Chapter Four

RED sighed deeply as she took out another resume coming from the pile of applicant's papers in her table. She is in need to find a new literary scout. Pang-24 na itong resume'ng binasa niya.

She hated the fact that she needs to do the interview for the position. Ayaw naman niyang abalahin si Marie na kasalukuyang may tinatapos na manuscript for publishing. Mas importante iyon sapagkat matagal na rin itong pending.

They're flooded with a lot of activities this month of June. Kabi-kabila ang mga publishing ng mga libro, magazines, and literary devices which they are responsible for. Mas nakilala ang kompanya niya and it really made her heart in a summersault.

Maraming kumukuha ng services nila. One of it is the renowned author in China--- Liu Teng. Mr. Teng contacted them for the details of his book. Parang may kung anong piyesta ang lumagapak sa kanya ng maayos ang transaction nila.

Five thousand books were published for the first release. Mr. Teng was satisfied and assured her that Red Publishing will also handle the second release of his books.

It was a great and fresh start for her business. Bago pa lang ito ngunit umugong na kaagad sa kalapit na bansa. Red Publishing is after all situated in China and Red plans to even strengthen her business. She plans to make Red Publishing take over Asia.

Come hell or high water, bet her life, she'll do it.

"Mey, how's our men doing in Indonesia?" kapagkuwan ay tanong ni Red habang nakatutok ang mata sa pagbabasa sa resume.

"So far, so good. The land is now being fixed. We'll just have to wait for six months, maybe, to have your company soaring high as what we've planned. Mighty as hell in the land of Indonesia," sagot ni Marie.

Napataas naman siya ng tingin at ngumisi sa kaibigan. She likes the sound of it.

Mighty as hell in the land of Indonesia. It echoed in her mind leaving a triumphant smile on her lips.

"Good. I can't wait to finally take over Asia. This is a good start," she proudly and confidently said.

Nangingiting tumango sa kanya si Marie at itinaas pa ang bahagyang nakakuyom nitong kamay sa ere kaya napahagikhik siya.

It's been two years.

Red already fulfilled her dreams. And now, she's finally surpassing it. Triumph flowed through her system like a river.

It's been two years, mother. Kapagkuwan ay saad niya sa isip.

Napapikit na lang siya bago inalala ang lahat sa nakaraan niya.

Red didn't know where it took her after she ran away from her parents two years ago.

Basta nag-alsa balutan na lang siya at pinanghugutan ng lakas ang huling perang natira na galing pa sa huling release ng libro niya. She boarded a flight to China. She was in great horror when the airplane finally landed on the country which she never imagined she'd see herself walking and perhaps battling over for her life.

Napadpad si Red sa Shandong. Isa sa mga sikat at historical na lugar sa China. Pagkalapag ng eroplano ay agad siyang nagpahatid sa malapit na lugar at ito ang pinagdalhan sa kanya ng cab driver. Nagpasalamat siya ng malamang marunong magsalita ng ingles ang driver kaya hindi siya nahirapan pa ng masyado.

Nag-part time job siya sa mga restaurants. It was a struggle for her lalo na't hindi naman siya marunong ng Mandarin. Ni isang restaurant ay walang tumanggap sa kanya pero hindi siya sumuko.

Nag-aral muna siya ng Mandarin. She then continued to write stories while learning the language she'd be using for the mean time. It took her months to finally learn kahit medyo pilipit pa ang dila niya sa pagsasalita.

Sa kasagsagan din niyon ay swinerte siyang muli ng magawang i-publish ang librong sinusulat niya. God was really amazing to her lalo na't pumatok ang librong sinulat niya kahit nasa Pilipinas ang publishing company na iyon. Her book editor made all the things for her as she told her what her situation is at the moment. Naintindihan naman iyon ni Thea kaya't tinulungan siya. Nagkaroon pa siya ng pagkakataong makapag-release ng mga libro ng tatlong beses.

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10 minutes ago

The money she got was still not enough to build her dreams--- to have her own publishing company. It was not enough so she gave up her savings. It was the money she made an effort to save to buy a car. It was nearing half million kaya kahit papaano ay nasolusyonan niya ang problema.

Red forgot her life when she was still in her parent's watch. Noon ay sa isang maluwang at magarang bahay siya nakatira, sa pagkakataong ito ay siniguro niyang sa isang mumurahing apartment lang siya titira. No aircon. No beautiful walls and ceilings. No queen sized bed. No majestic carpeted floor and curtained windows. Just plain room and a bed not even enough to comfort her back.

She mustered the courage not to cry. Ito ang gusto niya. She wanted her freedom, her life, her likes, her dreams. Kaya kailangan niyang matuto kung paano kumayod at igapang ang sarili sa bansang banyaga sa kanya.

