Chapter 7

Ilang araw na mula nang lumipat ako, at somehow, may nabuong routine na kaming dalawa ni Callisto.

He’d leave early for work.

We’d talk about schedules, grocery lists, at kung sino na naman ang umubos ng almond milk.

Walang drama. Efficient, tulad ng lahat ng bagay sa kanya.

That morning, I was curled up sa couch niya. Well, ‘our couch’ na raw, pero obvious namang siya pa rin ang may-ari ng lahat.

I was actually on a month leave, pero parang pinagsisisihan ko na sa sobrang bored ko sa bahay nya.

Nanonood ako ng rerun ng cooking show na ‘di ko naman talaga sinusundan. Nakatunganga lang ako, half-asleep, habang iniisip kung paano ako napunta sa point ng buhay kong ‘to.

Then, biglang nag-buzz ‘yung intercom.

“Delivery?” I mumbled, tumayo kahit tinatamad.

Pero ang sumagot, boses ng guard.

“Mrs. Maxim? May Mr. Alonzo po rito. He says he’s your grandmother’s lawyer.”

“H-Ha?!” halos mapasigaw ako. “He’s here? N-Now?!”

Bakit ngayon?!

“Yes, ma’am,” sabi ng guard. “Pa-akyatin ko na po ba sya?”

Napalinga ako sa paligid ng condo.

May coffee mug sa mesa. Magulo ‘yung buhok ko. At nando’n pa rin yung jacket ni Callisto na nakasampay sa armrest, parang trophy ng krimen.

“Uh…wait lang! Give me a second!”

Tumakbo ako papunta sa office ni Callisto at kumatok ng sunod-sunod.

“Callisto!” bulong ko, urgent. “Emergency!”

Bumukas agad ‘yung pinto after a few seconds.

Mukhang kalmado pa rin sya sa kabila ng pag-pa-panic ko, naka-roll up sleeves at parang hindi manlang nagpa-panic sa buong buhay niya.

“What happened?”

“Si Mr. Alonzo,” hinihingal kong sabi. “Lola’s lawyer. Nandito. Ngayon na.”

Napakurap sya. “Unannounced?”

“Yes!” halos tili ko.

Tiningnan niya ‘yung relo niya, like he’s checking the schedule of a problem. “He must be verifying the marriage.”

“No kidding,” sabi ko. “S-So? Anong gagawin natin?”

Simple lang ang sagot niya. “We act married.”

“Easy for you to say!” I snapped. “Ikaw, laging mukhang may photoshoot sa GQ. Ako? Tingnan mo! Mukha akong nakipagbuno sa couch.”

“You look fine,” sabi niya, diretso.

“That sounded like pity.”

“It wasn’t.”

“Still sounded like it.”

Nagkibit-balikat lang siya, sinuot ‘yung jacket niya, ayos ng cuff, tapos tiningnan ako.

“Let’s go, Mrs. Maxim.”

Natigilan ako for a second at napalingon sa kanya.

“D-Don’t call me that in private, it sounds weird.”

He smirked. “Well then, mag-practice ka na. He’s on his way up.”

Literal na wala akong thirty seconds para mag-ayos bago tumunog ang doorbell.

Callisto opened the door with that calm, boardroom smile.

“Mr. Alonzo. Please, come in.”

Pumasok si Mr. Alonzo, mukhang mga late sixties na sya. Meron syang kind smile pero sharp eyes. May hawak din syang folder sa isang kamay nya.

“Ah, Mr. Maxim. Mrs. Maxim,” bati niya. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

“Not at all,” sagot ni Callisto, parang rehearsed. “We were just having coffee.”

Excuse me? We were?

Tiningnan ko siya nang masama. Yung tingin na kayang manunog ng papel, pero nung napatingin sakin si Atty. Alonzo ngumiti lang sya.

“That would be lovely.”

“O-Of course!” sabi ko, habang napipilitan. “I’ll get that ready.”

Habang nagtitimpla ako ng kape, nagpe-practice ako ng smile that doesn’t look fake.

Pagbalik ko, Callisto guided me to sit down.

Literal na guided, may kamay pa sa likod ko, sapat lang para magmukhang convincing.

Parang sanay siya sa ganitong eksena ah.

“You two seem very comfortable together,” sabi ni Atty. Alonzo, nakangiti.

“Of course,” sagot ni Callisto agad habang nakatingin sakin. “Aren’t we, love?”

‘Love?’ WTF?!

Napahigpit ang kapit ko sa hawak kong mug. Then I remembered, acting nga pala.

Script lang to, pero halos malaglag na yata kaluluwa ko sa sahig.

