Masarap Ang Bawal: If Ever

Chapter 39 (After Four Years)

Chapter 39

After Four Years

"Where are you?," Cea called for the Nth time.

"I'm on my way," naiiling kong sabi habang ang aking mata ay nakatutok sa matrapik na kalsada.

"How long will it take you?," pangungulit niya.

"Ah...40 minutes...maybe," hindi ko siguradong sagot.I heard her grunt on the other line and I couldn't help but sigh. "Hon,come on,you can still talk with the wedding planner even without me," ani ko.

She's been rushing our wedding for no particular reason.At ngayon nga ay makikipagkita kami sa wedding planner na nirekomenda ng kaibigan niya.She's too eager to meet the coordinator and she's been bothering me about it for a week now.Minsan talaga mas okay kapag nasa ibang bansa na lang siya para sa mga shows niya.And for sure,kung alam niyang ganito ang naiisip ko ay magtatampo iyon.

"No! I need you to be here," she reiterated the words. "You must meet her," dagdag niya.

I'm too tired to argue.So I just agreed.

Isang oras bago ako nakarating sa condo at halos mabingi na ako sa pangungulit ni Cea.Naroon na raw ang wedding planner.

"I'm at the lobby," ani ko na nagpakalma sa kanya.

"Oh! Great.See you.I love you," I could sense her grin on the other side of the line.

"Yeah.Love you," I replied and ended the call.

Patakbo kong tinungo ang elevator nang makitang pasara na ito.Bigo akong umabot sa elevator.Lahat ng lift ay occupied at pawang pataas na.

"Hi Chef," nilingon ko ang mga empleyadong bumati sa akin at nginitian sila.I have been to this place several times due to business meetings.

I'm not in the mood to smile,honestly.Kahapon lang ay nanggaling ako sa Thailand para personal na icheck iyong potential location na pagtatayuan ko ng branch ng aming restaurant.Pagkarating ko kahapon ay diretso ako sa taping ng Best of Chefs.At kanina lang ay nanggaling ako sa isang branch ng restaurant ko sa  Taguig at pagkatapos ay nag-guest sa isang morning show.

I'm so fucking tired.Plus this.Who told you to propose though?

Ewan ko ba.Maybe I was pressured.Tatlong taon na ang itinagal ng relasyon namin ni Cea.Our first meeting was kinda awkward.She was one of those girls dumped by my brother.

Minsang naabutan ko siya sa labas ng bahay at umiiyak habang nakatingala sa bintana ng kwarto namin ng kapatid ko.Nang makita niya ako ay hindi niya ako tinantanan hangga't 'di ko tinanggap iyong love letter na gusto niyang iabot sa kapatid ko.

Ang unang pagkakataon na iyon ay nasundan pa ng pangalawa hanggang sa makailang beses.She was annoying at first.Until I came to the point of pitying her at but at the same time ay humanga ako sa kanya.Sobrang tatag niya.Kung ibang babae iyon,hindi iyon mag-aaksaya ng panahong habulin ang kapatid ko.But she's not one of the rest.

"Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit habol ka ng habol sa kuya ko.Alam mo bang napakabaho ng utot n'yon.Tapos tulo laway pa kung matulog," sabi ko sa kanya nang binitbit ko siya para kumain sa isang fastfood chain.

Palabas ako ng bahay nun para puntahan ang isa sa mga barkada ko nang nasa tapat na naman siya ng bahay.Umiiyak na naman.

Napatitig ako sa kanya nang ngumiti siya.Maamo ang kanyang maliit na mukha.Mahahaba rin ang kanyang mga pilikmata na nagdala sa deepset at mala-gray niyang mata.Buhay na buhay iyon kung tititigan mo.Hindi mo lang agad mapapansin dahil una mong makikita iyong mga luha niya.Kayumanggi ang kanyang kulay at may height siya na pangmodel.Kahit yata sako ang ipasuot sa kanya ay magmumukhang maganda.Just like her Greek descent,she really looked like a Goddess of Olympus. Not that I've seen one.But she would pass as an epitome.

Mula noon ay nabaligtad ang tanong ko.Mas napapaisip ako kung ano bang problema ng kapatid ko at hindi niya makita ang ganoon kagandang babae.Not just superficial but what's within her too.

