CHAPTER 9: He's in trouble?

“Good morning, Ms. Damara!” masiglang bati na naman sa akin ng ilang empleyado ng Carters, ang ilan ay mga interns pa. 

I was checking my memo for any meeting today while walking towards the elevator and so far, isa lang ang scheduled meeting this afternoon. Habang ngayong umaga ay appointment meeting naman with some investors. 

Nang bumukas ang elevator ay pumasok na ako agad without looking on the way dahil I could visualize it without even directly looking in front. 

“Schedule for today?” someone asked beside me and… halos nagulantang ako nang ma-realize kung kanino ang boses na iyon.

“A-Ah… good morning, Sir! For this morning around 9AM you have an appointment with Mr. Liam who just came here in the Philippines recently. 11 AM appointment with Ms. Olivia. This afternoon, you have a board meeting around 2 PM,” naka-ngiti na sambit ko while looking at him. He wasn’t looking at me. He’s just seriously looking in front while his hands are in his pockets. 

Well, I guess narinig naman nito ang sinabi ko. 

Bumukas ang pinto ng elevator kung saan ang floor namin, sabay kaming lumabas pero I gave distance between us. 

“Give me the outline of the board meeting,” he said before opening the door of his office. At bago pa man ako sumagot ay agad niya na itong isinara… leaving my mouth open.

“Wooh, ang aga-aga,” bulong ko sa aking sarili na tila ba nauubusan ng pasensya bago dumiretso sa aking opisina.

Dahil diretso tulog ako kagabi nang maka-uwi galing sa mansion nila Brion ay hindi ko na na-asikaso pa na ayusin ang outline para sa board meeting ngayong araw. Dali-dali akong nag-set up ng aking computer para ayusin ang outline for today’s meeting dahil ipi-print ko pa ito. 

While working on it my phone beeped and his name appeared on the screen.

[From: Sir Bry na may sungay

 You’re taking so long. Don’t ruin my day.]

Napa-irap ako sa kawalan dahil sa attitude niya. Hindi mo alam kung nananadya o ewan eh. Pero anyway, kasalanan ko rin naman on why am I taking so long for this outline, I didn’t make it ahead of time. I should have given this the moment we saw each other. 

Tinapos ko na yung outline para sa board meeting mamaya at na-print ko na rin. I went to his office, he let me in the moment I knocked on the door. At naabutan ko itong naka-hilata sa kanyang kinau-upuan habang nakatingin sa kisame. 

“Here’s the outline for the board meeting later. I apologize for not doing it ahead of time,” naka-yuko na sambit ko.

“Tsk. You are so unproductive today, Ms. Vertudez. What are you, an intern?” he then said while looking into my eyes so blankly. 

I don’t even know if that’s an insult but… it gets on my nerves. 

“I-I apologize, Sir. I’ll do better next time–“

“Look at this, there’s a lot of typographical errors… seriously?” he then cut me off while showing me the paper I just gave him. 

I pursed my lips while looking into it.

“Fix this mess, it irritates me,” aniya bago tumayo at nagtungo sa water dispenser at uminom ng tubig. 

I took the paper silently before going out of his office without saying a word. Hindi ko alam pero parang biglang may kumurot sa dibdib ko dahil sa mga sinabi niya.

I went back to my office and sat on my chair.

Bakit hindi ko man lang napansin ang errors na iyon? I thought I double checked what I typed. I was facing my monitor now and there are typographical errors on the thing I just created. 

I’m so embarrassed and ashamed at the same time. Well, failure is along the way though. I do accept failure, it is normal.

I sighed before re-doing the paper that irritates my bossy boss. After that nag-print na rin ako. It took me 20 minutes to do it. Dali-dali akong bumalik sa opisina na niya at nadatnan itong abala na sa kanyang trabaho. 

Napa-tigil ito sa kanyang pagsulat at tumingin sa ‘kin without even changing his position. He looks good though wearing eyeglasses. 

“What? Tatayo ka lamang ba ryan at tititigan ako?” seryosong aniya bago sumandal sa kanyang swivel chair.

“A-Ah, here’s the revised outline for the board meeting this afternoon. I apologize for the inconvenience,” naka-tungo na sambit ko bago ini-abot sa kanya ang folder na naglalaman ng ginawa ko. 

“Thank you. You may go, let’s meet later right before the board meeting,” he answered while checking what I just gave him.

