me, it was the opposite thing. And I came here in Japan to have a better future—I mean, to start with something that doesn't really define my past. In Tokyo, I think I'll be fine when I have a boss who understand me so much,"
"Have you tell him about your family background?"
Umiling ako. "I don't think it's necessary for him to know that. I think he knew something but I never really told anything about my family to him. It was just me and other things. I can't let him know about it. Just the reason why I'm in Tokyo would be enough."
"And I think you're lucky that my son was your employer," she said.
"I believe I am very lucky," I said with a little laugh. "Hindi ko maipagpapalit kung anong meron ako ngayon. It's fortunate of me and he's so kind dahil tinulungan niya 'yong kaibigan ko na makahanap din ng work. Siguro mas marami pa akong kailangan alamin tungkol sa kanya because honestly speaking, when I came here, wala akong ideya kung sino ang pagsisilbihan ko."
"Lucky of you," he chuckled. "But I am luckier that he's my son."
"Of course, you are," ngiti ko pa. "No one could ever asked for someone like him. Napakabait at maintindihan."
"Yes, he does. When his father died, he worked so hard para lang mapagpatuloy ang nasimulan ng kanyang ama. They are very close na minsan iiwanan pa ng ama niya ang trabaho niya just to be with Trent. When my husband died, it loses a part of me—to Trent. You might see him very astounded and all, but he's fragile. He's also like the others."
"I believe so," tatango-tango ko pa. "But you'll know him more. Even you just worked for him because to tell you honestly, he never needed a nanny that's why I wondered why would he hire one. And I saw you and I basically knew why did he hire a nanny."
Napangisi naman ako at hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit niya sinabi 'yon. "Bakit nga po ba?"
She laughed. "It's for you to find out, dear."
Mayamaya lamang ay dumating na sina Trent at Tonton na may dalang pagkain. Nagulat pa si Trent na naabutan niya kaming magkausap ng mother niya so I moved away to give him the space. Inilabas naman nila ang pagkain binili mula sa paper bag at pinagsaluhan namin iyon. Trent mentioned that he'll send me to their home in Kobe so I can have a better sleep tonight. It's either Trent or Tonton ang maiiwan sa hospital para magbantay. Pumayag naman ako sa magiging plano because all of us can't stay inside this room so some of us will be going home later.
While eating, hindi ko naman maiwasang isipin ang sinabi ng mother ni Trent kanina. It's meaningful yet mystified me. And whatever Trent's reason for hiring a nanny, I should find that out.
And I guess my first month in Tokyo became a rollercoaster ride. Would I be able to reach the end of my contract or I'll be extended? Hopefully, he'll extend it. Hindi naman ako nawawalan ng pag-asa because at this point, I'm on a good spot. And while I'm sitting to this situation, I'll make the most of it. and that's for sure.
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