Anna
I woke up nauseous and with a horrible headache. Hangovers suck.
When I got out of the bathroom, Marco was already up and looking worried. "Okay ka lang? Do you want me to get you anything?"
I shook my head. "I'm fine. Sorry nagising ka. I'm just not used to drinking anymore."
"Sure ka?" He asked while helping me settle back in the bed. "Partner, hindi kaya buntis ka?"
I gagged. "Anong buntis?! We haven't done anything that would get me there, unless your laway has sperm."
He looked shocked for a moment and then laughed out loud.
"Owww, Marco not too loud. My head hurts."
He apologized and hugged me from behind, kissing my forehead, my neck and shoulder. I loved it when he does this.
"Sorry na. Nakakatawa kasi when you say things I don't expect," he cooed. "You think you'll be better later? Para we can go out?"
"I don't know. I really feel like shit. But if your friends want to meet up with you, go with them ha? Don't let me hold you back."
He was quiet for a little bit then, "I was invited for lunch. I think I'll go to that then come back to check if you're feeling better?"
"Sounds like a plan, but could you stay a few minutes? Hug me pa," I requested, pulling his arms around me.
"Pwedeng-pwede!" He tightened his hug and I groaned happily. "Do you want me to get meds or chocolates? How can I make your headache go away?"
I don't know what came over me but I said, "Sex."
"What?!"
"I hear its good for curing headaches."
"Anna naman eh!" He groaned.
"Why don't you want to? We're married! We like each other. Don't even try to tell me you don't want me because I can still taste -"
"Anna, stop." He groaned again holding a pillow to hide his hip area. "If we do it, wala na tayong grounds for annulment. Weren't we going to use that in court?"
I narrowed my eyes at him and threw my purse.
Then, I ran to the bathroom and locked it because I refused to let him see me cry.
*
He finally left.
He tried to coax me out of the bathroom for a while. "Anna, magusap nga tayo. Lumabas ka dito."
"Ayaw! Go away!" Yup, mature Anna flies out the window in the face of a heartbreak, a hangover and a headache. Not to mention a rejected offer for intimacy. "Go to your lunch."
"I need to use the bathroom."
"Go pee somewhere else. You bathed na naman eh, change in the room!"
"Anna..."
"I don't want to talk right now, Marco."
When he finally left, I decided to head out as well. It was nice weather for walking around so I decided to just clear my thoughts walking. I also ended up riding the trams and watching people.
I knew he was right.
That was the original agreement anyway. Still, it hurt to be reminded.
Sino ba kasi nagsabi sayo na ma-inlove ka? O ayan, sinong duma-drama ng nasasaktan?
I just thought that maybe... maybe he felt the same for me. Pero mali pala.
My phone buzzed again and I knew it was Marco calling for the nth time. I checked my watch and realized that it was almost 6pm already and it was time to head back.
When I entered our hotel room, Marco was pacing by the window, beside himself with worry. "Hi," I said, quietly.
"Hi?! Hi?! That's all you can say? Alam mo ba kung gaano na ako katagal tumatawag?"
I frowned. "Mga five hours."
"And?"
"Anong 'and'?"
"Hindi ka sumagot? Magtext man lang?"
"Eh ayaw nga kitang kausap eh, bakit ako sasagot?"
"I was worried!"
"Why? I know my way around here. I'll call you if I were in trouble. You shouldn't bother yourself like that, get used to not having me around na, okay?"
I tried to be non-chalant about it but I was still hurting.
His phone buzzed and when he was about to answer it, I started making my way to the bathroom to freshen up. He blocked my way, "We have to talk. Don't lock yourself up again."
I heard him speak into the phone just before I closed the door, "I probably can't make it tonight. My wife is not feeling well and I'd hate to leave her."
When I got out, our dinner had arrived and Marco asked me to sit. "What are you mad at? Me not sleeping with you or bringing up the annulment?"
"Both," I admitted.
"But why? We always knew we had an expiration date. The not sleeping together is just a part of that," he stated.
I cringed, it was MY condition was what he really wanted to say. "Fine, sorry. I thought lang things might have changed over the year of being together. I don't go around kissing people and letting myself be touched the way you..."
He just kept staring at me.
"The rejection hurt. Being reminded of the annulment hurt."
"Anna..." he pulled his chair closer to me and took my hand. "I just don't want to complicate things. If we were on the same page that we just wanted a release, then fine. Let's do it then find some other way to get annulled. But, for me kasi, hindi ganun kasimple."
"Kasi you don't want me."
He snorted. "Ikaw na din nagsabi na you won't believe me if I said that. I think we've done enough for you to know how much I want you."
"O, so what?!"
"I can't... I can't imagine doing that then having to let you go."
There was nothing to say to that so I just sighed and stared out the window. "Nakakairita. Minsan na nga lang ako ma-inlove hindi pa pwedeng gawin yung gusto kong gawin."
I was surprised when he pulled me to face him. "Anong sinabi mo?"
