"A-ay, Sir, wala pa pong wedding."I have always told him that I'm still not ready yet, knowing how much he wanted to have his own family. We met in Bataan. Doon ako lumipat no'ng kailangan kong ipakalma ang sarili. Because somehow… even my family's hometown was a lie. I grew up there, Tito said. Lumipat kami nina Lolo nang namatay si Ate, we tried to begin again in Manila.Alala ko pa ang sinabi ni Tito na nakapangilabot sa 'kin, "we would constantly tell you about the truth, but would forget and believe something that isn't true. We gave up and let it be, thinking it would be best for you."Ever since that day, I started remembering more. Until I found myself, one day, knowing all of the answers to my questions before. The hows and whys. [In italic]'"That's what happens if you let greed get into you," Tito said, driving. Hindi ko siya sinagot at hinayaan ang atensyon mapunta sa blanko. I should've shouted at him, I should've confronted him
"Shan!" Brent called, and turned to the right with a huge smile on his face. "Mommy said yes!" Shan gasped, and put his open hand to his mouth before raising both arms in the air. "Yay!" he shouted, and the room was immediately filled with laughter.Bumalik na kaagad sa akin si Brent at inangat pa ang aking kamay tungo sa kaniya bago sinuot doon ang isang sing-sing. DejaVu kicked in, but pretend that it wasn't there.Rings, marriage, and me, a wife. How can simple worlds be this painful?"I love you," he said, almost in a whisper, before he leans closer for a kiss. It was a deep one, and his hand eventually travelled to my waist and pulled my body closer. Lumakas pa any hiyawan, dahilan para pareho kaming mapatawa bago siya dahan-dahang lumayo. I slowly open my eyes and immediately met his gaze."Inuman na!" Tito Luis exclaimed, causing both of us to flinch. We turned to him and started to laugh again.Am I really ready? I asked myself. Was it pres
Weddings, marriage, ceremonies. "Babe, pupunta tayo sa Herra ngayon, ah?" Brent reminded me. Tumango lamang ako habang sinusuot ang T-Shirt ni Shan. "We're meeting Clarisse, our wedding coordinator."Kaka-propose niya lang, at kasal na kaagad. Request iyon ng parents niya, dapat in 6 months ay may kasal na raw kasi hindi rin sila magtatagal dito sa bansa. At wala naman akong magawa, ayaw ko silang biguin."Sama ako, Daddy," Shan suddenly spoke, looking up to Brent to the right as he swung his feet in the air, sitting on the corner of the bed. Brent chuckles. "Hindi pwede 'yan, Baby. You will be with MommyLa, like I told you yesterday, 'di ba?""But I want to go with you and Mommy," Shan replied. Inayos ko na ang damit niya bago lumingon kay Brent. He wears a soft expression on his face, halatang hindi rin alam kung paano sagutin ang bata. "How about this."Lumapit siya sa amin at umupo sa tabi ni Shan. He takes a quic
"I want an annulment."Hindi siya natagalan para makababa, ilang segundo lang ang lumipas bago ko siya nakitang naglalakad na sa hallway, patungo sa 'kin, hawak-hawak ang isang malaking ngiti.Kaagad siyang lumapit sa 'kin, nasa bulsa ang dalawang kamay. Suot-suot ang napaka pormal na damit, gaya lang noon.He snickers, and the left corner of his lips rose. "It's nice to see you again, Love—"I was quick to be brought to reality, and I began to feel my emotions once more. Rage with a hint of broken pride."Do not call me that," madiin kong sabi, "Let's file an—""Why?" he asked, with his forehead creased. "I gave you space thinking that was all you needed, and after what? Six years? Five? 'Yan lang pala gusto mo?"My eyebrows rose, and he let out another snicker before taking a quick glance to the right before returning to me. I chose to ignore his words and focused on the last, I wanted to nod but I didn't. "
