Between Two Vows

​“Look to the camera!” signal nung photographer, sabay sumenyas pang sa camera lang ang tingin. Na kaagad din namang sinunod ng mag asawa.

​It's their 3rd annual wedding photoshoot, at ang theme ng shoot nila ngayon ay for baby bliss. Charlotte's wearing a maternity shoot robe kahit wala siyang umbok sa tiyan. Pero nagpumilit pa rin siyang magsuot ng prosthetics dahil manifest nilang mag-asawa ang magkaanak ngayong taon. Habang si Paul naman, a casual attire of Dad suotan vibes ang pinili.

​They were happily smiling habang kinakunan sila ng litrato na tila naghuhudyat sa isang napakagandang relasyon.

​“Ang swerte talaga ng isang Aguana sa asawa,” hindi mapigilang komento nung isang babae na susunod mag-photoshoot pagkatapos nila Charlotte.

​Paul, on the other hand, wished nothing but for his wife to be happy—for him and for their little family. Sinasabayan niya lahat ang asawa sa mga gusto at career nito, just like what a real husband does.

​Halos mangiyak-ngiyak si Charlotte nang makita ang perfect shoot at photos nila nang wakas ay natapos na ang lahat ng scenes na gusto niya. Paul wiped some of Charlotte's tears when they made their way out of her eyes, saka hinawakan ang palad nito to comfort her.

​“Ang ganda!” speechless na sabi nito, sobrang nasisiyahan sa nakikitang mga litrato.

​For her, this was the most anticipated day na mangyari sa kanya—ang magkaroon sila ng anak ni Paul. They did try creating, pero maybe God still had another plan for them kaya heto sila, ginagawa na lang manifestation ang annual wedding anniversary nila.

​Nang sumang-ayon na si Charlotte sa lahat ng kuha, saka lang tumango ang editor na papasahan sila ng mga enhanced photos kasali na rin ang mga printed. Tumango lang ang mag-asawa saka nagpaalam si Charlotte na magbibihis dahil may kailangan pa itong daluhang show.

​A woman like Charlotte is a woman with a lot of hectic schedules and errands. She's currently the most sought-after lady in the entertainment industry dahil sa tanyag nitong kasikatan at kagalingang umarte sa mga telenovela. Her life lived in extravagant fame, at hindi lang iyon—even without her fame, kaya niya pa ring marating ang ganitong buhay dahil Paul was a famous tycoon and multimillionaire in the business industry.

​They were both more than blessed, kaya ang laging nasasambit ni Charlotte sa bawat interview nito ay pasasalamat.

​“Mrs. Charlotte! What can you advise or say to your future self ten years from now?” tanong nung channel interviewer kay Charlotte.

​Charlotte gave her most genuine smile, at mas gumanda pa ito sa suot niyang slim-fitted laced gown with an accent of gorgeous and decent elegance. Tumingin siya sa camera saka tila tiningnan ang sarili ten years from now bago nagbigay ng mensahe.

​”Hey, gorgeous woman...” pagbati nito sa sarili.

​The cameraman moved closer kaya naging close-up ang view sa screen.

​“Your life's already perfect. Live to the fullest and always be grateful. Don't think too much of what the future brings you, but always remember you have a loving husband always beside you—caring and very loving. I have nothing to wish for but for us to have a big family of five children.”

​Sunod-sunod ang naging pagpalakpakan ng mga tao sa studio, kasali na rin iyong nag-interview sa kanya nang sabihin iyon ni Charlotte. Ngumiti nang malaki si Charlotte nang mapansing parang naiiyak siya sa sariling sinabi.

​God, I don't deserve all this, but thank you, she said to herself. Para sa kanya, sobra-sobra na ang lahat ng mga blessings na natatanggap niya. She was complete, and all that she wished for was to have a longer and healthy life for both of them with Paul.

​The show ended with rapid-fire questions na mas nagpaganda sa takbo ng show.

​“Day or Night?”

​“Day!”

​“Sun or Moon?”

​“Sun!”

​“Lights off or lights on?”