The money she had was her starting point. Siniguro niyang hindi niya iyon mawawaldas at mapunta lang sa wala. Kung kaya't minabuti niyang pairalin ang talino niya at kakayahan.

Red made an effort to find a person worthy enough to sell her a land to build her dreams. May kalawakan ang lupang iyon at nakatuon sa sentro ng lugar ng Shandong kung kaya't mainam para sa pagpapatayo ng isang kompanya. It was a two-storey building.

At first, it was so hard for Red. Mag-isa niyang itinaguyod ang maliit na kompanya. She did all the jobs just to make sure that her company won't come crashing down before her. Red made sure that her company won't sank down like the famous Titanic did.

She invested in some companies using the money left from building her two-storey company and for buying her publishing machines. Kahit ang pagbi-bake ng mga cakes ay pinatulan na niya para lang madagdagan ang nalalabi niyang pera upang makapagpundar pa ng mga gamit sa kompanya niya. Nagpasalamat siya't may sapat siyang kaalaman sa business world kung kaya't hindi siya nagoyo ng mga intsik na sinubukang maging kasosyo niya sa pagpapatayo ng publishing house.

I'm a Business Administration Degree holder, fuckers! Not to mention me being the class Magna Cumlaude. Sansala niya sa isip ng mga panahong iyon.

"I can take it from here, Alex," nagtaas siya ng tingin at agad na ngumiti nang makitang may inaabot sa kanya si Marie. It was a Starbucks coffee.

Nginitian niya ito at tinanggap iyon. Red sighed deeply making Marie laugh.

"I think I'm aging so fast. Sampung minuto pa lang mula nang maupo ako galing sa break at muling hawakan ang mga papel na ito pero parang lalagapak na ang katawan ko," reklamo niya.

Red's voice was full of frustration. These days had been hell. Wala siyang sapat na tulog dahil sa sunod-sunod na ginawa niya para sa kompanya. She had consecutive meetings with her staffs, interviews for the job vacancies, editing manuscripts, contacting her writers for their books, and lastly, her father had been calling her nonstop. Hindi na niya alam kung ano pang kasalanan ang maaari niyang mahabi para lang masabi dito na sobrang busy siya sa trabaho kaya hindi niya magawang sagutin ang mga tawag nito.

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8 minutes ago

She knew that her father missed her so much and so she is. After all, ang ama niya lang ang nakakaalam kung saang lupalop siya ng mundo nagsuot ng tumakas siya. Her father was the only one she trusted not to screw her life again and her dreams she had a hard time achieving. Tinanggap na ng ama niyang ayaw niyang magpakasal. He was sorry for her and promised to patch things up between her and her parents. Kaya panay ang tawag nito sa kanya sa mga nagdaang araw. Her father wants her to go home in the Philippines which didn't sound right for her.

Come hell or high water, she will never be stepping into that country again! Never! That's why she'd been avoiding her father's calls. Red knew better.

"Sinabi ko namang kaya ko na ang mga iyan," ungot ni Marie. Napabuntong hininga na lang siya.

Marie had been always nice to her. Kaya hindi niya maatim na ipasa rito ang mga ginagawa niya. Kung tutuusin, madali lang naman ang ginagawa niya. And it favored her well, kasi siya mismo ang kikilatis sa mga aplikante niya at pumili ng mga karapat-dapat para sa posisyon. Pero hindi niya magawa. Simply because she felt worn out all over.

"I know pero importante ang ginagawa mo. We can't just let it chill in the corner. Kailangang maingat tayo pagdating sa pag-edit ng mga manuscripts,"

"Precisely my point. We must be extra careful and that includes the applicants. Kaya ibigay mo na sa akin ang mga resume'ng yan and get yourself some good sleep," saad nito bago kunin ang mga naka-pile na resume sa table niya.

She felt her heart melted because of what Marie said. Hindi niya alam kung gaano siya kaswerte at nakilala niya ito.

Marie Gonzales is a writer. Katulad niya ay isa rin itong nakikipagsapalaran para sa kanyang pangarap at buhay. Doon si Red nag-umpisang maniwala sa kasabihang, "Birds with the same feathers, flock together." Lalo pa't napag-alaman din niyang pareho silang may tinatakbuhang nakaraan. Kaya ganun na lang ang pasasalamat niya't nag-click sila kaagad ni Marie.

Marie became her book editor. Kapwa silang nagtulungan upang maitaas ang pangalan ng kanyang kompanya. Siya mismo ay naging literary scout at si Marie naman ang nakatoka sa editing and revision ng mga manuscript. It was their routine for six months before Red Publishing felt so alive. They both started for publishing Marie's work compilations and her stories. God was once again supported her dreams when their books went booming in this foreign country. Nagamit niya ang kaalaman sa lengguwaheng Mandarin para makapagsulat sa wikang iyon na nagustuhan namang ng i-ilang book nerds sa Shandong.