"OMG ka, Dai!" I gasp, parting my lips as stretch my hands towards her direction, waving. Kaagad siyang nakalapit sa akin at diretso akong niyakap. "Gago ka! Namiss kita!" she whines, slightly jumping before we pull away. And in a snap, my excitement is immediately replaced by guilt. I press my lips together, forming a sketch line, and let out a sigh. "Sorry."Her forehead forms a crease. "Hoy, ano ka ba!" She softly hit me on the shoulder with her hand. "Alam kong 'di mo 'yon gagawin kung wala kang rason. Kumusta ka na? Si baby?"My smile widens. "Boy, five years old na."Her eyebrows rose, as her lips stretched for a wider smile. "Sabi ko sa 'yo, e," she said before walking to my side, and clung onto my arm. "Ay teka nga, ano ba ginagawa mo rito?"I turn my head to her and meet her gaze once more. "Christion."Kaagad kumunot ang noo niya. "Huh? Friends kayo? Akala ko may dramang naganap?"A chuckle
"Come here, kiss Daddy Brent."Shan ignores him and focused his eyes on his iPad with his eyebrows together, and a pout on his lips. Sabay kaming napatingin ni Brent sa isa't-isa bago mahinang napatawa."Daddy will come home naman kaagad," I said, shifting my eyes back down to him before putting my hand on the top of his head. "Say ba-bye na—""No!" Shan exclaimed, whining. I lean closer to him to see his eyes beginning to water. I held up a frown and softly held onto his cheeks, turning his head to me.Hindi siya nagmatigas ngunit ang mga mata ay hindi pa rin nilalayo sa iPad. "Sige na. Daddy's airplane is almost leaving, oh.""If you don't kiss me goodbye I won't bring any toys," Brent said, leaning his head closer inside through the open window, but Shan still ignores him. "Ah, sige, Mommy na lang—"Shan whined, kicking his feet to the corners of the chair, dahilan para mapatawa muli kaming dalawa. "Ano? You kiss me
"Mommy."Kaagad akong nagising nang bigla akong makaramdam ng bigat sa bewang ko, ngunit hindi muna ako napadilat dahil sa bigat ng mga mata."Mommy," Shan's voice called once again, in a whisper. I lifted my hands, gathering all of my power, and found him. He sits on my waist as I lay down to the side, I tap his legs with my hand to know I am awake. "Someones knocking…"I turned to my right and rested my back to the bed, biglang nawala ang bigat sa aking katawan ngunit dalawang maliliit na kamay naman ang napunta sa tiyan ko."I think it's Tita Ciara," he whispered, a bit much closer to me. I let out a soft groan before turning my body once again, and there I started to hear other noises. It's my phone. Dinilat ko ang mga mata at kaagad napa-stretch sa higaan, a yawn escapes before I stretch once more and sigh. I rested my loose body for a second before sitting up, at nakita kaagad si Shan na hawak-hawak ang phone ko. "Who is it?"
"Sa'n ka na naman?" Hindi ko na nilingon si Ciara at bumalik na kaagad sa sasakyan. Nasabi ko na sa kaniya ang lahat na pwede niyang malaman: may aasikasuhin ako para sa kasal ko. Nang makasakay na ako ay muli kong nilingon ang bahay, sa mga Veridiano's. Iiwan ko muna si Shan dito para may makasama siya, since wala ngayon si Niana at nagpaalam na umuwi ng Tagaytay. At sa pagkakaalam ko ay ngayon uuwi sina Kuya kaya't mas mabuti 'yon para may makakalaro siya, si Carlos.I didn't manage to wake up early, in fact, I am already running late as I drive out of the subdivision. Ang usapan namin ay 8PM, at nagising naman ako ng sakto, 8PM. Kinailangan ko pa ring mag ayos at ayusin si Shan at ang kaniyang mga gamit, and things weren't that cooperative. The drive went smooth from the subdivision back downtown, until I reached the centre of downtown, traffic was bad. Palingon-lingon ako sa bag ko na nasa upuan sa tabi ko, gusto kong m