"Your firm here in Makati is your largest branch, right?" She asked when we were settled in the car.
"Yes. But our firm in Laguna is the main branch." Sagot ko.
Tumango siya.
"This will be my first time going to your firm." Gio excitedly said.
I smiled. I maneuvered the car out of the parking lot.
"I'm sorry I don't have time to take you there. But you can go there whenever you want even without me."
Umiling siya at ngumiti.
"No need to be sorry. Nahihiya rin ako pumunta roon since wala rin naman kayo doon. W-Wala akong kilala." aniya sa maliit na boses.
Nang natraffic kami ay tinuon ko ang pansin ko sa kanya. Tinitigan n'ya rin ako at namula ang pisngi.
I found myself dialing my secretary's phone number in my phone that's connected in the stereo. It only rang once before she answered.
"Good morning, Engineer. What can I do for you?"
Naging berde ang traffic light kaya muli kong pinaandar ang aking sasakyan.
"Good morning, Gracia. My arrival includes my wife and I want everyone to know that."
"Okay, Engineer. The board is already in the conference room. Should I include them?"
"No need. Gio will be in the meeting too."
"Noted. Anything Mrs. Ordoveza wants during the meeting, Engineer?"
Tinignan ko si Gio kaya napataas ang dalawang kilay n'ya sa gulat.
"A-Anything you offer, Miss." Sagot nya.
"Alright, Ma'am."
"Thank you." She said.
"You're welcome, Ma'am."
"Thank you, Gracia. We are on our way." Huling sabi ko saka ko pinatay ang tawag.
Mabilis kong tinignan si Gio na nakauwang ang bibig, tila namamangha at muli kong tinignan ang daan. Ngumisi ako.
"Now you don't have to feel that way. You can go there whenever you want, with or without me. I'll send you Gracia's number so she can inform you about my schedule, but of course, you can ask me directly."
"I-I don't know what to say," she chuckled. "That's not necessary but... well..."
I chuckled too.
"You're my wife. It is necessary."
Hindi siya kaagad nakasagot kaya mabilisan kong muli siyang tinignan. She didn't react. Not that she has to. It's just that... for three months, we did not talk about us, about this marriage. And by calling her my wife, it might trigger that topic but she did not react.
Natahimik kami.
Maski noong nakarating kami sa building ay nanatiling gano'n.
Pwera nga lang noong bago kami bumaba, hinawakan ni Gio ang palapulsuhan ko kaya natigil ako sa pagbaba.
Muli kong sinara ang pinto sa side ko at saka ko siya hinarap.
"What is it, Gio?" I asked her.
Nakita ko ang kanyang paglunok na tila nahihirapan siya sa kung anong sasabihin nya. But then, she began to speak.
"It's... it's been three months since we got married, Colin. And I know we just did that for the sake of our companies. You got busy and I got busy so we didn't have much time to interact in those months,"
Umiwas siya ng tingin at muling nagsalita.
"I just want you to know that you have your own freedom. Everything you will do, everything you have to decide, it's your choice. At hindi ako mangengealam,"
BINABASA MO ANG
The Girl I Married
Romansa"The moment I knew I will be married to her, I really didn't care at all. I just accepted my parents' plans for the benefit of what it may gave us. For the business's sake. But the day came when she caught my attention, unintentionally. I started ch...
