Imee's Point of View

One week has been passed since I went to Blevins' mansion with Nanay Agnes. Something looks weird there and something's different that I couldn't explain.

Napabuntong-hininga ako.

I was just lounging here at the pool side, browsing my laptop. On the opposite direction is the garage and I saw Mang Andrew, our family driver, seems like he's in a hurry until he saw me. Kamot-kamot ang ulo, lumapit ito sa direksyon ko.

"Miss Imee." I just looked at him straight into his eyes. Umiwas ito ng tingin sa akin. "Pwede po bang ikaw magdala roon sa folder ni Ma'am Vanessa sa kompanya niyo?" I saw how he's getting a hard time in asking me for this favor.

I arc my brows. We had lot of male servant here but I see none of them here so I end up agreeing with him.

Tahimik lang kami habang binabaybay ang daan papuntang kompanya. I can feel Mang Andrew manipulating the car this fast. Halatang nagmamadali. Iniliko nito yung kotse and we stopped in front of the tall building. There, I saw the big abbreviation of our company's name on it, E.H.C.

Paying my attention in the surroundings of the building, my attention was caught by the guard who carefully helped the girl in carrying some of her things inside her car. This guard seems helpful with the clients. As the girl turned her back to the guard, seeing her side view, I furrowed my brows a little.

"Summer?" I don't know if it was her. She's quite far but seems like it was really her.

"Miss Imee, nandito na po tayo." Napatingin ako sa paligid at hindi ko namalayang nasa parking lot na pala kami.

I'm being preoccupied again. Damn.

Mang Andrew once again asked me for a favor to bring the folder alone to my Mom. After agreeing to him, he handed me out those papers at mabilis itong bumalik sa kotse, speeding away that fast. Napakibit balikat na lamang ako.

"Good afternoon Ma'am. Welcome to Earl Holdings Company." The receptionist greeted me cheerfully.

Lounge area was filled with different people. Some were just passing by. Some have their own business to mind with. I've never been here before since this was my first time so I headed to the information desk.

"What's the exact floor of Mrs. Vanessa Earl?"

"Do you have an appointment to Mrs. Earl, Ma'am?" The lady asked politely.

"No. I just dropped by to give this---"

"I'm sorry Ma'am but we can't let you in. You need to set an appointment first before meeting her."

"I'm just here to give this---"

"Ma'am sorry po talaga. Kailangan niyo po munang magset ng appointment with her." Napapikit na lang ako ng mata.

I once asked her with great emphasis on every word I'm saying but this lady is pushing my limit.

"Ma'am sorry po. Balik na lang po kayo sa susunod---"

"Can you just fucking let me finish my words first?" Kita ko ang pagkagulat nito dahil sa pagtaas ng boses ko.

We're now also getting the attention of others. Damn. I don't have that long patience.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry po talaga." Nakatungo nitong saad at marami na ring nakatingin sa amin.

"Ano pong problema rito?" The guard went nearer to our direction. That was the guard I saw earlier.

"Kuya Gerry, pinipilit niya po kasing makipagkita kay Mrs. Earl." Saad nung babae sa guard as if I did something terribly wrong.

"Ma'am, may appointment ka po ba kay Mrs. Earl? Kailangan niyo po muna kasi 'yon bago niyo siya makausap." Wika nung guard sa akin, tila humihingi ng paumanhin. Naiintindihan ko iyon, ako itong hindi nila naiintindihan.

If they don't want me to go inside my mom's office, I can just let them hand the papers to her but this lady here won't allow me to finish my words. Paanong maiintindihan niya ako? Damn it.

"Ma'am, kami na lang po ang magbibigay n'yan kay Mrs. Earl baka po kasi mapagalitan kami kapag nagpapasok kami ng kung sinu-sino." I tried to calm myself, at least this guard got my point but he just pushed the limit inside of me because of the last words he said.

"I am her daughter." I emphasized, giving him a look.

