THE MONTECRISTO (ON GOING)

KABANATA 22

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I breathe in and out before looking straight on my laptop, oh, please, good God of this planet and galaxy, please let me pass the BAR examination for the woman of my life.

"Sigurado naman akong nariyan sa listahan ang pangalan mo, Mahal" my wife, Ayi, cheered me up, "Kung wala, may susunod na taon pa naman!"

Tumango ako rito. No, I'm sure I'm here, nararamdaman ko, eh! Tangina kasing Ace 'to, imbis na review ang ginawa namin bago mag exam, nag aya manood ng cine, eh, ang ganda pala ng showing, sumama naman ako. Pero siya ang may kasalanan!

"Rank 100 pa lang 'yan, Mahal. 147 ang passers, don't worry..." Mahina niyang sabi habang ini-scroll pababa ang file na pinost ng school. Nagulat ako at halos mayugyog ang ulo nang bigla niya 'kong sabunutan at paluin sa braso, "Mahal! Look! 118! 118, Mahal!" She yelled excitingly, "Mahal ko! Abogado na ang mahal ko!"

Nang tignan ko ang laptop at ang daliri niya kung saan nakaturo ay halos mapa sigaw din ako.

118. Chad Anderson H. Montecristo

I hugged my wife tightly as I saw my name spelled well in the file. Something big will come months from now. The enemies must hide themselves goodly because as they can still see, my surname is still Montecristo, and surely, I will hunt and give them to the court. Maipag-lalaban ko na ang kaso ng mahal ko, I will finally have the power to execute those people who made her suffer, also justice for Uncle Castien.

"Mahal ko... Abogado na ang mahal ko" Her voice cracked, "Napaka-saya ko para sa 'yo! Sobrang saya ko para sa 'yo, mahal ko! Nakakatuwa!" Humalik ito ng paulit-ulit sa pisngi ko, "Ang asawa ko, abogado na!"

I smiled widely. "Finally, my love, finally!" I kissed her forehead, "This is for you, my wife, para sa 'yo ang lahat ng 'to..." I whispered before kissing again repeatedly her hair, "Ang saya ko, ang saya saya ko"

Truth is, I'm scared. Tama si Basti, once you passed the BAR, your life will shorten somehow. Pero, bahala na. As long as my wife is here beside me, I'll keep breathing.

"You're worried, Mahal?" Tanong nito, "You want me to erase that worries?" She smiled teasingly, "You passed the BAR, we're married, I'm an engineer already tapos... ang dami na nating bahay" she chuckled, remembering all her projects that we own, "Kaya pala ubos ang pera mo noon, ikaw pala ang nagpa pasahod sa 'kin, nakakainis ka!"

"You can't blame me, my love." I kissed the tip of her nose, "I really love looking at you while working hard, I love to see you wearing your favorite black shirt and pants. Damn, woman, you're driving me crazy every time you look at me."

She smirked, "Hoy," pabiro ako nitong pinalo, "Ikaw, binobola mo 'ko, ha! Tell me what you want, luto, order, or whatever, my treat."

"I just want to sit here and cuddle with you" I pouted, "At mang lilibre ka pa talaga, ha? Nakapag padala ka na kila Mama at Papa mo?" She nodded, "Good, I want glazed chicken, my wife..." Natawa ako nang agad siyang tumayo at kunin ang cellphone niya, she clicked something then showed me mobile receipt, "Wow, that fast?"

Proudly, she nodded. "Of course, my love! Sa buong mga taon tayong nag sasama, ngayon ka lang humiling sa 'kin, so why not giving it to you that fast, right?" Humalik ito sa pisngi ko, "Aside from that, may new project ako, 'di siya bahay, I think company business 'yon, so... 'yon, I have money."

"Head ka?!" Excited kong tanong dito, "Head ka, 'no? Ikaw pa ba?" Tumango ang asawa ko, "Wow! Big opportunity for my love! I am proud of you!"

"I am proud of us" she smiled, "Two college student who fell in love with each other in a not so very young age, now achieving their dreams together. I'm the happiest" the woman of my life giggled, "Akala ko, months lang ang itatagal natin, e! Sobrang natakot ako no'n."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Akala ba niya, iiwan ko talaga siya nang ganoon ganoon lang? She's the first woman I loved romantically in my own entire life! She made me know what is the feeling of being happy because of love, she made me realize things, she made me addicted to her. Ang pagmamahal ko sa babaeng 'to ay sobra pa sa kung gaano ko ka-mahal ang sarili ko. She... she became my everything.

"May nabasa akong joke sa google, Chad. Gusto mo marinig?" Bumungisngis ito nang tumango ako, "Sige. Ano ang tawag sa belt na gawa sa orasan?"

"Ano?"

"Waist of time" she laughed hard. Tumawa na lang din ako dahil baka pag awayan pa namin kapag hindi ako tumawa, "Nice joke 'di ba, I should send this to Ate Jasmin and friends too!"

Napa kamot ako sa ulo nang sabihin niya 'yon. "Oo, sure ako matatawa sila" I chuckled softly. I smiled before looking directly at her eyes, softly, I leaned forward to give her a kiss. A supposedly soft kiss became deep and passionate. Sabay kaming napatawa nang matapos 'yon, "That's new,"

"That is..." Her face reddened that make her face looks much cuter, "Mahal, n- nagulat ako ro'n" lalong namula ito habang naka hawak sa labi niya, "S- sorry... hindi pa yata ako r- ready for more..."

Natawa naman ako rito. As if I'm asking for more. Her kisses are over, sobra sobra na 'yon, hindi ko na kaylangan ng marami, o ng higit pa ro'n. Tsaka na, kapag handa na siya, at kapag handa na rin ako.

"It's okay. Don't apologize for things like that, ikaw na nga ang nagsabi no'n, 'di ba? That's your body, your choice is your choice, wala akong karapatan humindi ro'n dahil katawan mo 'yan..." I tapped her head as I stand up and placing her on our chair, "What I will only do is to agree and support you on your decisions, unless you ask me for my opinion. But still, at the end of the day, ang desisyon mo ay desisyon ko na rin." Tumango ito kaya ngumiti ako. "May nag doorbell yata, baka ito na ang order natin"

"Bakit ikaw ang kukuha, e, nasa akin ang pang bayad?" Agad nitong tutol bago tumakbo papunta sa 'kin at inunahan akong bumaba.

Ang babaeng 'to talaga. Kung hindi makulit, malikot o maingay, kung ano anong math formulas ang pinapa solve sa 'kin! Kapag naman 'di ko ma solve, tuturuan naman niya 'ko, and vice versa. If she wants to know things about Law, I'll teach her.

"Your chicken is here, Chad!" Sigaw nito kaya agad na rin akong bumaba. This will be our celebration. "Chad!" Lumapit ito sa 'kin nang makababa ako, "Naiwan ko ang wallet ko sa kwarto natin, can you get that for me please?" Nag pa-cute pa. "Please, Mahal?"

"Kaya ko bang humindi sa 'yo?" Mahina kong tanong dito bago umakyat ulit at kunin ang wallet niyang nasa tapat ng laptop kong 'di ko pala na patay. I was about to close it when a notification popped in one tab. Nang buksan ko 'yon ay agad kumulo ang dugo ko. The person who I will send in jail first, he messaged me.

from: cassianmax_@gmail.com

saw your name on the passers. Good job, nephew, good job.

end