1-Kailan pa dapat yan

“Ma’am! Ma’am! Sandali lang po!”, sigaw ko sa aming head habang hinahabol siya.

“Pinapaalala ko sayo na sa Linggo na ang due date nyan! Don’t disappoint me Rachel!”, sagot nito at biglang nag-walk out.

Pano ko na itutuloy to ngayon?

“Rachel. In my office please.”, tawag naman ng supervisor sa department ko.

Minadali ko na lang ang pag-aayos ng gamit ko sa desk at pumunta sa office niya.

“Yes po ma’am?”, tanong ko sa kanya at pumasok na sa office.

“Sit down.”,

“Rachel.. it’s about your performance for this last three months. I know you had gone through a break up but don’t let that ruin your life and your career. You’re our best writer. We’re hoping to promote you but, there’s no chance of that kung wala ka nang gagawin sa araw-araw. Rachel, don’t fix the problem... instead correct the outcome. You can excuse yourself.”,

“Yes po Ma’am.”,

“Have your papers done by Friday. So we can edit and have an article already. A proper one alright? Good luck! Nandito lang kami ha? You can go home now. Focus on the paper Rachel!”, sigaw nito habang umaalis na ako ng office niya.

“Oh Rachel? Uuwi ka na?”, tanong ng katrabaho kong si Dylan.

“Oo, pinapasulat na ako ng bagong article eh. Akalain mo yun! Bumisita yung Head natin para lang sa akin!”, biro ko sa kanya.

“Hay nako! Ayusin mo na lang sarili mo! Umuwi ka na nga!”, balik nito at bumalik na din sa kanyang ginagawa.

Umuwi muna ako at nag leave ng isang linggo para lang matapos ko na ang paborito na article ng mga tao sa aming dyaryo.

(Biglang tumunog ang telepono)

Huh? Bakit ngayon pa?

“Rachel! Nabaliataan mo na ba? Magre-resign na si Ms. Lopez! Kaka-announce niya lang pagka-alis mo!”, minadaling chismis ni Roseta.

“Panong magre-resign? I mean antagal na niyang plano yan pero bakit ngayon?”,

“Paanong matagal na? Alam mo yung tungkol don?”, gulat na tanong nito.

“Oo, alam na ng mga nasa office, kung umaattend ka kasi ng meeting malalaman mo!”, sagot ko naman dito.

“Ahhh, pasensya na ha! Kita mong kailangan kong umuwi ng maaga para sa anak ko diba! Ikaw kamo Rachel...”,

“Oo na! May gagawin pa ko kaya balitaan mo na lang uli ako mamaya.”, sabi ko sa kanya at ibinaba na ang telepono.

Ughhh!! It has been so long since the last time I wrote something!! HEHE charot.

Pero ano naman kayang pwede kong pagtripan na topic ngayon? Feature writer lang naman ako. Wait nga lang! Hindi pa sila nagbibigay ng topic! Hay nako balik na nga muna ako sa office.

(Bumalik nga sa office)

“Oh Rachel! Welcome back! Natapos mo na ba yung pinapagawa sayo?”, salubong ni Dylan sa akin.

“Dylan, nasaan na lang si Ms. Lopez?”,

“Saan pa ba edi nasa office niya. Nag-iimpake na yata.”, bulong nito.

“Sige pala, sa Thursday ko na lang ipapasa sayo.”,

“Ohhh, what is this naka-move on na nga ba si Rachel? May bago na ba? O may pag-asa na ako?”, biro nito.

“Dylan mag trabaho ka na lang. Tandaan mo marami akong na miss sa feature! Marami ka pang i-eedit.”, sigaw ko sa kanya habang lumalayo ang pagitan naming dalawa.

“Oo na!”, balik nito.

Kumatok na ako sa Office ni Ma’am at pumasok pagkasunod.

“Ma’am may suggestion po ba kayo para sa feature ko? Nagkaka-mental block na ko eh.”,

“Hmmm. Ok, how about... “Bakit”? Make that into a topic! I know you can! We’re counting on you. We need “Rachel’s Writings” back! I can count on you right?”,

“Ma’am one question lang po.”,

“Sige ano ba yon?”,

“Bakit po... uhmmm, “Bakit”?”,

Tumawa ito...

“Bakit nga ba hindi ba?”,

Napaisip tuloy ako... paanong bakit?

“Ma’am okay lang po ba kayo? Never pa po kayo nag-suggest ng ganyan kalalim na topic.... may problema po ba?”,

“Yes Rachel! Meron nga!”,

Umupo siya bigla at sinimulan ang kanyang kwento.

“Let me tell you about my love story.”,

“Ma’am sigurado ho ba kayo? Mamaya po makakuha pa ako ng ideya dahil sa kwento niyo.”,

“At ano namang masama dun? Law of equivalent exchange Rachel... you get your story and I’ll have someone to listen.”,

“Uhmm. Ok po.”,

Umupo ako sa harap ng desk niya at nakinig sa pagsisimula ng kwento.