"Ma'am, kung gusto mo po talagang makausap si Mrs. Earl, hindi mo naman po kailangang magsinungaling dahil kalalabas lang po nung anak niya." With frustrations I'm holding inside me, deep furrow formed on my brows.

Anak? And to whom he was referring to? 

"Just tell me where my mom's floor before I could do such thing." Tila nauubos ang pasensyang saad ko sa mga ito. I can now hear people murmuring.

"Ma'am, hindi po---"

"JUST FUCKING TELL ME WHERE!" I shouted.

I even heard people gasping. I just glared at them at mabilis nilang iniwas ang mga tingin nila sa akin.

"What's happening here?"

"Sir Denver, kasi po pinagpipilitan niyang pumasok sa office ng Mommy mo, wala naman po siyang appointment kay Mrs. Earl today." Nanginginig na wika nung babae at ramdam ko ang presensya ng tao sa likod ko o sabihin na nating presensya ng Kuya ko.

"Miss, hindi pwed---Princess? What are you doing here?" Gulat at nakangunot noong tanong ni Kuya nang humarap ako sa kanya.

"Magkapatid po kayo Sir?" The girl and the guard asked in unison. "Eh kanina hinatid ko yung anak ni---"

"She's my sister." Kuya cut them off then humarap siya sa akin, asking me why am I here. 

"To give this documents to Mom but these two people here won't let me. I told them I'm Mom's daughter but they accused me of lying. What a dimwits." I can't help it. Nakakaubos sila ng pasensya.

Naiintindihan ko naman yung pagiging mahigpit nila lalo na't kailangan mo talaga munang magset ng appointment para makausap mo yung may-ari ng isang kompanya, pero yung sabihing nagsisinungaling ako? Fuck them!

"Ma'am, sorry po. Hindi po kasi namin alam na ikaw pala yung anak ni Mrs. Earl." Yumuko yung babae sa harap ko.

"How would you know? You keep on cutting me off. You didn't even let me finish what I'm supposed to say." I beamed, swallowing hard to control my anger.

"You two did that?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Kuya nang harapin niya ang mga ito.

"May lumabas po kasing babae kanina Sir Denver at ang sabi niya po ay siya ang anak ni Madam. Pasensya na po." The guard bowed in front of us, halatang naguguluhan at kinakabahan.

"She's my sister. Don't do that again and don't let anyone enter here, pretending to be my sister. Again." Mariing saad ni Kuya.

Tumango naman ang mga ito at halos hindi na sila matigil sa kahihingi ng paumanhin sa akin, with Kuya Denver also. Tinanguan lang sila ni Kuya tapos bumaling na ulit siya sa akin.

"Let's go." He took the documents from me at sabay kaming naglakad papasok sa building. We just turned left from this hall. "You're too loud. I even saw how you glared those people earlier." Natatawa nitong saad habang naglalakad kami papuntang elevator. I just gave him a look.

Kuya's line of business is different from my parent's so I asked him why he's here. May dinaanan lang daw siya and who knows what that stuffs are. Maya-maya pa ay nagring ang phone nito.

"I'll just take this call." Then he excused himself.

Napatingin na lang ako sa elevator na nasa harapan ko. Kuya then came back and told me he can't accompany me because he's having an urgent meeting. He gave me back those folders and he told me that Mom's office is in the 20th floor. I just nod to him. He kissed me on my forehead bago siya nagmadaling umalis.

The elevator stopped in the 20th floor. This one's different. Aside from the lounge area, pictures, portraits, sculptures and paintings were displayed. There's our family picture in the middle of it and if I'm not mistaken, grade schooler pa lang ako that time. Napansin kong may isang nakataob na picture roon. Natumba lang siguro. I'm about to fix it when someone spoke from behind.

"Hija?" I turned to see who it is and my brows furrowed a little when this old man looked at me shockingly.

Lumapit ito sa akin at pinagmasdan ang kabuuan ko. What's wrong with this old man?

"Gwyneth Blevins." Napalayo ako rito.

