Her Perfect Imperfection

Chapter Thirty-Two

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: NIGHT CHANGES

Thirdy

DIRE-DIRETSO akong pumasok sa opisina nina Mama at Papa. Doon naabutan ko sila na kausap ang mga nakatatanda kong kapatid. Maybe it's about Uncle Javi's condition that's getting worse as the day goes by. But the twist and turns on our family will never affect my decision.

“What brings you here, Thirdy?” tanong agad ni Kuya JD sa akin.

“I found them already.” Deklara ko at mukhang alam naman na nila kung ano sinasabi ko. “I'll go after them so I am here to submit my resignation letter.”

Inilapag ko ang envelope sa harap ni Papa na agad naman niyang binuksan. “Can a salary raise stop you from leaving?”

“Don't try bribing me, Papa. I've been looking for them everywhere and now that they're found, I'll make sure not to waste another years of doing nothing but chased ghosts.”

Simula ng piliin ko na magpunta sa Spain kasama ni Kuya Clarence, hindi ko na nakita ng personal si Jeni. We did try communicate but all of a sudden it stopped. I couldn't reached her phone, email and even on social media account. It all vanished as if someone was responsible for it.

Meron naman talaga pero tinigilan ko na ang paninisi sa kahit sino dahil wala naman akong mapapala. The frustration built up until I decided to flew in Isabela to look for her. Wala si Nanay Remi sa dating bahay nila kaya sinuyod ko pa ang kasuloksulukan ng lugar para lang mahanap si Jeni.

And I did.

But Nanay Remi said she lost contact of her daughter too. Nagpadala lang daw ito ng pera para makalipat at makalayo sa stress. Alam ko na may tinatago siya noon sa akin na hindi ko na pinilit dahil sa kanya na rin nanggaling na huwag akong hihinto. Alam niyang babalik ang anak niya kaya iyon ang ginawa ko.

I never stopped searching until I found her. . . them rather.

“How did you found them?” tanong ni Kuya Clarence.

They knew I have a son with Jeni because I told them about it when I confirmed it was Jeni whom a colleague saw. Resemblance didn't lie and I have Jeni's childhood photo I took out from their photo album.

“Masyadong magaling iyong ghost chaser na na-hire ko. At ito pa,” sabi ko at pinakita ang video ni Jeni na nakikipagtalo kay Atty. Boncayao ng Dela Merced and Associate Law Firm.

The look on my brothers' face were the same as mine when I first saw the video. Habang ang sa mga magulang ko naman ay neutral lang.

“Ganyan na ka-advance ang lahat kaya madali na maghanap ng mga nawawala ngayon. Everyone posted or shared online when they find it amusing.” Iyon ang salita ni Mama saka lumipat ng puwesto mula sa likuran ng upuan ni Papa. “Hindi naman iyan ang unang beses na ginawa niya 'yan. She's a woman with principle and no amount of money can buy her.”

“What do you mean?” tanong ko.

“I did offered her bribes to stay away from you but she refused to accept it. I don't know what made her leave but I'm sure it's not because I asked her. Sinabi niya rin na kapag dumating ang panahon na may nahanap na akong babae na nararapat para sa 'yo, tandaan ko raw na may isang Jeni Daria na nagparaya para mangyari iyon.”

“Was that some kind of a curse?” Iyon ang hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Kuya JD. “Simula ng umalis siya, wala na kahit sino ang na-involve dito kay Thirdy. And the last thing that made my brother most popular was when be put those entitled Griffin San Mateo behind bars together with his friends.”

Napatingin sa akin si Mama. Doon napagtanto ko na alam niya ang koneksyon na meron si Jeni kay Griffin. She also knew why I worked hard to those asshole behind bars.