Trieja: Jake And Josh [Under Revision]

Chapter 39

Hapon ng linggong iyon ay dumiretso agad kami sa manor. Ayaw ko pa sana dahil gusto kong pumunta sa bayan... o kaya ay libutin ang isla pero hindi pumayag sina Jake. He said, they had to take care of something important in the company first. And I have to take care of my body dahil bawal pa sa akin ang masyadong maglakad-lakad dahil baka makunan ako.

So, Tita Marilyn and I went to the open field and bond with each other. Madami kaming pinagusapan ni Tita. It was about her love story with Tita Nancy and Tito Edmond. Of course, I told her about mine also.

"Wait until you meet, Sasha. She will be delighted to meet you."

I smiled sweetly at her, even though I am clueless of whom Sasha is.

"She's the sweetest of the sweetest! Magkaugali nga kayo eh, but not entirely. And oh! Edmond's cousin, Nadia, she's a fashionista by the way. Siya ang gagawa ng wedding gown mo once the Ignacio family finished preparing for the Ball."

Napatulala ako. "A-another wedding?"

"Yes! Oh, this will be exciting!"

Itinikom ko ang bibig as realization kicked me in the gut, hard. Sasha? Tito Edmond's cousin, Nadia? Ni wala nga akong kaalam-alam kung sino ang mga iyon tapos malalaman ko na lang na may magaganap ulit na kasalan?

And it's Jake, Josh, and I's wedding for the second time! How am I supposed to know such a thing if walang sinasabi sa akin ang mga asawa ko? The Ignacio family is already preparing for it? Since when did that happen?

Si Mama Jennette ba ang nag-aasikaso ng lahat kaya lagi silang wala ni Papa Gabriel? And--- oh my God! Dadalo ba ang mga relatives nila? But what about me? What about my knowledge of their family? I know too little about them! How will I survive that "second" wedding if I will be presented to their --- I presume --- wealthy relatives without knowing even their first names... nor middle names!

Humugot ako ng isang malalim na hininga. This can't be. Hindi ako pwedeng kabahan, it's not good for the baby to keep on worrying about what Tita Marilyn told me. I mustered up a lot of courage, at kahit na kinakabahan sa magiging reaksyon niya, I asked her.

"Tita... k-kaano-ano po nina Tito Edmond ang parents ni Jake?", I asked after a few seconds of our deafening silence.

Kumalabog ang dibdib ko nung napatitig siya sa akin saglit bago malakas na napahalakhak. My eyebrows creased in confusion as I awkwardly laughed along with her. Pero maya-maya lang ay napatigil si Tita Marilyn, and her eyes were as big as a pingpong ball that stared at me in sheer shock.

"You're kidding me," she whispered.

"Bakit po?"

"Jake did not tell you?!"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Tungkol po saan?"

"Oh my God!", napasabunot siya sa kanyang buhok. "I will kill that dumb child!"

Natawa ako, bahagyang nawawala ang kaba na naramdaman.

"'Wag naman po Tita, mawawalan ng ama ang anak ko."

She rolled her eyes. "May Josh ka pa naman. I'm sure nagkuwento na siya sayo?"

Natigilan ako sa pagtawa, hindi sigurado sa mga tinatanong niya. Tita Marilyn groaned really loud in frustration nung makita ang rumehistrong confusion sa mukha ko.

"I am gonna kill the both of them for not informing you about our family. Next month na ang Annual Ball sa Ignacio Manor and they're not filling you in of the details?!"

"Annual Ball?", mukhang masaya yun ah. And I think she mentioned it earlier.

She sighed and moved her body to face me.

"Yes. It's a gathering of the Ignacio family. Kasama na rin diyan ang pamilya ni Josh. You know, naka-jackpot ka sa dalawang 'yon ha. Those boys' families are well-known here in this island and throughout some parts of the world."

Natahimik ako at unti-unting nawala ang ngiti nung naalala ang tinawag sa akin ni Josh noon sa condo.

"Josh's clan, the Gonzales, are originally from Mexico. Isa sa pinaka makapangyarihang pamilya sa bansang 'yon. When the heiress of the Gonzales, Josh's great-great grandmother, decided to live here in the Philippines --- specifically in this island --- namalagi na sila dito.

"Victorian era pa lang ay matunog na ang apelyido ng mga Gonzales, because they may be ruthless when it comes to business, but they give importance to their employees. And they are very much different from the ruthless of the ruthless, Ignacio clan."

Bumuntong hininga siya bago napailing.

"Gabriel is Edmond's half brother. Anak siya sa labas ng yumaong si Don Abramo Ignacio-- oh no!"

Napatingin siya sa kanyang relos. Mukhang may kailangan puntahan si Tita Marilyn. The way she quickly got up and started putting back the small lunchboxes inside the basket was enough to tell me that she has an important matter to go to.

Kaya kahit gusto ko pang magpakuwento tungkol sa pamilya ng mga asawa ko ay di ko na ginawa. Ayaw kong makaistorbo. Minadali na lang kasi ni Tita Marilyn ang pagtupi ng picnic blanket. But I am really thankful of her, dahil kahit na kailangan na kailangan na niyang umalis ay binagalan ni Tita ang paglalakad para masabayan ako at alalayan patungong manor.

Nung madaanan namin ang garden ay inutusan niya ang matangkad na morenong gardener para alalayan ako hanggang sa loob ng bahay.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, kailangan ko na kasi talagang umalis eh." Tita Marilyn kissed my cheeks and hugged me for a good 3 seconds before walking away.

I was watching her leave nung maramdaman kong pumalibot ang kamay ng hardinero sa maliit kong bewang. Nakaramdam ako ng pagkakailang pero pilit kong binalewala iyon nang magsimula kaming maglakad.

His body radiated scorching heat. Weird kasi... it is somehow similar to what I always feel towards Jake. Nung nasa swimming area na kami ay saka ko lang natitigan ang kanyang mukha.

His thick eyebrows has resemblance to someone I know. Kung hindi lang dumating si Papa Joaquin ay napagsino ko ba kung sino ang kamukha niya.

"I'll take it from here, Donovan. Thank you for your kindness." Malamig na sabi ni Papa sa kanya.

"Th-thank you..." I said, lowly.

Ilang beses pa akong napapasulyap sa kanya nang malapit na kami ni Papa Joaquin sa glass doors. Saka lang nawala ang atensyon ko sa hardinero nung mahagilap ko ang family doctor ng mga Ignacio. His face looked worried and a bit... sad.

"Sit down, iha."

Inalalayan akong umupo ni Papa Joaquin sa tapat ni Doc.

"Ang aga po ng bisita niyo, Doc," biro ko.

Bukas pa kasi ang dalaw niya. Pero nung hindi man lang ito ngumiti at humigpit ang hawak niya sa hawak na briefcase ay nakaramdam ako ng kaba. Lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko nung iwasan ni Papa Joaquin ang mga mata ko.

"What's wrong?", I asked when they did not talk.

"I-I came here early dahil may kailangan akong sabihin, Mrs. Ignacio..."

"Ano po 'yon, Doc?"

Papa Joaquin's deep sigh made me even more uneasy with this news Doctor Javier brought with him. I was about to speak when the doctor opened his mouth. And just like what I felt before... just like that day when Jake caught me and Josh in the same bed, my world crumbled in misery.

"You're not pregnant, Mrs. Ignacio."