The Possessive Protector

Engagement

Hi Loves! Been attending and solving some probs so now lang nakapag-post. Sa mga palihim na nagbabasa nito, sorry to keep you waiting... Keep reading... Thanks!

Note: Why Luke Grimes? a.k.a. Elliot in 50 Shades? 'Di ko rin alam. Lakas lang ng dating sa'ken eh.. hehehe!

NATALIE

"Oh, Eduardo! Kumpadre, kamusta?" A man in his three piece suits and almost of my father's age, greeted us with his all out smile while we enters a fine dining resto.

My parents told me to dress accordingly for this dinner after a tiring day in the office.

Nakipagkamay naman si Papa. "Enrico, my best friend! Long time no see!" Bati naman ni Papa and I can say, he's happy seeing an old friend at niyakap pa ito.

"Of course. Of course. Oh, Emily! You still look as young as the last time we bond then." Biro pa nya kay Mama na nakipagbeso-beso sa kanya.

"Palabiro ka pa rin Enrico just like then." At hinampas ito ng mahina ni Mama sa braso.

"And who is this young beautiful lady beside you?" He said looking at me with a smile too.

"This is Natalie. Our daughter." Mama said with her proud voice. Ganyan naman talaga sya sa'kin. Laging proud. Sya lang kasi at si Yaya yung nakaka-appreciate sa'kin.

Oh, here I am again, bitter. I better stop.

"Hello Tito." I shyly say at nakipagbeso-beso din sa kanya.

"Oh, ikaw na pala yung batang maliit na nakita ko years then bago kami magpunta ng U.S." And he looks at me from head to toe. Hindi naman nakaka-intimidate. Nakakahiya lang na tignan ng ganun ng isang parang tatay ko na. Maybe because I haven't seen that kind of look from my own father. Na parang masaya sya na nakita ako. Hindi yung parang ayaw akong makita sa araw-araw.

"Ehem!" It's Papa. I know he doesn't like people being proud of me. "Where is Amanda? And your sons?" Instead of him be a proud father for me, he asks that na lang. Sanay na ko. Wala ng bago dun.

"Ah, nasa ladies room. And my son is about to come. Kakatawag ko lang sa kanya. Malapit na daw sya. You know, workaholic. And the other one? Same as his brother, busy. That's why he can't come. Let's seat down." At iminuwestra pa nya na umupo na kami. Papa is being gentleman to Mama na inihigit pa yung upuan para sa kanya at pinaupo sya ng maayos bago umupo sa pwesto nya na katabi ng upuan ni Tito and because I know no one will do that for me in this dinner kaya magkukusa na sana ko but Tito Enrico did. Kaya naman I said my thanks to him and I can't help not to imagine that Papa is the one who's doing that for me. Oh, how I long for a father's love and care.

Hay, ito na naman ako. Bago pa ko tuluyang lamunin ng bitterness ko, I focus in looking at the menu para maka-order na. At hindi nga nagtagal dumating na yung wife ni Tito na si Tita Amanda. I don't know why but I know I saw her already. Yung mukha nya, yung mga mata nya. I know for sure nakita ko na yun. I'm kust not sure when and where and how. I just ignore the thought.

"Emily?" She exclaimed my mother's name excitedly at napatayo naman si Mama at napayakap sa tumawag sa kanya na asawa ni Tito Enrico.

"Oh Amanda! My good friend! I miss you so. It's been so long!"Ganting bati naman ni Mama na teary-eyed pa.

"I miss you too Emily. I'm so sorry we were not here when you need us. When you lost..." At napatigil sya nang makita ako. "Oh, I'm so sorry. This is not the right time for bad memories. Sorry." Hinging paumanhin nya at pasimple ding pinahid pa yung luha nya sa mata. Well, I guess... They are really good friends since their childhood times.

I know she didn't mean anything but when she says bad memories na nakatingin sya sa'kin, I can't help but feel guilty again. I want earth to eat me at this very moment. Kung sana lang Ate is here with me or... with them. Eh di sana, buong-buo yung kaligayahan nilang lahat. Hindi ganitong...

