"Nanay. Hindi ba talaga ako pwedeng sumama?" parang iiyak na si Blythe habang nagtatanong.
"Baby, we already talked about this." sagot ni Brett. He was busy on his laptop working because he will take a leave for two weeks to our honeymoon.
"Pero kasi tatay, pupunta kayong Korea."
"And? We can go back to Korea anytime, sweetie. Give this to nanay and tatay." bumaling naman si Brett sa pwesto namin ni Blythe. Kumandong naman si Blythe sa akin at siniksik ang ulo sa leeg ko.
Nagkatinginan naman kaming dalawa ni Brett. Pinandilatan ko naman siya.
"Gusto ko lang naman sumama sa inyo eh." naiiyak na sabi ni Blythe.
"Napag-usapan na natin 'to, diba Blythe?" tanong ko habang hinahaplos ang buhok niya. Tumayo naman si Brett sa inuupuan niya at umupo sa tabi ko. Pilit niya namang kinukuha si Blythe but she keeps on resisting at natatamaan na ako.
"Blythe, you are hurting nanay. Baka masaktan mo rin ang kapatid mo." Brett still trying to get her off. Umiling naman si Blythe at pinulupot ang mga maliliit na kamay sa bewang ko.
"Mamaya na natin siya kausapin, Brett." he sighed.
"Are you hungry? Magluluto ako." tanong nito sa akin.
"May gusto ka bang kainin, anak?" tanong ko kay Blythe. Patuloy lang ito sa pag-iling.
"Bababa na lang kami, Brett."
"Don't carry her. You have a baby inside you." he reminded.
Halos araw-araw ay pinapaalala niya iyon sa akin. Hindi ko naman makakalimutan na may anak ako sa sinapupunan ko.
Nakatulog si Blythe dahil sa pag-iyak nito. Bumaba naman ako para tulongan si Brett sa pagluto. He surprised me and Blythe our own house. We have thr beach at the back of our house. Kahit tatlo lang kami ang nakatira ay medyo malaki na ito. Merong apat na kwarto sa itaas. Kumpleto lahat ng mga gamit, even the chandelier gave elegance to the house. All our pictures are framed and placed at the center, kung saan kapag pumasok ka ng main door ay makikita kaagad ito. He even bought a glass cabinet for Blythe's barbie collection na ngayon ay napapalitan na ng mga merchandise ng paborito nitong BTS.
I hugged Brett from behind while he was cooking.
"Blythe's asleep." I said.
"Tsss. You're pregnant already." sagot nito. Natawa naman ako at hinampas siya sa likod. Napangiwi naman ito sa sakit.
"Ang kapal nito! Hindi ko naman sinasabi ah!" I defended. Hindi naman kasi talaga. He is jusy pervert!
"What? Wala akong sinabing iba. I just said you're pregnant."
"And I just shared to you that our daughter is sleeping." depensa ko rin.
Tumawa naman ito at kinulong ako sa kanyang mga bisig.
I am finally his wife. I am already carrying Hernandez as my surname. This feels like a dream.
We just gotta embrace the good days so that we will love the bad days even more.
Brett and I had our snacks. We decides to go on a check up at Manila beforw flying to Korea next week. He needs time to convince Blythe na wag sumama muna. Kung ako ang tatanongin, I want Blythe to be with us too.
"Brett, maligo tayo sa dagat." aya ko. That is iyr favourite activity since we were college. Nang na sa probinsya ako noon, I missed the island so much. I missed how clear and refreshing the ocean. I missed the breeze.
"You're just excited to wear yout bikinis." asar nito. Tumawa naman ako.
"And you'll drool. Watch out." ganti ko. Tawang-tawa naman siya habang umiiling.
Pinagbigyan naman ako ni Brett maligo sa dagat. It's a good thing we owned a land where we the ocean is behind us. It looks like a private one dahil masyadong malayo ang lugar sa mga Station. It ends exactly where our house end. Malalaking bato na kaagad ang sa gilid at may mga bahay na. Brett found a good spot.
We were holding our hands while walking in the ocean. He allowed me to wear bikini because there is no other people. Dalawa lang kami at malayo sa mga naliligo.
Tumigil naman kaming dalawa ng na sa medyo malalim na parte na kami. Hanggang dibdib ko na at malapit ng lumagpas sa balikat ko. Brett is taller than me though. Hinayaan niya naman akong lumangoy habang siya ay nakatayo pa rin sa pwesto niya at nanunuod sa akin.
I always want to be free like the ocean. Like the ocean, there are a lot of things to discover within me and it is only Brett who swam enough and deeper to see those.
I wiped my face with my both hands at pinagsadahan ang buhok ko ng umahon akon sa pag langoy. Medyo malayo ako sa pwesto namin kanina. Wala naman si Brett doon. Nakaramdam naman ako ng kamay na dumapo sa hita ko. He appeared in front of me.
"Brett..." I clung my arms on his shoulders while his both hands held my waist.
"Hmmm."
I gave him a quick peck on his lips.
"Naiisip ko pa rin kung ano ang nangyari sana kung nanatili akong matigas sa naging desisyon ko." I said. I always thank Brett. Minsan he find it weird pero kapag dalawa kami pinapakita at pinaparamdam ko iyon sa kanya. He never told me that I am so "madrama", kapag may sasabihin ako sa kanya tungkol sa nangyari at nagiging emotional towards sa nararamdaman ko, pinapayagan niya lang ako at yayakapin.
"Siguro may girlfriend ka na ngayon?" I kidded. He groaned and pulled me closer to him. I locked my arms around his neck and placed my head closer to him.
"It never came on my mind, Faith. Hindi mangyayari iyon! Kayo lang ni Blythe ang babae sa buhay ko."
"You are still capable of loving someone else, Brett. And it's scary." I honestly told him.
"Babe, you left me for four years. May narinig ka ba na may naging babae ako? Wala. Ask Syrus or other friends of mine. They would tell you I worked my ass off finding you."
"How about the year I was recovering? I was bald, pale, thin and ugly! Hindi ba pumasok sa isip mo---" Brett cut my words through a deep kiss. His hands moved up and down on my waist. I tilted my head to respond for his kissed. Brett bit my lower lip and distant his face a little. Ang mga kamay niya naman ay humawak tumigil sa pag galaw at hinawakan ulit ang bewang ko.
"You were not ugly. That was the most beautiful you I have ever seen, babe. I don't care about other girls, Faith. And I don't believe of falling out of love for you. I love you more during your bad days."
"Really?" I asked him. Only God knows how overwhelmed my heart is. Have you ever felt that? Iyong parang sasabog na ito at sumasakit at the same time dahil sa sobrang pagmamahal. Hindi sumasakit in a sense na nasasaktan ka but because you are feeling an intense one.
"Maybe falling out of love is inevitable for them, but staying in love is a matter of choice, Faith. And this is my choice. You are my choice. Staying in love with until the end is my choice. Falling deeper in love with you every day is inevitable."
People compliment me how brave I was to survive my illness but they never knew that behind my survival is a patient, loving and persuasive man who made me realize to always keep going.
