Conveniently Married

Chapter 4

Di mapakali si Camille. She promised her Kuya Jonathan that she'll do anything to convince Patrick to marry her. Ayaw niya rin naming maging sagabal sa love story ng kinikilalang kapatid. She owes him that much. Pero sa naging pagkikita nila ni Patrick, ginalit niya to. Ngayon, wala na siyang mukhang ihaharap sa binata. How could she? When she all but accused him of having no balls to fight for his feelings for her? Ang mahirap, iba ang pag-intindi nito. Inakala nitong bibigyan sana niya ng pag-asa ito dati kung sinabi niyang anak siya ng mayor.

Di niya sinasagot ang tawag ni Jonathan. Gagawan niya ng paraan. Right. She's going to his office. Kahit mahirap, magpapakumbaba siya. Alas nuwebe na. He's probably in his office right? Alam ni Camille saan ang opisina nito. It's on one of the highest buildings in the city.

Agad siyang nagbihis at pumara ng taxi sa baba ng condo niya. Alam niyang baka hindi maganda ang pagtanggap sa kanya ni Patrick. Maaaring mainis lang ito pagmalamang sinundan niya ito sa pinagtatrabahuan nito. But she has no other choice. There was no way in hell she was marrying Jonathan.

Pagkarating niya sa opisina nito. Agad niyang tinanong sa receptionist kung nandoon pa si Engr. Patrick Ocampo. Magalang naman nitong kinumpirma na nandun nga si Patrick. "Pwede ba siyang pakitawag? Tell him it's his fiancé and it's an emergency."

Napanganga ang receptionist sa sinabi niya. Yung dumadaan na iilang empleyado ay halatang natigilan. May narinig pa siyang bumulong ng "What the fuck? Magpapakasal na si Sir?" gusto niyang matawa sa narinig. Was her high school best that much of a heartthrob in his office na maghihinayang ang mga empleyado kung sakaling matatali na ito? Tumingin siya ulit sa receptionist na tila bumalik na sa katinuan. Ngumiti ito ng bahagya. "Sandali lang po ma'am. Maupo muna kayo saglit. Palabas na raw si Sir."

Naupo si Camille sa waiting area para sa mga bisita. Di naman kalakihan ang opisina. It probably only held offices for the engineers and the management. Nakita niyang papalabas si Patrick. He was wearing slacks ang shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "We need to talk." Halata sa boses nito na di ito natutuwa.

Ngumiti si Camille na tila nan-aasar. "Why else would I be here?" hinila siya ni Patrick palabas at papuntang elevator. Pinindot nito ang ground floor na butoon. Nang makalabas sila, patuloy siya nitong hinila papunta sa coffee shop sa kabilang building.

Nang makaupo sila, agad itong tumayo ulit para bumili ng kape nila. Habang naghihintay sa inorder nila, di na ito nakapagpigil. "What the hell do you think you were doing when you announced in my office that you are my fiancé? Paglabas ko, ang tanging narinig ko mula sa iba ay congratulations. Nababaliw ka nab a?"

"Hindi ako nababaliw Patrick. And what I said was true. I am your fiancé. Whether you like or not, magpapakasal tayo. Maawa ka naman sa kapatid mo. May mahal na siyang iba. Hindi siya pwedeng ikasal sa akin." Diretsong sinalubong ni Camille ang titig ni Patrick. Kahit na mahirap dahil sa nag-aalab na galit sa mga mata nito.

Hinatid sa kanila ang order nila. Hinintay muna ni Patrick na makaalis ang waitress bago magsalita ulit. Mabuti na lang at kaunti lang ang tao ngayon. "How many times do I have to remind all if you? I don't owe anyone anything. Not even my mercy or my cooperation. Gusto mong maawa ako sa kanya Camille. Paano ko magagawa yun? I barely even know the guy. And the inheritance you're trying to bribe me with? It won't do. Hindi sa nagmamayabang, pero mayaman na ako. Malaki na rin sweldo ko dito. Dagdag sakit sa ulo ko lang yang sinasabi niyong mana ko kung magpapakasal ako sayo."

