A Love After Marriage

Four

7 years ago...

"Good morning Ms. Cait."

Caitlin smiled and gave her father's driver a polite nod when the older man greeted her. She then turned to her father, who was already sitting inside the car and bowed respectfully at him.

"Good morning Dad."

Her Dad, Billy glanced briefly at his daughter before he looked away. "Are you going to school?"

Caitlin nodded. "Yes po Dad."

"Come in." Billy said as he turned back to the front, not taking another look at her anymore. "Malapit lang naman ang University mo, and the same way going to my office, I'll send you."

There was a moment that Caitlin couldn't react and just stood there dumbfounded. Since they moved to Manila from Cavite after her father was promoted to the position of Secretary of Construction and Transportation, this was the first time her father offered to send her to her university.

Caitlin didn't let herself to be caught in the shock for too long. With one deep intake of breath, she quickly walked to the other side of the car and climbed inside. She knows her father's personality very well. He is definitely not a patient man and it's better not to make him wait.

After the driver make sure that Caitlin was already inside the car, he start the engine and drove away. During the journey to the university, the atmosphere was very quiet and heavy. Billy took a file out from his briefcase and put all his attention reading the documents, as if there is no one in the car with him.

Caitlin looked out the window, her fingers tightly grabbing the handle of her bag as she tried very hard not to get affected by the deafening silence in the car. As she gazed mindlessly at the scenery of the unfamiliar city she had just moved to, her mind slowly drifted to the news she saw in the newspaper yesterday. The article was about an interview between a journalist and her father. Besides all those political questions and answers that she will never be able to understand, the journalist also asked about his personal life, his family.

In the public eye, Her Dad is a very lovely father who loves his only daughter very much. His wife passed away when she gave birth to their first daughter and since then, he didn't marry again and just live with his daughter for the past twenty years. Everyone praised him for his faithfulness and being a very good father. But sadly, what they see in the television, in the newspaper or in the internet... is always different from the reality. In a normal family, sending a daughter to school is just a very usual thing. But for Caitlin, it's something rarely happen and almost impossible.

It was indeed true that he is a very loyal and a very faithful husband. He loves his wife so much that after nineteen years he still couldn't forget and forgive the fact that it was Caitlin, his only daughter who caused his wife's death. Although he understands that the incident was just an uncontrollable tragedy that no one hope to happen but for him, Caitlin is still a thorn in his heart. He doesn't hate her... but he doesn't love her either.

"Kamusta ang pag-aaral mo?"

A deep voice suddenly filled the silence as it brought Caitlin instantly back to the reality and was shook off from her deep thoughts. She turned to her father and stared at him, not sure whether it was really him asking her a question or it's just a hallucination.

"Kaya mo bang makipagsabayan dito?" Billy asked again and this time his voice is louder than before.

Caitlin raised her eyebrows, unable to believe that her father is taking the initiative to talk to her. Is he... starting to care for her? Or... he has always cared for her and just doesn't show it out?