“Ok, me and my current fiancé met at a diner in the U.S. Alam ko parang nag blind date kami, pero hindi para sa isa’t isa. Alam mo yung parang nagkabaliktad kami ng dapat na makilala. From then, habang nandoon ako para sa bakasyon nagme-meet kami. 1 week lang yata yung leave ko nun, and after that I need to go back here for work. But thanks to you, I was able to extend the time I have there.”,

“Wait lang po... panong dahil sa akin?”,

“Hindi ba’t nag-suggest ka ng 1 month paid vacation? Tapos eksaktong may leave ako! So na extend for more days.”,

“Ahhh, oo nga pala.”,

“Tutuloy ko na ha?”,

“Sige po ma’am go ahead.”,

“And so mayroon na akong 1 month vacation, at best part may bayad pa! And then nalaman niyang na-extend. He was exhilarated with the news and invited me to stay with him at his apartment, for the time I have left.”,

“That’s sweet of him? Ay sorry po, continue.”,

“Alright.We spent every second together, we would go to the marketpalce together, do gardening and cook together, pero kahit anong gawin namin natatandaan kong wala kaming label...”,

Napatawa ako bigla..

“Ay sorry po ma’am. Aksidente lang po..”,

“Ok lang yan Rachel, at least nga ikaw may sense of humor eh. Kasi the whole time na magkasama kami sa U.S. wala man lang siyang joke na masabi sa akin. As in kahit anong pick-up lines, wala!”, inis na pahayag nito.

“Nag-improve naman po ba habang nagtagal?”,

“Sana...”, balik nito at sabay kaming nagtawanan.

“Ay ma’am, yung kwento niyo po pala.”,

“Ay oo nga! Hayss!!”,

“Parang two days bago matapos yung bakasyon na yon. Tinanong niya na rin ako! Like finally, this is it. He asked me kung papayag ba akong maging gf niya. So of course I answered “yes”! He also told me at the time that he was half Filipino and that he and his family owns a small house near Cavite.... I think . He needed to get his Filipino citezenship first before we can get on with our relationship. I mean sino ba namang gustong makipag-date sa illegal loader diba. Even before he got his citizenship we were already staying together at my house.

After some paperwork his request was finally granted. We informed our parents after that. And they were more excited than us! It was the best day in our relationship. I never told anyone here because I don’t want things getting out of hand, and then become a rumour.”,

“How long has it been?”, tanong ko sa kanya.

“Naging interview na yata to ha! Sige, payag ako.”,

“Uhmmm. 2 and 1/2 years already. We’re going great, then just last month he proposed... everyone was looking forward to it. Then a bigger announcement hit us.”, dagdag niya pa.

“Ma’am, ok lang po kung wag niyo na ituloy.”,

“I insist. Don’t worry, this’ll help you and the company.”,

Ma’am ano ba naman yan!! Naalala ko nanaman yung ex ko!!

“Since our parents never really met, like in person. They don’t know what each other looks like. We weren’t aware na nagde-date na pala yung parents namin. Alam mo yung mas matagal na sila sa relasyon namin. But that never bothered us. It was so hard for everyone to process. But we got through it.... by letting each other go.”, malungkot na paliwanag nito.

“Ma’am I’m so sorry to hear that.”,

“Don’t be. I mean the preperations are all ready. Pero alam mo yung mas malaking shock sa amin? Yung mga kapatid namin against sa relasyon nila. Kasi wala man lang pasabi... pero that didn’t stop them.”,

“Ma’am, are you mad at them too?”,

“Why wouldn’t I be? This is my happiest relationship so far! Pero may dahilan kung bakit ayaw nila magpatalo sa amin. It’s the fact that my fiancé’s mother was confirmed to have ****** cancer. When they broke the news to us, they said these words along with it.

“Why do I want to marry again you ask? Because I have no time left... I never get to experience any other romance since your father died. In fact I never get to experience any other things when he died! I was raising the most wonderful kids in the best way I can. After all this time chasing after your dreams, why can’t you support me on mine? Iho, I know I’m asking so much from you, pero can you help me achieve my dream? You can always answer no, and I’ll always be here to support you.”. “,

PUNYETA ANG LAKAS MAKAHUGOT NG NANAY NG JOWA NI MA’AM!!!

Napaluha ng unti si ma’am.

“Ma’am wait lang kuha muna ako tissue.”,

Pero bago pa ako makatayo ay pinigilan niya ako.

“Rachel these are tears of joy. Because they’re going to be married anytime this month. Sit down I need to tell you my Father’s statement next.”,

At syempre umupo naman ako.....

“My father agreed with her, and said this; “I want to experience new things just like she said.Pero kung ayaw mo, I’ll quit it. Pasensya na sa madi-disappoint ko pero. I’ll be here for that little girl who became a finer woman than anyone else, and that’s you Christina. You can get married if you want to. Make him stick to you like glue ok?”. “,

“Ma’am you have a wonderful father. I know you chose whatever that makes them happy, by giving up yours. Know that I’ll always be here for you.”,

“Thank you Rachel.. well better get started on that article huh?”,

Umalis muna ako para pumunta sa aking desk. Tama na ba yung kwento niya para sa article ko? And then may nangyaring di inaasahan sa office namin....

“Guys! Tumawag kayo ng ambulansya dali!! Si Miss Lopez nahimatay! Dalian ninyo!”, sigaw bigla ng officemate namin.

\(To Be Continued —\-\>\)

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