EZH: Special Chapters

Special Chapter 14: Caspian Hernandez

Special Chapter 14: Caspian Hernandez

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"The board is ready, Sir. Kayo na lamang po ang iniintay." My secretary told me after I gave him permission to enter my office. I nodded my head as a sign that I understood, not taking my gaze away from the file I was reading.

Tumayo na ako naglakad palabas ng opisina. Mabilis naman na sumunod sa akin si Drix, my new secretary. Dad made a mistake last time and hired a woman, who tried to seduce me.

Long story short, my wife gave her a reason to resign and save herself from the wrath of Quinnzelle Zobel-Hernandez.

"Thank you, Drix." Sabi ko nang matapos kong basahin ang briefing file for today's meeting agenda. Isinara ko ang clip board at iniabot iyon kay Drix habang diretso lamang ang paglalakad namin. "Are they there already?"

Tumango si Drix, naintindihan kaagad ang ibig kong sabihin at alam na agad kung sino sino ang mga tinutukoy ko kahit pa hindi ako magsalita.

"Four of them are physically here. Sir Kal will attend via zoom call." Sagot niya.

Tumango ako, naintindihan kaagad ang situasyon.

Starr just gave birth not a month ago. Simula nang mag seven months ang ipinagbubuntis niya ay nag-leave na si Kuya Kal sa trabaho. Hanggang ngayon na nakalabas na sa mundo ang anak nila ay hindi pa rin siya bumabalik sa office at naka-work from home pa rin.

Nang makarating kami sa conference room ay nandoon na nga ang apat, mga nag-iingay na at kung ano anong pinag uusapan. Ang ilang empleyado naman ay nakaupo sa kabilang side, quietly preparing themselves to report about their department's for this month.

"I'm thinking of taking the kids to New York for Christmas." Rinig kong sabi ni Jareth. Tinapik ko siya sa likod kaya napaharap siya sa akin. "Kuya, hi."

Ngumiti ako sa isa sa mga bunso namin na hindi na yata matatawag na mga bunso dahil may sarili na ring mga anak.

Well, aside from Storm. Hindi pa rin yata sila ni Winter nakakapag decide kung kailan sila mag-aanak.

Ang bilis ng panahon. Parang noong isang araw lang, nakatingin kaming anim sa lukot na mukha ng newly born na si Storm. Ngayon may sarili na siyang asawa at mga pamangkin na tinawag niya ring lukot ang mga mukha noong sanggol pa lang.

"I was told everything's set up already. Let's start?" Tanong ko, inilibot ang tingin sa kabuuan ng conference room. Naupo ako nang tumango si Drix bago siya lumapit sa projector at inalis ang harang sa lens.

The room became dark once the lights were off. Mga liwanag lang galing sa dalawang projectors ang nagbibigay ng kaunting ilaw sa paigid.

One of the screens was the powerpoint presentation of the first department to report, while the other one projected Kuya Kal on a zoom call. Naka-off cam pa iyon kaya hindi pa kami makapagsimula, though the mic was on kaya rinig na rin namin ang sounds mula sa kabilang linya since ini-activate na rin pala ni Drix ang speakers.

"Kal ang kulit!" Inis na sabi ng boses ni Starr. "Sabi ko papatulugin ko na 'yang si Skylar."

Kuya Kal chuckled. There was the sound what it seemed like a swivel chair being sat on.

"He's sleeping already, pano mo pa papatulugin?" Kuya Kal asked his wife, halatang nang aasar lang. Nagpigil ng tawa ang ilang babaeg empleyadong kasali sa meeting.

Starr whined, suko na sa pang aasar ni Kuya.

"Bahala ka nga sa buhay mo diyan." Starr irritatedly said. "Kapag umiyak 'yan 'wag mong sasabayan na umiyak, ha."

I could almost imagine Starr rolling her eyes at Kuya. That was a thing she learned from Demi and my own wife na expert sa pang iirap.

A small smacking sound. Rated PG. It was obviously the sound of lips smacking.

Oh gosh, no. Kuya, bukas ang mic mo for fucks sake! Don't do anything further!

"Don't worry about him, Reyna. Just rest, okay? Ako na bahala kay Skylar for the mean time." Kuya Kal said softly. I heard quiet "aww's" from the employees. The conference room actually fell really silent, like we would interrupt something private if anyone of us would make a sound.

So ano, ganito na lang gagawin namin? Kikiligin na lang mga empleyado namin kay Kuya? Di na kami magmi-meeting?

Another whine from Starr was heard followed by Kuya's smitten chuckle. Footsteps next, then a door opening then closing after. Mukhang lumabas na si Starr ng home office nu Kuya.

"Tapos na, Kuya?" Malakas na tanong ni T, ginamit pa ang mic na nakakabit sa table sa tapat ng upuan niya. Halatang nagulat ang mga epleyado sa biglang pagbasag niya sa katahimikan. "O maglalandian pa kayo? Ilang minutes pa kailangan niyo Kuya? Tell us baka pwedeng mag kape muna kami."

Itong si Kuya T, galing din manggulat, e.

Malakas na tawa ni Kuya Kal ang sunod naming narinig. His video cam was opened and we were all greeted by Kuya's face.

Pero hindi roon napunta ang atensyon naming lahat.

Kuya... what the hell?

"Sorry, T. I didn't realize my mic is open." He laughed again, startling the baby he was holding a little. He rocked his body to try and settle the baby. "Anyways, meet my son!" Inangat ni Kuya ang anak niyang tulog at may subo pang pacifier. Tumayo siya nang kaunti para mas ilapit ang mukha ng anak niya sa camera, showing us not only the baby's face but also the fact that he was wearing basketball shorts as bottoms. He wore a dress shirt with matching tie as top, tapos fucking basketball shorts pambaba.

Pota sobrang extra talaga ni Kuya.

"Ay introduce your baby pala agenda natin ngayon? Akala ko reports ng bawat department. Sayang di ko dala mga anak ko." T said sarcastically.

"Me too." Asher said with a pout na mabilis din namang nawala at napalitan ng excitement. Kinuha niya ang kanyang phone at pinailaw ang screen noon. A picture of baby Abcde was shown as his wallpaper. "This is my son!"

"This is not about your son, Asher." Umirap si Kuya Kal. Inilapit ulit ang mukha ng anak niya sa screen. "This day is about my son!"

"This day is about the financial reports of this conglomerate's companies. So if you'll excuse this meeting, paki alis ang pagmumukha ng mga anak ninyo." Malakas na sabi ni Kuya T sa mic. Kahit si Kuya Kal ay napangiwi, Skylar starting to stir on his hold.

"Lakas ng boses mo T, sumisigaw ka ba?" Tanong ni Kuya. "Imu-mute kita sige."

I face palmed.

Just literally, what the fuck?

"Sir," Louise sighed. She sounded so done with her boss already and the meeting hasn't even started yet. "with all due respect po, you can't mute Sir Timothy without muting the rest of us."

She smiled, but she was annoyed. Halata iyon sa peke niyang ngiti. Natawa ako roon, ayan ang napapala ni Kuya kapag kaibigan niyang malapit ang secretary niya.

"Oh, is that it?" Kuya Kal said. "Sige, T 'wag ka na lang maingay at baka magising ang anak ko."

Sumagot pa si Kuya T. Of course sumagot pa siya! At siyempre, hindi pwedeng hindi makikisawsaw iyong tatlong bugok!

Napairap na rin ako.

Can't we just start the meeting already?!

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