Do I really resemble her that much? I don't even know who this Blevins are. Lumayo ulit ako ng bahagya sa kanya. Doon niya lang yata napansin kung anong ginagawa niya.

"I'm sorry, I thought she was you." Tumango lang ako rito, still looking at him, baffled.

"Imee?" Agad akong napalingon sa left side ko. It was Mom.

Kunot noo itong lumapit sa akin. Maybe she's confused why am I here though they knew I'm not fond of going here. If it wasn't only for Mang Andrew's favor, I wouldn't being here.

"Good afternoon Mr. Shikawa. Can we excuse ourselves first? Please stay at the couch for awhile. I'll just talk to my daughter." Mom excused ourselves and she brought me inside her office. "Why are you here?" She curiously asked, glancing on the old man she called Mr. Shikawa.

Mom's office was made of glass wall so I can clearly see that old man and I'm not sure if he's looking at me or what.

"To give you this." I handed her the documents.

She thanked me and once again, she glanced on Mr. Shikawa's direction who is now busy with some of the folders he's holding.

I stood up after doing my very purpose here but mom called me when I'm about to open the door.

"Baby, kapag naisipan mong dumalaw ulit dito sa company, just let me know, okay?" Nangunot ang noo ko pero sa huli ay napatango na lang ako rito though I'm sure, I won't come back here.

I immediately went out her office after bidding her my good bye. Mr. Shiwaka raised his head when he noticed my presence and he looked at me again. Napailing na lang ako. This old man is weird.

Another morning came. After my class, I immediately went back home. Gabi noon ay wala akong magawa so I tried disturbing Denver inside his room.

"Kuya?" I called him but he's not responding.

Is he busy with his lovely books again? I opened his door but to my surprise, he's not inside. Naisipan ko na lang na bumaba. As I'm walking on the hallway, napadaan ako sa office ng parents ko.

Unintentionally eavesdropping, I heard my mom's talking to someone through phone. Lalampasan ko na sana ang office na iyon when I noticed the door being half open and clearly heard what my mom says.

"Yes baby. Don't worry, I will handle it. I will not let her ruin everything. Your Dad is with me. Yeah, I love you baby."

Napailing ako, with my forehead creased. Baby? I just heard the door opens. As mom went out, her eyes gawked in shock when she saw me.

"Kanina ka pa r'yan?" Mom stuttered, hindi makapaniwalang nakatayo ako sa harapan niya.

"Not really." I answered. "To whom did you talk to?" I curiously asked, looking straight into her eyes but she avoided it, or maybe that's just what I thought.

"It was y-your Kuya. Yes, it was your Kuya." Pag-uulit nito. Mas lalo lang nangunot ang noo ko. Mom seems bothered.

"I see. I'll go to sleep, I guess." I went near her and kissed her cheek. I saw Dad behind her so I did the same thing before leaving them.

Instead of going back to my room, I went downstairs and heave a deep sigh. Okay? They seem so uneasy. Lumabas na lang muna ako sa bahay. I sat on the gutter near the gate. Sometimes it's really hard to read my parents.

Not staying too long, agad kong tinakpan ang mata ko nang may sasakyang papunta sa direksyon ko. The light is hitting on me as it filled my vision. Nakakasilaw.

"Princess. What are you doing here outside?" It was late for me to realize that it was my brother.

"Just thinking something."

"Si Xydelle ba?" Kasabay ng pagtalim ng tingin ko rito ay ang kanyang pagtawa.

This guy is always making fun of me. I mocked his laughters. Damn. Nang papasok na ito sa loob, I asked him something.

"Did Mom call you earlier?"

"Nope, she didn't. Why?" Nagtataka nitong tanong.

Umiling lang ako habang nakangunot ang noo ko. Mom said it was Kuya whom she called. Did she just lie?

"Any problem Princess?" Napailing lang ulit ako at hindi na pinansin ang pagpasok niya sa loob.

That moment, my heart felt heavy when I realized my parents just lied to me.