Marco decided to bring Emily to Olivares on a weekend to spend some quality time with her after a busy week in the office. Both of them has been juggling from one meeting to another in preparation for their upcoming expansion in Visayas and has barely spent time together.
"Ikaw na ang pumili. I just need to use the restroom." Emily told Marco as she rummaged through her purse to get her wet wipes.
"Gusto mong samahan kita?" Marco's question has brought Emily to stop from what she was doing. She looked up to him, sighed and went on by saying, "Order me adobo na lang." before she left him to go to the restroom without even waiting for his response.
Marco chuckled upon seeing his wife slightly getting annoyed by his over protectiveness. Marco couldn't helped it though. If he could tie her around him so she wouldn't be out of his sight for even a minute, he would definitely do it.
He called the waiter and placed an order. Adobo for her as she requested and kare-kare for him.
"Marco?"
He turned around to see who called him.
"Marco!" Three tables away from him, a tall man who's face Marco had not seen for years stood from his chair. It's his old friend from Olivares, Allan Alonzo.
"Allan!"
Allan excused himself from his companion and went to his table. He welcomed his friend with a quick hug and their fist-bump greeting.
"Kamusta ka na? Ang tagal mo ng hindi nagpapakita dito, ah!"
"Well.." he smiled and scratched his nape. "Nabusy lang sa trabaho sa maynila. Ikaw? Kamusta na?"
Allan tapped his shoulder and turned to where he came from. He pointed the woman who was sitting with a young boy. "Ganon pa rin. Still managing our family business. And.. that's my wife and son over there."
"Aba! Mabuti naman at lumagay ka na sa tahimik!"
"Eh alam mo naman. Hindi na tayo bumabata. Teka, ikaw lang ba mag-isa?"
"My children's in Manila. I'm with my wife now. Nag banyo lang."
Allan wrinkled his forehead. He heard the news about his first wife's sudden death. And he also heard that he got married again after more than a year.
Just in time, Marco saw Emily walking out of the restroom.
"Ayon, oh."
Allan's jaw dropped. He knew that Marco married his one great love but he still couldn't believed it even after seeing her with his own eyes. In flesh. Emily Cardenas. The woman who Marco made crazy and heed over heels in love with.
"Mahal!" Marco pulled her to his side and that's when she noticed Allan. "I'd like you to meet my old friend. Allan Alonzo. Classmate ko siya noon in college."
Emily smiled at Allan. She extended her hand to him and said hello.
"My wife. Emily." Marco proudly introduced.
Allan smiled a little. He's a bit shy because the first time he met her, it was the time when Marco's mother, Margarette told him to tell Emily that Marco only pursued her because of their silly bet, the reason Marco and Emily broke up.
"Hi. I don't know if naaalala mo pa ako." He started. "Nagkakilala na tayo dati when Madam Margarette visited you sa bahay niyo noon."
Of course Emily recognized him so she smiled. "Oo. Oo naman." She said.
"Alam ko na it's too late to say this but.." Allan glanced at Marco first. "I'm sorry, Emily. I'm really, really sorry for what I did."
"Kalimutan mo na 'yon."
Marco smiled proudly while looking at his wife.
"Matagal na 'yon. And if it'll make you feel better to hear it. Pinapatawad na kita."
Allan's smile widened. He looked at Marco as if he was telling him, "he's a lucky man to have her as his woman".
"Salamat, Emily. Maraming salamat talaga."
"Papa!"
They all looked at Allan's boy when he called him.
"Marco, Emily, we have to go. Salamat ulit."
"Ingat ka pare."
The couple watched Allan and his family leaving the restaurant.
"It's really been a while." Marco mumbled getting his wife's attention. Emily looked up to him with a smile that didn't stopped him from kissing her. It was just a quick kiss but he still received an annoyed expression from his wife.
Marco chuckled and kissed the top of her head. He whispered, I love you and made her sit.
"Ano'ng inorder mo?" She asked when they're seated.
"Adobo po, Ma'am. And I ordered kare-kare for myself."
Emily pouted her lips upon hearing him calling her 'Ma'am'.
Their orders arrived after a few minutes. Emily finished his Kare-kare instead in the end while he had her adobo.
"Gusto mong pumunta sa bayan? Let's stop by the church bago tayo dumeretso sa bahay?" Marco suggested while they're on the car.
Emily thought for a while and nodded her head. They went to the church first.
Marco held Emily's hand as they walked inside the church. He couldn't helped not to smile as he remembered all the things he had to do just so Emily would notice him. He remembered the time when he followed her in the church just to get a glimpse and the chance to talk to her. It's giving him good old memories.
They sat in the middle, not too far and not to closed from the altar.
"What are you praying?" He asked in whisper when Emily finally opened her eyes and done the sign of the cross.
Emily turned to him with a small smile. "Nagpasalamat lang ako."
"For what? For me?" He asked. He was just messing around.
"I don't know what's gotten into you today pero ang yabang-yabang mo kanina pa." She murmured that made him laugh. Emily gave him a look of course because people started to look at the two of them.
They stayed for a couple more before they left the church and wandered the city. Marco wanted to bring her to the hills they often go when they are still in a relationship but unfortunately it suddenly rained so they decided to go home.
The house helpers prepared a feast when they arrived.
"Ang dami naman nito." Emily even commented upon seeing the table filled with food. In the end, the people working in the house joined them for the meal since both Marco and Emily couldn't possibly finished it all.
"Sayang naman." Emily told them.
After the meal, the couple decided to call it a day. Emily was laying on the bed, her head resting on Marco's chest as they traded stories as if they have not seen each other for a very long time. They filled the night with stories and laughters and kisses until they both fell asleep.**
