09: Jailed and Bailed

Max

I THREW a sharp glance at Bea who's wandering inside my office, touching every display that I have there. Hindi siya mapakali na dinaig pa ang mga kiti-kiti sa tubig. Para siyang bata na apaw na apaw ang curiosity sa mga gamit na mayroon ako. I don't know why she's here today. Baka trip niya lang manira ng araw ngayon kaya dito siya nagpunta.

"I'll call you back again. I just need to attend something very important..." sabi ko sa kausap ko saka pinatay na ang tawag.

"Hindi ka nabobored dito? Ang daming paintings na nakakatakot yung mga mata. Na-imagine mo ba minsan na sinundan ka nila ng tingin?" Pumihit siya paharap sa akin saka lumakad palapit at naupo sa upuang nasa harapan ng working table ko. "Ang boring talaga dito. Kung anong ingay sa baba, parang sementeryo naman dito."

"Why are you here?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Bea has a lot of segues, and I'm too busy to entertain that.

"Yung passport ko paki-soli na po." Bea said, eyeing her passport on my table. Dalawa iyon, isang peke at isang original. I walked near to my table to get those and hide it from her. She's a cunning lady, but she can't fool me again. "Ano ba kailangan ko gawin para ibalik mo 'yan?"

"My heirloom,"

"Yawa ka talaga. Wala nga sa akin yung heirloom mo. Ang kulit-kulit mo talaga,"

"Who stole it if you didn't?"

I sensed restlessness in her actions. May tinatago siya na ayaw niya lang sabihin sa akin.

"Ma at pa, malay ko at pakialam ko,"

"No passport, then..."

I ignore her and continue working. Kahit pa maglupasay siya sa opisina ko bahala siya. I have a lot of paper works to do today. I'll think that she's not around, creating noises that distract my focus. Or maybe I'm wrong for keeping her passport.

Hindi siya titigil sa pang-gugulo hangga't hindi ko binabalik ang kailangan niya...

"Just check the quantity first before signing these papers,"

"Alam mo, ang ganda mo, kailangan lang ayusin ang kilay mo tapos alisin itong unwanted facial hair mo. Tapos turuan na din kitang mag-makeup para naman magka-jowa ka agad."

Natampal ko ang noo matapos marinig ang sinabing iyon ni Bea kay Amie.

"Talaga?" Napatingin sa akin si Amie. 

"Oo. So, no? Tara na ba? Don't mind your boss."

"You can now go, Amie, and assist the deliveries downstairs."

Sumimangot si Bea na binalewala ko lang. "Mamaya na lang lunch break. May bayad service ko ha, wala akong kita kasi may isang kabuhayan blocker dyan na ayaw pa isoli ang passport ko."

This is a mess! She's crazy. I just shook my head and sighed heavily.

Lunch came and Bea still sticking around, annoying and following me wherever I go. Sa meeting ko kasama ng private investors, naroon siya at kung ano-ano pa ang sinasabi. Bea is wearing a simple dress, and her red hair tied up into a bun. Wala siyang makapal na makeup na suot 'di gaya kagabi. And I should not be admiring this crazy lady right now. 

"Max..." Lumingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng tawag. The wrong move; I should not turn my back only to see Sadie. What the hell is she still doing here?

"Oh my God, 'diba ikaw yung model sa Victoria Secret?" Sabat ni Bea na lumabas mula sa likuran ko. Nakahawak pa siya sa braso ko na parang bata. Well, since morning I felt like babysitting a two year old kid. She's loud, nasty, annoying.

"Yes that's me," sagot ni Sadie kay Bea bago ako binalingan. "Can we talk?"

"No, I'm with someone," I said, holding Bea's shoulder.

"Baliw ka ba? Nandadamay ka na naman. Kausapin mo na siya baka importante." Binalewala ko ang sinasabi ni Bea at giniya siya palayo kay Sadie. "Kaano-ano mo siya? Hindi ba importante sasabihin niya?" Bea asked when we reached Elixir. 

I sighed heavily.

"She's my ex-girlfriend." My brow arched when I saw her eyes widened up. "Why?"

"Ex mo yun? Alam mo pag ganitong kwentuhan hindi boring. Bilis makikinig ako sa drama ng buhay mo," I called my staff's attention by raising my hand. I told my staff to prepare food and drinks for two. "uy kwento na. Kanina pa ako nababagot."

"I didn't ask you to come here and follow me around."

"Eh, kung binabalik mo na passport ko, hindi sana kita ginugulo ngayon. Gusto mo lang din na kasama ako, no?" I shook my head again. Assumera din siya. "Hindi naman ako aalis eh. Itong mukha na 'to? Makikita mo pa din ito sa bawat sulok ng Brooklyn. Hindi pa tapos mission ko dito,"

"And that is?"

"Yung tatay ko, hinahanap ko pa din siya hanggang ngayon." Does this woman think she can fool me again? "Alam ko na marami akong na-kwento sayo pero yung tungkol sa tatay ko at lola ang totoo."

Ang hirap na maniwala sa taong minsan ka niloko. The worst was, she stole something valuable from me. That heirloom is priceless because of the ring's back story before it landed on my Mom's finger. Even if he cheated his way out of our family, my father worked hard to earn my Lolo's approval. And that ring is the sign.