“Y-Yeah,” sabi ko, sabay tawa ng pilit. “He’s been on his best behavior lately.”

Tumawa si Alonzo. “That’s good to hear.”

Tumingin sa akin si Callisto, may bahid ng pang-aasar sa mata.

“See? Even your lawyer agrees I’m the ideal husband.”

Tinadyakan ko nang marahan ‘yung paa niya sa ilalim ng mesa. “Don’t get used to it, love.”

Ngumiti lang siya, walang guilt, sabay higop ng kape na parang wala lang.

Ako? Pigil-tawa, pigil-panic, pigil lahat.

The interrogation—I mean, interview—went smoother after that.

Typical lawyer stuff, wedding details, daily routine, future plans.

Pero ang nakakainis, si Callisto, kalmado lang habang nagsisinungaling with elegance.

Parang may manual siya kung paano magsinungaling na may dignity.

“Alexandra loves watching movies,” sabi niya. “But she takes forever to pick one.”

Napa-blink ako. Ano daw? Kelan nangyari yon?

“At laging may sticky notes siya sa fridge. Sweet right?” dagdag pa niya, like it was a normal married thing.

Naalala ko naman yung sticky note nyang may nakalagay na ‘DO NOT TOUCH’.

I had to stop myself from snorting. None of it was true. Internally, I wanted to scream. Outwardly? Smile pa rin, wifey mode on.

Pero tumango si Mr. Alonzo, all smiles. “Ah, young love.”

When Mr. Alonzo finally closed his folder, ngumiti siya.

“You make a convincing pair. Your grandmother would’ve been happy to see you settled, Alexandra.”

Napahinto ako bigla.

‘Yung “grandmother” and “happy” in one sentence? That one stung. Tinamaan agad ‘yung puso ko.

“Thank you,” mahina kong sabi.

“She always wanted you to have stability,” dagdag pa niya, gentle. “I think she’d be proud.”

That one landed deeper. Kumurap ako ng mabilis para hindi tuluyang tumulo ang nangingilid nang luha ko.

And somehow, Callisto noticed.

He didn’t say anything, hinawakan nya lang ang kamay ko, while slightly patting my shoulder.

I never wanted to admit this, but what he did actually comforted me.

---

“Thank you for your time,” sabi ni Mr. Alonzo, standing up. “Everything seems in order.”

Callisto shook his hand. “Our pleasure.”

“You two seem genuine,” dagdag pa ng lawyer.

“Thank you,” sagot ni Callisto, still smiling. “We’re trying our best. Right, love?”

I smiled sweetly, kahit gusto kong batuhin siya ng kutsara. “Always, love.”

Mr. Alonzo laughed. “Beautiful. You remind me of my wife and I, in our younger years.”

Pagkaalis ni Atty. Alonzo, sinarado ni Callisto ‘yung pinto at saka lang ako nakahinga ng malalim.

“I think I stopped breathing for ten minutes,” sabi ko, sabay bagsak sa counter.

“You handled it well,” sabi niya, tinatanggal ‘yung tie niya.

“I almost choked when you called me love.”

“Convincing, wasn’t it?” natatawa pang sabi nya.

“Too convincing ha. Next time, bigyan mo man lang ako ng warning, before you start throwing endearments around.”

Akala ko tatahimik siya, “I thought you wanted it to look real.”

“I did,” sabi ko, kunot noo. “Pero next time, try not to weponized an endearment with me, ha?”

He smirked. “Noted, love.”

Tinapon ko sa kanya ‘yung dish towel, pero nasambot nya parin iyon.

“He bought it, though,” sabi niya, kalmado pa rin.

“Yeah,” sagot ko. “He really did.”

“That’s good,” he said quietly. “One less thing to worry about.”

Napatingin ako sa kanya.

Medyo messy na ang kanyang buhok, ‘yung tie niya maluwag, at ‘yung ngiti niya. Hindi na.. corporate, parang natural na at hindi rehearsed.

For someone who swore this was just business, he played the husband role a little too well.

“Next time,” sabi ko, bitbit ‘yung mug ko, “ikaw na bahala sa talking. Ako na lang ‘yung supportive background wife.”

“Deal,” sagot niya.

Tatalikod na ako nang marinig ko siyang tumawag.

“Alex.”

“Yeah?”

Tumingin siya saglit, sincere for once. “You did great.”

Napangiti ako kahit ayokong ipakita.

“So did you, love.”

Napakurap siya, halatang hindi ready. Parang napalunok pa. This time, ako naman yung nakabawi.

Satisfied, I grinned, turned around, and shut my door.

Sa likod ng pinto, hindi ko na napigilang matawa.

We fooled him.

For a second…

We almost fooled me, too.