No Greater Love

Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

I also realized that I might have betrayed Caspian first...

Kaya hindi na dapat ako makaramdam ng kahit kaonting galit sa kaniya sa nangyayari ngayon...

Tama naman siya na kasal na nga ako sa ibang lalaki... kaya ano ang karapatan ko na magkaroon ng hinanakit sa kaniya, now that he's having his child with Ynes...

After we got married, Sancho brought me to his home in Manila. Nandoon kasi ang trabaho niya and we must stay there. His house was on the top floor of one of the tallest buildings in Metro Manila. Strict din ang security ng building siguro ay dahil rin may artistang nakatira roon...

"This will be your home from now on..." he calmly said as we entered his spacious penthouse apartment or condo.

Tumingin-tingin naman ako sa paligid ng lugar. And one of the first things I liked about the place was the huge glass walls in the living room. Gabi na kaming dumating kaya kita na rin ang skyscrapers at city lights sa labas. And I thought that it was nice.

Palagi akong nasa probinsya kaya na appreciate ko rin ang city ngayon. And from now on I will live in this big and busy city. Kaysa naman manatili pa ako roon sa probinsya sa Iloilo at makikita ko sina Mama. I thought that I would feel better here instead.

Sancho was working so I'll have my time alone even in his home. Ayos na rin sa akin at gusto ko rin mapag-isa.

His phone rang and Sancho excused himself to answer it. It was probably a call from his manager for his work tomorrow. May bago siyang projects na TV series at movie rin yata. Plus he has multiple endorsements as well. He's a busy famous actor. Teenager pa lang din siya noong magsimulang sumikat.

I think I was never interested with Sancho's work before... O dahil kontento na rin ako sa buhay ko sa Iloilo. When we were younger I think we were much closer as kids. And with his little sister we had lots of fun and playtime in the past together. Those were our innocent days. Until Ynes changed her priorities and did not like playing that much anymore. At mas nahilig na sa mga makeup at pagpapaganda. Siguro ay dahil naimpluwensyahan na rin ng Mama nila ni Sancho na dati ring kilalang aktress at mahilig sa parehong mga bagay. And Sancho transferred to Manila to start his acting career...

At that time I was left in our hacienda alone... At binuhos ko na lang din ang panahon ko sa hacienda namin at nakipagkaibigan sa mga tao namin. Iyon na ang nangyari at minsan ko na lang din makita sina Sancho kapag nagbabakasyon sila at napapasyal din sa hacienda namin.

But one time in our marriage I started to see how passionate Sancho was with his work. I realized that he was such a professional actor and artist...

"You can actually come with me today." Niyaya niya ako.

"Hmm? Where? And what will I do... Baka makaistorbo lang ako sa trabaho mo." I said. I was just always at home. Na okay lang din naman sa akin. Sancho has a library here and he also buys me more books when he realized that I still love reading since then. Kaya may nagagawa pa rin ako at bukod pa sa pagbabasa ay naglilinis din ako ng tirahan namin. We sleep in two different bedrooms. Which made me more comfortable to live with Sancho.

He sighed a bit and sat beside me on the couch. Umusog din naman ako ng kaonti to give him space. Sancho was not a total stranger to me. I've known him since we were kids kaya kahit papaano ay naging komportable pa rin naman ako sa kaniya. "You're just always here at home... You must be bored here." he said to which I shook my head.

"No. I'm fine here. Ang dami ko pa ngang libro na babasahin." I said and even smiled a little bit.

It's been months since I started living with him. And we got married... Although he was always not at home because of the kind of job he has. He would mostly sleep in hotels near their filming locations. Or rest in his actor van. Na wala namang problema sa akin dahil wala rin naman siyang gagawin dito sa bahay kasama ako. Now he's here and he seems worried for me. When I'm just fine. Or that's what I thought...

"No, really, Rose. This place can bore you. And you must come out, too, you know..." he pushed.

Sa huli ay tumango na lang din ako at sumama sa trabaho niya. And all the staff were greeting me politely as well. Mabait din kahit ang director nila ni Sancho. Hindi rin mahirap na katrabaho si Sancho at nakita ko iyon. He's very professional when it came to his work. At pinagpaalam niya rin sa production na isasama niya ako ngayon.

"You have a very beautiful wife, ha." anang makeup artist...

Napangiti na lang din ako. Ngumiti rin si Sancho at hinarap pa ang staff habang inaayusan din siya para sa susunod na set ng taping nila. "She is. And I'm very lucky." He said as if proudly. Sinilip pa niya ako nang bumukas ang isang mata niya habang inaayusan para matingnan lang ako.

And the staff even started teasing us... And Sancho just laughed and smiled with them. Ako naman ay napaiwas ng tingin kay Sancho na mukhang sinusubukan pa hulihin ang tingin ko... At bahagya akong maliit na tumikhim. Natapos din naman ang panunukso at kailangan na nilang magseryoso at bumalik sa trabaho.

I made sure that I wasn't disturbing their shoot. Nakakahiya naman kung makapanggulo pa ako rito.

"Oh. I heard nga that you're married na pala talaga... Ano 'yan, ayaw paiwan sa bahay? Binabantayan ka ba, Sancho?" Ngumisi iyong leading lady ni Sancho sa ginagawa nilang movie... Ngumiti pa siya sa akin. "Sasabihan na kita, huh. Sancho and I have many kissing scenes for this movie. At hindi lang basta kiss, it's passionate kisses, hot and hungry. With all the tongue action... And, oh! May ilang bed scenes nga rin pala kami. Pero bawal magselos, huh. Bawal talaga ang selosang babae kapag sikat na artista ang asawa niya... Ang toxic ng gano'n..." Binigyan niya ako ng isa pang ngiti...

Hindi ko halos masabayan ang mga sinabi niya... When she was gone, nilapitan naman ako ng PA ni Sancho. "Huwag mo na lang po pansinin... Medyo may pagka-childish din kasi siya..." bulong nito sa akin...

Wala naman na rin akong masabi... At tumango na lang. And I wouldn't watch those scenes that was mentioned to me because it was kind of awkward... Ganito nga naman talaga ang trabaho ng artista. At naiintindihan ko naman. Kaya wala ngang problema.

"I think it's not such a good idea that I brought you to work like this..." Sancho concluded after and we're going home now. Sumasali rin ako sa kanila kanina sa mga breaks, and I also ate my meals here with them.

Bumaling ako sa kaniya pagkatapos kong magsuot ng seatbelt. "Ayos lang naman..." I said. It was fun talking and conversing with the production team or his staffs alone. "I had fun today." At pagkatapos ay napangiti rin ako sa kaniya. And I feel like my smile had been genuine today... It was also refreshing to meet new people...

At habang nakatingin pa sa akin at hindi pa nakakapagsimulang magmaneho ng sasakyan niya ay napangiti na rin sa akin si Sancho. And in his smile he looked happy as well...

"Let's go home now." he said and started maneuvering the car.

Tumango naman ako sa kaniya at handa na rin na umuwi sa bahay namin.