Courting back then was really hard unlike now. Ang daming rules noon at dapat sa bahay lang nagpapaligaw. Tinapon lang lahat ng tatay ko ang mga iyon noong iwan niya si Mama habang nakikipaglaban sa sakit. What happened to 'in sickness and health' vows he uttered on their wedding day? Ever since Brooklyn, I can't stop thinking about it. Does he really loved my Mom? O baka naman matagal na niyang niloloko at noong magkasakit lang nabunyag?

"Don't try fooling me again, Beatriz. We did not meet by accident. There is always a reason, either you're a blessing or a lesson."

And I'm one hundred percent sure that Bea is my lesson.

***

I PARKED my car in front of our apartment. It's been a long day of talking to some of Elixir's investors and keeping my cool intact for Bea. Hindi talaga niya ako tinantanan at kung wala pang tumawag sa kanya na mukhang importante, malamang nakabuntot lang siya sa akin buong maghapon. I was busy scrolling on my social media feed when a call registered on its screen. It was Detective Peralta from NYPD, where other people who got fooled by Bea and I filed a blotter.

"Detective Peralta..." I said as I answered the call.

[We caught her already.]

Masayang balita sa akin ng detective na kausap ko. Sa dami kasi ng complain, talagang tinutukan nila iyon para mabawi na ang mga nakuha ni Bea. I scratched my forehead. Paano siya nahuli?

[She's running after a guy who is also a con artist in Downtown Brooklyn. One of the police patrollers there caught both of them.]

Mariin akong napapikit ng marinig iyon. The detective ask me to drop by to file a formal complaint against Bea. I started my car after the call and manuever it towards the police station. Nang dumating ako doon, si Bea agad ang hinanap ng mga mata ko pero wala siya sa paligid. Where did they bring her?

"Mr. Lewis..." Bati sa akin ni Detective Peralta ng lapitan niya ako. I asked him where Bea was, and he guided me towards the precinct.

"Max..." Bungad ni Bea ng makita ako. "Hindi ako pwedeng makulong. Kailangan ko pa hanapin si Papa. Siya... siya lang naman ang dahilan bakit ako naging ganito. Kung 'di niya ako niloko, hindi naman ako gagaya sa ginagawa niya,"

Bea throw fiery glares at the white guy who's with her inside. I heaved a sigh before facing Detective Peralta. Wala naman na akong magagawa at hindi naman ako kakandidatong santo para piyansahan siya. Once was enough, and she can never fooled me again. Akma akong lalakad ngunit nahinto ng makita kong lumuhod si Bea.

"Sasabihin ko na nga kung saan ko dinala ang singsing mo, promise. Ilabas mo lang ako dito, Max." She really have my heirloom. Akala ko ba wala sa kanya? "I will not lie, I swear, Max."

I just shook my head and walked away with Detective Peralta. I heard Bea called my name, but I ignored her and continued walking out of that place. Maraming nakakulong doon na pulos mga lalaki pa. Bea was the only woman in the cell a while ago. In her eyes, I saw the fear that hit the remaining conscience that I have.

Damn, Max! After what she did, you're still concern to her. Anong nangyari sinabi mong hindi kakadidatong santo?

I want to hire someone who will beat me into a pulp because of this stupid idea I'm thinking of right now. Sabi niya, sasabihin niya na kung nasaan ang singsing basta ilabas ko siya dito. Detective Peralta told me how much the bail would be a while ago. They tried to contact the other complainant, but I'm the only one who came personally. Some already want to drop the complaint.

Dayo lang si Bea dito at kapag umalis siya, malabo na maibalik ang nakuha niyang pera. Wala din naman siyang ibang pamilya dito sa Brooklyn at makaka-apekto itong complaint sa visa na mayroon siya. She can be hold at the immigration until the her name will be cleared. Ang hassle, pero kasalanan niya at wala dapat akong pakialam.

"Detective, I'm dropping the complaint and bailing her out."

I didn't explain further and bailed Bea out of this place. Sa labas ko na lang siya hinintay habang pino-proseso pa ang mga dokumento. Sana talaga tama itong ginagawa ko dahil kung hindi, baka tumalon na ako sa Brooklyn Bridge.

Napalingon ako ng may marinig na pagtikhim mula sa likuran ko.

"Thank you,"

"It's not for free, and you're indebted to me."

"Babayaran ko promise. Magbabagong buhay na ako at may higit dalawang buwan at kalahati pa naman ako dito."

"Whatever. So, where is my heirloom?"

"Ano... mag-promise ka muna na hindi ka magagalit at hindi mo ako ibabalik sa loob kapag nasabi ko na ang totoo,"

"Just tell me where it is, Beatriz."

"Mag-promise ka muna kasi."

Para talaga ako nakikipag-usap sa toddler nito. Bakit kailangan ko pa na magpromise sa kanya? Saan ba niya kasi dinala yung heirloom ko?

I sighed.

"Fine, promise I won't be mad and bring you back there." Hindi pa nakuntento at nakipag-pinky swear pa sa akin.

"Binenta ko ang singsing mo, Max..."

What?

***

From this,

To this,