The next day was like usual since they got married. Maaga siyang nagising para mag bilin ng ilang trabaho sa opisina bago sila umalis papuntang Palawan sa hapon ng araw ding iyon.
Maverick wasn't on her side when she woke up like usual. Laging ganun naman ang eksena nila tuwing umaga simula nang magsama sila, at pabor iyon para sa kanya. She have all the time to lurk on their bathroom and walk in closet without worrying that he might barge in to use the facility.
It took her almost half an hour taking a bath at paglabas ng kanilang silid ay naabutan n'ya ang asawa na nasa kusina, kasama si Connor habang nag-aalmusal.
Huh! Hindi man lang ako inaya. She mentally said to herself.
Luh? At sino ka naman para ayain? Special ka, girl? She spat back to herself. Napapailing na lamang siya sa sarili dahil para na naman siyang baliw na nakikipag-away sa isip n'ya.
"Good morning, Emilia!" Connor greeted her, napangiwi pa ito ng ngitian siya. Must be his hangover.
She smiled back and nodded. "Good morning," bati n'ya rin. "And please, Gian na lang," ani n'ya pa.
"Sure," sagot naman nito.
She turned to Maverick as she sat beside him. Nakataas na agad ang kilay nito sa kan'ya, agad naman siyang gumanti ng irap dito.
Agang-aga, susungitan na naman ako nito. Sabi n'ya ulit sa sarili.
"As I was saying, we will leave after lunch. You can stay if you can't still drive," Maverick told Connor, but the latter shrugged.
"Nah. I'll leave after breakfast. Ililigo ko lang 'to at pagkatapos ay ayos na ang pakiramdam ko," sagot nito.
"Okay. If that's what you want," Maverick said.
"Oo nga pala, I saw Bree the other day. Nakabalik na pala siya." She heard Connor said.
Her brow instantly arched out of curiosity.
Sino naman yung Bree? She asked herself.
"Where?" Maverick asked. Ibinaba pa nito ang hawak na kubyertos at seryosong nag-abang sa sagot ng kaibigan. Hindi tuloy niya maiwasan ang pagtaas ng kilay.
Connor shrugged. "Aydan's work. Doctor na pala 'yun," he answered.
"Does Grant know about it already?" Maverick asked and the latter shook his head.
"Probably not. Alam mo naman 'yun, paniguradong gagawa na agad 'yun nang aksyon kung alam n'ya," sagot pa nito.
Their conversation went on and she didn't bother to include herself there. She just sat at her seat and eat her breakfast. Nang matapos sa agahan ay agad din siyang bumalik sa loob ng kwarto nila para mag impake.
Limang araw lang naman ang itatagal nila sa Palawan kaya maliit na duffle bag lang ang dadalhin n'ya at karamihan pa nang laman niyon ay swimsuit. May beach dress at shorts at shirts din naman, pero mas lamang lang talaga ang swimsuit dahil sa beach ang punta nila.
"Are you done?" Maverick asked. Nakasandal ito sa hamba ng pinto ng kanilang kwarto at nakasukbit na rin sa balikat nito ang maliit na duffle bag na dadalhin din nito.
She nodded. "Yeah," maikling sagot n'ya bago lumapit sa kanilang kama para pulutin ang kanyang bag.
"Let's go. Nag-aantay na ang chopper sa taas," aya pa nito bago siya tinalikuran at iwan.
Napa-irap naman siya.
Tss. Hindi man lang ako tulungan mag bitbit ng bag! She murmured to herself.
Bago naman tuluyang lumabas ay chineck pa n'ya kung na unplugged na ba nila lahat ng appliances sa kwarto, ganun din paglabas niya ng salas.
"What are you doing?" Maverick asked her. Nakatayo na ito malapit sa pinto at hinihintay na lamang siya para makaalis na sila.
"What do you think I'm doing?" she asked, rolling her eyes as she unplugged the air condition.
"You don't have to do that. Bibisita ang taga-linis bukas dito, sila na ang bahala dyan," sabi nito.
Sinamaan naman n'ya agad ito nang tingin. "Bukas pa ang dating, Maverick. Paano kung mag overheat ang isa sa mga appliances dito at masunugan tayo?" ani n'ya.
"Why do you think that way? May sprinkler ang buong bahay, kaya kung magkakasunog man, bago pa man lumaki ay mapapatay na agad ang apoy," sagot nito.
"At paano kung may sumabog? Mapipigilan ba ng sprinkler na iyan ang pagsabog ha?" singhal naman n'ya.
Resigning, Maverick sighed and opened their fuse box and shut it down. Napanganga naman siya sa ginawa nito.
"What the hell, Maverick?! Hindi pa napapatay ang ibang appliances, gusto mo bang masira ang mga gamit natin?" she asked.
Maverick rolled his eyes. "Please, Emilia. Enough with our appliances, pwede tayong mamili ng bago kung may masisira man," ani nito. "Now, let's go. Kanina nag-hihintay ang chopper sa taas," dagdag pa nito.
Hindi naman na siya naka-react pa at sumunod na lang rito ng lumabas na ito. Naiiling pa sya habang iniisip ang appliances na maaaring masira sa ginawa nito.
"Give me the cleaners' number. Tatawagan ko sila," ani n'ya rito nang makasakay na sila sa elevator.
"Bakit na naman?" iritadong tanong naman nito sa kanya.
"We have food stocks in the fridge. Ipapakuha ko na lang sa kanila kaysa naman masira lang sa loob ng ref," sagot n'ya.
