NABUHAYAN siya ng loob nang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone na nasa dashboard mount at isang mensahe ang natanggap ngunt agad din iyong namatay nang makita hindi sa taong inaasahan niya nagmula ang mensahe.
He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, driving with one hand. He was loaded with work, yet that didn't hinder him from thinking about Violet and their situation. After he proposed—well, it was sort of a proposal— he hadn't had the chance to talk to her because she kept on avoiding him and dodging his calls. And it's been days.
He accepted that he was partly at fault for Violet's indifference towards him. He thought that everything would go smoothly after he confessed his deep affection towards her, and she accepted it though she hadn't told him her feelings. Kahit na hindi nito sabihin ay alam niyang may nararamdaman ito sa kanya. And he knew too well that she would get mad at him for what he did. He should've told her first about his plan, but he didn't because his gut feeling was telling him that she would say no. He could be wrong or not, but the thought got the best of him, he got scared, so he went directly to Violet's parents. He thought about telling them that something happened to him and Violet, he knew that her parents would push the wedding through. But he couldn't do that to her, and he knew that Violet might not talk to him forever if he did.
He couldn't tell if she was freaked up with the marriage proposal from him, or she was mad at him for not confiding to her first. Or it could be both. Whatever it was, he won't give up until she forgive him and of course, accept his proposal. He wanted her for the rest of his life, and he would have her. He didn't make it this far just to lose her.
Hindi na niya mababawi ang proposal niya sa pamilya ni Tara kaya paninindigan niya iyon na siya naman talagang gagawin niya una pa lang. He would start by getting the approval of the man that Violet loved the most.
Nang makarating sa opisina ay agad niyang pinuntahan si Ashton Sanford sa opisina nito hindi upang kausapin ito tungkol sa trabaho. Earlier, he was at the construction site with some engineers to oversee their operation. Noong mga nakaraang araw pa niya gustong kausapin ang ama ng babaeng pinakamamahal niya ngunit pareho silang abala sa kani-kanilang trabaho dahil sa isang malaking proyeko. Ashton was a very hardworking man and he looked up to him. Pangawalang ama na rin ang turing niya rito kaya kinakabahan siya sa gagawin. He was a good person but he could be worst when it concerns his children, especially his only daughter whom he loved so much.
Agad siyang pinapasok ng sekretarya nito sa opisina. Nakaupo sa likod ng executive desk si Ashton at may binabasang mga papeles. "Sit down," he said in a professional manner.
Umupo siya sa naroong upuan katapat ng lamesa nito habang itinatago ang tensiyon.
"Is everything good at the site?"
"Yes, Sir. Everything is feasible..." he then took a deep sighed before continuing. "I didn't come here to talk about work, Sir."
Dumoble ang kaba niya nang ibaba ni Ashton ang hawak na papeles, ipinagsalikop ang dalawang kamay sa ibabaw ng lamesa at itinuon ang buong atensiyon sa kanya. "You're here because of my daughter. My only daughter, Harrison Green," ani Ashton na maririnig ang pagbabanta sa boses.
"I-I knew that very well, Sir." Sandali siyang tumigil at tumikhim upang alisin ang bara sa lalamunan dahil sa kaba. "But your only daughter, I love her, I keep on loving her, and I'm done keeping it to myself. I want to be with her, I want to marry her. You love Tita Tamara so much, and I know you understand me."
"Don't compare my love to my wife to your affection for my daughter! I didn't sneak inside their house or sneaked inside her room to fill my need as a man. I had respect for her parents," Ashton said sternly.
Agad na namutla si Harrison sa narinig. He knew! Akala niya'y walang nakakaalam na naroon siya sa bahay nila Tara at pumasok sa studio nito at may nangyari sa kanila bukod sa dalaga. "Y-You knew?" he asked nervously.
"Elsa told me that she saw you entering the house that day, when I knocked at my daughter's studio, I knew you were inside. I suspected that something had happened between you two when you didn't come out, and she didn't tell us that you were there. And my wife, she saw you entering my daughter's room. I could've killed you for screwing my daughter in my own house! But I didn't because I respect your parents, they were my friends, and I treated you like a son!" Bahagyang tumaas ang boses ni Ashton at alam niyang mapasama siya rito dahil sa nalaman nito.