Tumango naman ako bago lumabas at bumalik sa aking opisina. Isang mabigat na buntong hininga ang aking nagawa bago bumalik sa aking trabaho. At hindi pa man umiinit ang aking likod sa aking kinauupan ay nakatanggap ay naman ako ng message mula kay Sir Bry.

[From: Sir Bry na may sungay

Get me some hot coffee, thanks.]

Hindi na ako nag-abala pang maglabas ng init ng ulo at kumilos na. I went down to the cafeteria and ordered some hot coffee for him. Um-order na rin ako ng para sa akin para naman sulit ang pagbaba ko rito. After that I went back to his office to give his coffee.

“Thanks. You may go,” aniya sabay kuha ng kape at ininom ito. Tumango na lamang ako bago bumalik sa office ko. At sa kabutihang palad ay nakapag-focus din ako sa aking trabaho. 

Dumating ang lunch break at sakto namang nag-message si Jamyr na on the way rito to grab a lunch with me. Tinanong niya kasi kung available ako for lunch at sabi ko naman ay oo. 

Hinintay ko ito sa lobby at ilang sandali nga lang ay dumating na rin ito.

“Hi! Long time, no see. I missed you!” sambit ko bago ito niyakap and he hugged me back.

“I missed you too. Mabuti at available ka ngayon? Sure ba ‘yan?” tanong niya na tila ba nagpipigil ng tawa dahil baka mamaya ay biglang may urgent call na naman si Sir Bry katulad noong last na kumain kami sa labas ni Jamyr.

“Well, I guess?” Nag-kibit balikat ako at natawa naman ito. “Tara na nga, sayang oras. I have to tell you so many things,” sambit ko bago kami tuluyang nag-tungo sa parking lot.

Nagtungo kami sa pinakamalapit lang na kainan dahil in case na tumawag si Sir Bry, ay less hassle at mabilis na lamang ako mai-hahatid ni Jamyr sa Carters.

“So, how are you? I have read a lot on our group chat, you went on a trip with him?” Jamyr asked before eating a spoonful of rice.

“Of course not! I mean–I did not go on a trip with him that way. Binagyo kasi sila Mama and kailangan kong umuwi dahil nasalanta ng bukid, eh sumama ang amo ko dahil hindi natuloy ang trip nila ni Sir Mathew sa probinsya rin. So… wala na akong nagawa pa at sinama siya dahil at first he did not allow me to take a three days leave,”

“Ohh, okay. Kumusta naman sila Tita?” 

“They are fine now. Brion helped out financially, though…” naka-ngiwing sambit ko.

“Oh, eh bakit parang hindi ka masaya?” natatawa na sagot naman nito.

“Of course I’m happy! Sobrang laking tulong kaya niyon sa totoo lang. I was just irritated earlier, para kasi siyang nananadya na ewan kanina, although nagkamali ako dahil hindi ko na-ayos agad ang outline for the board meeting later. I feel like he was mocking me or what,” sambit ko bago kumain.

Natawa naman si Jamyr at napapailing pa. “Well, maybe he was just teasing you.”

Napa-irap na lamang ako bago kami nagpalit ng topic. Napag-usapan na lamang namin kung kailan nga ba kami pwede mag-bonding ulit magkakaibigan. We even message everyone in our group chat to ask them and good thing available kami lahat this coming saturday kaya nag-set na kami agad para mag-hangout on that day. 

After a couple of minute, natapos na rin kami kumain. Dumaan pa kami sa isang coffee shop at binilhan ako ni Jamyr ng cookies, how sweet ‘di ba. He’s always been like this ever since. Sobrang swerte ng magiging girlfriend nito in the future. If he could take care of me and the rest of our girl friends, he would probably do more sa magiging girlfriend niya. 

Hinatid ako ni Jamyr sa Carters, hindi na ito pumasok pa sa loob at hanggang entrance lang kami. I waved goodbye to him before going inside the lobby. Napatigil naman ako agad nang makita si Bry na siyang may hawak ng iced coffee at nakatingin sa direksyon ko. 

“Good afternoon, Sir!” tumango ako at ngumiti nang makalapit sa kanya.

“Hmm,” maikling sagot nito ‘tsaka tumango. 

“Let’s go, Bry! I got mine already!”

Sabay kaming napalingon sa nagsalita at medyo napa-atras ako nang makita kung sino ang lumapit kay Bry.

“G-Good afternoon, Ms. Olivia,” nakangiting sambit ko ngunit tila dinaanan lamang ako nito ng tingin bago itinuon ang pansin kay Bry. 

