Birthday

Depths: 19

Two years later…

Marami ng nangyari sa mga nagdaang taon. All wounds have healed, sabi nga nila marami pang puwedeng mangyari.

It’s true though, I’m now the Head of the Finance Department and I’m doing better in life. Hindi nga lang ako tumatanggap ng mga mangliligaw, I don’t know if it was just my instincts or what.

Sa dalawang taong nagdaan, wala akong pagsisisi sa mga naging desisyon ‘ko. Ang paglipat ‘ko ng bahay, ang pananatili ‘ko sa kumpanya at ang maging mas malapit kayna Jane.

Though it’s just a sad thing that Jane and Kyle broke their relationship for some reason, Jimuel also came out of his closet. So many things happened, some are good and other are bad.

Things have been so well, if ever naming nagiging stress ako uuwi lang ako sa Bulacan. Nothing could ever beat the good old fresh air and green scenery of our barrio.

Pero kahit naman sa dalawang taon na nagdaan hindi ‘ko pa din gusto ang pag-uugali ng boss naming. Even though medyo naging close na kami hindi ‘ko pa din madalas gusto ang presence n’ya.

Wala din naman akong naging balita kay Alen sa dalawang taon na nagdaan maski sa pamilya n’ya, para ba silang nawala sa mundo.

Ang huling balita na meron ako tungkol sa kanila ay nakulong si Alen dahil sa patong-patong na kaso at ang pagpapasabi kay Tita Esa nina Alma n asana ay mapatawad ‘ko sila.

But nitong mga nakaraan, nawawala na din sa loob ‘ko ang mapait na nangyari. I’ve learn to accept the things I happened to experience.

Maybe it’s really a way for you to be stronger, a challenge that’s only for you to overcome.

Sinubukan ‘kong  bisitahin sa kulungan si Alen but somehow I always ended up chickening out, I just have a feeling that I would say thing unnecessary towards him.

I know than anyone else that I already forgave him but in the back of my head, something’s really holding me.

“Ma’am, ito po ‘yung pinagawa n’yong report sa financial expenses ng investigation team” ani ni Kally, isa sa mga bagong empleyado ng kumpanya.

“Thank you, puwede ka nang maglunch” sagot ‘ko saka kinuha ang folder, I’m still not down at this report so mamaya na siguro ako kakain ng lunch.

“Hindi po ba kayo sasabay ngayon?” I shook my head at her question, I’m still not done.

“Mauna na kayo” I waved my hand dahil alam ‘kong may sasabihin pa ito sa akin.

Nasanay din kase akong maging open sa mga coworkers ‘ko and I prefer eating with them. I think being with them really helped me overcoming my trust issues.

I’m still half way down, masyado kase ang nagastos sa mga imbestigasyon doon sa isang murder case. You could say na parang pulisya ang kompanyang ito but it’s not government related it’s more like SOCO.

I stopped typing and tried to regain my mind, I shut my eyes and brushed my hair upwards. This is so stressful, I think I need a break.

Hindi agad ako dumilat, nanatili lang ako sa ganoong posisyon habang iniisip ang mga magagandang salita para maisipan naman ng CEO naming huwag nang masyadong pahirapan ang Finance Department.

While resting my mind, naalala ‘ko ang talagang gusto ‘kong trabaho. I really wanted to be a doctor but I chose the most practical job for my situation.

I’m still young, maybe. Just maybe, I can still attend med school. Pero napaisip pa din ako dahil kung mag-aaral uli ako paano naman ang trabaho ‘ko? How could I study and work at the same time? Same stress level ang pagtatrabaho at med school sabi nga ng ilan.

I heard a knock that made me go back to typing, I said come in but it took a few minutes before anyone came in.

Hindi ‘ko alam kung ano ang trip ng mga coworkers ‘ko pero napatayo ako at napapunta sa pintuan ng dis oras. I was opening the door when confetti flew out of nowhere.

Madilim ang labas ng opisina ‘ko pero kitang-kita ‘ko kung ano ang hinanda nila sa akin, nandito si Jane at Jimuel kasama ang mga katrabaho ‘ko. My secretary was the one holding the cake.

They opened the party poppers the moment I opened the door, the lights are off kaya lutang sa liwanag ang sparklers na hawak nila. Para bang naging New Year Celebration ang loob ng department naming.

“Happy Birthday!!!” they said in unison. Wait- birthday?

“What?” I said being kind of confused from everything.

“Your birthday’s today!” Jane said then she putted a party hat on top of my head.

“Birthday? Sa susunod na araw pa ang birthday ‘ko” I said being confused more, I mean August 17 pa ang birthday ‘ko.

“Do you even have a sense of time? Masyado ka kaseng nabaon sa mga papeles mo!” Jane said which made everyone chuckled.

Mabilis ‘kong kinuha ang cellphone ‘kong nasa bulsa lang ng aking denim skirt saka tiningnang mabuti ang date. Napatawa na lamang ako sa nangyayari sa akin, pati birthday ‘ko ay nakalimutan ‘ko.

“See?!” Jane shouted and pushed me in front of the cake.

“I’m sorry, okay? Tumatanda na kase ako” sagot ‘ko sa kanya, bakit parang s’ya pa ang nagtatampo imbes ako na nakalimot ng sarili ‘kong kaarawan?

“Come on, make a wish and blow the candle na!” everyone then chanted after what Jane said.

I must say, I made so many good friends. I smiled while looking at the cake, it’s a minimalist cake in white, blue and gray colors.

“I wish for a sign para sa magiging asawa ‘ko” I smiled at my wish and then blew the candle. I think it’s kind of petty dahil ni mangliligaw wala ako, magiging asawa pa kaya?

Everyone cheered which made me smile, today’s a heck of a day. After that, may isang taong nagbukas na ng mga ilaw at doon na nagsimula ang lunch. They really planned this out huh?

“Okay then, gifts na!” Jimuel said and then gave me a small black box. It looks like an engagement ring box that’s why everyone frozed.

“Naging tuwid nab a tayo?” harot ni Jane na naging dahilan kung bakit nakurot s’ya ni Jimuel sa tagiliran.

“Loka hindi! May fafi ako ngayon! Buksan mo nga Stella para naman mabigyan ako ng hustisya” sabi ni Jimuel na nanggigigil.

“Oh my God! Hindi ‘ko matatanggap ‘to” I shriek, that gay just gave me an Audi!

“You need it na girl! Tipid ka na din sa Grab mo!” he said that made me tear up a bit. Audis isn’t that inexpensive!

“Sunod naman ang akin! ‘Wag kang mag-alala, bahay at lupa na ito” sabi ni Jane na nagpatawa naman sa akin. She gave me a set of jewelries from a famous brand.

Everyone gave me a gift, hindi naman nila kailangan gawin iyon dahil may pera naman ako.

“Thank you so much, you didn’t have to gave me gifts though. Mabibili ‘ko din sila pag nakapag-ipon ako, you should have saved your money” I said being too sentimental. I really made good friends.

After that mini party, everyone got back to work and bumalik na din sina Jane sa kanilang mga trabaho. Maybe hindi pa talaga ganoong magkaayos is Kyle at Jane dahil hindi pa din sila nag-uusap.

It’s a bit sad that hindi kami nabubuong apat dahil sa isang relasyong nasira but I know someday they would forgive each other.

They would someday like how I did for somebody.