Chapter 17

Chapter 17




"You're married?!" my cousin shrieked from the other line. "You're really freaking married?!"


I winced and slightly pulled the phone away from my ear, waiting for Tina to calm down. When she did, saka ko ulit siya kinausap.


"Oo, Valentina. Kasal na ako."


"But... how... when...?" tigagal siya sa kabilang linya. I could only imagine the shock expression splattered across her elegant face like an artistic splash of paint in a canvas.


I chuckled and was dreaming again with my eyes open as I went back to the day I was happily and quietly married. Pagkatapos ay dumapo ang tingin ko sa nakadapang si Blake. He's still on the bed, half-naked, and grunting to himself. Kakagising lang niya at naniningkit ang mga mata sa kaharap niyang phone. The muscles on his back flexed a bit when he reached out to the side table and placed back his phone.


"I'll tell you the details of the story. Are you busy? Can you drop by Elyu? We're planning to celebrate our wedding again... this time, with friends and family."


"Of course, I'm always ready!" maagap niyang tugon kahit alam kong araw-araw ang 12-hour shift niya. I don't know what excuses she'll be making this time to be excused by her seniors and professors. But if she can make it to our celebration, I'll be happy.


"Okay. Sa lunes kami uuwi ni Blake."


"Inuna niyo pa ang honeymoon kesa ipaalam sa amin na kasal na pala kayo!" pang-aasar niya. My cheeks burned. I abruptly turned away from my husband when I noticed he's been staring at me tensely. Kinuha ko ang roba at naglakad patungo sa terrace saka isinuot ito bago tuluyang tumapak palabas. The sea is calmer now. I could see some local kids playing at the shore, collecting shells and digging the sand for little crabs.


"Isasama mo ba si Dr. Ciervo?" pag-iiba ko sa usapan.


"Huh? Ba't ko naman isasama yun? Last I checked, I'm not his babysitter." She blurted out quickly.


I smirked. "Oh, okay. I'll just ask Blake to invite him, then. You wouldn't mind if he's going to bring a date?"


"O-Of course not..." she choked. "I don't care what that guy does, Savia."


"Okay!" masigla kong wika, may namumuo ng masamang plano sa isipan. I bid goodbye to my cousin and just when I ended the call, I felt a pair of strong arms wrapping around my stomach.


"Good morning..." I gasped when Blake's hand slipped inside my thin nightgown, lightly caressing my sensitive skin and making lazy circles. Ipinatong niya ang baba sa balikat ko at pinagmasdan rin ang mga bata na nasa baba.


"Morning..." I said, almost breathless.


"Are you hungry?"


I bit my lower lip and looked away. I'm not sure which hunger he's pertaining to with that husky voice of his! My head started spinning and my heart jumped when his hand lost interest on my stomach and went higher, reaching for the mounds.


"I'm hungry. Let's have breakfast." I said briskly, trying to conceal the arousement I felt with his simple touches.


"Okay. We'll have breakfast in bed, love." He whispered and traced my jawline with wet kisses. My toes curl in anticipation as he pressed his body against mine and his lips touched the delicate column of my throat. Blake was busy with his morning business when the door bell rang.


He cursed, letting go of me. I was holding my breath until then and felt cold when his touch left my body.


"Disturbo." Nagkasalubong ang mga kilay niya at nilingon ang saradong pinto nang tumunog ulit ang doorbell. "Sino ba yan?"


Pinagmasdan ko ang asawa na iritang pinulot ang t-shirt niya sa kama at dali-daling isinuot habang naglalakad palabas. I was still gripping the wooden rails for my dear life and suddenly noticed the children playing by the sea were gone. Composing myself, I followed him outside.


Blake is walking through the yard when I reached the door. Outside, I saw a dark SUV and a young tall man waiting by the gate. Tension left Blake's shoulder blades when he greeted the man with a nod.


"Sorry, ang aga ko ba?" natatawang bati ng lalaki.


"No, no. It's okay, engineer. I appreciate your punctuality."


"Ako lang muna at si Architect Estrada ang titingin sa site. Kapag napag-usap na natin, dadalhin ko na ang team ko dito."