Hindi naman na ito nakipag debate pa sa kanya at nagpaubaya na lang sa gusto niyang gawin. He gave her their cleaner's number and she called them immediately. Nagbilin lamang siya na kung pwedeng noong araw na lang ito maglinis at iuwi na lamang ang laman ng ref nila na pwedeng masira.
"Ano, tapos ka na ba?" Maverick asked her. Nasa chopper na ang mga gamit nila at siya na lamang ang iniintay.
Tumango naman siya at naglakad na palabas sa rooftop kung saan nakalapag ang chopper na magdadala sa kanila sa Palawan. She was amazed at first that Maverick was allowed to make the chopper on their building's rooftop but upon knowing it was him who owns the whole building, she chose to shut her mouth instead.
"Seatbelt, Emilia," utos nito sa kanya pag-upo at nakitang hindi niya pa kinukuha ang seatbelt para ikabit.
Agad naman siyang sumunod at hindi na nag salita pa. And when they arrived in the resort they will be staying in Palawan, mabilis siyang nag palit ng damit para mag-ikot. She changed into denim shorts and halter top. Hindi na n'ya tinanong kung gusto bang sumama ni Maverick sa pag-iikot, basta lumabas na lang sya at iniwan itong may kausap sa telepono.
Maverick was stunned by what she said. He wasn't saying anything and was just staring at her. So, she smiled and caressed his both cheeks using her thumbs."You don't have to answer. I just really want to tell you how I feel," she said.Maverick held both of her hands that are still in his face, he removed it from there and squeezed."You're making me happy, Emilia. I can't believe a small woman like you can make me feel so much happiness," he said and she couldn't help but roll her eyes from his remark."Ang yabang mo alam mo?" She fired back.Maverick laughed then pulled her to embrace, she can feel the vibration of his laughter from his chest."I like you so much, Emilia. I might not be where you are already, but I assure you that I'm almost there," he said, cupping her face. "Can you wait for me?" He then asked.Without thinking any further, she nodded with a wide smile. "I will," she answered.She knows she's betting on a gamble again but it's Maverick, her husband and the father
"Will you please listen to me first?" Maverick asked, stopping her from totally leaving by holding her on her elbow."What do I have to hear, Maverick? I'm not stupid, I know where I should stand in every situation," she said.Ano pa ba kasi ang dapat niyang marinig? Hindi pa ba sapat na sobra na siyang nasasaktan dahil sa nalaman n'ya? Kailangan niya pa bang makarinig ng iba para ano? Para masaktan lang siya lalo? Huwag na lang."Honey...""Maverick naman!" She asked, turning to face him."Just hear me out, please? I don't want you to sleep upset because of me again," he said."Ano pa ba kasing kailangan
Everything happened too fast. One moment, she was watching how her gift fell on the ground and on how Maverick stepped on the sonogram because he's in a hurry to attend to Jordyn. And another moment, she's watching her husband as it worries about his ex-girlfriend who's giving birth at the moment.Her heart aches at the scene she's seeing. She can't help but wonder if he would be like this when it's her time to give birth.Surely, he will. It's his child after all but how about her? Will he feel that scared for her when it was her inside the operating room.She doubts it."Maverick..." She called him. He was near the double doors of the operating room, worried sick.
The dinner began the moment they stepped in the dining hall. Maverick's mom and sisters are already there, his friends as well. And as planned, they will sing him a happy birthday song upon arriving at the dining hall. Connor even popped a party poppers. Muntik pa s'yang matamaan noong sumabog iyon, buti na lamang at nasangga agad ni Maverick."Dude, careful." Maverick told his friend. Connor immediately apologized. She just smiled and said it's nothing.Everyone greets him, from his mother, his eldest sister Krista, his Ate Maureen and Laureen, who are twins and his friends; from the guys to girls."Happy Birthday, Mave! Gosh. You're so old na," Jordyn greeted, she even hugged him after handing her a gift.And she
Dim lights, scented candles, and a table set romantically. It was the scene she came to the moment she stepped in their unit.And behind those is Maverick who's nervously smiling at him with a bouquet of flowers in his hands."What are these?" She asked.Maverick took a step closer to her and handed her the flowers. "I don't know what exactly I've done wrong for you to get mad but still, I want to apologize. I'm so sorry, honey, if I get you upset. I promise I won't do it again," it said.And she was stunned in her spot.How?How could she stay mad if he's like this?No, Gian. You can't. Remember, he's still in love with his ex!She told herself.But when did we win against ourselves? Never, she thinks."I'm not mad," she said, accepting the bouquet."But you're upset. I'm sorry, hon. I didn't mean to do that," Maverick said.How can she react to that without hurting herself even more? So, in
She's hurt. Hearing Maverick said those words breaks her heart. Umasa kasi s'ya, e. Umasa na siya mahal na siya nito kaya gano'n na ang trato nito sa kan'ya. Umasa siya dahil siya, mahal niya na ito."You're so stupid, Gian." She told herself as she wiped away the tears that kept on falling from her eyes.It has already been three days since that conversation between Maverick and Connor happened but she still mourn about it. Hindi n'ya nga alam kung paano n'ya pa nagawang maging maayos sa harap ng dalawa noong matapos na ang mga itong mag inuman at magpaalam nang umalis si Connor.Gusto niyang mainis kay Connor dahil kinailangan pa nitong mag tanong ng ganun, pero gusto n'ya ring mag pasalamat dahil kahit papaano ay nalaman n'ya.