A Chance Encounter

CHAPTER 3

THE RAIN WAS POURING HEAVILY. Hindi nakapagdala si Audrey ng payong kaya naman medyo nabasa siya kanina nang papunta siya sa convenience store kung saan siya nagpa-part time. Akala niya titila na ang ulan pero hindi ito tumila hanggang sa matapos ang kaniyang shift.

Napayakap na lamang si Audrey sa mismong sarili nang maramdaman niya ang lamig na yumayakap sa kaniya. Nasa waiting shed siya at naghihintay ng minibus pero halos kalahating minuto na ang lumipas, wala pa ring minibus ang dumaan. May mga kasama naman siya sa waiting shed at kapag may dumating na minibus, kailangan niyang makipagsiksikan para makauwi na siya.

Audrey rubbed her hands to warm herself.

“Some people don’t know how to take care of themselves,” said a voice from beside Audrey.

Napatingin si Audrey sa nagsalita. Agad niyang namukhaan ang lalaki. Medyo lumayo siya rito at hindi nagsalita. It was the man she helped before.

Emerson undressed his long coat and put it on Audrey. “Wear it. Halatang nilalamig ka na.”

“S-Salamat.”

“Kanina ka pa yata rito?”

Audrey nodded.

“Why don’t you take my car? Gabi na at mahihirapan kang maghintay ng sasakyan rito.”

Napahawak si Audrey sa coat na nakasuot sa kaniya. “Hindi naman kita kilala.” Aniya. She has trust issues. Hindi siya basta-basta nagtitiwala lalo na kung lalaki.

Lihim na napangiti si Emerson. Cautious person. I like it.

“Then I will wait until you get on the bus.”

Hindi umimik si Audrey. Hindi niya alam kung bakit lumalapit sa kaniya ang lalaki. It’s better to be vigilant. Baka mamaya masamang loob pala ito.

After five more minutes, a minibus arrived. Nakipag-unahan si Audrey na sumakay nang bumukas ang pinto ng minibus. At nang makapasok at makaupo siya sa loob, napatingin siya sa labas. Nakita niyang nakatingin sa kaniya ang lalaki kaya napatitig na lamang siya rito. They obviously hadn't met each other at the hospital, and she already regarded the man she helped as a stranger.

Nagkibit ng balikat si Audrey. Nakahinga siya ng maluwang ng umandar ang bus saka umalis. Makakauwi na rin siya.

Ramdam ni Audrey na medyo mainit ang katawan niya at mabigat ang pakiramdam niya. Ngunit kahit alam niyang magkakalagnat siya, hindi niya inisip na manatili sa bahay upang matulog at makapagpahinga. She took a hot bath, got dressed and readied herself.

Audrey left her room and went downstairs. Medyo maaga siya kaya naman naabutan niya ang magulang at kapatid niya sa kusina.

Audrey wasn’t allowed to eat with them at the same table. Kaya naman kapag magkakaharap ang mga ito sa hapagkainan, hindi na siya kumakain at umaalis siyang walang laman ang tiyan niya.

“Anong sabi niyo, Dad? Our company was going to be bankrupt,” Freya said, worriedly.

Napatigil si Audrey nang marinig niya ang sinabi ni Freya. Imbes na maawa, parang natuwa pa siya. Karma niyo na ‘yan. Ang sasama kasi ng ugali niyo.

Ramon nodded. “Kaya kailangan muna nating magtipid ngayon. Huwag gasta ng gasta ng pera. May nahanap na akong investor…” napatingin siya kay Audrey na dumaan sa hapagkainan.

Dumaan lang naman si Audrey nang hindi nagsasalita at nang makaalis si Audrey saka lamang nagpatuloy si Ramon sa gustong sabihin. “Someone offered a big amount of money and it was enough to cover up the lost asset of the company. But in return, he wanted to marry one of my daughters.”

“Then let Audrey marry him,” said Freya. “Ayaw kong magpakasal sa taong hindi ko naman kilala. Just let Audrey marry whoever that man was. Para naman may silbi siya, Dad.”

“Tama si Freya, Ramon. I don’t want my daughter to suffer. So let Audrey marry that man.” Sabi ni Felicia, ang ina ni Freya at Audrey na mahilig sa pera. “Sino siya?” tanong niya kapagkuwan.

“An old wealthy businessman.”

Ngumisi si Freya. “Then let my sister marry that man, Dad.”

Tumango si Ramon. “Of course, I won’t let my precious daughter suffer.” He affectionately caressed his daughter’s head.

You’re doomed, Audrey. Freya thought as she grinned evilly.

PAGDATING ni Audrey sa school, agad siyang yumukyok sa table niya. Hindi niya ipinagpatuloy ang pinipintahang canvas.

“Audrey, hindi ka na naman ba kumain?” tanong ni Mia na siyang malapit kay Audrey sa school.

“Wala akong gana.”

“You always say that,” said Mia, and put the transparent cellophane on Audrey’s table. “May nagpapabigay sa ‘yo. Kuya mo raw.”

Kumunot ang nuo ni Audrey saka nag-angat ng tingin. “Kuya ko?”

Tumango si Mia saka itinuro ang transparent cellophane na may lamang bottled water, an unopened packed sandwich and a medicine for fever.

Kuya ko? Wala naman akong maalalang may kapatid akong lalaki. Aniya Audrey sa isipan. Binuksan niya ang cellphone at may nakita siyang papel sa loob. Kinuha niya ito at binasa ang nakasulat.

