Until you were gone (Complete)

3 - Husband and Wife

CHRIS' POV

"Would you care explaining to me what just had happened?" iyon ang narinig ko na tanong ni Sallie sa akin nang tumabi siya. May bitbit pa siyang plato ng pagkain. Naka-umbok ang bilog tiyan sa suot na maternity dress.

"What?" I tried to look surprised with her question. I looked at Bianca and I saw that she was talking to Mr. Rufus Fernandez.

"What in the hell are you talking about that Bianca is your wife?" This time ay seryoso na si Sallie.

I took a deep breath. "Because she is my wife." Seryoso din ang sagot ko.

Her widened with my answer. "Are you crazy? Anong sinasabi mo? Paano mo magiging asawa si Bianca? Explain mo nga? Naguguluhan ako," alam kong nag – uumpisa ng mainis si Sallie.

Oo nga. Kasi kahit ako naguguluhan din. It just happened so fast. I don't know what came into me. If Bianca was telling me that she was wasted that night, I was too. I was drunk, I was pissed. Ang dami – dami kasing nangyari nang gabing iyon and when I saw her at the lobby of the hotel where I worked, parang gumaan ang lahat. She was really carefree that night. Ang saya – saya niya compared sa brokenhearted at wasted na Bianca na nakita ko two years ago. They were having a bachelorette party and Bianca was teasing every guy that she saw that night. She was screaming that she wanted to get married. Gusto daw niyang ituloy ang naudlot niyang kasal. She was asking every guy to marry her. And when she saw me, she also asked me. I know it was just a joke. But maybe, because of my problem, I think marrying her that night was my last option to run away from all the bullshits that was happening in my life.

Ngumiti lang ako kay Sallie.

"You know Vegas. What happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas. She is my wife, end of story." Sagot ko.

"Pero sigurado ka ba? I mean, 'di ba sabi mo sa akin hinahanap ka ng tatay mo? Kaya ka nga nagpalipat sa Las Vegas 'di ba? Tapos nagpakasal ka kay Bianca," sumeryoso ang mukha ni Sallie. "Are you trying to get even for me? Chris, whatever shit is in your head and you're going to play with Bianca, Ia ma telling you. Ako ang unang-unang makakaaway mo," tonong nagbabanta ito.

     "What? What shit? I am not playing with Bianca." Nairita na ako lalo na nang marinig ko ang tungkol sa father ko. "You know I am not in good terms with my family and I ran away. I don't want to be associated with them anymore. But they found me in Las Vegas. That's why I asked Nancy to transfer me here. They cannot find me here."

Narinig kong napahinga ng malalim si Sallie.

"Hindi pa rin ba kayo nagkaka-ayos ng daddy mo? Bakit kasi hindi ka na lang makipag – usap? Bakit ka ba nagtatago sa kanila?" bahagya pa itong umirap sa akin. "Ang tagal na nating magkakilala, 'yun pala may mga sikreto ka pa. Hindi mo naman sinasabi sa akin," himig nagtatampo ito.

Ngumiti ako at hinawakan ko ang kamay niya.

"Soon, Sallie. My life is too complicated. Ikaw ang problema mo lang noon, si Armel. And you have him already. Tapos na ang problema mo. Ako? Too many. Too deep." at napailing ako nang maisip ko ang problemang tinatakasan ko. "I don't know."

Pareho kaming napatingin ni Sallie sa lumapit sa amin.

"Baka naman nililigawan mo na ulit ang misis ko," narinig kong sabi ni Armel at humalik pa kay Sallie tapos ay pasimpleng kinuha ang kamay ng asawa niya na hawak ko.

Napangiwi ako at lumayo pa kay Sallie. "Sorry, bro. I am happy with my wife." Tinapunan ko pa ng tingin si Bianca. "Saka, Sallie? She is really not my type," natatawang sagot ko.

Kita kong sumeryoso ang mukha ni Armel.

"Is it true? Is Bianca your wife? Paano nangyari?" alam kong gulong – gulo ang mag – asawang ito kung paano nga nangyari iyon.

Ngumiti lang ako.

"Huwag 'nyo ng tanungin. Ang lagay, kayo lang dapat ang may forever? Just be happy for us. Hindi ko na kailangan i-broadcast paano kami nagkakilala." sagot ko.

"Hey, I am happy for the two of you. Nabigla lang talaga kami. I mean, madalas naming kausap si Bianca, halos araw-araw silang magka-chat ni Sallie but she never mentioned about you or meeting you," Paliwanag pa ni Armel.

Tumayo na ako at tinapik ko siya sa balikat. Wala naman akong obligasyon na sagutin sila sa mga tanong nila.

"Congratulations to the two of you. Cool baby shower. But, I am really tired. From the airport, dito na ako dumiretso," sabi ko.

"Hey, where do you stay?" tanong ni Sallie sa akin.

"At Bianca's house," natawa ako at kumaway na lang sa kanila bago tinungo ang lugar ni Bianca. Mag – isa na lang siyang nasa buffet table at busy na namimili ng pagkain.

"I am tired. I want to go home," bulong ko sa kanya. Pumulupot ang kamay ko sa beywang niya at inamoy ko pa ang batok niya.

Mabilis siyang lumayo sa akin na parang nakuryente sa ginawa ko. Natatawa ako sa ekspresyon ng mukha niya.

"Geez! What the hell is your problem?" inis na sabi niya at parang diring-diri pinapahid ang batok na inamoy ko.

"What? I just said I want to go home," sagot ko. "Saka bakit parang diring-diri ka? I already tasted you from head to toe." Tumawa ako ng nakakaloko. Kitang-kita ko na namula ang mukha ni Bianca at tumingin sa paligid tapos ay sinamaan ako ng tingin.

"'Di umalis ka," asar na sagot niya at nagpatuloy sa pagkuha ng pagkain.

Kinuha ko ang plato niya at inilapag iyon sa mesa.

"Mrs. Kutcher," sabi ko at tumingin sa paligid. "Do you want me to announce to everyone that you are already Mrs. Kutcher?" bahagya ko pang nilakasan ang boses ko.

Nakita kong namutla si Bianca at tumingin din sa paligid.

"What the hell do you want?" inis na sabi niya.

"I just told you. I want to go home with you. I am so tired." Pinagmukha kong pagod ang mukha ko. "And I want to make love with my wife," ngumiti pa ako ng nakakaloko.

Inirapan niya ako at. "In your dreams," inis na sabi niya at umalis doon. Sumunod naman ako.

"Do you want me to remind you what we did in Vegas after we got married? Sallie and Armel are dying to know the truth." at natawa ako. "You were so aggressive. I have never seen your wild side since that night. You ripped my clothes. Damn. You kissed me so –"

"Shut up! Ano ba?" galit na singhal sa akin ni Bianca. Kita kong bahagyang namumula ang mukha niya. "Even if we are married, sa papel lang iyon. It was because of a one night mistake. A sick joke. Why don't we just get a divorce?" sabi niya

"We already agreed 'di ba? We will be married for one month," paalala ko sa kanya.

Tingin ko ay parang wala ng magawa si Bianca.

"Fine! Let's go home!" inis na sabi niya at nauna ng lumakad palabas ng ballroom. Tatawa-tawang sumunod ako sa kanya.