THE LAWYER & I (Completed) #Wattys2018

15. Atty & Mrs Joquin Escudero

ANNA

JC's grandfather announced last night that we are having a big party here at their house to officially introduce me and Nathalie to their relatives and friends. At first I tried to protest but then JC looked at me and told me to go along with them. He said that besides when we go back to Manila, I could do whatever I wanted to do. But right now he said that it will also save us from explaining over and over of our marriage to friends if we bumped into them somewhere.

"Pero alam naman na nila di ba? Ang dami naman tayong naging bisita sa Manila nung kasal natin bakit kailangan pa nating magpakilala?"

"Actually Anna, hindi naman ikaw o ako ang ipapakilala ditto eh. Sabit na lang tayo. Ang ipapakilala sa kanila eh si Nathalie. Ipapakilala siyang ESCUDERO. Now that we talked about that, I would like to adopt her and make her officially an Escudero. Hindi naman siya Walker eh, di ba?"

"Whoooa! Teka lang. Hindi ibig sabihin na dahil pinakasalan mo na ako eh pwede mo na ring pakialaman ang buhay ng anak ko."

"Teka lang huh Anna Bueno, yung desisyon ng pagpapa adopt eh hindi galling sa akin. Galing kay Abuelo at sa mismong anak mo. SInabihan lang nila ako. Sabi ni Nathalie, she knows that she is an ARTADI_ESCUDERO and how she learned about that I have no idea. And she told me that since I already married you, maybre it's about time that I give her the name that she really is supposed to have. Sinasabi ko lang ito sa yo so you would know. Hindi ako nakikialam Anna."

"Teka...sabi ni Nathalie yun? Sino nagsabi> Pano niya nalaman?"

"Hindi ko alam, tanungin mo siya."

"Alam ba niya kung sino ang tatay niya?"

"Hindi ko alam."

"Alam ba niya na si Carlos?"

"Hindi ko rin alam. Bakit hindi mo siya tanungin? Bakit ka ba takot sa mismong anak mo?"

"Hindi ako takot. Ayoko lang siyang masaktan."

"Eh di huwag mo siyang saktan. Eh di itago mo kung anuman ang hindi niya alam. Pero make it a point na pag matanda na siya, sabihin mo sa kanya ang katotohanan."

"What if..."

"Anna, hindi siya mawawala sa iyo. Walang kukuha sa kanyang iba. I'll promise you no one can take her away. Kaya ko siya I a adopt, para ang responsibilidad ni Carlos na dapat eh itinatayo niya ay ako ang aako para sa kanya, para ang anak niya ay mabigyan ng pamilya at pangalan na dapat para sa kanya. Well Unless, after this, ay aalis ka."

"Gagawin mo yun?"

"Ginawa ko na di ba? Ginagawa ko ito not for you or for me but for Nathalie, for my Mom and for that brother of mine. Hindi naman natin alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ni Carlos kung buhay siya di ba?"

"Mommy, Dada, what are you guys doing here? here are too many people downstairs na and they are looking for you all. Lolo said I should not go down until you two are ready. So can we go now?"

"Are you excited to meet them?"

"Yes Daddy. Oh you look so handsome. Mom isn't Dada hot and sexy?"

"What?"

"Mooom!?"

"Hahahahha, come on stop teasing your Mom."

JOQUIN

Ang daming tao huh. Hindi ko naman akalain na ganito kadami ang inimbita ni Lolo. Kaya pala nalulula na si Nathalie eh. When she barged in the room, she was so excited to go down. When We went donw, I was holding her hand and holding her mother's hand on the other hand. Yung holding hands naming ni Nathali and the affection that we are publickly showing eh totoo. Unlike etong kay Anna, nagpaplastikan lang kami. Alam ko naman na nandidiri siya or nagagalit siya sa akin. Wala naman akong kinalaman dun eh. Ang lolo niya ang may pakana ng lahat. Pero pumayag naman siya sa ideyang I adopt ko si Nathalie. Siguro nahimasmasan naman siya dun. Bahala siya kung anuman ang iniisip pa niya sa akin basta ang gusto ko ding mangyari ngayon eh mapalitan na ang apelyido ni Nathalie.