CHAPTER 4: WHO CARES?

THE next day, as a wife now, she wake up early and prepare breakfast for two. She prepare coffee, bread, fried rice, bacon and hotdogs. Hinintay nalang niyang bumaba si Denver para kumain pero magtatanghali na at lahat ay walang Denver na bumaba. He just waited for Denver to come down to eat but it was going to be noon and all Denver didn't come down.

She turned off the water hose he was using to sprinkle the plants in front of the house. She entered the house and knocked on the door next to the master bedroom where he is but no one answered. "Denver, are you in there?"

She hear nothing but silence, she tries to open it and it opens. When she wandered her eyes across the room there was no one. She smiled. "I guess I am all alone last night." She said.

There is nothing as tangled as the bed sheet.  The whole room is clean. Laughing, she closed the door of the room and then went downstairs to eat. She just waited for nothing. She must have knocked on it earlier in the morning.

"Hi, Mrs. Ybarra!" Cali, Denver's friend. Surprisingly, she greeted it back.

 "Is Denver in the office?" Cali frowned at her.

 "That's my intention, Mrs. Ybarra."

"Ha?" Sandra was stunned. If Tina who is she talking talking to is vague, Cali is even more vague than Tina who is she talking to.

"I'm here to ask if Denver is here. I'm from the office, he's not there. I thought his secretary was just fooling me that he didn't come in because he wasn't even absent once."

"Couldn't he have gone home to the mansion?" She said and then turned her back on Cali. "You want a snack?"

 "Didn't he come home here last night?" Cali asked her.

"He does. He said he would sleep in the other room. I woke up early earlier because I thought he was still in the other room. I prepared breakfast, it's going to be noon and all, he hasn't come out yet."

Cali shrugged his shoulder. "I thought you're having honeymoon."

"Maybe he was there in the mansion. Maybe he wasn't comfortable here." She daid to divert the conversation.

"Who's in the mansion?" They both turned to Madame Madelle as she entered. "How's the new house, Sandra? Is Denver home? Cali, why are you here?"

"I am asking Sandra too if Denver is home?" 

"What?"

"HAVE you eaten yet?" Sandra met Denver at the door when he got home, at eight o'clock in the evening. But she bitterly smiled when he didn't even throw a glance to her. "I'll cook for you, if you haven't eaten yet. Do you want meat?" 

She followed him until Denver stepped on the stairs without looking back.  Until he entered his room. Ah, yeah. They have separate room. Since a month ago after their wedding. She always tries her best but for Denver, best is not enough. 

"I'll prepare a meat for you. Come down when you want to eat some!" She shouted.

CALI visited the next day. Denver is just leave. "Ah, I thought I could still see him. Anyway, if you need anything, just call my house phone number. Maybe Denver told you that we will be having an overseas business trip."

'What? He didn't tell me anything.' Sandra remained unbothered. 'Is that why he have brought a suitcase with him earlier?'

"Ah, I know but he didn't say how many days." Cali frowned.

"Really? That bestfriend of my isn't that thoughtful, is he? It will take a 2 weeks or so." Sandra calmed herself and smiled at him.

"Oh, I see. Sige. Just let me know if something happens then. "

Cali just nodded. He got in his car and Sandra looked at the car in the distance. Is he really doesn't like Sandra? Well, at least inform your spouse, right?

'Not that I won't let him. If this Cali didn't inform me, I might worry all night.'

"YES, Ma'am. It's 71,200 ruals in total. Do you want to add flowers and accessories too?" She thought of going back to work since she had no other preoccupation but to stare at that house. She decided to move to her house and stay until Denver arrived.

She is having a conversation with a customer in a resto. "I think that's all. I am more than satisfied with everything you have prepared for my wedding."

"The pleasure is mine, Ma'am." She replied.

 "Anyway, aren't you Mr. Ybarra's wife, I mean that Madame Ybarra's son."

"I- I am." She shyly answered. 