Lumipat ang tingin ko sa maputlang babaeng kasama ng lalaking engineer. She seems polite and has a timid beauty. Nginitian niya ako nang makita, dahilan upang lumipad din sa akin ang tingin ng lalaking enhinyero.


"Good morning po, Ma'am!" masiglang bati ng engineer. "Asawa niyo ho, sir?"


"Yes. Just call me Blake. I'm not that old." My husband frowned.


The cherry engineer just chuckled. I watched him with curiosity. I thought his attitude would match his raw-boned face and dark features. Akala ko masungit, pero hindi naman pala. Finally, I smiled at them and welcomed the two in our home.


"Galing pa kayong Maynila?" tanong ko sa kanila habang pumapasok ng bahay.


"Oo, eh. Traffic nga, kaya inagahan nalang namin ng punta rito."


Pansin ko ang pasulyap-sulyap ni Blake sa aming dalawa. I shot him a warning glance when I noticed he's starting to frown at the engineer he hired himself while he's making jokes with me. Gusto kong irapan ang asawa, but I don't want to implicate a wrong impression to our visitors.


"Engineer Murillo, there's something I want to show you. Can you come with me to the basement?" Blake said briskly.


Engineer Murillo, oblivious to my husband's darkening aura, happily followed him downstairs with a grin. Naiwan kaming dalawa ng babaeng arkitekto sa taas.


"Seloso ho ang asawa niyo, Ma'am," she commented with a light giggle.


Napailing ako nang pati siya ay napansin rin ang matatalas na tingin ni Blake sa kawawang engineer. I think the only oblivious here is Engineer Murillo. He seems to be happy following my husband's firm demands.


"Ewan ko sa lalaking yun. Kasal na nga ako sa kaniya, eh."


She laughed. "Ganun talaga ang mga lalaki." She said dreamily.


Sensing something, I squinted my eyes at her and then went back to the stairs where my husband and the jolly engineer disappeared.


"I'm sorry for asking, but... are you dating that engineer?"


Kaagad na namula ang mga pisngi ni Architect Estrada sa sinabi ko. She looked away from me.


"Uhm... hindi naman sa kami..." she laughed nervously. "We're still trying to sort things out but..." she shrugged.


I nodded. Hindi ko kasi pansin na may koneksyon pala sa kanilang dalawa. If I were to see them, they look like old buddies. Arkitekto at enhinyero. Dalawang hindi mapaghiwalay. Pero kung ito ang iginigiit ni Architect Estrada, siguro ay may namamagitan nga sa kanilang dalawa. Hindi lang halata.


I heard the two men talking downstairs so I invited Architect Estrada for a light breakfast. Pinuri-puri niya ng kusina ng bahay habang naghahanda ako ng makakain namin. She said it's an old and elegant house, and I appreciated the comment coming from an architect. Blake wanted some things done in the house and talked about adding a new nursery room by the end of the hallway. He's taking things ahead of him, even though it's just weeks after we got married.


"Engineer, kain ka muna bago kayo umalis," anyaya ko sa kaniya nang sa wakas ay matapos na silang dalawa sa ritwal nila sa baba. Engineer Murillo smiled broadly at me and sauntered towards the kitchen counter.


"Hmm! Mukhang masarap ang luto niyo, Mrs. Sobreval!" he said cheerily.


I just smiled at him while Blake grumpily sat at the kitchen counter. I slid his plate to him and prepared another one for the engineer. Dahil tapos na kaming dalawa kumain ni Architect Estrada ay nakaupo lang kami at nakikipag-usap sa dalawang lalaki. They were talking stuff that I can't relate much but I know it's for the improvement of the house. Paminsan-minsan ay tinatanong din ako ni Engineer Murillo kung anong gusto ko, o kung may gusto pa bang ipabago. I liked that he wanted me to be a part of the conversation when I isolated myself in the first place, seeing this is not the field where I dominate most.


After having breakfast, I took a quick shower and headed outside for fresh air. Hinayaan ko na silang mag-usap at magplano para sa gagawing renovation. Blake said we will stay in my house in La Union while the renovation is on-going or in his condo unit in Manila, whichever I prefer.


