The Irony

Chapter 11

Maine made a phone call to the guard house just before they left Manila so RJ had no problem getting through the gate. Your destination is on your right. He heard the sound from his phone and parked the car in front of a wide, 10 feet-high black iron gate showing a circular marble stone driveway, wrapped around a fountain, that leads to a cream-coloured Mediterranean house; or a mansion, rather. 

"Maine?" He softly touched her arm to wake her up. "Love?" He couldn't help but smile as he said their term of endearment for each other. 

Maine lifted her head up and looked at him before looking outside. "Dito na pala tayo? Sorry ha, natulugan na naman kita." 

RJ just smiled at her and softly caressed her face with his hand. "I love you." 

Maine held his other hand and smiled at him. "I love you too, RJ." She turned her head to kiss RJ's hand before continuing, "My love." 

"Baba na tayo kasi baka hindi ako makapagpigil, iuwi na kita agad sa Manila." 

"Talaga ba?" Maine teased. 

Maine called their house and one of their helpers rushed out to open the gate for them, making their way through the long driveway.

"Hi Maine, ako na bahala sa mga gamit mo. Pasok na kayo." 

"Hi Kuya Jeric. Ok lang kuya kasi backpack lang naman dala ko ngayon. Kuya, si RJ pala, boyfriend ko." Maine held his hand and proudly introduced him to Jeric, a man in his fifties who has been with the Mendoza's for over 20 years. 

"Good evening, Sir RJ. Alagaan mo si Maine ha, para ko na ring anak yan." Jeric said to RJ. 

"Makakaasa po kayo, kuya Jeric. Aalagaan ko po ng mabuti si Maine." RJ kissed the top of her head and smiled. 

"Sige kuya, pasok na kami. Baka hinihintay na kami nila Tatay." Maine took RJ's hand and walked with him towards the house. "RJ, wag ka papasindak sa kanila ha." 

"Bakit naman ako masisindak? Ipapakita ko sa kanila na malinis intention ko sa kanilang prinsesa at na mapagkatiwalaan nila ako." RJ gave her a reassuring smile and he lifted their intertwined fingers to kiss her hand, making her smile some more. 

"Ayee! Kinikilig ka noh?" RJ teased. 

"Hindi ah!" She said, sounding defensive. "Very light lang." She giggled, making RJ smile even more. 

"Mas lalo ako." He replied with a giggle, making his dimple deepen even more and his eyes becoming chinky all of a sudden.

As they walked in through the double doors, Teddy came out of a room that seemed like an office to RJ to welcome the two. 

"Good evening, Sir." RJ greeted.

"Tay." Maine walked over to her father and gave him a hug. "Si Nanay po?" 

"Hello, anak." Teddy said, hugging her back. Good evening din sayo, hijo. Salamat sa pagdrive kay Maine dito ha. Upo muna kayo, nasa kusina lang Nanay mo." 

"Anak," Mary Ann said as she emerged from the kitchen, walking over to her daughter to hug her. "Hijo, salamat ha. Napadrive ka pa ng late." 

"Nay, Tay, si RJ nga po pala." 

"Nagkakilala na kami sa restaurant nung birthday ng tatay mo anak."

"Opo, pero dati pa po kasi yun." Maine looked at RJ and smiled at him before facing her parents again. "Nay, Tay, si RJ po, boyfriend ko." 

"Ma'am, Sir, makakaasa po kayo na gagawin ko lahat ng makakaya ko para mapasaya si Maine, para hindi mawala yung mga ngiti nya. Ginagalang ko po kayo bilang mga magulang nya at gusto ko po ipaalam sa inyo na minamahal ko po sya ng buong buo." 

"Rehearsed?" Teddy said, making RJ stiffen. "Biro lang."

"Teddy." She shot her husband a look. "RJ, hijo, aasahan namin yan sayo. Alam naming hindi basta basta nagtitiwala si Maine, and for her to trust and love you back, alam kong mabuti kang bata." 

"Thank you po, Ma'am." RJ smiled at Mary Ann.

"Call me Tita, RJ." 

With glee on his face, RJ replied, "Thank you po, Tita." 

"RJ, halika, sama ka sakin. Usap tayo." Teddy said, leading the way to his office. 

Maine looked at RJ with a worried look but RJ gave her a thumbs up as he trailed behind Teddy, as if saying he just needs to be himself and be honest with her father.  Mary Ann held Maine's arm and sat her daughter down on the couch. "He's a good man, anak, he'll be ok." She said with confidence, making Maine relax a little bit. 

After what seemed like forever to Maine, RJ and Teddy came out of the office. "Thank you, Tito." She heard RJ say. Her parents talked with the two for a few more minutes before saying goodbye to RJ since he still has a bit of a drive to make to get home. Maine walked him out to his car, walking hand in hand with him. 

"Hindi ko na tatanongin ano napagusapan nyo ni Tatay, I'm just glad you didn't come running out of his office like a boy getting chased by some sort of a wild animal." 

"Ikaw talaga, wala ka bang tiwala sa powers ko?" 

"Hindi naman, I just know him as a strict father who seem to scare off a lot of the manliligaws na dumadalaw dito sa bahay, saming mga dalaga nya." 

"Biro lang, alam ko naman yun ibig mong sabihin eh." RJ smiled at Maine. "Naiintindihan ko naman sya kasi tatay mo sya, bunsong babae ka pa, at alagang alaga ka pa nila. Kahit naman ako aalagaan din kita ng todo eh." 

Maine took a deep breath and smiled at him as he leaned against his car. "Hay, what did I do to deserve you?" 

"I should be the one asking you that. Di ko alam kung ano nagawa ko pero kung ano man yun, mabuti na lang! Kasi binigay ka sakin ng Diyos." RJ held both of her hands, bringing them to his lips and planting soft kisses on each of them. "Ang swerte swerte ko. Nakilala ko ang isang katulad mo, napakabait na at thoughtful, napakaganda pa. Hay, love, I love you." Looking straight in her eyes, he saw tears building up in Maine's eyes. 

"Oh, love, bakit ka umiiyak?" He asked with a concerned look on his face. 

"Sobrang happy ko lang, love. You have no idea how happy I am when I'm with you. I love you too." Maine said, smiling at him and wiping her tears with her hand. 

"You make me very happy too." He replied. "Pasok ka na, love, para makapag pahinga ka na. Pagod na pagod ka na o, pero kahit pagod na, ganda ganda mo pa rin." 

"Nambobola ka na naman eh. Wag ka nga, baka maniwala ako." 

"Edi maniwala ka, totoo naman eh." 

They gave each other a tight hug before RJ kissed Maine's forehead. "Good night, love. Rest well. I love you." 

"I love you too, love. Good night. Text me ok? Please drive safely." 

"I will, papakasalan pa kita!" RJ said as he opened the car door. 

"Aasahan ko yan," was her sweet reply as they wave goodbye to each other. 

Maine watched RJ drive off, taking a deep breath before heading inside. She knew relationships aren't always about hugs and kisses and I love yous; she knew it wasn't going to be an easy journey with countless uncertainties; but also knew that she will never love anyone else as much as she loves RJ, and that she's sure of. 

Whatever struggles and obstacles may come their way, all she could hope for was that they make it through together, hand in hand.