Conveniently Married

Chapter 5

                It was the night of their engagement party. Dun pa talaga ginanap sa mansion ng ama niya. Inanunsyo na nito sa lahat na anak siya nito. The way the mayor announced it left a bitter taste in his mouth. The old man actually had the gall to tell everyone he just found him. That he had no knowledge of his bastard's existence. What a load of bullshit!

"It came as a welcome surprise to me that my father finally acknowledged me. All this time I believed my father didn't know or chose to ignore my existence. Thank you, for readily accepting me." Walang pakialam si Patrick kung halatang plastic ang sinabi at ang hilaw na ngiti niya. He raised his glass, going along with everyone's cheers.

Bumaba siya sa maliit na stage at agad siyang sinalubong ni Camille at hinalikan siya labi saglit. Si Camille ang nagsabi sa mga bisita sa naging relasyon umano nila. Na dati silang magkaibigan at nang magkita sila uli ay naging sila. Only the first was true anyway. They were friends back then. Now they were just treating each other with civility.

Isa isa siyang pinakilala ni Camille sa mga bisita. "Patrick, meet Mr. Chua, sya ang may-ari ng factory sa labas ng bayan. Siya rin ang private partner ng slaughterhouse." Nakipagkamay siya sa matandang intsik. The man seemed nice and respectable enough.

"So Patrick, what do you do? Felix seemed so proud talking about you." Di niya napigilan ang pagtaas ng kilay niya. His father? Proud of him? Oh fcking please.

Uminom muna siya sa kanyang kopita bago sumagot. "I'm a project engineer in a construction company." Tumango tango naman ang matandang intsik. "I was one of the people in charge of the latest mall in San Rafael." Napangiti ulit ang matanda.

"That building has become one of the driving forces in the province. Personal mo bang kilala ang may-ari?" tanong nito sa kanya.

Ngumisi naman si Patrick. It pays to have friends in high places. "My best friend and owner of the construction company is the nephew of the owner. I met the man a few times. Another one of those Chinese immigrants to the country that went from rags to riches. Di ko sana alam na siya ang may-ari kung di ako pinakilala ni Travis."

Ganun ang takbo ng usapan kahit kanino man siya ipakilala ni Camille. His father's associates seemed to approve of him. Sino ba naming hindi? He was a success even if he is a bastard. Nakakapagtataka lang, ni isa walang nagtanong kung sino ang nanay niya. Wala ba itong mga pakialam o may mga alam na ito?

Natapos na ang hapunan at nagpaalam siyang papasok muna saglit sa bahay. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to be able to breathe. Being with those people suffocated him. Kanina pa rin siya iniwan ni Camille. May kausap yatang bisita sa loob ng bahay. It was ironic how Camille knew more about the house than he did. He was the son of the governor and host of the party but he felt more like a guest.

Pagkapasok niya sa bahay ay agad niyang nakita si Camille na may kausap sa isang lalaki na di nalalayo sa edad nila. He seemed like a gatecrasher but he didn't dress like it.

"Putangina naman Camille! Tatlong taon lang naman hiningi ko sayo, di mo ba maibigay yun? I know you still love me. Why couldn't you have waited?" Patrick didn't like the way the man raised his voice. Nakakalimutan ba nitong di niya pamamahay to?

Napansin niyang namumuo na ang luha ni Camille sa gilid ng mga mata nito. "Josh, it isn't like that. I've waited years for you but I can't wait anymore. Besides, mahal ko si Patrick!" Really? She was pushing through with that story, even with the man she claimed she still loved?

"Mahal? Sino bang niloloko mo Camille?! I know for a fact Tito Robert arranged this farce of a marriage. Pero alam ko naming makukumbinsi mo si Tito na ikansela ito. I'm a better man than that bastard. My father is ten times wealthier than the governor!"

"Ganun ba ako kababa sa tingin mo Josh? Na pera lang ang importante sa akin? Sa amin ni Dad? Ano bang mahirap paniwalaan sa mahal ko si Patrick? He was there for me whenever I needed someone. The way you never were." Camille was very convincing with her acting. Halos mapaniwala na niya si Patrick. Di rin mapigilan ni Patrick manood. Di niya kasalanan kung nagkataasan ng boses ang dalawa. It was a scene out of a pathetic teleserye.

Napansin niyang namumula na ang mukha ng lalaking nagngangalang Joshua sa galit. His hands were also fisted at his sides. Mukhang malapit na nitong pagbuhatan ng kamay si Camille. Something he will never do or will never let happen. Not in his house, not ever.

Lumapit siya sa dalawa and pinanindigan ang pagiging fiancé sa babae. Pinaharap niya ito sa kanya at pinahiran ang luha gamit ang kamay niya. "What the hell did you do?" tanong niya kay Josh na parang di niya alam o nakita ang nangyari.

"Wala ka nang pakialam dun." Patrick didn't like his answer or his tone. Sino ba tong walanghiya na to para umakto nang ganun?

Niyakap niya si Camille at bumaon ang mukha nito sa dibdib niya. "Pinaiyak mo ang babaeng pakakasalan ko sa loob ng pamamahay ko. Paano mo nasabing wala akong pakialam?" Inalo niya si Camille at hinagod ang likod nito. "Makakaalis ka na. Bago pa kita ipakaladkad sa labas."

"Di mo mo alam sinong binangga mo. Bago ka lang dito. Don't you know that my father is the biggest contributor to your father's campaign?" nakangisi nitong tanong.

"I didn't know and I sure as hell don't care. Kung pera lang pag-uusapan, baka gusto mong alamin kung sino ang pamilya na kinalakihan ko. At kung anu ano ang mga pag-aari ko na labas sa pag-aari ng pamilya ng nanay ko. Don't make the mistake of thinking we need your father's money. We have plenty of our own. Di ko na uulitin, makakaalis ka na."

Di na nakapalag si Josh. Tumalikod ito na naglilisik ang mga mata. Pinatahan niya si Camille at pinaupo sa pinakamalapit na silya. "Yun ba Camille? Yun ba ang pinagmamalaki mo sa 'kin dati?"

Tumango ito ng dahan dahan kahit sumisinghot. "Di siya ganun dati. O baka di ko lang siya kilala. May naririnig akong usap usapan tungkol sa totoong ugali niya pero di ako naniwala. He was always nice to me. I don't know how I made the mistake of thinking I was in love with him."

"You mean you weren't in love with him?" Patrick asked incredulously. He didn't want to accept the fact he broke his 16 year old heart for nothing.

Umiling ito. "He seemed the typical prince charming. Sinabi ng lahat bagay raw kami. Gusto rin siya ni Dad para sa akin dati. Pero nagkamali ako sa kanya. He was always selfish but I didn't know to what extent. He was also a spoiled brat."

Gustong matawa ni Patrick. He broke his young heart over nothing. Mabuti na lang nakamove on na siya. He never realized how fickle the female heart is.