I FELL FOR MY UNEXPECTED HUSBAND

Chapter 20: Realize

Andrew's POV

Mag-aalas dos na ng madaling araw ng maghiwahiwalay kami magkakapatid. Diretso uwi na si Ela at Philip habang kami naman ni Marga ay umuwi na papuntang bahay. Ang kulit lang naming. Tama nga si Daddy, I need things like these. Para marefocus ang sarili ko to the things I have to prioritize, and that is the people I love the most, family.

Humiga na kami ni Marga sa kama namin. Halatang pagod na pagod na si Marga kasi hindi na ito umiimik. Sobrang pinaagod ata siya ni Ela. Buti nalang mabait ito at hindi marunong magreklamo.

Bumalik sa akin ang mga nangyari kanina,

Binilisan ko talaga paguwi ko dahil sa sobrang kulit ni Ela at Philip. Matagal na daw kaming di nagkakasama at hinihiling nilang bago man lang sila bumalik ng Paris ay makapag bonding man lang kami sandali. Kaya ayun, pumayag nalang ako na pumunta sila sa bahay. Para na rin madalaw nila si Marga at hindi ito mabagot.

Pero hindi ko napaghandaan mga narinig ko pagdating ko ng bahay namin,

...people think porket anak ako ng Sentor o sikat na designer eh maluho ako, na I'm very material, I get so much judgement about what people think I am before they actually get to know me. Simple lang mga gusto ko sa buhay, Masaya na akong makapanood ng sine, I mean you don't really need to take me to a very expensive restaurant to impress me. I'm very practical, I do not get easily turned on by flashy things. I am far from superficial, wala akong difference between beauty and ugly, alam ko lang we're all people...

...why Mom so wanted you for Kuya, you can keep him grounded. You compliment him, I mean, with the things going on with Kuya, sometimes he gets derailed from reality, he loses touch of what matters in this world.

HAng gulo gulo na ng isip ko. One moment I can't stand having Marga around me, the ambitious girl I thought and still think she is. Pero hearing those words she said earlier, it was real and honest. At mas naiintindihan ko na rin si Mommy, why it was her she wanted for me all these years. To keep me grounded.

This girl, Marga, my wife, she will be good for me, Mom knew all along. Maybe it's what Dad has been saying to me, trust her and actually do so.

Tinanggal ko yung unan na nilalagay niya lage sa pagitan namin, naramdaman kong nanigas siya, kinakabahan ata, hindi na ako nagpigil at niyakap siya mula sa likuran niya.

"Andrew, kasi ano ka..." kinakabahan niyang sabi.

"Shuusshhh! Relax." Pinutol ko siya. "Let's just stay this way, for awhile, please"

Hindi ko alam kung tama 'tong ginagawa ko. Gusto kong linawin na ang lahat at kung may anong pwersa sa loob loob ko ang nagudyok sakin para magtanong.

"Marga, still awake"

"hmmm" mahinang sagot nito, inaantok na talaga siya habang yakap yakap ko siya.

"That night in Tagaytay, after we got married, I didn't mean to, pero nasagi ko yung bag mo, I saw a magazine of me in it, what was that all about?"

"Wha.what magazine?" confused na tanong nito. Kalmado pa din at may halong antok.

"MEN Magazine? The one where I was the cover, maybe 2 or 3 months back?" tanong ko sa kanya. Mas lumapit pa ako sa kanya at mas pinulupot ko pa yung kamay ko sa bewang niya. Binaon ko ang mukha ko sa mabango niyang buhok. Naghahanda sa kung ano man ang maririnig ko.

"Ah yun, pinahiram sakin yun ng best friend ko na si Faith, yung maid of honor natin, she collects those things, nung malaman niya nga ata pangalan mo after our wedding, naexcite kaya pinahiram sakin. Nakalimutan ko na nga ata na nasa akin pa pala yun, maibalik ko nga yun sa Monday, *yawns* Pwede bang bukas na ulit, babagsak na masyado mata ko, sorry ha, promise bukas sasa..." and she fell asleep.

Bakit hindi ko naisip ang posibilidad na 'to. Na pwedeng for the fun of reading lang lahat ang magazine nay un. Masyado na talaga ata akong hooked sa kapraningan sa trabaho. I really should go out and unwind more.

Napabuntong hininga ako, sa isip-isip ko, Chantal I'm letting you go, Marga deserves a chance, she's good for me, she's what my family believes I need. One who can change me, who can calm all my cares. This time, I actually believe her, and from now on, I will do so.