Ikaw At Ako

Kabanata 29

Kabanata 29

"Joaquin, you don't really have to do this..." Kumapit na lang ako sa leeg niya nang binuhat pa niya ako paakyat ng penthouse namin.

He smiled. And he looked genuinely happy. Napangiti rin ako. "It's all right. Let me do this for my wife...and our little one." ngiti niya.

Parang may mainit naman na kamay ang humaplos sa puso ko... Sinandal ko na lang ang ulo ko sa dibdib niya. At pinakinggan ang kalmadong pintig ng puso niya...

"Is there anything that you want to eat?" he asked me.

"Hmm..." Kunwari at pilya pa akong nag-isip. Pagkatapos ay ngumisi ako sa asawa ko habang buhat pa rin niya ako sa malakas niyang mga bisig at mukhang idederetso pa ako sa kwarto namin. I grinned more at my naughty thoughts. "I'm not really hungry, but...can I eat you instead?" I naughtily said to him.

Joaquin smilingly shook his head. "I miss your naughtiness... But you're pregnant now with our child." aniya.

I pouted jokingly. "Okay lang naman siguro..."

Maingat akong binaba ni Joaquin sa kama namin. Ah. I miss our home and our bed. I feel better now. Siguro ay dahil mukhang okay na kami ni Joaquin, and my pregnancy was kind of making me at ease...

"Stop being naughty now and just rest, all right? I'll just prepare our dinner."

Tumango na ako at hindi na siya masyadong biniro pa. He's been with me at the hospital. Alam kong pagod din siya. Pero magluluto pa rin ng dinner namin ngayon. I sighed. Pagkatapos naman naming kumain ay magpapahinga na rin. Ngumiti na lang ako sa efforts ng asawa ko.

Joaquin wants to bring me in our home in Negros. He remembers that I wanted to go there and said that it might be better for me to rest there for a while. But it's their company anniversary so I told him that we can attend the event first before going home to the province. Hindi rin naman yata maganda na wala ang company CEO sa kanilang anniversary.

I just wore a white formal jumpsuit. Hindi pa naman malaki o halata ang tiyan ko na buntis ako. I paired it with heels that made Joaquin a little worried. I just smiled to my husband. "This is okay. I'm comfortable with it." tukoy ko sa suot na heeled shoes. I gave him a reassuring smile.

"All right..." aniya pagkatapos ay kinuha na ang kamay ko. And then we're off to the party.

Pagdating namin doon ay ako lang ba pero pakiramdam ko ay masyadong nakatutok sa akin ang mga mata ng mga tao at kulang na lang ay magbulungan pa sila... Kumapit na lang ako sa braso ni Joaquin na hindi rin naman ako iniwan buong party. But he was talking to the people important to the company and I needed to pee. Kaya nagpaalam na muna ako sa kaniya. I gave him a reassuring smile and told him to stay there and I can definitely do it on my own.

Ilang sandali pa lang ako sa loob ng ladies' room nang nakita ko sa mga repleksyon namin sa salamin ang pagpasok din doon ni Lalaine. Kakatapos ko lang umihi at lumabas sa isang cubicle. Now I'm just washing my hands. Nagkatinginan kami.

"Well... Hindi na ako magpapaliguy-ligoy pa. Since I can't stop my anger anymore, too." bigla na lang niyang sinabi as soon as she entered and saw me there.

Anger? Towards who? Me? Bakit naman... Napatuwid ako ng tayo at humarap sa kaniya. I don't remember her being this straightforward before... And I noticed that we almost have the same outfits... White lang itong suot ko at naka-black jumpsuit naman siya. "Lalaine..." I still wanted to greet her politely or properly...

Mukhang matapang naman siyang nakaharap din sa akin ngayon. "You... You don't deserve Joaquin." aniya na parang galit nga siya.

Nanatili naman ang tingin ko sa kaniya at hindi muna agad nagsalita...

Then I let her continue. Alam ko naman noon pa na mukhang may pagtingin ngang talaga siya sa asawa ko. Pero ilang taon na kaming kasal ni Joaquin ngayon. Hindi pa rin ba siya sumusuko...

"I love Joaquin since we were young! Dapat kami ang nagkatuluyan at hindi kayo!" She looked like she lost it... Bahagya rin nanginig ang boses niya sa dulo... At ang mga mata'y nangingislap na sa luha... She looked frustrated.

"You and Joaquin have known each other before he even met me and we got married..." I said. Bakit hindi noon pa? Did she ever confessed to Joaquin before about her feelings? Although Joaquin only sees Lalaine as a friend...

"What do you mean?" She gritted her teeth.

"I'm just thinking...that you had the time before... To confess your feelings to him or... But you didn't... And why are trying to do this now... Now that Joaquin's already married to me..."

"Because you don't deserve him! And now you're pregnant? And you're saying that it's Joaquin's child? How? Everyone's in doubt of you! Wala ka nang ibang binigay kay Joaquin kundi kahihiyan!—"

I slapped her. Hard. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya habang hawak ang pisngi niyang sinampal ko. Nanlalaki rin ang mga ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya sa gulat na alam na agad niyang buntis ako at sa galit sa sinabi niya para sa anak ko. "How dare you..." Nanginginig pa ang kamay ko sa galit at parang gusto ko pa siyang sampalin uli. Pero iniisip ko rin na buntis ako and I should calm down before anything bad happens to me especially to my baby.

Ganito na siguro talaga ang puso ng isang ina. Maybe I can accept criticism for myself... But I cannot anymore accept it when it's about my child. Agad akong nagalit at hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. I wanted to hurt Lalaine for badmouthing my even unborn child yet.

Nakarinig kami ng pagkatok sa pinto ng ladies' room at sinundan iyon ng boses ng mama ni Joaquin. "Angel, hija... Hinahanap ka na ni Joaquin. Kanina ka pa raw nagpaalam sa kaniyang mag-washroom lang..." Bumukas ang pintuan at natigilan si mama sa nadatnan...

Nang balingan kong muli si Lalaine ay nakaupo na siya sa sahig ng ladies' room na para bang tinulak siya para mapaupo roon... My eyes widened at her act. And she cried immediately when she saw mama...

"What happened here? Lalaine?" Lumapit si mama sa kaniya.

While I stayed rooted to where I stood... What will she do now? Will this be my fault again... Ano ang papalabasin niya.

"Tita..." She cried to Joaquin's mama. "She hurt me! I just came here to use the washroom, too, when she confronted me and physically hurt me!" She lied.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni mama at nag-angat ng tingin sa akin habang dinadaluhan si Lalaine doon sa sahig ng ladies' room. "Angel...?"

Umiling ako. I can't speak... I was shocked that she can lie like this to Joaquin's mama... She's unbelievable. I shook my head.