If only...

"Tao po! Delivery po!" Sigaw ng lalaki sa may gate.

"Chynna tingnan mo nga kung ano yun? Wala naman kasi akong pinadeliver dito"

Tumayo na siya at nagtungo sa gate.

"Hi manong, ano po yun?" Tanong ni Chynna.

"Delivery para kay Lea Salonga, ikaw ba yun?"

"Ay ate ko po yun. Ako na lang po pipirma." Kinuha at pumasok na sa loob. Tinawag ako at tumingin ng nakakaloko.

"Ate para sayo..."

"Ano yan at kanino galing?"

"Flowers... Uy may manliligaw" panunukso nya sakin sabay abot ng bulaklak. "Ate ang ganda noh?"

Inamoy ko ang bulaklak "hmmm peonies... Kanino daw galing? Wala naman card e"

"Naku ate tinanong ko na yan kay manong, walang return to sender. Gusto pa yata magpa anonymous ni secret admirer mo" at kiliti ako.

"Kanino kaya?"

"Baka kay kuya Ian or kay kuya Aga o baka naman ate may iba kapa manliligae na di mo sakin sinasabi ate ha"

"Wala, ano kaba?! Si kuya Aga mo ikakasal na yun"

"Ang sabi mo nga ate ikakasal meaning hindi pa kasal.. Pwede pa natin maagaw"
Ngumisi si chynna at binato ko ng unan.

"Wala tayong aagawin okay?"

"O sige na nga ate sabagay okay din naman si Kuya Ian. Sige payag na din ako na kayo ni kuya Ian magkatuluyan. So ano naba score ate?"

"Chismosa ka talaga noh. Yun pag aaral mo atupagin mo wag ang lovelife ko"

"Ate nag aaral naman ako mabuti.. Speaking of that. Naalala mo ate na yun classmate ko na naghahanap ng boarding house? Nakakita na siya ate ng mura malapit sa school e tinatanong nya ako if pwede naba kami lumipat, hectic na kasi sched sa school ate saka may night class pa ako this coming sem."

Dati pa nya gusto mag boarding house kasi napapagod din siya sa byahe na naiintindihan ko naman pero pag umalis si Chynna ako na lang mag isa maiiwan dito.

"Chynna iiwan mo naba si ate?"
Pagtatampo ko

"Ate naman, magboarding house lang ako hindi mamamatay" tumabi siya sakin at niyakap ako. "Pagkagraduate ko naman ay magkasama na ulit tayo tas mag iipon ako at magpapatayo tayo ng sarili natin bahay"

Humarap ako sa kanya "e kelan mo ba balak lumipat?"

"Next week na sana ate"

"Sige. Mag aaral ka mabuti ha! Hindi magboboyfriend at tatawagan mo palagi si ate" niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit at nag iyakan na kami.

Pinahid nya ang luha ko  "ate wag na nga tayo magdrama, magboyfriend kana kasi.. Malay mo ate pagbalik ko e may pamangkin na pala ako. Solo nyo ang bahay o"

Hinampas ko siya sa braso pero mahina lang "Chynna!!!" Sigaw ko at halakhak naman nya.

................................
Isang linggo na ang nakalipas. Pagtapos ng nangyari ay wala akong mukhang maiharap sa kanya kaya araw araw na lang ako nagpapadala ng bulaklak... Oo ako nagpapadala nun... Bakit may iba pa ba?!

So here i am in my office sitting on my desk and on my table is a picture of me and Charlene and realize that eversince i met Lea parang di na ako excited to marry Charlene. Mahal ko naba talaga si Lea or i'm just attracted to her? Oo nagselos ako nun nakita ko sila ni Ian, was that enough para sabihin ko na mahal ko na siya?

I'm playing with my pen because i cannot think straight when someone knock on my door..

"Who's that" i said to the one knocking on my door.

"Amy sir, may i come in?"

"Yes Amy" Amy is my secretary

"Sir, you have a meeting at 2pm, today"

"2pm? Today? 15 minutes na lang 2pm na ha. Why am i not informed?!" Galit kong sabi dahil gusto ko organise ang schedule ko.

"Kasi sir your father was the one who set the meeting just now."

"Okay, you may now go" gestured her to go out of my office, i am disappointed and wondering what could that be?

I spent the remaining 15 minutes just sitting and thinking kung bakit bigla nagpatawag ng meeting. I grew up knowing that i was never been good enough for my dad. Naging masaya lang naman sila nun nalaman nila that me and Charlene are engage kasi they like Charlene's family, mayaman at influential and they're friends. Mas sila pa yata excited sa kasal namin.

It's already 2 minutes before 2pm so i got up, fix my tie and went straight to the conference room. The only one that's missing? My dad.. Syempre pa espesyal...

Exactly 2pm the door opened and my dad entered the room and everyone stood up to greet him.. I remained sitted.

(Eddie Gutierrez as the father)

"Good afternoon everyone" my father says and then look at me
"Mr. Muhlach would you like to greet your father as well?"

I look at him and smile  na pilit "good afternoon dad"

Then they all went back to their sit.

"Maybe all of you are wondering what this meeting is all about and let me apologise first if the notice was so short. I am here to introduce one of the stockholder of this company, Mr. Ian Veneracion." The door opened and there he is wearing a huge smile and stand next to my father.
"Starting tomorrow he'll be working here. I hope you will all treat him well." He look at Ian "would you wanna say something iho?"

"Thank you everyone for the warm welcome" then he stared at me. "Wag kayo mahiya sakin if you need anything. I want us all to work harmoniously and for starters there's a buffet table outside so we can all get to know each other"

Everyone clap their hands except for me. And after the cue they all went out to eat. I heard some of them says how hamdsome he is.. Yun iba sabi mabait daw.. Kala lang nila. .. I stood up and ready to go back to my office when my father call for my attention.

Eddie G : Son, pls be good to Ian

"Why is he here dad?"

"We need him here para tulungan tayo sa kumpanya and besides they're one of the stockholders. So try to atleast be nice, magpinsan kayo remember?"

"I cannot promise you that dad" palabas na sana ako ng bigla siya nagsalita

"I want you to be good to him. Was it about Solenn? (Ex) ..for pete's sake Aga, ikaw ang may kasalanan sa kanya, you stole his soon to be wife!" He raised his voice.

"Yeah yeah yeah! It was all my fault. Happy now dad?"
Then i went out without waiting for him to answer back.

..........................
Pagpasok ko ng office. I saw someone on my swivel chair..

"Excuse me?" I said.. And he faced me. No other than Ian

"Hi insan!"

"Ano ginagawa mo dito. Ang pagkakaalam ko yun office mo e dun sa kabila. So you may now leave"

"Aren't you happy that we're going to work together?" Pang aasar nya.

"Do i have any choice?"

He look at the picture of me and Charlene on my table "bagay kayo insan. Hopefully soon picture naman namin ni Lea malagay ko sa table ko sa office"
He stood up and before he leaves, he pat me on my shoulder then said something. "Thank you kasi i met her because of you at kung hindi mo siya iniwan edi hindi ko sana siya makakasama sa isang kwarto sa bora"  then he close the door.