Always, My Jade

Almost Complete (31)

" I hate you Dada!" sigaw ko sa kanya and he was surprised at my reaction.

"Why do you have to tell me everything in this place, ang layo natin sa Manila. Send the chopper I need to be in Althea's Condo now!." pagmamaktol kong sabi sabay naluluha na ako.

"You're not mad at me, aren't you Princess?" takang tanong ni Dada na nakangiting nagaalangan.

"No! of course not, slight but not much! Basta! I hate you because ang layo layo pa ng lugar para magkwento kayo." tuluyan na akong umiyak.

"Shhh, sorry na anak, natatakot kasi ako sayo eh. At least pag dito kahit magalit ka walang pipigil sayo. At saka gusto lang kitang masolo, matagal na tayong hindi nakakapag bonding." ngiting niyakap ako ni Dada.

"Dada naman eh, we can do that anytime naman. Call the chopper now, please!" naiinis ko ng sabi hindi ko na alam kung anong nararamdaman ko, I need to see Althea. Ngayon ko lang nalaman lahat. Sana nagtanong ka na lang Jade how can you be so...Argh! Hindi na ako mapakali, I saw and heard Dada on the phone "No, right here, hihintayin na namin kayo dito. Jade can't wait for us to be there. We'll just wait for you here." rinig kong sabi ni Dada.

Naluluha ako sa nalaman ko, may halong awa para kay Althea pero mas lalong lumalim ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya. Saglit lang at dumating na ang chopper, sumakay agad kami ni Dada," Sa Condo" agad kong sabi, since kami ang may ari alam kong may helipad doon. Tumingin ang piloto kay Dada at tumango lang siya then narinig kong may kausap ang piloto at dahan dahan na kaming umangat. Maingat ang piloto dahil pagabi na rin, kung ako lang gusto ko ng paliparin ng mabilis.

- - -

"Matalik kong kaibigan ang ama ni Althea, si Carlos. We're in the construction firm along with our other bestfriend, Gaston. We're called the Titan Builders because we're the sought after construction firm in the Philippines and it extended overseas. Carlos, the Civil Engineer was called the master builder, Gaston, the Architect as the Master Designer and I as the Master Mind daw, well it's because I deal with our clients. Mabola daw ako kaya ako ang nasa frontline. The firm was well known. But something happened that Carlos just gave up his shares and left us. I found out later that it's because of her daughter. He loved her daughter so much. And when his wife died, ibinuhos niya ang buong buhay niya for her. I learned that Carlos left because he wants to protect Althea from...us.
Althea has eyes for you noon pa Princess. Carlos knew it, at first he just shrugged it off thinking it was just a crush, but when he saw how I treated Paul and forced him to be straight, that's when he decided to distant himself from us.
He tried his best to protect Althea, at kahit alam ko how he love his company, he gave it up for Althea's sake and just concentrate on their restaurant. On the day before he died, I was there and I heard him asked Althea...to distant herself from...you. I know Althea was hurt with the request but I know how she loves her Dad so much. Althea didn't know that I was there at the hospital during that time, paglabas niya I went inside Carlos' room. Before I could even speak narinig ko ng nakikiusap si Carlos not to hurt her daughter because Althea already made a promise that she will distant herself from you, Jade. Tutal naman daw alam niyang wala siyang pag asa cause you're straight, so mas madali sa kanya ang dumistansya at lumayo.
Doon ko din nakita kung gaano kalalim ang nagawa kong pagkakamali kay Paul na mismong matalik kong kaibigan na nasa bingit na ng kamatayan ay hiniling na wag kong saktan ang anak niya, just because she likes you. A father's fear for her daughter. Bakit hindi, if I can hurt my own son how much more ang ibang tao na hindi ko kadugo, di ba?." Nanatili lang akong nakikinig at nakatingin kay Dada.Naguumpisa ng tumulo ang luha ko.
"I was just standing there beside his hospital bed at hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko when my phone rang and your Mama told me that Paul had an accident, that it turned out to be an attempted suicide." may namumuo ng luha sa mga mata ni Dada.
"That same day I lost a great friend, Jade and ...I... I almost lost a son. From that moment I promised myself, I will never lost my family again. I looked for Althea, regularly checked on her but she just distant herself. I can't reach out to her. She really kept her promise Jade, after her father died hindi ko na siya nakita sa paligid mo. Not until she came to your bar...i believe her friends has something to do with it. They knew how Althea is head over heels with you. Maybe they're trying their luck especially when they found out that you and David broke up." nakangiting kwento ni Dada.
"I only had the chance to talk to her once when I dropped by at her parent's grave one time, she was so bold to tell me not to waste a life with Paul anymore. I asked her if she still likes you, she's surprised to learn that I knew but then she said she made a promise to her Dad. I said I could be a father to her, too but then she refused and beg me to just leave her alone."