The day went busy Tito Cristophe constantly calling us to check how we're doing. He's very eager to meet us and wanted to help plan our second wedding which I appreciated.


"I have this nostalgic feeling, hija, of you and my son getting married. It's like you continued the unfinished story of your mother and I." he joked on the other line but I could hear a pang of pain in his voice.


"Tito—"


"Call me Dad." He cut me off. "I don't want to hear you addressing me as Tito Cristophe from now on. I know how much you've been hurt when you lost your Dad, so I want you to call and treat me as your own father."


Tears brimmed in my eyes as I stared at the ocean, still holding the phone to my ear and remembering my father. He may not be perfect and he brought so many problems to our household. Frankly, his poor decision led the family into chaos for many years but it was Valerie who poisoned us. I couldn't be more glad now that she's gone from our lives permanently. Iniisip ko din kung anong magiging reaksyon ni Dad sa pagpapakasal naming dalawa. Will he be happy? Ecstatic? Or disappointed? As a child who grew up in a fairytale world, I always dreamed my wedding would be magical and my father would walk me down the aisle. Now, I know that's impossible to happen.


I comforted Tito Cristophe and we talked some more before I ended the call. Blake was outdoor all day, fixing the shed and doing whatever work he can before we're back to La Union again. Pinaghanda ko siya ng hapunan at tahimik kaming nagsalo habang pinag-uusapan ang mga dapat gawin kapag nakabalik na kami sa La Union.


Later that night, I got up from bed when my alarm rang, reminding me to take my pills. Blake is half-asleep next to me, exhausted from the series of love making so I tip-toed my way out of the bedroom. In-on ko ang ilaw sa kusina at kumuha ng tubig mula sa fridge. I swallowed the small, yellow pill and washed it off with water.


"You're taking pills?"


I almost jumped in surprise when I heard Blake's voice from behind. Mabilis ko siyang nilingon at nakitang nakatitig siya sa akin. He didn't even bother to put on some clothes. He's just wearing his black, boxer shorts and looks incredibly pissed with his dark brows furrowing at me.


"Uhm... yes." I answered slowly. I've been taking pills long before we got together to regulate my period and ease the severe menstrual cramps I suffered every month. "I just thought... you know..." my cheeks reddened at the thought of it. I'm still not used to mentioning it casually even if we're already wedded.


"Don't you want kids, Anna?" mahinahon niyang tanong sa akin.


Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. I could tell from the grim look on his handsome face that he's not happy about it, but he's restraining himself. I quickly shook my head.


"It's not that I don't want kids... it's just..." I stammered, trying to find the right words. I always think things through but the pills just didn't occur to me. It was part of my daily routine.


Lumapit si Blake sa akin at marahang inalis ang baso mula sa nanginginig kong kamay. Inilapag niya ito sa kitchen counter at hinawakan ang dalawang palad ko. He made me look at him.


"I know from the start that I'm marrying a fiery, independent woman and I'm also aware that maybe a part of you doesn't want to have kids if you think it will slow you down in chasing your dreams or if you're still not ready. I just want you to know that I'm willing to wait, okay? Tinatanong lang kita kasi ilang beses na kitang nakikitang umiinom ng pills pero wala kang binabanggit sa akin."


I bit my lower lip and looked down. Somehow, all my lame excuses crumbled into pieces. He voiced out what I was afraid to say. Maybe he's right. Maybe a part of me thinks that I'm not yet ready to become a mother. I have dreams, big dreams. And I have so many plans that people automatically assume I am not the marrying type. But here we are. I am already Mrs. Sobreval. Everything happened so fast.


"Am I overwhelming you by contacting Engineer Murillo to build a nursery room?" mahinahon niyang tanong sa akin. "I don't want you to feel pressured to have a child with me just because I'm ready. I'm just really happy right now, Anna, and when I'm happy I do stupid things."


"That's not stupid." I frowned at him. "And don't feel sorry about it. hindi ko lang talaga napag-isipan. I want to have a child with you, Blake.... someday. But not now. There are still things I needed to do before I could tell that I'm ready to become a mother. Too many people enter parenthood with an unstable mentality and finances and end up traumatizing their child. Ayokong mangyari iyon sa magiging anak ko."


