Nakalilimutan lang ang isang tao kapag wala siyang ano mang importansiya sa 'yo.

The woman almost jumped when Von Leandrei pressed the horn of his sports car. Kung hindi lang siguro mabigat ang buhat nitong bag sa kamay at backpack, malamang ay napatakbo na ito sa gulat.

Kanina pa kasi ito nakaharang sa driveway at tinitingala ang bahay nila. Kung hindi lang ito mukhang inosente, aakalain niyang nagbabalak itong magnakaw.

The woman moved aside to make way for his car. Awtomatiko namang bumukas ang gate ng ma-sensor ang plate number ng kotse niya.

Nang makapasok ay nakita pa niya mula sa rearview mirror ang babae na nakatitig sa kotse niya. He's sure the girl can't see him because the windshields of his car are tinted.

Nang sumara ang gate ay bumaba siya ng sasakyan at pumunta sa may guardhouse. Agad namang bumati ang guwardiya. He looked at the CCTV monitor and still saw the woman outside their house standing.

"Did mom hire a new maid?" he asked.

"Hindi ko lang po alam wala naman pong bilin sa amin," magalang namang tugon ng guwardiya.

"Kanina pa ba 'yang babaeng 'yan sa labas?" tanong niya habang tinitingnan pa rin ang babae sa monitor. It's already eight in the evening. Bakit nasa labas pa ito ng gate nila?

"Opo, hindi naman po nagbu-buzzer."

Napatango siya. Mahigpit kasing bilin ng daddy niya na huwag bubuksan ang gate sa mga hindi kakilala.

"Paalisin n'yo siya," saad niya bago umalis ng guard house at bumalik sa kotse.

He went straight to his room. He's unusually early tonight. Madalas ay alas dose o madaling araw na siyang umuuwi. He's still living with his parents at the age of 27. It's his parents' rule. Hindi nila kailangang bumukod hangga't hindi sila ikinakasal pero hindi rin naman sila pinipigilang lumabas kahit anong oras nila gusto. 'Yon nga lamang bawal magdala ng babae sa loob ng bahay. Well, they have hotels, puwede naman nilang dalhin doon ang mga babae nila. But that rarely happens in his case because girls take him to their places.

He's been managing their cargo and shipping lines for five years. Naging matiwasay naman ito. May mga iba pa silang businesses pero mga kapatid na niya ang may hawak. Their dad remains the CEO of their business empire.

He's on the verge of sleeping when he heard his door alarm.

"Ano bang problema mo kay Janica?!" galit na singhal ng ina niya pagbukas ng pinto.

Janica?

His forehead creased.

Sinong Janica?

Did his mom knock on the wrong door baka ang ka-triplet niya ang dapat kausap nito?

He has triplet siblings, Vance Luanne and Vander Lewis.

"Mom, this is me, Von Leandrei," he answered chuckling.

"Huwag mo nga akong pinagloloko Leandrei! Sagutin mo ang tanong ko."

Gumuhit muli ang kunot sa noo niya.

"Mom, who's Janica?" he asked back.

Bakit parang galit ang ina niya?

"Sinabi nang huwag mo akong pinagloloko. Bakit mo siya pinaalis?" giit pa rin ng ina.

"Mom, I don't even know who is that," he answered with a serious face.

"Ikaw huwag mong pinapaaandar sa akin ang pagiging Filan mo ha! Imposibleng hindi mo siya kilala. She's Mona's daughter. Yung lagi mong pinagtri-tripan dati kapag nagbabakasyon tayo sa probinsya."

Napamaang siya sa sinabi ng ina. Mona is the caretaker of his mom's family house in the province.

"Akala mo nakalimutan ko na?" she added with a serious tone.

"Janica? Yung maitim at parang wires ang kulot na buhok? Yung anak ni ate Mona sa Ilocos?" hindi makapaniwala niyang sambit.

"See? You know her! Bakit mo ba siya laging pinagtri-tripan ha?" singhal ulit nito.

Wait?

He stared at his mom.

Nagiging ulyanin na ba ito?