Napalunok ng sunod-sunod si Harrison at biglang nanlumo sa mga narinig. He knew it all! Maging si Tamara ay alam ang ginawa niya, nila.
"I only remained silent because my wife told me not to interfere and give you a chance. She said that she knew you have feelings for our daughter and I saw the happiness of my Tinkerbell because of you. Because of those stolen moments. I never see her so alive after she got into an accident when she fell on the stairs," Ashton added and then took a rough and deep sigh.
Harrison filled his chest with air shakily. He screwed it all up! How could he have Ashton's trust and approval gayong alam pala nito na tinitira niya ito patalikod? But he didn't mean to do that, he doesn't want to love and spend time with Violet behind Ashton's back. Kung siya lang ay dumiretso na sana siya sa mga magulang nito, subalit inaalala niya ang damdamin ng dalaga.
"I didn't mean to disrespect you. I... I screwed up," Harrison uttered with misery and ran his fingers on both hand to his hair in despair. He took a fistful of it and stared at the floor helplessly. Ramdam niyang tinitigan siya ni Ashton ngunit hindi niya magawang magtaas ng tingin. Hindi niya alam kung patatawarin siya nito sa ginawa, he betrayed his trust.
"You have to be responsible for what you did. I don't want any bastard in the family if my daughter conceives."
Pabiglang nagtaas siya ng tingin habang nanlalaki ang mga matang nakatingin kay Ashton. Unti-unti siyang nabuhayan sa sinabi nito.
"I can't do anything if my wife interferes with the preparation of the wedding. She's too excited with the idea, she already has plans," Ashton said casually. The sternness in his voice was gone to Harrison's great relief.
"A-Are you sure?"
"Are you sure?" balik nitong tanong sa kanya at bahagyang umangat ang kilay.
"Not even a shadow of a doubt. I am sure that I can't live the rest of my life without your daughter. Thank you so much, Sir, Tito!" he said in one breath. Malaking bigat ang nabawas sa kanyang dibdib at gusto niyang tumalon sa tuwa sa narinig. He couldn't contain a smile because of happiness.
"Don't smile yet, you have my approval, but you still haven't get my daughter's. You can't force her to marry you if she doesn't want to."
Right, kailangan pa pala niyang mapapayag si Violet. Subalit mas nadagdagan ang kompiyansa niyang suyuin ito sa pagpapakasal ngayong nakuha niya ang pahintulot ng ama nito.
"I'm working on it, wala na siyang kawala," he declared with conviction.
Ashton nodded. "Go, do what you have to do. I have papers to read."
Harrison get into his feet with a smile and extended his hand to his future father-in-law. He shook his hand firmly before bidding his goodbye.
"Harrison..." Harrison was about to open the door when he heard Ashton calling his name. He looked back. "Good luck, son."
Ang ngiti niya ay nauwi sa ngisi nang tuluyang makalabas sa loob ng opisina. Get ready for me, Violet.
DIRE-DIRETSO SIYANG pumasok sa bahay ni Tyler at hinanap ang kaibigan. He found him on the second floor, on the terrace. He was lying down comfortably on the long couch while holding a phone in his right hand and a can of beer on the left.
Dumampot siya ng isang lata ng beer sa lamesa bago pasalampak na umupo sa katapat na upuan. He opened the can and drink from it. He needed that after he tired talking to Violet for the nth time and failed. How could she have so persistent and stubborn?
"Still no luck?"
Napatingin siya sa kaibigan na nakaharap pa rin sa cellphone nito at may masayang ngiti sa mga labi. "She's one hard egg to crack," he said, then took a huge gulp of his beer. "At least one of us already get his girl. While I don't have an idea when my girl will talk to me again."
Ibinaba ni Tyler ang hawak na aparato at napabuntung-hininga, nakikisimpatya marahil sa kamiserablehan niya. "When did you start to love her again as a woman? You were close, and you loved her, I thought it was just brotherly love, just like my love for her. Man, why her?"
"We're talking about your sister here, Tyler," he said with a frown.
