So Close (Book 1)

Chapter 14

BRYCE'S POV

One week in paradise was enough. But I arranged ours for two. 

Nag-enjoy si Natalie sa mga pinaggagawa namin. In fact, kung meron pa daw panahon ulet, she wanted us to come back.

Personally, I enjoyed every minute with my wife. It was worth more than anything. If the whole matter was about spending quality time with the one you love, worth it ang perang nagastos ko. 

Even though I kept on distracting Natalie, pilit pa rin niyang lumalapit sa mga bata at nakikipag-laro sa kanila. 

It's hard. I never even knew kung anong gender ng anak namin. I never even had the chance to lay my head on her stomach, in hopes of hearing for something. Pero wala. I never knew nor did anything because of Stella. 

"Hey, love? Bakit parang nareverse ang roles natin at ikaw ngayon yung tulala?" Natalie asked me. 

We were seated sa ilalim ng puno sa may tabing dagat. I was watching her play with a little boy na anak pala ng isa sa staff doon. She seemed such a natural with kids. 

"Love?" she called again. 

Nakita kong may binubulong siya doon sa bata. Tapos bigla na lang lumapit yung bata sa akin at winisikan ako ng tubig. 

I jumped. "Jesus, Natalie! Pwede mo naman akong tawagin!" I said. 

She laughed so hard that she fell on the sand. "I can't believe you're afraid of the water!" sabi niya. 

Tumakbo ako sa kanya at binuhat siya sa tubig. Nanlaki yung mga mata niya. 

"Love, please, sorry na. Bati na tayo." she told me. 

I shook my head. "Nope. Madaya ka." I dropped her on the water and dove under myself. I caughter her bago pa siya nakaahon at hinalikan ko. 

We both got on the surface, drenched in salt water and kissing. I knew I had to take her now but I stopped myself. I would still have time sa villa namin. 

"Love?" she asked. She wrapped her arms around my neck. 

"Yes, love?"

"Is everything under control sa RossCorp Sg?" she asked me. 

Yes. About that. It turned out, RossCorp Sg had been facing a major drawback kasi yung mga stockholders namin, they wanted out. Akala nila magsasara na ang RossCorp dahil baon na daw ito sa utang. I assured them that it wasn't true, which was true that it isn't, at everything was back to normal. I checked the stocks and they were all good. The debts were being paid regularly and there was nothing out of place. Tama lang ang lahat. 

Pasalamat nga at naging mas matatag ang paniniwala ni Mr. Robinson sa RossCorp. He had always been our major stockholder ng mga automobiles and if he withdrew from us, malaki rin ang ibabagsak ng kumpanya. It was a good thing he was impressed with my wife. 

"Yes, love. Everything's under control. Pinapunta na ni dad si Kuya Kane para ayusin ang division niya doon." 

She nodded. "That's good." she told me.

I smiled. "It's more than good, love. Kasi kung hindi natin naayos, wala tayo dito. We'd be stuck at Singapore for almost a month para lang ayusin 'yon."

She nodded.  "Pero busy ka pa rin." she said. 

"Just for the moment." I said. "This is for our future, love."

"Our future." she repeated. "Ang ganda pakinggan."

I kept her close to me again. "Oo nga. Maganda talagang pakinggan."