"Please Pat. May mahal na siyang iba. Grabe na pinagsamahan at pinagdaanan nila para bbumitaw si Kuya. I'll do anything you want, just marry me. Ayaw kong masira sina Kuya Jonathan at Ate Clarisse nang dahil sa akin." The way Patrick was staring at her was making her feel uncomfortable. He looked as if he didn't know whether to laugh or what.

"Mahal nilang isa't isa? My God Camille! You still believe in that crap? Like fairytale endings and forever? Sabihin mo nga sa akin, nasaan na si, anong ngang pangalan niya? Joshua? Ba't di ang pagmamahalan niyo ang ipaglaban mo? Ba't yung sa ibang tao pa?" tila parang nanumbalik ang dating Patrick na kilala niya na nang-aasar. Pero iba na ang pang-aasar na to ngayon. Tila gusto siya nitong saktan. Natawa si Patrick pero alam niyang di ito dahil sa natutuwa ito. "You said back then that Joshua was the man you were going to marry someday. We were still kids back then Camille but that didn't stop you from proclaiming that he's the love of your life. Anong nangyari? Ba't ako tong inaabala mo ngayon para pakasalan ka?"

It was a surprise to her that he'd bring up Joshua. What surprise her more was that she didn't feel pain anymore. She chose to end her relationship with Joshua when he said he wouldn't be coming back after college graduation. Paghihintayin na naman siya nito dahil may inaayos pa raw to na problema sa America. It was her choice not to prolong her agony. Tumitig siya kay Patrick. "I broke things off with him when he asked me to wait another five years. That was around three years ago. Sabihin nating napagod ako sa paghihintay."

"You loved him Camille," he said in a mocking tone, intended to hurt her. "What's another five years of waiting?"

"Look, I'm not here to talk about him. I meant what I said Patrick. I'll do anything for you to marry me." His stare was softening already and Camille saw that as a good thing. Lumalambot na talaga to.

"Give me a good reason Camille. Coz I swear, the price you'll have to pay is something I doubt you can give." Napawi ang kanina'y paniniwala niyang lumambot na ito. Ibang iba na ito sa Patrick na nakilala niya. Sa Patrick na huli na ng maamin niya sa sarili niya na mahal pala niya.

Uminom siya saglit sa kape niya at nag-iwas ng tingin. Unti-unti niyang kinokonsidera na baka nabigo siya. "You might not believe in love Patrick but I do. Swerte lang ang mga taong natatagpuan yun. Kuya Jonathan and Ate Clarisse have it. And I am not taking it away from them."

"That's a pretty good argument Camille. Pero sabihin mo sa akin, sigurado ka bang mapapanindigan mo ang sinabing mong gagawin mo ang kahit ano makasal lang tayo?" napatango siya na parangg nahipnotismo sa titig ni Patrick. "Fine. I'll marry you under certain conditions. One, is than we live here in the city. Nandito ang trabaho ko. No way I'm giving it up. Wala akong pakialam saan tayo ikakasal. Two, if Mr. Alcantara does give me some of his properties, ikaw mamahala nun. I don't want anything that is his. And three, you would never nag or question me on what I do. Wala tayong pakialamanan. If I get home late, if I go somewhere, if by some misfortune I become unfaithful. Because let's face it, I am a man. Normal na yun sa amin."

For some unknown reason, gustong umangal ni Camille sa huling kondisyon. Pero hindi niya magawa. She'll just have to give him a reason to go home early, to take her anywhere he goes and to stay faithful to her. "Am I expected to sleep with you and give you children?"

Totoong nabigla si Patrick sa tanong. "That... remains to be seen. I'm not ruling out the possibility. Wag kang mag-alala. You are under no obligation to provide me heirs." She has to admit. Nasaktan siya. If she was going to be honest with herself, she'll admit that she's still in love with him. For so long she made herself believe she was in love with another person when all along, she was in love with Patrick. And when she realized that, it was too late. Now she has the chance to make things right, halos sabihin nito sa kanya na ayaw nitong siya ang maging ina ng mga anak niya. Just when she came to realize that there was nothing she wanted more.