"Ah, strange. I met him at a yatch port the other day and it seems that they are having business trip, I am right?" She nodded. "He is with his bestfriend Cali. I thought you were the one he is holding too but I am sure it's not you." The woman noticed Sandra's negative emotions as she watched and listened to her.

"Ahmm, sorry for that. I didn't mean it, I-- I was just curious." Sandra smiled at her. 

"No, it's okay. If you have any concern abour your wedding program just e-mail me. I'm sorry but I have another meeting to attend. Excuse me."

She walked out in that resto. His chest was heavy. She got in her car and quickly pulled it over until she noticed she was out of the city. She stopped the car on the side of the road and then bowed her head at the steering wheel.

'Why? Isn't it unfair? I always try my best. If I can't at least have his love, I want some respect. Why, why is this happening to me? God, is this a sign that I have chosen a wrong decision a month ago.' 

She wiped away her tears and started her car again and turned it back into the city. 'I won't let him destroy my life. I will show him that I am more than enough for him. I will win him no matter what it takes. I will, even if I will look like pathetic to everyone.'

"SUCH a bastard." He hears Cali whispering. He knows that he is referring to him. He hears Cali laughed and then he look at Denver. "I knew it. HAHA. I knew it. Why did I just now realize? I am a womanizer but at least  I know my limits. Tsk."

Denver didn't say anything to him and let him be. He pours another whiskey on his glass and walk towards the yatch railings. "What's on your mind?" A lady approach him.

"It's nothing." He simply answered. 

"Oh, boy. Whatever you are thinking I know an answer. Want me to show you what it was?" The lady kiss him torridly and he respond to it. The rest is history.

"SANDRA!" At least she have them, her mother-in-law, her father-in-law, her bestfriend Tina and everyone. At least they won't be worried because they don't know. At least, she is not dragging them with her in a deep and dark hole.

"How are you?! How have you been?!" At least she have them. She have them asking how is she. At least she have them asking how she have been. At least, she have them who cared for him.

"I am okay, Tina. How about you? Why you came so sudden?" She was in the middle of baking cookies when Tina came unannouced. It's good that at least she'll not be alone today. 

"What? Why are you asking me that? Hello! It's your birthday!" Ah, right. It's her 32nd birthday. That's why he is somehow in a good mood. "What? Don't tell me you forgot?"

"No! Actually, I baked cookies." It's a good thing she has cookies as an excuse.

"Oh, good! Then what about let's eat outside?" Tina suggested. 

"I'll come with you then, girls!" Madame Ybarra said. Woah, it's gonna be a happy day.

'Yes, as I should. This is my day, I need to stay positive and happy. For a prosperous life.'

"REALLY? Ah, why didn't you tell me?" Cali and Sandra had facetime. Tina was also next to Sandra and in front of them was Madane Ybarra.

 "Who are you? Are you important?" Tina answered him.

 "Hey, I'm not talking to you, woman."  Denver saw Sandra on Cali's cellphone screen.

"Heh!" 

"Don't lie. What proof you can show me?" Cali asked.  Sandra presented her cellphone to Madame Ybarra.  "Madame Madelle!"

'What's going on?' Denver leaned and continue watching them.

"It's her 32nd Birthday that's why I came to treat her. Isn't I the best mother-in-law in the world, don't you agree, Cali." Cali nodded.

"I agree, Tita."

"When are you coming home? Is Denver with you? Is he busy?" Cali laughed out loud.

"Of course, he is busy." 

"Oh." She simply said.

"I bet my finger, he didn't greet you. If he knows, I bet he said 'Okay, it's your birthday. Who cares?' He don't care at all." He heared Madame Ybarra spoke in the background.

"Watch your mouth, Cali. I'll cut your tongue instead of your finger."

"Tita, as if you don't agree with me."

WHEN night came, Denver opened his e-mail and Sandra's personal email showed up. 

'Are you doing good, Denver? I hope you are eating 3 times a day. I hope you aren't having any health troubles. Please watch out for yourself. Come back fastly. I miss you.'

And he delete it afterwards. 

'He don't care at all.' He heared Cali's voice in his mind once again.