‘Take care of yourself.’ – EM

Mas lalong kumunot ang nuo ni Audrey dahil wala naman siyang kakilalang may pangalan ng EM. Ramdam ni Audrey ang gutom kaya naman kinain niya ang packed sandwich kahit hindi niya alam kung kanino ito nanggaling. She doesn’t trust strangers, but it was different this time. Pagkatapos niyang kumain, ininom ang gamot.

“You’re sick?” Mia asked when she saw Audrey taking a medicine. Inilapat niya ang kamay sa noo ni Audrey at ramdam niyang mainit ito. “You should go to the school clinic. Samahan kita.”

Umiling si Audrey. “Ayos lang ako, Mia.”

“Pero namumutla ka na. Should I call your parents?”

“Huwag na.” Wala rin naman silang pakialam sa akin.

“Pero…”

“Mia, my family’s situation was not as good as yours. Huwag kang mag-alala. Kaya ko ang sarili ko.” Ani Audrey saka muling yumukyok sa sariling mesa.

Mia was worried about Audrey so she stayed with her.

Walang professor sa araw na ‘yon dahil busy ang mga ito. Pabor ‘yon kay Audrey dahil halos natulog lamang ang ginawa niya. It was three in the afternoon when Audrey left school and went to the convenience store for her part-time job.

May lagnat pa rin si Audrey pero ipinagsawalang bahala na niya ‘yon.

EMERSON fisted seeing Audrey walk into the convenience store. “She looked sick. Why would she still go to work? And why would she work? Her family are well-off.”

At first, Emerson thought that Audrey was doing it for fun, but now, it looks like that wasn’t the case.

Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Emerson sa steering wheel habang nakatingin siya sa loob ng convenience store. He had her investigated but didn’t find out anything except her personal information. He didn’t know what kind of Audrey's family was.

‘Boss, Miss Perez’ paid her tuition fee and I didn’t find out anything about physical or verbal abuse.’

“Something was not right,” Emerson said as he remembered what Martin had said.

Emerson called Martin.

“Boss?”

“Martin, investigate Aubrey Perez’s family and her situation in her family,” he demanded.

“Yes, Boss. I’ll do it right away.”

Emerson ended the call and waited for Audrey until she finished her work. Nang matapos ang dalaga sa trabaho nito, palihim niya itong sinundan habang sakay siya ng kotse. Napatigil siya nang makita niyang napahawak si Audrey sa ulo nito habang ang isa nitong kamay ay napahawak sa handrails sa gilid ng kalsada na para bang sinusuportahan nito ang katawan nito upang hindi matumba.

Mabilis na iginilid ni Emerson ang kotse at lumabas. Nagmamadali siyang lumapit kay Audrey at sinalo ito bago pa man ito bumagsak sa kalsada.

Audrey passed out.

Emerson sighed and carried Audrey. He took her into his car and took him to the hospital.

“The patient is now out of danger. Don’t worry, Mr. Montenegro,” the doctor said after she examined the patient.

Emerson nodded.

Nang makaalis ang doktor, umupo siya sa stool na naroon saka napatitig sa dalaga. “Does your family know that you were sick?”

Emerson was tempted to look at Audrey’s phone, but he put the phone back in Audrey’s bag when he saw there was no message from her family. He put the phone back in Audrey’s bag.

“Boss.” Martin arrived.

“What’s the matter?”

Martin glanced at the girl who was lying on the hospital bed before looking at his boss. “Boss, I found out that Perez’s Company was already on the verge of bankruptcy, but today, they covered up the lost asset. I looked into it. Nalaman kong may isang mayamang negosyante ang nagbigay ng malaking halaga sa ama ni Miss Audrey kapalit nito na kailangang magpakasal ang isang anak ni Mr. Perez sa kaniya.”

“Who’s that businessman?” Emerson asked.

“Mr. Wang. An old Chinese businessman who had settled in the country for twenty years, and he had three wives. Kapag nagpakasal sa kaniya ang isang anak ni Mr. Perez, then she would be the fourth wife.”

“Sino ang pinili ni Mr. Perez sa dalawa niyang anak?”

“Si Miss Audrey.”

Kumuyom ang kamay ni Emerson. “He dared to marry off my woman.”

Martin's jaw nearly dropped. “Y-your woman?” he glanced at Miss Audrey. Ito yata ang unang beses na narining niyang nagsalita ng ganun ang amo niya.

“What was Audrey’s situation in her family?” Emerson asked and ignored Martin’s surprised reaction.

“Not good, Boss.” Tugon ni Martin.

Napatingin si Emerson sa assistant. “Anong ibig mong sabihin?”

Bumuntong hininga si Martin bago nagsalita. “Boss, outside the house, Miss Audrey’s family treats her well. Pero pagdating sa loob ng bahay, they don’t treat her well. Perez's family had two daughters, but the parents doted on the eldest daughter like a precious gem. Unlike Miss Audrey who needs to work to earn money for her daily expenses. Miss Audrey was not even allowed to eat at the same table as them.”

Humigpit ang pagkakakuyom ng kamao ni Emerson. Tumingin siya kay Audrey. “Martin, arranged a meeting with Audrey’s father.”

“Yes, Boss.”

Emerson closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Hindi niya inaasahan na may mga magulang na hindi patas ang pagtrato sa kanilang mga anak.