"Mom, are you crazy? The last time I saw her was 12 years ago. Hindi ka pa rin maka-move on?" natatawa niyang tanong sa ina.

His mother's jaw clenched.

"The last time you saw her was an hour ago. Magbihis ka! I will wait for you at the living room," his mom said before turning away.

What?!

He tried to recall what happened earlier and then realization hits him.

'Yong babaeng pinaalis niya sa harap ng bahay nila kanina?

Siya na 'yon?

F*ck!

He doesn't know why he felt a little nervous while going down the stairs. He didn't even look at the couches. Baka nandoon ang babae. Malay ba niya kasing siya na pala 'yon. Dapat nagpakilala ito sa guwardiya noong sinita siya. But his order was to send the woman away so even if the girl protested, the guards would still insist to send her away.

He inhaled deeply when his mother spoke.

"Halika, umupo ka rito."

The couch was empty. Ang ina lang niya ang nandoon.

"Now explain," his mother said sternly. Hindi naman siya takot sa kahit na ano o sino pero iba kapag ang ina niya ang nagagalit. It's hard to argue with her.

"Mom, I didn't recognize her. That's the truth. Para kasi siyang magnanakaw na patingin-tingin sa bahay," he said honestly.

"My God Leandrei, ang magnanakaw hindi tatambay sa harap ng bahay ng lantaran," hindi makapaniwalang sambit ng ina niya. No one's really more intelligent than his mom.

Hindi na lamang siya sumagot.

"What did you tell her? Bakit siya umalis?" she asked. His mom has a way of knowing the truth, but he has nothing to hide.

"I didn't even talk to her. Sinabi ko lang sa guwardiya na paalisin siya," tugon niya. Ipinilig ng ina ang ulo at pumikit.

Hindi naman niya ito masisisi. She values anything that has something to do with her hometown Ilocos. Bawal magsalita ng masama laban sa mga ito.

"Why is she here anyway?" tanong na lamang niya.

"I offered her to stay here and work for the company for the meantime. Magre-review kasi siya para sa bar exams, but she still needs to work to help her siblings."

"Bar Exams?"

Wow?

"Yes bar exams, and she needs to review in the afternoon kaya sabi ko puwede siyang magtrabaho sa kumpanya sa umaga."

He can't believe the woman would become a lawyer. Niloloko-loko lang niya dati, magiging abogada na. Sabagay, hindi pa naman ito nakapapasa ng bar kaya hindi pa sigurado kung magiging abogada nga ito.

"But she's out there. Hindi ko siya matawagan. Alam mo ba kung gaano kadelikado ang lansangan ng Maynila? You've gotta find her, Leandrei," mariin nitong utos. Napakunot-noo siya.

"Mom? Are you serious? Ang dami nating guards. Go ask them to," reklamo niya. Pinagtaasan naman siya nito ng kilay.

"Ikaw ang may kasalanan kaya siya umalis. Kapag may nangyaring masama sa kanya, ikaw ang mananagot," giit pa rin nito.

He inhaled deeply before speaking again.

"Mom as you said she'll be a lawyer, I'm sure she knows what she's doing. Alam niya rin kung gaano kadelikado ang gabihin sa lansangan," wala sa loob niyang tugon sa ina.

"For all we know she must be sleeping now in some hotel," he added.

"See? Gumastos pa siya. Eh kailangang-kailangan niya ng perang pang-review."

"Why don't you just give her money?" he asked with a shrug. Hindi niya talaga maintindihan ang sentimyento ng ina minsan. Kailan pa naging issue sa ina ang magbigay ng pera sa ibang tao? She's been donating a lot to charities.

"That's something you'll never understand from materially poor yet dignified people. They don't accept money without working for it," his mother uttered.

Say what?

"Just find her and bring her here. Here's her number." Inilahad ng ina ang papel na hawak. He looked at her in disbelief. Seryoso talaga ang ina na paghanapin siya?

"If I get mad, mananagot ka sa daddy mo," she threatened. He looked at his mom seriously. He inhaled deeply when her serious aura didn't change a bit.

