Five years later...
"PAPA." I kissed my father's cheek the moment I sat beside him on that table inside our favorite restaurant. It was one of those days where he called me because he wanted to have dinner with me. He told me he hasn't seen me for months, totoo naman iyon. I've been a little busy with the new Start – Up company Noel and I funded. Inaayos namin ang mga kailangan nila para mabuksan na finally ang kompanyang iyon. I don't know how many start - up companies I've funded for the last five years, pero may karamihan na sila. I think – like what Papa said five years ago, I am bankable enough to marry his only daughter. Iyon nga lang, hindi ako makapag – propose kay Dindin dahil tulad ko ay masyado siyang abala sa trabaho.
"How have you been, son?" I always feel flustered whenever he calls me son and it's been five years since we patched things up. Hindi pa rin yata ako masasanay. Anyway, I was right all along, my father may seem like a cold man, he may seem distant, but now that we are openly communicating with one another, I realized that he is indeed a good father and that he loves me despite the fact that I am only his adopted son.
"Good. I just came back from Singapore last night, Pops."
"Oh, how was the business deal? Divina told me that you have too many in your plate, anak, kaya mo pa ba? Sana naman." He chuckled as he look at the menu he was holding.
"Kayang – kaya, Pops." I smiled at him. "Anyway, I can't stop working until I am bankable enough for your daughter." Naging biruan na sa aming dalawa iyon. Kahit si Dindin ay madalas na banggitin iyon sa kanya. I guess we have that understanding that when we finally find the time, the two of us will get married and settle down, build a family and live another chapter of our happily ever after.
"Maybe I just have to... well pay double for your wedding because it will be the wedding of both my children." Sabi bigla niya. Tumitig ako kay Papa. May halong biro ang tono niya pero kinakabahan ako. Hindi pa namin napag – uusapan nang seryoso ni Dindin ang kasal. Gusto ko naman talaga siyang pakasalan but we both don't have time for that. We're just content with the fact that we both know that we will get married someday, kung kailan, siguro mapag – uusapan din namin. Sa totoo lang kasal na lang naman talaga ang kulang sa aming dalawa. We live together, we sleep in the same bed, pareho kaming hindi napapakali kapag hindi ko siya nakikita at the end of the day. We plan to have kids, but I want to marry her before we have kids. Or whatever she wants, if Dindin tells me she wants to have kids now, I will gladly give it to her.
"Oh, bakit parang namumutla ka? Hindi ba kayo magpapakasal ni Dindin? Matagal nang expired iyong tatlong taon ha." Napapailing pa si Papa.
"I plan to marry her. That doesn't change, it just that well, we talk about it, pero wala pang finality. I guess we're both busy, Papa. Alam mo naman si Dindin. Busy siya sa company mo."
"Yes, she is eager to prove to everyone that she deserves the spot given to her. Hindi madali maging CEO ng isang malaking company."
I agreed with his statement. "Yes, Papa, lalo na at maraming kinukwestyon ang naging desisyon mong ibigay sa kanya ang pamamahala two years ago." Wika ko pa sa kanya.
After Dindin's graduation, Papa gave her the CEOship of the company. Gulat na gulat si Dindin. Ang buong akala niya ay sa akin pa rin ibibigay ang bagay na iyon. I told her that I already stepped back but still she couldn't believe it. Ilang beses niyang tinanong si Papa kung sigurado raw bai to sa desisyon niya, but our father told her that she deserves it. She made quite an impression while she was an intern in the company but still, marami pa ring hindi sang-ayon sa nagong desisyon ni Papa, pero wala silang nagawa. Even the stakeholders liked Dindin's guts. Basta ang sabi ko lang kay Dindin noon, kung anuman ang kailangan niya, I will give it to her. I will always be with her.
