DUCANI LEGACY SERIES 8: Khalid (Exclusively Available In The VIP Group)

Kabanata 9

Kabanata 9

Khalid

Anie had been really grumpy since yesterday. Nakakulong lamang sa kwarto niya at halos ayaw akong sabayang kumain kaya pakiramdam ko ay may ikinatatampo sa akin.

The problem is, I've already asked her a couple times yet she keeps on telling me that she's alright.

I sighed and put down my phone the moment I saw her coming down the stairs. Nakasuot lamang ng maluwag na tee shirt at cotton shorts. Her hair is in a messy bun yet Anie still looks gorgeous even without her dressing up properly.

"Are you hungry, mi flor?" I asked.

Tiningnan niya ako sandali saka ako inirapan. Maya-maya ay dumiretso na ng kusina nang hindi ako kinikibo.

Naihilamos ko ang mga palad ko sa mukha. Seriously, what did I do?

Bigla kong naalala ang phone call kahapon. Did she hear me talking to my ex-wife?

I groaned. Oo nga pala. Anie is possessive. Looks like I have some explaining to do.

Tumayo ako at sumunod sa kusina. I found her struggling to grab a box of cereals so I took the chance to help her out. Tumindig ako sa kanyang likuran at kinuha ang cereal box. Anie looked up, pouting and narrowing her eyes on me.

I sighed. Ikinalso ko ang aking mga palad sa kitchen counter nang humarap siya sa akin. She even folded her arms in front of me, purposely showing that she's mad at me.

"Tell me what's making my baby grumpy," I said, still trapping her between my arms while I rest my hands on the kitchen counter.

She looked away, giving me a side eye. "Wala."

I licked my lower lip. Tiningnan kong muli, hinihintay na magsabi na nang totoo ngunit nang inirapan akong muli ay kiniliti ko na.

Any screamed as I tickled her.

"Daddy!"

"Answer me and I'll stop."

"Daddy, no! Wala!"

We tripped as she tried to escape from me. Napahiga ako sa sahig ng kitchen habang hawak siya, at habang nakadapa siya sa aking dibdib ay napatitig nang husto sa akin. Kung bakit ay hindi ko masabi, o baka alam ko na ngunit hindi ko kayang tanggapin. I mean, look at us? It's so unlikely to happen.

I pinched the tip of her nose. "Are you going to tell me now why you're being grumpy?"

She sighed. Maya-maya ay pinag-trip-an ang tumutubo kong balbas. "I heard you talking to tita Gilen yesterday." She swallowed. "I know that uhm, I know her marriage is a bit shaky right now . . . and that between her and tita Miles, you loved her more."

I pulled myself up and helped her. "So you're ignoring me because you think Gilen and I will work things out once Alvern fails to save their marriage?"

Hindi niya ako magawang tingnan nang tumango siya. Napabuntonghininga naman ako bago ko siya hinawakan sa magkabilang braso.

"Alvern will do everything to keep his wife, that's for sure, and even if he will fail, I will never reunite with Gilen."

Sa wakas ay tumingin siya sa akin. "But you loved her, right? Hindi mo naman masasabi ang pwedeng mangyari. Who knows? Baka bukas magising ka na lang na mahal mo na ulit si tita Gilen."

Payak akong ngumiti. "You know, mi flor, when you already experienced a lot in life, you will understand that realizations don't happen overnight."

She slightly pouted. "Parang pwede naman, eh."

I shook my head. "Before we come up into a realization, we have already figured it out slowly. Some people are just denying the truth to themselves until they get triggered to honor it finally."

As if something about what I said hit her hard, Anie inhaled a sharp breath then nodded. "Malay mo na-realize mo na pala na gusto mo pa rin si tita Gilen pero in denial ka lang ngayon."

I scoffed. She's really not going to drop it, huh?

"Mi flor, I have no plans to pursue Gilen again, even if she decides to end her marriage with Alvern." I tucked a few strands of her baby hair behind her hair. "Don't worry too much. Kung tutuusin, wala na talaga akong balak pang mag-asawa ulit. I think I already realized that I will never have the kind of marriage that the other members of my family have. Dahil kung hindi pag-aari ng iba, hindi ko naman kapareho ng ideya ng life-long marriage."

"Can you tell me your definition of a life-long marriage?"

I stared into her eyes and smiled a little. "I guess it's a union of two independent souls who are complete on their own and do not enter marriage just to complete each other. After two failed marriages, I realized that I don't want to be with someone who will consider me her missing piece since that also means she only loves me because she needs me to fill the empty space in her life."

"So you don't like co-dependency?"

I shook my head. "Mi flor, co-dependency forces people to work on the relationship, and if you have to work on something, it means you are not entirely coming from a place of love."

"I don't understand. Hindi ba dapat naman talagang paghirapan ang pag-keep sa marriage?"

Gumuhit ang munting ngiti sa aking mga labi nang maalala ko ang isang importanteng paalala mula kay Daddy.

"You know, my old man once told me that people who are truly in love, do things without considering their actions as display of efforts. Staying faithful, showing affection, and appreciating the relationship, those are the things that keep the marriage, baby. If you truly love someone, those things will come naturally. You don't have to force yourself to give it."

She sighed. "Kung sabagay." Pinagmasdan niya ang aking mga mata. "You love me, daddy right?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Absolutely."

"You're faithful to your words to me?"

"Did I ever lie to you? Broke my promise? Ate my own words?" I asked.

She shook her head. "You do appreciate what we have, right?"

"Oo naman. Why are you still asking me these things?"

Anie smiled before she flashed her cute, satisfied smile as if something silly is running inside her pretty head.

"Nothing!" She tiptoed to kiss me on my cheek. "Don't worry, Daddy. I'll stay with you forever. You will always have me no matter what. Sapat naman ako sa'yo, 'di ba?"

I smiled, pulled her for a hug, and then pecked a gentle kiss on top of her head.

"You're more than enough to me, baby. Always remember that . . ."