​Damn. Wala sa sariling napahinto si Charlotte nang magulat sa tanong na iyon. She shyly answered, na mas ikinasigla pa ng interviewer.

​“Sorry, babe! But I prefer... lights on!”

​“Woahhh!” naging tanging komento ng babaeng nagmo-moderate ng interview kay Charlotte, hindi makapaniwala sa sinabi nito. Most women preferred lights off, pero si Charlotte ay kakaiba. She preferred lights on, na ikinagulat ng halos maraming tao bago tinawa na lang.

​Naging mas enjoyable iyong interview until the last card was held by the interviewer.

​“If given a chance, what will you choose, Charlotte?” pagbasa nung interviewer. Parang kinabahan bigla si Charlotte sa tanong na iyon dahil alam niyang kailangan nitong maging sobrang opinionated.

​“If one of your past regrets comes back to your life right now, and you are given two roads: Will you leave your present for the biggest regret you had in your past, or would you let it remain history and live with your present?”

​Regrets in the past? tanging tanong ni Charlotte sa sarili.

​I did have one, pero... ayaw ko itong mabanggit. I have tried burying it. I don't want to remember it because it hurt me so much back then. It was as if I was on the verge of dying if Paul wasn't there to lift me up.

​Charlotte reminisced about her past regrets. She bit hard on her lips, saka sinagot iyon.

​“I'll choose the present, cause the past should always stay in the past. No turning back. I will live with what the present brings me in the future. Thank you!”

​Her chest hammered with an unexplainable pain nang matapos niya iyong sabihin. Because deep down, she knew she hadn't truly moved on yet.

​Oh, God. I miss him... but I can't. You took him from me earlier than I ever expected or wanted, tanging rant nito sa sarili habang may alaalang pilit pumupuslit sa isip niya. Caught in the memories she couldn't forget, she remembered her first and greatest love who was long gone.

​Fly high, my love, she silently prayed.

~

​“Sir! Positive,” sambit ng lalaking kararating lang. Abot-abot nito ang hininga sa dibdib at medyo magulo pa ang ayos ng buhok na tila sa malayong lugar nanggaling.

​Katatapos lang ni Paul manood ng talk show ni Charlotte at ngayon ay kapapatay lang ng TV sa harapan niya. Parang biglang binalot ng lungkot at dismaya si Paul nang marinig ang balita ng lalaki.

​Hindi mapigilan ng sariling mga daliri nitong mapahimas sa baba saka tiningnan ulit ang lalaki sa mukha.

​“Sinong may alam na?” kaagad nitong tanong.

​Kaagad din namang pinanghinaan at tinakasan siya ng lakas sa binti nang sagutin siya nito.

​“The Chairman is on his way to the hospital to confirm if buhay nga talaga ang panganay nitong anak na si Sir—”

​Pinatigil siya ni Paul bago pa matapos ang sasabihin, saka ito biglang inutusan, “Pick up Charlotte at the studio. If ever she asks about my whereabouts, tell her I attended some business meetings,” madiing utos nito sa assistant, tila balisa sa sarili at sa mga nangyayari.

​The assistant nodded right away at kaagad na nagpaalam. Paul, on the other hand, tried calming himself by lighting a cigarette between his fingers, looking through the glass windows of his office at the city's nightscape.

​“Damn. Bakit ngayon pa?” Hindi mapigilan ni Paul ang mainis habang hawak ang pakete ng sigarilyo. “Didn't I tell you not to come back, brother?” he whispered to the air, referring to the person in his mind.

​Sa inis ay sinuntok niya ang glass window sa harapan niya nang maalala ang maganda at maamong mukha ng asawa.

​“Damn it! Matagal na iyon, Paul,” singhal nito sa sarili. “You're married already to Charlotte, at ikaw na ang mahal niya. Kaya huwag kang matakot kung babalik man ang dati nitong kasintahan—dahil para kay Charlotte, he's just a past that must remain in history.”

​Tinuro nito ang sariling dibdib.

​“Charlotte loves me, at walang makakasira sa kung anong mayroon kami ngayon.”

It was an accident, Paul! At matagal na yun! He probably don't remember it.