"I understand," he nodded, and kissed the top of my head. "Ngayon pa lang alam kong magiging mabuting ina ka."


I smiled at him and hugged him. Blake kissed me once again before leading me back to our bedroom.


We stayed for two more days before we traveled back to La Union. Sa bahay ng mga Sobreval kami dumiretso. His father greeted us warmly, with tears in his eyes as he could not believe that we're really married.


"Congrats, bro." his brother patted his back and grinned at him while his wife beamed in so much joy.


"Sabi ko sa iyo magkakatuluyan sila, eh!" hinampas niya nang pabiro ang asawa at nagtawanan silang dalawa.


I felt a bit embarrassed about how I acted the past few weeks with the family but they accepted me warmly. Tito Cristophe is already calling me his daughter and even though I was shy at first, I started calling him Dad as well.


Pinag-usapan namin ang mga detalye para sa panibagong kasal namin. I wanted it to be simple and private. Gusto kong mga malapit na kaibigan lang at pamilya ang naroon. In fact, I am going to rebel against the traditional wedding by not wearing a wedding dress. It shocked them when I rejected the idea of shopping for a new dress and told them I'm just going to wear my creamy white Chanel suit to the wedding. Blake supported me with my decision and said I'd look great no matter what I wear, so it didn't bother him one bit.


"Anong susuotin ko? White din ba na tuxedo? Gusto mo twinning tayo?" biro niya.


I spent a few nights at their house, rigorously planning and contacting friends and families who are going to attend. Nangungulila ako sa ina ko sa mga panahong iyon. I'm sure she would've loved to attend my wedding. Even my grandparents. I wanted to be with them on a very special day. The only family member I am left now is Barin, and I guess he'll be the one to walk with me on the aisle.


Blake and I went back to my house after that. Barin greeted me at the door. I hugged my enormous pet and told him about the wedding. He just rubbed his head against mine and I took it as a cue that even though he doesn't understand what I'm saying, he's happy to see me again.


As usual, Barin slept in my room. Blake complained at first, saying he's not comfortable with a black puma staring at us while he's kissing me but we both just laughed it off. Kilala na siya ni Barin at komportable naman kaming tatlo. Minsan ay sa kulungan siya sa baba natutulog. He doesn't have the same energy that he used to have when he was younger. Barin is sleeping most of the time and is no longer interested in playing games with me.


"Tumatanda na," Blake commented when I confided to him about my worried with my pet. "Ilang taon din siya sa Lolo mo, at maraming taon na din siya sa pangangalaga mo kaya hindi na ganun kakulit noong bata pa."


I nodded sadly. I know I have to face it sooner, but I don't even want to think about it. Bukod kay Blake, siya nalang ang natitira sa akin kaya ayaw kong may mangyaring masama sa kaniya. He's old and tired now. But I still want him to see and sniff our first child, if possible. It's foolish to dream of being with him forever but I want him to be there on the most important days of my life.


Blake started working from home. Paminsan-minsan ay lumuluwas ng Maynila kapag hindi kinakaya pero umuuwi din naman kaagad. I stayed home and focused on taking care of Barin. I spent as much time with him as possible. Minsan din ay pinapasyal ko siya sa labas para makalanghap ng sariwang hangin. Salvador and the rest of the new housekeepers have gotten used to him by now. He walks a few steps and would stop to sit or lie down. Nakasunod lang ako sa kaniya at palaging nilalambing.


When we came back from the fields that afternoon, the grand parlor is deserted. Most of the housekeepers are in the kitchen, busy preparing for dinner while Salvador washes the car. I stepped inside and immediately noticed the brown envelope left by the door. I unclasped Barin's leash before picking it up and opening the package.


It's a fancy, red envelope that looks like an invitation letter. And it has such a seductive smell that reminded me of an expensive perfume that was too strong and didn't really like. It also reminded me of someone who often wears it...


Binuksan ko ang envelope at hinila ang papel. For some reason, my pulsed jumped and my heart started to race. I was shock frozen on the ground when I came face to face with a fancy handwriting written in red, bloody ink, not believing my eyes.


I'm coming for you soon, my dear daughter.


-


#HanmariamRBIIChapter17

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