Cea and I became good friends after then.Nalaman kong bukod sa paghahabol niya sa kapatid ko ay tumutulong siya sa mga Charity works ng kanyang ina.I even came to one of the orphanages her parents have founded.

Our friendship went deeper until we realize that we treat each other more than what we thought.And we thought it's better to give it a go.Our relationship was smooth.Naging sandalan namin ang isa't isa.Naging model siya nang hikayatin kong tanggapin niya na ang mga offers ng iba't ibang modelling company sa kanya at naging Chef naman ako nang hinikayat niya akong magpatuloy na lang ng pag-aaral sa isang Culinary Academy.

Now we were both successful.She was one of the sought after models both in the country and international while I became one of the best chefs in the country not to mention most influential restarateur.

Ilan sa mga kaibigan namin ang nagsasabing huwag na raw namin pakawalan ang isa't isa.That we are good for each other.Kaya nga siguro napressure akong magpropose.Which she gladly accepted.

Despite the fame,our relationship was what we protected the most.As much as possible we would want it to be private.Nangyari naman iyon.Everything's falling into place.I thought.

Lately,Cea's stressing me out.Or should I say,testing me.Who would have thought she'll found some of my exes and was able to make transactions with them.I let the first time go.Thinking it was just coincidence.Kaso nang nagsunod-sunod na ay nagsimula na akong magtaka.Sino ba namang hindi?

The fourth time it happened,it was with Scarlette.She made Scar design my condo.We had one of our big argument that time.

My reverie went to a halt when the elevator door opened.Agad akong pumasok doon at pinindot ang floor na aking tungo.We've decided to held the meeting at Ivy's condo,Cea's friend.It could be more discreet than holding it in ours.

Pagkalabas ko ng elevator ay naiimagine ko na ang sandamukal na mukha ni Cea.Mula nang nasa lobby ako hanggang sa nakarating ako sa 18th floor ng building ay benteng text messages lang din naman ang natanggap ko mula sa kanya.All with the same content of 'san ka na.bilisan mo'.

I stood for awhile infront of Ivy's door.I checked myself.Baka kasi sa kakamadali ko ay may mali sa akin.O 'di naman kaya ay baka nakasuot pa pala ako ng apron.I mean,it happened to me before.Mahirap nang maulit.

When I'm done making sure that nothing's funny with me I decided to get in.I could hear Cea's voice talking about the wedding.

I went inside the living area and saw Ivy and Cea sitting beside each other in the long couch while the wedding planner's back was turned on me.I was hoping she's not one of my exes, knowing Cea.

Kaso habang tinitignan ko ang itim at mahaba niyang buhok ay hindi ko maiwasang kabahan lalo na nang narinig ko siyang nagsalita.

"Okay,ahm,well,siguro naman kahit sikreto 'to ay pwede ko naman yatang malaman kung sino ang groom to be,right?," her sweet familiar  voice stunned me.Cea's gazed averted on me while I'm anticipating to see the wedding planner's face.

"Oh — ayan na pala siya," Cea stated and the girl turned to me.Damn! I was surprised as she was.

I looked at her from head to toe and I could say she's change a lot.Her cute innocent face grew more beautiful with added maturity.Hindi rin nawala sa paningin ko ang bulaklakin niyang damit na hanggang bewang lang na pinaresan ng high waisted jeans.Her way of dressing changed a lot.The girl I used to know only knows how to  wear jeans and t-shirt.

But the woman standing infront of me is quite girly.Pero maganda pa rin.

"Rhum?," I whispered her name.

While shocked,she absent-mindedly picked her phone up and spoke to someone.She turned to Cea and Ivy.

"Naku! Pasensya na,may emergency.We'll talk some other time," she exclaimed and hurriedly went out without giving me any second look.

Sinundan ko na lang siya ng tingin hanggang makalabas at tuluyan na ngang nawala sa aking paningin.After a few minutes,I turned to Cea and couldn't help but be furious realizing just what happened.Kaya pala gusto niyang makita ko ang wedding planner.

"Hanggang ngayon ba naman?," I asked her.She just gave me a wicked smile.