"Fine!" pagsuko niya. He took his car keys on the bowl at the center table bago tinungo ang pinto. It's been their routine to put their keys on the bowl whenever they arrived home. Gusto kasi ng ina nila na sa iisang lugar lang nila ilagay para hindi sila hanap ng hanap. Ganoon kasi sila noong medyo bata pa at ang ina ang laging nag-aapuhap kung saan-saan nila pinaglalalagay ang mga susi nila.

"Daddy Leandrei!"

He stopped when he heard Desiry calling his name. Kalalabas lang nito mula sa elevator. She is Vander's daughter but she calls all of her uncles "daddy". Vander and his two kids are living with them. Nilayasan kasi ito ng asawang si Aubrey dalawang taon na ang nakararaan.

"Saan po kayo pupunta?" tanong nito habang lumalapit.

"Maghahanap ng nawawalang negra," wala sa loob niyang sagot. It was the first description that entered his mind about that girl, Janica.

"Leandrei!" his mom glared. Napatawa na lang siya.

"Daddy, sama ako?" ungot ng walong taong gulang na pamangkin. Kumapit pa ito sa braso niya.

"Mee? Sama ako kay daddy Leandrei?" paalam nito sa lola.

"Ikaw ang bahala. Weekend naman kahit umagahin kayo." Irap ng ina niya sa kanya. Gusto niyang matawa sa inakto ng Mommy niya pero baka magalit pa ito.

"Yes! Tara na daddy," Desiry said happily.

He inhaled deeply as he drives slowly. He's looking sideways. Baka sakaling nasa daan lang ang hinahanap.

"Sino ba kasing hinahanap natin, daddy?"

"Si Janica, yung anak ni ate Mona." Desiry knows ate Mona dahil isinasama rin nila ito kapag nagbabakasyon sa probinsya.

"Janica? May anak po si ate Mona na Janica?"

Napatango siya. Hindi na rin kasi nila nakikita ang babae sa mga huling bakasyon nila. Maybe she was studying kaya wala ito roon.

"Yes yung pangatlo. Basta kapag may nakita kang naka-t-shirt ng pink, naka-backpack at may bitbit na bag, tell me okay?" bilin niya sa pamangkin.

"Okay po, dito ako sa side na 'to titingin," magalang naman nitong tugon.

Ilang minuto na silang nasa daan pero wala pa rin silang makita ni anino ng babaeng hinahanap.

"Des, pakikuha yung phone ko sa dashboard, tapos 'yang papel. May number diyan tawagan mo."

"Okay po," tugon naman nito.

"It's ringing" she informed.

"Ask her where she is. Sabihin mo pinapasundo siya ni Mommy."

He waited while still scanning the road. Baka sakaling naglalakad lang ito at naghahanap ng matutuluyan.

"Hindi po sumasagot," Desiry informed after a minute.

"Sh!t! Nakakainis!" inis niyang saad.

"I-dial mo ulit. Pag 'yan hindi pa niya sinagot, ipapasyal na lang kita sa amusement park tapos sabihin natin kay Mommy hindi talaga natin nahanap."

"Ang sama mo, daddy Leandrei!" natatawa namang tugon ng bata. Nagkibit-balikat na lamang siya.

"Hello po!"

Napatingin siya nang magsalita si Desiry.

"I'm Desiry, apo po ako ni Mee Lianna. Asan po kayo? Sunduin daw po namin kayo," sunod-sunod nitong saad.

"Utos po kasi ni Mee," saad ulit ng bata.

He stopped the car on the side of the road and waited for their conversation.

"Kasama ko po si Daddy L-"

There was a short silence. Marahil ay nagsasalita ang babae sa kabilang linya. Kukunin sana niya ang phone para siya na ang kakausap pero nagsalita ulit si Desiry.

"Okay po saan po?" tanong nito.

"Sige po," saad ulit ng bata bago ibinaba ang telepono.

"Sa isang fastfood chain daw po along Buendia. Malapit daw sa may MRT station." Desiry informed.

"What? Paano siya nakarating doon?" wala sa loob niyang tanong.

"Baka po sumakay ng taxi," kibit-balikat naman ng bata.

He just smiled at Desiry's innocence.