Kabanata 3

Stavros’ POV

“So where do you plan to hold your honeymoon, Stavros?” walang-prenong tanong ni Mr. Sarrosa na dahilan para muntik ko nang maibuga ang iniinom kong wine. 

“Roberto! You’re stepping on their privacy! Kung saan nila gustong mag-honeymoon ay silang mag-asawa na ang bahalang mag-usap tungkol doon,” saway ni Mrs. Sarrosa. 

Pinunasan ko ang aking bibig gamit ang table napkin bago nagpasyang magsalita. “With all due respect, sir, I want you to step out of our marriage affairs. I agree with your wife’s words. You will get the benefit that I promised to you for letting me marry your daughter in exchange of minding your own business,” walang hiya-hiya kong sagot. 

This man obviously agreed to the marriage because of the benefits he could get. How pathetic was he?

Mr. Sarrosa got tongue-tied. But I could guess that he was already boiling inside. 

I smirked. I embarrassed you, didn’t I?

I cleared my throat. “As much as I wanted to spend more time with you, I apologize because I can’t. I need to meet one of my investors now.” I glanced at my wrist watch. It was already 1:45 pm. My meeting would be at 2 pm.

“Stavros,” Anthony, who had been quiet all this time, warned me. He was holding my shoulders to stop me. 

“Can’t you reschedule that, Stavros? It’s your wedding day today. Can’t you at least spare time for it?” Mrs. Sarrosa asked worriedly. She was throwing glances at me and Aviona who was in her usual state, looking down. 

I disregarded Anthony’s warning and stood up. “Business must always come first. Am I right, Sir?” may diin na tanong ko kay Mr. Sarrosa. Hindi ko inalis ang aking tingin sa kaniya. 

“Ye-yes. Business first before anything else.” Hindi siya makatingin nang maayos sa akin. 

Tsk. Dapat lang. 

Inilipat ko ang aking tingin kay Mrs. Sarrosa. “‘Wag po kayong mag-alala. I’ll take my wife with me,” ani ko saka lumapit sa tapat ni Aviona at saka inilahad ang aking kamay sa kaniya. 

“Pero… “ alangan ni Mrs. Sarrosa. 

“Go now, Aviona,” marahas na utos ni Mr. Sarrosa  sa anak. 

Tss. 

Pinisil-pisil ni Aviona ang kaniyang mga kamay habang nakayuko parin. 

Napasuklay ako sa aking buhok. Ang tagal! Nangangalay na ako. 

Kaya naman ay hinawakan ko na ang kaniyang kamay. 

Nagpumiglas pa ito at balak tanggalin ang aking hawak sa kaniya. Ngunit mas malakas ako sa kaniya. 

“Don’t be so dramatic, Aviona. Go with your husband,” utos ni Mr. Sarrosa. 

“Roberto,” Mrs. Sarrosa with her warning voice. 

Lumipas ang saglit ay napilit ko na rin si Aviona na sumama sa’kin. Nagpaalam ako sa kanila. Walang nagawa si Anthony kundi ang samaan ako ng tingin at mapailing.

Habang naglalakad kami palabas ng resto ay ramdam na ramdam ko ang labis na pamamawis ng kamay ni Aviona. 

Gross!

Nakayuko pa rin ito habang naglalakad. 

I was wondering if she could still stand with a good posture.

Nakarating na kami sa tapat ng kotse ko. Pinagbuksan ko siya ng pinto. “Get in.”

Buti ay hindi ko na siya kinailangang pilitin pa para sumakay. Sinarado ko na ang pinto at balak ko nang maglakad papunta sa driver’s seat side nang marinig ko ang sigaw ni Mrs. Sarrosa mula sa pinto ng resto. 

Nanatili ako sa aking kinatatayuan at hinintay na makarating siya sa aking pwesto.

“Stavros,” panimula niya. 

“Yes, Mrs. Sarrosa?”

“I know what happened between you and Aviona was just an arranged marriage. But I will ask you to treat my daughter well. Don’t force her on things that she doesn’t want to do. And make sure to check on her always. If you can’t love her as your wife, then at least respect and care for her as a woman. But if you cannot, you can return her to me.”

I smiled at her request. 

That jerk, Mr. Sarrosa found a gem. 

