He Married the Stripper.

Bugaboo* - One.

---NARRATOR---

It's been a couple of days since Luna told Alex about why she left and since then they haven't really talked about it again because they've both been focused and busy with their work. Luna has been working off-site most of the time. Inspecting and visiting museums and local artists for the project, she would show up at the end of the day for her daily report and weekly meetings but all they've ever been able to talk about was the project and nothing else. Alex doesn't want to admit it but their conversation has been weighing on his mind but his pride is preventing him from doing anything about it.

"Kung ayaw mong makinig sakin. Then ask your Dad. He knows why I had to leave."

He doesn't want to talk to Luna but he doesn't want to talk to his Dad either. He's caught between a rock and a hard place and his indecision is starting to leak into his daily life. He's been so distracted at work that Gigi forced him to just go home and take a break since being in the office hasn't been helpful to anyone and she pointed out that all the sighing he's been doing is just making everyone nervous.

"Maybe I should take Emily out? Maybe we can go on a little trip this weekend. Things have been so hectic at work lately that we haven't done much together. She's probably starting to get lonely too."

He was starting to psych himself up and was looking through some nice date spots they can go to but he was shocked when he saw her backpack by the front door and Emily getting ready to leave when he got home.

"Where are you going?" He asked trying to hide the fact that he was panicking inside.  

"Where is she going? Did someone tell her about what's going on in the office? Is she leaving me? What the fuck?! She can't! How can she leave when she doesn't even really know what's going on? What happened to her promise that she'd always listen to my side before jumping to conclusions?"

"What do you mean where? Sinabi ko na sayo nung isang araw diba? Sasamahan ko si Lolo sa bahay nina Tita Aura kasi pupunta sila sa Batangas for the weekend." She explained as she put another bag down by the door.

"No, you didn't." He said as he relaxed a little bit. He tried to rack his brain for that conversation but he simply can't remember.

"Yes, I did and sinabi ko din sayo na magpa-pahatid ako kay John kasi marami akong dala diba? Nag-hihintay na ba sya sa baba?"

"No, he's not. I didn't tell him anything because you didn't tell me about your plans so I gave him the rest of the day off." He said irritated now that his plans are ruined.

"I knew this would happen." She mumbled, so she took her phone out and showed him their text exchange, reminding him about how she'd be gone for a few days. 

"Shit. I forgot I'm sorry." He finally admitted as he vaguely remembered the numerous instances she's reminded him this week. 

"It's okay. You've been distracted lately, I kind of expected it. Magta-taxi nalang ako."

"Just let me change, I'll take you."

"Hindi na, magta-taxi nalang ako. You're clearly stressed so just relax. I'll be fine."

Alex sat down on the sofa and watch as Emily checked her things, she's right though, he's stressed and that's why he can't even remember a conversation they repeatedly had last week. She doesn't show it but he knows she's annoyed because one of the very few things Emily doesn't like is her plans getting derailed specially if it involves her grandfather. Being away from him has been hard so she wants everything to be perfect when it comes time to see him.

"... Did they tell you about Luna?" Alex asked cautiously. Why he picked that moment to ask about her when she's clearly annoyed already is a mystery to him as well. It just came out before he can think about it. She just nodded without looking at him so he can't tell how she feels.

"It's not like I was hiding it. It was all in the past and I didn't think it would matter." He said as he walked towards her. He sounds pathetic and he hates himself for it. How else was he supposed to bring up his ex anyway? Normally he wouldn't care but she's his wife and it seemed wrong to not acknowledge it. Truth be told he hasn't thought about Luna until she suddenly showed up. He's moved on so it just seemed unnecessary to even bring up their past because it doesn't matter anymore.   

"Okay. Hindi mo naman kailangang mag-explain sakin." She said calmly as she stood up and looked at him.

"But I want to. Like I said it's all in the past and ikaw yung future ko. Hindi naman porket bumalik sya ibig sabihin bumalik din yung feelings ko para sa kanya and it's not like it'll come back, we broke up years ago! It's just... weird not to tell you about her because I'm working with her and I just wanted to clear it up that she doesn't matter to me anymore." Now he's rambling like a moron and he's just straight up lying because Luna's literally the reason why he's been distracted, the literal reason he forgot about his conversation with his wife.

"Okay." Emily said as she went to her room to grab a few more things. 

---ALEX---

Gina couldn't hide her worry when I asked for his address, I can't blame her though because by now she knows this would lead to anything but a happy ending. She's probably telling Lolo all about our 3 minute conversation and knowing the two of them they're probably psychoanalyzing every single word I said. I don't really care though, I'm only here for one thing, I just need to him to tell me what happened and I'll be on my way.

I looked around his place, it's big and spacious but everything looks staged as if it's a showroom and not an actual home that somebody's living in. He doesn't even have any pictures on the wall or anything that seemed like his own. It's full of appliances and everything a person would ever need and more but it felt cold and bare at the same time probably because it wasn't really treated like a home but just a rest stop along the way to another place he needs to be in for work. Ever since I can remember, he's never really stayed in one place for long, he'd always be jetting off to a new country or city to broker a deal and represent the company, he never really had a home of his own even then and that was why I grew up with Lolo Al in the main house.

The place was so cold and lifeless it was choking me. I want to get up and leave but I need to ask him, I need to hear it from him because even if we've never seen eye to eye on everything, I know he's not going to lie to me. He's hidden a lot of things from me but he's never lied to me and that's the only thing I respect about him.

"Sorry, I don't really have much here. I'm usually in the office or overseas so I never really have food here." Dad said as he placed a glass of water and a plate of muffin in front of me.

"Does Emily visit you often?" I asked him as I know she made these muffins a few days ago, before she left to go to her Lolo.

"Just twice since I came back. She insisted on bringing me some food because she said it's unhealthy if I keep eating out." That's typical of her. I know she brings food to her friends but I didn't know my Dad was one of the lucky ones. I didn't know because honestly I never really asked and she knows I don't want to hear anything related to him anyway.

The silence was killing me, he was just staring at me and waiting for me to say what I came to say but I don't really know how to start the conversation, I don't even know how I ended up here. Maybe I should just go home and forget about it. The project's going to be done soon enough and once it's ready I wouldn't even have to see her anymore. What's the point in finding out anyway? It's been five years and a lot of thing's changed, it's not worth it anymore and it's definitely not going to change anything.

"She told you, didn't she." He suddenly said. I looked up at him.

"Luna told you didn't she because why else would you come here. Siya lang naman ang parating rason kung bakit ka nakikipag-kita sakin."

"Are you gonna tell the truth?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"No. Never."

*Bugaboo- Something you fear or worry about.