“Busy ka iha?” text ni Deen.
“Opo, dad, nagte-test po ako ngayon.”
“Can you meet me now? Let’s have lunch.”
“OK po, tatapusin ko lang ang test.”
“Who’s your professor?”
“Dr. Singh po. Psychology.”
“And what do you think you’re doing Ms. Leonel? You know the rules, no use of cellphone while examination’s ongong!” sabi ni Dr. Singh na nakatayo na sa gilid niya.
“Oh…sorry po sir, may text message lang po, urgent lang.”
“And may I know what the message would be?”
“Mag la-lunch daw po kami ng…”
“Ah, ganoon ba? Well then, we don’t want your date impatiently waiting for you, do we? Sige you’re dismissed. Go!”
“Pero sir!”
Hindi na nag-apela si Sanee nang makita na nanlilsik na ang mga mata ng professor at nakaturo ang kamay sa pinto kaya agad din siyang lumabas.
Sanee stood for a few minutes in front of the school campus as instructed by Deen; a few minutes later, Deen, on his Toyota Montero stopped in front of the school gate.
“Sakay na iha!” ani Deen sabay pinagbuksan ng driver ang pinto sa likod at tumabi ang dalaga sa lalaki.
“Thank you po.”
“How’s school?”
“H-hindi ko po natapos ang test eh…pinalabas na ako ni Dr. Singh kasi nahuli niya akong nagtetext sa inyo.”
“Teka…Dr. Singh, as in Dr. Kali Singh?”
“Opo…kilala mo po siya?”
“Sort of…don’t worry iha, consider your problem solved.”
Hindi makapaniwala si Sanee kung gaano kalawak ang impluwensiya ni Deen, at sabihing lutas na agad ang kanyang problema.
Bukod pa sa impluwensiya ng lalaki, hindi rin makapaniwala ang dalaga ang pagkakahawig ng ni Mick sa sisenta anyos na si Deen, as if Mick went on a time machine and gained some years — kung baga, si Deen ang older version ni Mick.
“Eh…Dad, salamat po sa lahat, sa pagtulong ninyo sa amin ni Mick. Hayaan po ninyo, hindi po kayo magsisisi.”
“Sana nga iha. Kasi someday I’ll be asking a favor from you…”
“Huh? O-okey po…ano po ba yun?”
“Everything will come in due time iha, for now, let’s enjoy lunch at may klase ka pa yata,”
“Ah…opo…mga 3 pm po.”
“Good. Kami naman ni Mick ay may mga paperworks na kailangang tapusin and meetings to attend to. As for Dr. Singh…excuse me iha for a minute.”
Deen walked outside the restaurant, took his cellphone and dialed a number. A few minutes later the old man seemed to raise his voice and climped his hands into a fist.
“Okay San, you can attend Dr. Singh’s class again.”
“Talaga po? Naku salamat Dad…salamat talaga…’ ani Sanee sabay hinawakan ang malalambot na mga kamay ni Deen na lihim namang natuwa.
It took a few minutes before Sanee took her hand again from ‘Deen’s grasp.
“Walang anuman iha. Basta be a good girl, magkakasundo tayo. See you again tomorrow,” sagot naman ni Deen at pasimpleng pinatong ang kamay sa mabibilog na hita niSanee sa ibabaw ng kanyang skirt.
Bagamat nagulat si Sanee sa ginawa ng kanyang biyenan ay hindi na niya nagawang umiwas.
“S-salamat po uli Dad…”
A little while later Sanee was dropped off from the vehicle after reaching the campus gate. Both waved their goodbyes.
Papasok na sa assigned room si Sanee nang may nagsalita sa likod niya.
“M-Miss Leonel…”
“Ay, Dr Singh! Pasensiya na po sa ginawa ko kanina, hindi na po mauulit iyon…”
“Just ignore it. Sige tanggap ka na uli sa klase ko.”
“Naku salamat Dr. Singh…eh kalian po uli ako kukuha ng midterms?”
“No need. I gave you a high grade in my subject already. Just promise me to attend the remaining days, for formality sake? Ayokong masilip ng colleagues ko na I am doing favors for somebody.”
