Sunset in Paradise

CHAPTER 26 (New Normal)

*Reina*

Our honeymoon was finally over.

We are back to reality again and back to the toxic, suffocating—yet basically essential—daily grind at work.

A few of my officemates greeted me and those whom I didn't invite, didn't come—those who were evasive for some sort of reason—well, nonchalantly passed me by as if I didn't exist. Like for real, I don't care about them.

But mostly, my colleagues in the paralegal department and IT department greeted me with giddiness and teased me with their common denominator questions: “Ano, may baby na ba?”

“Baby shower na ang kasunod!”

“Kailan ang binyag?”

“Oy ninang ako ah!”

I would just laugh and tell them. “Wala pa sa plano namin yun, baka next year pa, wala pa kaming time para dun,” tumalikod na ako at tinungo na ang cubicle ko.

Ramdam ko ang pagbuntot sa akin ng officemate ko at katabing cubicle ko na si Jai.

“Anong wala sa plano? Walang time?”

Di ko na lang pinansin at dumiretso sa bulletin para tingnan ang schedule ng mga attorneys namin.

“Sus! Ang dali ngang gumawa, sa ka-macho-han ng mister mo, isang linggo pa lang mabubuntis ka kaagad,”

Siniko ko na lang si Jai. “Wag ka ngang maingay dyan, marinig tayo ng HR,” saka ako naupo sa recliner ko sa likod ng desk ko.

“Pero isipin mo na lang, kapag nagkaanak ka, mabibigyan mo na ng apo si Attorney Montecarlo, oy nga pala, nag-asikaso ka na ba ng mga papales mo? I mean, change status?”

Napaisip ako at natigilan. “Hindi pa yung iba, pero next time, aasikasuhin ko,” kinuha ko ang folder na nakapatong sa desk at nagsimulang mag-type sa keyboard.

“Ano pa lang ginamit mo nung umalis kayo?” naupo pa talaga siya sa visitor chair sa tapat ng bureau desk ko.

“Pinaayos ko na kay Tita Theresa, I mean, kay Attorney Montecarlo, ang marriage license pati marriage certificate namin last, last month pa, nagpa-appointment ako at personal na pumunta sa DFA dala ang needed na documents, nilakad ko a week before we left, so apelyido na ng asawa ko ang dala ko bago kami umalis,”

Tumango-tango lang si Jai. “Iba talaga kapag tagapagmana,”

Tumigil ako sa pagtitipa at napatingin sa kanya.

Nag-peace sign pa siya. “Joke lang, pero ang galing, na-processed agad, kung sa iba yun, ilang buwan pa bago magawa,”

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga. “Wala ka bang job order?”

“Ito naman, nakikipagchikahan lang eh,”

“Baka pumasok ang seniors natin, masita pa tayo,” pagtataboy ko, masyado nang kumportable eh.

“Hmmp, sige na nga, pero usap pa tayo mamaya ah,” umalis na siya at pumasok na sa cubicle niya.

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako at pinagpatuloy ang ginagawa ko.

It had been a week ago when we came back from our honeymoon and yet I still felt I needed more time to rest.

It was a tiring trip, but because I didn't want to ruin my husband's joy and excitement, I just let him explore knowing he's not always been traveling a lot and our trip was quite important and memorable.

I admitted, I enjoyed traveling with him even though my body felt exhausted due to the long travel and a lot of walking. Most of our travel was by train, some were by airplane, and the last quarter was on the sea, which I didn't enjoy because of seasickness.