"Miss, anong pangalan mo? Pwede ka bang pakasalan?"
"Bawal."
"Bakit bawal?"
"May asawa na ako." Bulong ko.
"Mahal mo ba ang asawa mo?" Parang batang saad ng kausap ko at saka ako niyakap mula sa likuran. Ipinatong niya ang baba sa balikat ko saka ako marahang hinalikan sa pisngi.
I turned around and locked my arms onto his nape. Pau is staring at my eyes. "Opo. Mahal ko po ang asawa ko. Mahal na mahal." I uttered and kissed him on his lips. Ngumiti siya at saka ako hinalikan sa noo.
It was 12 in the midnight but Pau just came home. I already cooked our dinner earlier but I decided to heat it up while he was changing his clothes. He looked really tired.
"How's training?" I asked brushing his hair using my fingers. His eyes are closed but still smiling.
"Ayos lang naman. Nakakapagod pero masaya. We're now on our second phase of training." He answered.
Silence got in between us.
"What if, mag-quit ka sa work mo?" He was caught off. He opened his eyes and gave me a serious stare.
"No." He uttered using a stern voice.
"Sobra ka na kasing pagod na pagod, love. I can't afford to see you sick..." I said and look at him cutely expecting him to at least be swayed but he's not.
"Marami pa akong bayarin. May monthly bills, yung hulog pa sa condo. Daily expenses, maintenance—"
"Pwede namang ako muna!" I hissed pleading him to agree. He sighed and remove his hold to turn his back from me. He seriously hates it when we are talking about money. He never wanted me to shoulder everything even I wanted to.
"Love, kung ayaw mo akong nahihirapan, mas ayaw kong nag-a-adjust ka para sa akin. You grew up having everything. You deserve better than this." I run towards him and hugged him from the back. He breathed deeply, but remained silent. "Ako ang nag-offer sa'yo ng kasal na 'to kaya hangga't kaya ko, gusto kong iparamdam sa'yo na wala kang dapat pagsisihan sa pagpili—"
"I never regret anything." I cut him off.
Humarap siya sa akin at saka ako hinawakan sa mukha.
"You were supposedly married with a rich guy who can give everything you want—"
"Ikaw lang naman ang gusto ko." I confessed making him caught off for the nth time. He was unable to speak for a couple of seconds.
He held my hand tight and looked at me intently. "I know. But as your person, I want to give you what you deserved."
Before I could say something, the microwave already dinged, sign that our food is done. I sighed and turned my back to prepare those foods in our table. In the end, hindi na ulit ako nag-open about sa topic na 'yun. I'll just observe for a while. If I saw that it won't work, I'll definitely do something.
We slept peacefully after that. Isiniksik ko lang ang mukha ko sa leeg niya forgetting the world. Forgetting my worries. I just have to trust him. As long as I can, I'll support his decisions.
"Late greetings but congratulations to your wedding!" Basa ko sa sticky note na nakadikit sa cup ng kape ko. Pau went out early so I decided to take my breakfast outside. It's been days but rumors about me and Adi's marriage hasn't died down yet. Actually, it even became wilder. Some were saying that I was pregnant and such. I couldn't care less with their nonsense talk because I was busy with my units. I can't afford to lose my sponsorship.