May appointment nga pala siya ng 11 AM kay Ms. Olivia after Mr. Liam, parang na-extend pa nga ata. I saw how Ms. Olivia held Brion’s arm before they got going. At mukhang mas extended pa ang appointment nila. 

Bago umakyat ay bumili muna ako ng iced coffee ko at nag-umpisang magtrabaho. Good thing puro emails ang natatanggap ko ngayong araw at wala masyadong calls. I organize the new information that I have received before preparing my things for the board meeting. 

Lumabas na ako sa office bago kumatok sa opisina ni Brion dahil baka kasama pa nito si Ms. Olivia. 

“Come in!” 

“Good afternoon, Sir. Shall we head to the executive board room now?” I asked while he was putting his coat on. 

“Yes, let’s go.” At nauna nga itong maglakad habang ako ay dinala ang kanyang laptop at iba pang gamit. 

Unlike before, alam ko namang never kami naging magkaibigan ni Brion. I need to go back to my senses and be professional like I usually do. What happened these past few weeks was maybe because of his mood of being friendly or whatever you call it. He’s caring at madali rin siyang maka-bonding, but I would say it has limitations once magsawa ito. It has nothing to do with what happened between us last night, I guess? He went back to his normal state of being Brion Alaric Carter.  

Nag-umpisa na rin agad ang board meeting nang makarating kami dahil na-kumpleto rin agad ang board of directors and some invited guest. They talk about the company’s performance and newly implemented policies sa New York branch. Also as per the report, tumaas ang sales ng branch sa Las Vegas and even the branch here in the Philippines. Pero ang branch dito sa Pilipinas ay mayroong problema pagdating sa mga legal actions sa mga customers dahilan para madawit ang Carters kaya naman paghihigpit-in ang security system dito. 

Matapos ang board meeting, nagkaroon pa ng kaunting diskusyon ang ilan habang ako ay naghihintay lamang sa corridor para kay Brion. 

“Let’s go,” aniya at unang lumabas ng board room habang ako ay naka-sunod.

Nang makarating sa kanyang office ay nilapag ko na rin ang kanyang mga gamit sa table.

“Give me all the copies of reports regarding the issues of legal action against customers of Carters here in the Ph branch,” aniya habang nagtatanggal ng coat bago tuluyang umupo sa kanyang swivel chair.

“That’s noted, Sir.”

“I need it as soon as possible, within this week I guess, so we can review it.”

“Yes, Sir. I will coordinate with the staff in Carters.”

Tumango naman ito bago ako sinenyasang umalis. 

Lumipas ang mga oras at dumating na ang oras para maka-uwi na ako. I sighed heavily before taking my stuff and went out. 

“Ohh, I thought you were with Sir Brion,” sambit ng isang empleyado nang makasabay ko ito sa elevator.

“Nope, haha wala naman kaming schedule for an appointment together,” natatawang sambit ko bago pinindot ang ng ground floor button sa elevator.

“Ahh okay. Medyo nauna kasi siyang nag-out kanina as early as 7PM ata,” aniya bago nag-ring ang kanyang phone at doon na ito nag-tuon ng pansin.

Well, baka may urgent lang na pinuntahan.

Nang makauwi ako ay nag-asikaso na muna ako ng makakain bago naligo at nag-trabaho na naman. I organize the information na nabanggit kanina during the board meeting, organize the schedule of appointments of Bry, and I scheduled myself on meeting the security staff of Carters para sa reports ng issues. 

I took a break and went on the kitchen para mag-timpla ng gatas nang biglang mag-ring ang aking cellphone.

Kumunot naman ang noo ko nang makita ang pangalan ni Sir Matthew.

“Hello, good evening, Sir Mathew. Napatawag po kayo?”

“A-Ah, hello, Damara? I’m sorry for disturbing you at this hour, but can you get Brion here at a club? I’m going to send you the address–argh! Bry stop, stop him c’mon!”  

At mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko nang makarinig ng tila kaguluhan sa kung nasaan man si Sir Mathew.

“Please, Damara. Help Brion here, I’ll be waiting,”

“Wait, a-anong nangyayari? Hello? Hello, Sir Mathew?-” doon ay biglang naputol ang linya at ilang sandali lang ay nakatanggap ako ng message sa kanya containing the address of the club. 

Wala na akong nagawa pa at agad na kumilos. I put on a jacket and took my car keys before going.