Sanee didn’t want to find out how Deen convinced Dr. Singh not only to re-accept her but also the professor gave her a high grade in his class; all she knows that she must always do right to Deen to help her and Mick reach their goals.
Simula noon ay naging madalas na ang paglabas ng magbiyenan para mag-lunch.
As the two enjoy their meals, Sanee’s phone rang. It was Mick.
“Hi, babe…what’s up? Have you taken lunch?”
“Hi babe…yeah katatapos ko lang kumain. Ikaw?”
“Um…kumakain ako ngayon kasama ko…” hindi na natapos ni Sanee ang sasabihin nang kumaway si Deen; tila ayaw sabihin na magkasama silang kumakain.
“Kasama mo sino?”
“Ha…eh kasama ko mga classmate ko…”
“Oh, ok. Babe baka gabihin na naman ako ng pag-uwi…Dad’s killing me with these paperworks…meetings…kailangang matapos ko ang reports before Friday kasi we’ll be going abroad next week.”
“W-what? So soon?”
“Yeah…there’s a convention in Vegas we need to attend to. Sorry babe for the late heads-up, last minute din akong sinabihan ni Dad eh…”
“Uh…i-it’s ok…basta sa ikabubuti natin …go lang ng go…andito lang ako.”
“Thank you babe, kaya mahal na mahal kita eh. Don’t worry babawi ako ngayong weekend….”
“Inaasahan ko yan…sige babe see you later…may klase pa ako…”
“So Dad, mag-aabroad kayo ni Mick?”
“Yes… I was about to tell you pero naunahan na ako ni Mick. Anyway…it’s a month-long convention so medyo mawawala lang kami nang konti.”
“Ganoon po ba?” tugon ni Sanee na tila naging malungkot.
“Alam ko na you’ll miss him…”
Ngiti lang ang itinugon ni Sanee.
“Tell you what…let’s spend the day relaxing — you know, watch a movie, stroll in the park…”
“Eh Dad, baka hanapin ako ni Mick kung makauwi siya na wala pa ako sa bahay.”
“Eh siya na rin ang nagsabi na gagabihin na rin siya ng uwi di ba?” okay, para mawala ang pag-alala mo just text him on a pretense na may tinatapos kang research ng mga classmate mo.”
Sanee did just that. She tried calling but it was always diverted to voice call, kung hindi naman ay out of reach kaya tinext na lang ng dalaga ang bf.
“Babe…baka late na rin ako makauwi…may group research kami ng mga classmate ko…huwag mo na akong hintayin….eat your dinner and sleep at once kasi may trabaho ka pa bukas.”
Naghintay ng ilang minuto ang dalaga bago nag-text back si Mick.
“Okay babe, pasensiya na hindi ko nakuha agad call mo may meeting kasi kami tapos nag-file pa ako ng mga report…sorry babe.”
“So, are we good? Where do you want to go?”
‘Ok na po Dad…kayo na po ang bahala.”
Paglabas nila ng restaurant ay tumawag agad ng taxi si Deen, kaya napatingin ang dalaga sa biyenan na tila gustong magtanong.
“I know…It’s better if we do it this way.”
As promised by Deen, the two went to a mall to watch a movie, then strolled around the said place. The oldman even allowed Sanee to buy new clothes in a shop while he waited in the bench.
Masayang-masaya si Sanee sa mga oras na iyon habang abala siya sa pagpili ng mga kasuotan. Nakapila na siya sa counter nang mag-text uli si Deen.
“Get a new set of lingerie.”
Sanee reluctantly went to the lingerie section and checked each item but she can’t seem to decide which one to buy.
“Get that black one…”
Napatingin tuloy si Sanee sa salamin,at nandoon nga si Deen na kanina pa nagmamanman sa kanya. Kumaway ito sa kanya at ngumiti.
A Yandy Black Lace and Mesh Teddy was purchased by Sanee, as requested by her Father-in-law. After buying the said purchase, the two went out the mall and called a cab.
“Sa Rotonda boss. Well, Sanee…did you enjoy your shopping?”
“O-opo dad, salamat po sa mga bigay mo…”
“Good. Tutal maaga pa naman sa pag-uwi mo, why don’t we h…