Hindi lang doon nagtatapos lalo na't pumatok din sa kapwa Pilipino nila ang librong sinulat niya--- We Dream To Be Happy. Of course, Red poured her heart out with her book kung kaya't nakilala ito. And then, God happily did the rest.

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6 minutes ago

"Earth to Alex, wake up!"

Napapiksi naman siya nang pinitik ni Marie ang kamay nito sa mukha niya.

"W-what?" takang tanong niya.

Marie let out a loud sigh. Nangunot tuloy ang noo niya.

"You really need to have a vacation, Alex. You've been like that for weeks now. Hindi na healthy," may pag-aalalang sambit nito.

Pinagsalikop muna niya ang kamay bago yumukyok doon at kapagkuwan ay nagpakawala ng malalim na buntong hininga.

Sa sinabi nito, parang tuluyang humalagapos ang pagod sa buong katawan niya. Para itong malamig na tubig na ibinuhos sa kanya.

"You think? Is it bothering you, Mey?" she asked weakly. Rinig niya ang marahang pagbuntong hininga rin ng kaibigan kaya nag-angat siya ng tingin. Nakapameywang na ito sa kanya.

"As much as I want to see you work your ass off right now, I will let you have a vacation. Hindi ko kayng makitang bigla-bigla ka na lang natutulala. It's scaring me out, Alex," puno ng sensiredad nitong sabi.

Bahagya pang nagulat si Red dahil sa sinabi ng kaibigan. She can admit that. Ilang beses na siyang nahuhuli nitong nakatulala. Red would just reason out that she's thinking about a certain movie but really, her mind fells like giving up and it's scaring her too.

"So, kinakailangan kong magbakasyon?" pagsisiguro niya.

"Hell, yeah!" may diing sambit nito. Napangiti na lang siya dahil doon.

"Okay. I'll think about that. I still need to-"

"Oh, shut it, Alex! You're going to have your vacation, first thing in the morning. Pronto!" may pinalidad nitong sabi. Napamulagat naman siya dahil sa biglaang turan ni Marie.

"What? No. May mga trabaho pa akong dapat tapusin,"

"I can handle that. Look, hindi lang ikaw ang bumubuo sa kompanya mo ngayon. You have us now, Alex. And I say, you go for a vacation,"

"You don't understand, Mey." mahinang saad niya bago umiling.

"Anong hindi ko naiintindihan?" taas kilay na tanong ni Marie sa kanya.

Red just closed her eyes in annoyance. Paniguradong magpapalitan na naman sila ng diskusyon. Kung mayroon man siyang kinagigiliwan at kina-aasaran sa ugali ni Marie, iyon ang pagiging persistent nito and Marie is doing it right at the moment.

"You still have a book to work on and it's very urgent. Tapos si Mr. Teng pa. We can't just let it chill in the corner. I can't just go fo-"

"Kung iyan ang pinoproblema mo, then calm your tits. Okay? Tapos ko na ang manuscript na iyon at it's actually ready for printing. And for Mr. Teng, I had him already contacted. I had made an appointment for him two weeks from now. So?" sansala nito bago ito nakapameywang na tumingin uli sa kanya.

"God. Why?" Red just choke her reasons. Wala na naman siyang kawala. Everything is set.

"Anong why? Because I want you to enjoy your life, Alex!" Marie grunted before letting out an exasperated sigh.

"I am enjoying my life! Diba?"

"Ahh... Kaya pala parati kang nakatulala at hindi maipinta ang mukha mo? Enjoy na enjoy ka siguro, 'no?"

Red can smell the sarcasm with what Marie had said. She can definitely agree to that. Sino ba kasing niloloko niya? Oh geez!

"Marie..."

"No! Ikaw naman ang maglamyerda. You've been in hell so, I suggest you go for a vacation."

"You really are unbelievable," sukong saad niya bago umiling na tumingin sa kaibigan.

"IKR. And you won't believe this either. I've already booked a flight for you and your stuffs are packed already. All you need to do is to get your hot and delectable ass off in the airport tomorrow,"

"What?!"

"Yes, Alex. You're going to the Philippines!"

Halos tumalon palabas ng ribcage niya ang puso dahil sa huling sinabi ng kaibigan. She felt a familiar feeling dozing off to her entire being. She felt the rapidness and erratic beating of her heart as well as the coolness that ran through her spine.

Red just stood there--- shocked and bamboozled.

Come hell or high water, what now?!