“I will not promise anything, Mrs. Sarrosa. But I assure you that your daughter is in good hands.”

She gave me an assured smile. “Thank you, Stavros.” Lumapit siya sa kotse ko saka kinatok ang bintana kung saan naroon si Aviona. 

Bumaba ang passenger side front window at dumungaw doon si Aviona. Wala akong mabasang emosyon sa kaniyang mukha. Hindi ito masaya at hindi rin ito malungkot. Blanko lamang ito.

Hinaplos ni Mrs. Sarrosa ang kaniyang pisngi. “Ingatan mo ang sarili mo. Kung hindi maganda ang  pakiramdam mo, tawagan mo lang ako ha? Pupuntahan kita agad, Avi.”

Tumango lamang si Aviona. 

Hinalikan pa ng ginang ang noo ni Aviona saka marahang tinapik ang pisngi nito. “‘Wag na ‘wag kang susuko, Avi. Nandito lang ako. Tawagan mo lang si mommy, okay?”

Muling tumango si Aviona. 

Bumaling sa akin si Mrs. Sarrosa. “Maraming salamat, Stavros. Aasahan kita.”

Tumango na lamang ako. 

Naging tahimik ang buo naming biyahe. Hindi na ako nag-abalang magsalita dahil wala rin naman akong balak sabihin. Mas nasa isip ko pa ang magiging takbo ng meeting mamaya. 

Makalipas ang kinse minutos, nakarating na kami kung saan gaganapin ang meeting. Late na ako ng limang minuto. 

Nang akmang bababa na ako ay nagulat ako nang biglang magsalita si Aviona. “Di-dito na lang… ako,” halos bulong na sabi niya. 

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. “Why?” Bakit ba parang takot na takot siyang humarap sa mga tao?

“P-please?” nakayukong makaawa niya. 

Hindi ko maiwasang iikot ang aking mga mata sa inaakto niya. “Fine. Can you wait for an hour or so?”

“O-oo.”

“Okay. I’ll ask someone to send you food here in case you get hungry.”

She just nodded in response. 

I left her. That girl was really weird. 

"I'm sorry. I'm late. I had to attend an urgent matter." I had a hand shake with Ms. Novida, the next investor of my company. 

The lady smiled and squeezed my hands. "No. It's fine to wait a little longer as long as you're the one I'm waiting for," she flirted. 

Napangisi ako sa lantad niyang panglalandi. These kinds of girls always surround me. 

"Let's order, shall we?" alok ko.

She nodded while showing her perfect, white teeth at me. 

The waiter handed us the menu. And while Ms. Novida was looking for some dishes to order, so I took the chance to ask the waiter to take out food and deliver it to where Aviona was. 

She might have pissed me off by being late a while ago. But that didn't change the fact that she showed up for our wedding. And she's my wife now. She's my responsibility from now on. 

I started to talk with Ms. Novida about the benefits she could get if she became my company's investor officially. But she seemed to be uninterested in it. She was just eating gracefully while staring at me. All she did was to try to seduce me with her flirty smiles and touches. 

She's pretty. Yes. But she's not my type. 

Hindi pa umaabot ng trenta minutos ay napapayag ko na siyang mag-invest sa aking kompanya. We already signed the papers. 

I already wanted to leave after we signed the contract. But I didn't want to be rude, especially that she became my investor. So I took some minutes to talk with her about useless stuff like her experiences on her tours abroad. 

"I would like to spend more time with you but I have another business meeting to attend to." I tried to sound as apologetic as possible. 

Her face was saddened. "Oh. Then can I ask you out next time?" she asked bluntly. 

I flashed a smile. "Of course, Ms. Novida. As long as I have free time."

Ang akala ko ay sasabay siya sa akin sa paglabas. Ngunit ang sabi niya ay nais niya pang magtagal doon. Kung kaya ay iniwan ko na siya. 

"How are—"

Aviona was sleeping soundly. Her hair was covering her face. The food I ordered for her was on her lap. 

She seemed uncomfortable with her position so I leaned forward to decline her seat. Hindi ko sinadyang mapatingin sa kaniyang mukha. 

She looked innocent and pure like a white rose. If only she was not as weird as when she was awake. I wonder what made her agree to get married to me.