Trieja: Jake And Josh [Under Revision]

Chapter 43

Later that afternoon, I was with Tita Marilyn. She invited me to have a picnic bonding with her. Akala ko ay kaming dalawa lang pero nagkamali ako. Nang marating ko kasi ang dating tambayan namin ay may dalawang babae na nakaupo sa harap niya.

Tita Marilyn waved at me, causing for the girls to move and look in my direction. The three of them watched me with beaming smiles as I neared their location.

Nang makaupo ay agad nilahad ng babaeng sopistikada rin katulad ni Tita Sasha na nasa tabi niya ang kanyang kamay sa akin.

"The name's Nadia Ignacio Lopez, your Tito Edmond's cousin," kompletong pakilala nito.

I smiled at her and shook her hand. Sana ay hindi halatang awkward ang mga ngiti ko. I couldn't even look at Tita Sasha even though I can feel her watching my every move.

May mga pagkain na nakalapag sa gitna. Marami iyon, saktong-sakto sa katulad kong kumakalam ang sikmura. Though, I am hungry, I don't feel like eating.

Maybe because Tita Sasha's words kept on replaying inside my head.

Puno ng tawanan at kuwentuhan ang grupo namin. There were kids playing in the open field not far from us. Their screams and voices distracted me from time to time. But I did as best as I can to tune them out and focus on our group.

Nalaman ko rin na kasal si Tita Nadia sa isang businessman. At katulad kay Tita Sasha, she is married to only one. I did not pry anymore kasi pakiramdam ko, makakarinig na naman ako ng katulad kahapon. However, all throughout the talk, I was uneasy and nervous as I avoid eye contact with Tita Sasha.

Lalo lang akong kinabahan nung maisipan nina Tita Marilyn na makipaglaro sa mga batang napadaan sa pwesto namin. I wanted to come along but Tita Marilyn was so concerned with my health, she advised me to stay put and have a talk with Tita Sasha. Expectedly, I was left alone with her.

"I know you're beginning to be unhappy with them, Claire."

Nakaramdam ako ng iritasyon.

"Why do you have to say that, Tita Sasha? Nagmumukha ka pong sinusulsulan mo ako."

"It's not like that, iha. I'm just worried about you—"

"But why would you be, Tita? Di mo man po direktang sinabi pero, gets ko kung ano ang ipinaparating mo... na pansamantala lang itong arrangement namin ni Donovan. I now understand why Doctor Javier told me that it's fine and normal if I felt something for Donovan, because it is only for my own good... for my relationship with Jake and Josh to work—"

"And what exactly did you feel? Aside from lust, ano?"

Di ako nakapagsalita. Di ako sigurado kung sasabihin ko ba o hindi. Kasi kapag sinabi ko sa kanya, she'd tell me that I am being tricked.

"It's clear that you do not know a single thing about everything, Claire. Ni hindi mo kayang aminin mismo sa akin na naramdaman mo kay Donovan kung ano man ang pinaparamdam sayo ng Trieja sa tuwing kasama mo si Jake."

Pakiramdam ko ay namutla ako sa harap niya dahilan para makumpirma niya ang kung ano man ang sa tingin niya'y alam niya.

"How did you know that?", I whispered.

"There are a lot of things that I know that you don't, girl." Ngumiti siya ng mapait. "I can see how strong the hold Trieja has on you. Though you want to know the truth, you're already willing to be a slave of that sickening feeling just so you could save yourself from its harshness."

Umigting ang panga ko.

"You're their aunt, Tita Sasha. Shouldn't you be happy that I am madly in love with your nephews?"