"I know, I'm not making her look bad. She's my sister, she's wonderful, I love her. And I have known you my whole life, man. I don't have any idea that you fell for my sister. We've talked about the girls that we acquainted to, but you never talked about your feelings for her."
There were times that he wanted to tell Tyler, they were bestfriends but Violet was his sister. Natatakot siya na magsabi sa iba noon dahil baka makarating kay Violet at pangilagan siya nito. Noon ay pati siya'y naniwala na babae ang gusto ng dalaga dahil nalaman niyang nakipagrelasyon ito kay Lian Dela Cerna. He was hurt, he was insecure, he had no hope and tried to forget his feelings towards her. But when the two broke up, nagkapag-asa siya na balang araw ay magbabago ang pananaw nito. She will realize that she was a woman capable of loving a man, and that man will be him. Hindi nito alam kung gaano kalaking kasiyahan ang dulot ng mga pagtugon nito sa kanyang halik, yakap at mga haplos.
"I don't know what to do anymore," he muttered weakly. Isinandal niya ang ulo sa ibabaw ng sandalan at tinitigan ang kisame na tila ba makakahanap doon ng kasagutan sa kanyang kinakaharap na problema.
"Tara was tough, we know that she is different from another woman. She is more than just a woman... but she is still a woman, Harry. She's vulnerable, she got scared and confused." Tyler sighed deeply. "That's when she said to me when I talked to her about my girl, I didn't know that it was from experience."
"What should I do?" He was desperate, he would consider any advice he could get.
"Suyuin mo, bigyan mo ng bulaklak, tsokolate, pabahay, sasakyan. Show her everything you want to show, strike her when she least expected it, with words, with gestures, with actions. If she's one hard egg to crack, daanin mo na lang sa santong paspasan... She told me those words too, and it helped me, and I want to help you. But I guess you already did the last one and if she will accept it, I know you would've give her a house and lot and everything that money can buy," Tyler and grinned. "But try striking her when she least expected it."
Harrison was amused hearing what Tyler said despite the circumstances he was facing. The side of his lips stretched in a smile. Gumaan kahit papaano ang pakiramdam niya. "How will I do that?"
Ikinibit ni Tyler ang balikat bago itinuon ang pansin nito laptop na nasa ibabaw ng center table na inusog nito malapit sa kinahihigaan. "You will figure that out."
He sighed when he heard his answer and went back to staring at the ceiling again. Nag-iisip siya ng puwedeng gamit nang marinig ang pagtawa ng kaibigan. Nakakunot-noong napatingin siya muli rito na nadoble nang marinig ang mga pamilyar na tinig.
"What is that?" he asked while frowning.
"Oh this!" Iniharap nito sa kanya ang laptop habang natatawa pa rin. Namilog ang kanyang mga mata nang makita ang isang black and white na video kung saan naroon ang batang siya at si Tara na walang tigil sa kakaiyak. "Dad gave me his old camera and I thought I lost it a long time ago, but I found it at the attic yesterday, the SD card is still functional so I save the photos and videos from our childhood... Remember this, you fell on the swing because of Tara and she cried to her heart out because she thought your dead. I never see her cry like that."
Napangiti siya ng muling maalala ang pangyayaring iyon at makita ang video ng pangyayari. Tyler would sneaked his father's camera out and use it when they were young. Nang mahulog siya sa swing ay alam ng kaibigan na nag-a-acting-actingan lang siya kaya kinuhanan sila nito ng video. Pagkatapos niyang mabuhay muli ay mamatay-matay sila sa kakatawa, lalo na nang tumakbo pauwi si Violet. Ngunit sa huli ay todo suyo silang dalawa ni Tyler kay Violet upang mawala ang inis nito sa kanila. It took them almost a week before Violet played with them again.
"I think I have an idea that might help you."
Mula sa pinapanood ay nag-angat siya ng tingin kay Tyler na tila may bombilyang kumislap sa ulo. Nagniningning ang mga mata nito at tila excited na excited sa naiisip.
"What is it?"
When Tyler told him his idea, he thought at first that it was absurd. But he was desperate and madly in love, so he agreed to Tyler's crazy plan.
It's now or never, Harrison Green!