"So, ito na ba si Natalie?" At biglang lumapit sa'kin si Tita Amanda and automatically I stand up para harapin sya ng maayos. I kiss her both cheeks at nagulat ako ng niyakap nya ko bigla.

"Oh my God! I didn't expect na lalaki ka pa ng ganito! I thought... I thought..." She said in teary-eyed again.

"Ehem! Sweetheart, why don't we seat first? Baka masyado tayong matagalan sa pagtayo, mangalay pa yang si Natalie at magkaiyakan pa kayo. This is supposed to be a happy dinner for all of us, remember?" Tito Enrico suggested habang si Daddy ay nakamasid lang sa'min.

Inalalayan naman muna kong maupo ni Tita Amanda at niyakap pa ko ulit from my back and kiss the top of my hair at hinaplos yung mukha ko. And before sya umupo nagngitian naman sila ni Mommy at nakipagbeso kay Daddy.

I don't know but I guess Mom is hiding something from me, na sila ni Tita Amanda lang ang nakakaalam because of the way they look at me and then look at each other's eyes.

Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay dumating na yung mga orders ni Tito Eduardo. Sya na pala ang kusang umorder nung dumating si Tita at nagbabatian kaming tatlo ni Mommy. Okay naman yung inorder nya, lahat I guess masasarap.

"Natalie, kain lang ng kain ha." Untag ni Tita Amanda sa'kin habang nananahimik ako dito sa upuan ko at kumakain lang. "Wag kang mahiya." And I nod to her with my sweet smile. "I'm so sorry kung halos wala kang kakwentuhan dahil kami-kami lang ang nag-uusap. You know, we miss each other so much." At pinisil pa yung kamay kong nakapatong sa lamesa.

"It's okay Tita. No worries." I said and give her a smile again.

"That's the sweetest smile I ever seen." It's someone na papalapit sa'min na nakita kong nakatitig sa'kin. Hindi ko naman maialis yung mga tingin ko sa mga mata nya. I know that eyes. I really saw him then just like Tita Amanda. I just can't remember when and where. Parang kapag inisip ko pa para lang alalahanin kung saan ko sila nakita at nakilala, it will just give me headaches. Kaya I just erase the thought again.

"Oh, Hijo. Come." It's Tito Enrico na binati ng lalaki.

"Dad." Niyakap nya ito at humalik naman sa forehead ni Tita Amanda. "Mom."

"Honey, this is your Tito Eduardo and Tita Amanda. Remember them?" Pakilala ni Tita sa anak nya sa parents ko. Tumayo naman sila Mom and Dad at nakipagbatian sa bagong dating. "And that is Natalie, their heiress." At turo nya sa'kin. "Natalie, this is my son, Neil." Pakilala nya sa anak nila. Inilahad ko ang aking kamay at nagulat ako ng halikan nya ito. It isn't creepy as it feels, it's just that I feel uncomfortable.

"Good evening Natalie. Neil Jefferson Saavedra at your service." And he smiles at me at lumabas yung dimples nya sa magkabilang pisngi. Well, bumagay naman sa kanya yun at nakadagdag pa sa itsura nya.

Neil is tall. Malaki ang katawan and I bet he has 6-pack abs under his three pice suit. Maganda ang tindig. Lalaking-lalaki. Kaya hindi na nakakapagtaka kung halos lahat ng dalagang nandito kagaya ko e, nakatingin sa kanya. He has this aura na palangiti pero mukhang playboy. Cassanova type of guy. Thick eyebrow na bumagay sa mga mata nyang may mahahabang pilik-mata. Matangos na ilong. Perfectly shape na panga. And those lips, well, kissable. But the thing is, walang spark.

"Let's seat down." Basag ni Daddy sa'ming lahat.

As we all sat down, nagkamustahan muna sila at panaka-naka akong sumasagot kung tatanungin man nila 'ko. Until we're having dessert and coffee, Dad speaks. "So, pag-usapan na natin ang kasal?"

Bigla akong napatingin kay Daddy ng di oras at bigla akong kinabahan. "A-anong kasal Dad?" I asks fearfully.

"Well, kasal nyo ni Neil, Natalie." Tito Enrico answers me.

"What?!"I burst out.