Faith, Hope and Love

Chapter 17

Naka-ngiti at tumango si Katie sa mga hospital staffs and nurses na mga nakakasalubong sa hallway. Bitbit ang ilang mga folders na dadalhin sa opisina ng asawa ay may nakasalubong syang isang babaeng maganda at medyo may sinabi sa buhay. The woman seems lost so she approach her.
"Hi! May I help you? Are you looking for someone?" Katie asked politely. The woman smiled and kind of relief.
"Hi. I'm looking for Dr. Benitez. Ang sabi sa information desk nandito raw sa floor na 'to ang office nya pero kanina pa ako paikot-ikot hindi ko naman makita. Alam mo ba kung saan ang office nya?" The woman asked. Katie smiled again.
"Yes, of course. Actually, don ako papunta ngayon. Gusto mo bang sabay na tayo?" Katie replied.
"Yeah sure! Thank you ha? You're so kind." The woman sheepishly uttered. Katie nodded her head and lead her to Carlo's office. Hindi na kumatok si Katie sa pinto at pinihit ang siradora tsaka pinatiuna ang bisita.
"Wala pa pala rito si Dr. Benitez. Have a seat! You want something? Coffee? Tea?" She asked. The woman took the seat and smiled.
"No thanks. Thank you." She replied. Katie nods again. Ipinatong nya ang mga dalang folders sa table ni Carlos at inayos ang mga nagkalat ng mga papeles.
"You must be Carlo's secretary." The woman uttered. Katie looked at her and flashed a smile. She then saw how the woman crossed her legs and looked around.
"To be honest. Ngayon lang ako naka-pasok dito. Ang totoo nga nyan, hindi alam ni Carlos na pupunta ako. Pano ba naman kasi hindi nya sinasagot ang mga tawag ko. Ewan ko ba dyan sa lalaking 'yan. Napaka-workaholic." The woman said that made Katie raised an eyebrow.
"Anyway. Kanina pa tayo nag-uusap pero hindi pa ako nagpapa-kilala. My name is – Teresse! Carlo's lover. And you are?" Teresse introduced herself, Katie chewed her bottom lip and composed herself and faced Teresse with a smile.
"Katie Enriquez– Carlo's ––––" She paused and looked at Teresse from head to toe, then smiled.
"Head of Admin dito." She said and smiled again. Teresse nods and smiles back.
"Let's just wait for Dr. Benitez here. Any moment, nandito na rin naman 'yon. Baka nagra-rounds pa." She told Teresse.
"No problem." Teresse replied.
'Lover pala ha. Humanda ka sakin mamaya, Carlos.' Katie said at the back of her mind.
"Wala bang secretary si Carlos? Pwede mo namang ipagawa 'yan sa kanya, right? For sure, wala sa job description mo ang mag-ayos ng mga kalat dito sa opisina ng boss nyo." Teresse uttered. Katie eyed her.
'You're right! Wala sa job description ko as Head of Admin pero nasa job description ko as his wife. HIS WIFE!' She uttered at the back of her mind again, she faked a smiles.
"It's okay. I love doing this kind of stuff in here. And there's no big deal, I'm pretty sure na okay lang kay Dr. Benitez na gawin ko 'to. In fact, sanay na ako na ginagawa 'to." She replied. Pinipigilan ang sarili na hindi mairapan ang babae.

Meanwhile, the door swung open revealing her husband on his Doctor's coat. Nakita agad sya ni Carlos at ngumiti.
"You're here –"
"Hi, sweetheart!" Teresse immediately rose to her feet and welcomed Carlos with a hug that made Katie feels the heat on her face. Pakiramdam nya ay pulang-pula na ang mga pisngi dahil sa nakita. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ni Carlos dahil sa bilis ng pangyayari.
"I've been calling you pero hindi ka sumasagot. I've miss you!" Teresse said and kissed Carlos at the side of his lips that made Katie squints her eyes and glared Carlos. Titig na may pagbabanta. He cleared his throat and looked at his visitor.
"Ahm – Teresse, sandali. Anong ginagawa mo dito? At anong – anong ibig sabihin nito?" He asked, stuttering because of his wife's presence inside of the four corners of these room. Teresse chuckled.
"Ano ka ba?! Stop playing games with me ha. Hindi mo ba ako na-miss?" Teresse asked, sounds flirting with him. Carlos took a deep breath and stepped away from her.
"I'm sorry pero hindi kita maintindihan. At pwede ba? Have some respect for my wife here." He said that made Teresse's eyes went bigger. Shocked of what he just told her.
"W-wife?" She asked and looked at Katie, then to Carlos.
"My wife. Yes." Carlos said again. Katie smirked, she smiles and went closer to Carlos. It's her time to shine! She clutch Carlo's coat and kisses his lips right in front of Teresse. She even bite his lower lip to make it open. A kiss that last for minutes. Katie sarcastically smiles as she faced Teresse when she ended the kiss that made Carlos froze. She even snaked her arm on Carlo's waist. The design is very DO-NOT-MESSED-WITH-THE-WIFE because she can put you to the place where you should be.
"Hi, Teresse! It's so nice to meet you. Again, I ay Mrs. Katie Enriquez-Benitez. Carlo's WIFE." She said and even emphasized the word wife. Teresse gulped, she felt insulted and profanity, embarrassed. But she has nothing to blame, she put herself on that situation in the first place. Dumating sya don nang walang pasabi at walang alam sa lahat to the point na asawa mismo ng hinahanap ang nakaharap. She gulped again and force herself to smile, hiyang-hiya sa sarili dahil sa mga nasabi kay Katie.
"I– I am so sorry, Mrs. Benitez. I didn't mean to – to offend you earlier. I mean, I was – I was just joking about Dr. Carlos and I. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Oh my gosh, me and my filthy mouth." Teresse shutters. Katie smiled and nod.
"Don't worry, Teresse. No big deal. May tiwala naman ako sa ASAWA ko at alam ko naman na hindi sya papatol sa –" She paused and looked at Teresse from head to toe again.
"Sa ibang babae. Right, Love?" She added and faced her kinakabahang asawa. Carlos nods.
"Pero mag-uusap tayo mamaya." She whispered, enough for the two of them to hear.
"So, I'll go ahead. Baka may importante pa kayong pag-uusapan." Katie smiled and gave Carlos another kiss on his lips.
"Bye, Love. Bye, Teresse!" She mockingly bade goodbye to Teresse. She gave her husband a very quick glance as she walks out of his office.