When the Ex Returns

Chapter 10: Difficult Situations

Ito po ang dating Chapter 4. But since I'm making every chapter shorter, naging Chapter 10 na po ito. Hope this will not confuse you.

Happy reading.

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*** Difficult Situations ***

Focus, Ana. The dinner date didn’t answer any of your questions and concerns about the other night with Vic. Mas pinalala mo pa dahil nag-iwan ka pa ng ebidensiya.

Panay ang kamot ko sa aking buong katawan. Ito ang epekto ng crabs and other seafoods sa akin. And with the amount of crabs na nakain ko, there is no doubt na ang kasunod na nito ay isang matinding asthma attack. Bakit naman kasi ang sarap ng crabs eh. Hay naku! Masarap talaga ang bawal.

“Ano ba kasi nakain mo and you’re itching like that,” nag-aalalang tanong sa akin ni Alfred. I told him that I went out with some old friends for dinner (which is partially true). I just can’t dare bring it up na kasama si Vic sa old friends na yun.

“I’m sorry, Fred. Naparami kasi ang kain ko ng crabs.”

“You know your limitations, Ana. You should just have one piece tapos tigil na. Ikaw rin ang maapektuhan niyan. Pano ka makakatulog ngayon?”

“I’ll be fine. Uminon na naman ako ng antihistamine. Mauna ka na matulog.”

Two reasons bakit pinapauna ko na siyang matulog. One, hindi ko kayang maapektuhan siya ng pangangati ko dahil he’ll be so worried and I’ll feel very guilty which will also be a reason na hindi siya makakatulog tonight. Two, I’m not a good liar. Baka madulas ako at masabi kong kasama si Vic sa old friends na nakasama ko sa dinner and it will be the end of me.

“You know I care about you. Humiga ka na at ako na kakamot. Baka magkasugat ka pa.”

“Pero maaga ka bukas diba? Pupunta kayong Bukidnon.”

“Okay lang. Hindi naman ako ang magda-drive. I asked for a driver for tomorrow at ng makapagpahinga ako and I’ll be ready for the presentation. Sige na, matulog ka na at kakamutin kita.”

Ganito talaga si Alfred—caring, thoughtful, and naïve. Kahit pa nga niloloko ko na siya (in some extent), he is still devoted to me. I can’t dare look into his eyes by now. Ang hirap! Napakabuti ng taong ito pero ako…

“Ana, I want to consult something. If, okay lang sayo and you’re not yet sleepy,” pag-aalangang sabi ni Alfred.

Nakaupo siya sa gilid ng higaan while scratching my arm at ako naman ay nakadapa na sa kama namin telling him very so often where to scratch. He looks so serious. He must really be into something nowadays.

“I’m thinking of getting a housing loan from the bank. Total naman, tumutulong naman sina Nanay at Tatay para sa kasal so I’m thinking na hindi na rin naman siguro tayo mahihirapan kung kukuha ako ng housing loan.”

I have been telling him na dapat na kaming kumuha ng bahay. Sa kamahal-mahal ba naman ng binabayaran naming rental fee sa apartment namin ngayon, kaya na naming bumili ng bahay. I have been telling him about a Pag-ibig housing loan pero ang duration of the payment ang naging holding-back-factor niya. Masyado daw kasing mahaba ang 25 years at hindi naman namin nasisiguro ang mangyayari sa future. Well, I agree to that one. Pero, dahil stubborn ako, iniinsist ko ang bagay na yun. We’re not getting any younger and we can’t forever live in an apartment. If we decide to finally have our own family, a house is a must-have.

“Bakit mo biglang naisip yan?” I can’t help but ask. Marami rin kasing angst sa buhay itong si Alfred. Marami siyang insecurities.

“Well, mas maikli ang payment period sa bank kaysa sa Pag-ibig. And, the amount that we have to pay monthly, para na ring amount na ibinabayad natin dito sa apartment. Though a bit higher, I can say na kaya naman. So, I guess that would be fine deal.”

I really don’t know what to say. I mean, hindi naman sa ayaw ko magkabahay na kami. Pero kasi, he’s been having doubts about it before na sa ngayon na adapt ko na rin. The thought is just too unusual for me. I don’t really mind staying in this apartment for a while or maybe we can buy a piece of lot and slowly construct the house para mas madali for us.

“And, I found this lovely house. I think, you’ll like it.” Isang cute pero sincere na smile ang sumilay mula sa mga labi ni Alfred na nakita ko pa rin kahit nahihirapan akong tumingin sa kanya dahil nga nakadapa akong nakahiga. Yung tipo na smile na nahihiya siya sa kanyang realization but he is very eager to share what he just found. Para siyang nakakita ng hidden treasure na hindi niya gusto sabihin sa iba kundi sa isang taong mahalaga lang sa kanya.

Actually, speechless ako. Hindi ko alam, he has been thinking about what I said rin pala. Akala ko, wala talaga siyang planong magkabahay at hinihintay na lang namin na bahaginan kami ng kaunting lupa ng mga parents niya. Not that he is irresponsible. Ang hirap lang talaga magkaraoon ng sariling bahay ngayon with the kind of situation that we have. At, not that they are very rich pero malaki ang farm nila sa probinsiya. Dalawa lang silang magkapatid at ang kuya niya ay nasa Canada na. Canadian citizen na nga yun eh. Kaya nga, I was thinking, he is depending on it. I even thought about myself as a farm girl pag hindi na ako magtatrabaho. I was thinking na rin kasi na kanino pa ba mapupunta ang lupain ng mga magulang niya kundi sa kanya. Well, he really has plans for us din naman pala.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said. Hindi habangbuhay na aasa na lang ako kina Nanay at Tatay. I have to stand up for myself. And to start that,I decided na we should have our own place. What do you think?”

Despite all the itch all over my body, I sit up and hugged him. “You don’t know how much this means to me, Alfred.”

“Pero hindi na magiging madali ang lahat after this, Ana. Kelangan na nating maghigpit ng sinturon.”

“I know. Will make do.” I enveloped his face between my palms. I looked straight into his eyes and give him the sincerest smile I can ever have. Makita ko lang ang mata niya na tila gumaan ang pakiramdam, nagliwanag na rin ang pakiramdam ko. This made me forget about my itching body.

“Kelangan mo na bawasan ang KFC dose mo.”

Natawa ako doon. He really knows me a lot kahit pa nga hindi ko sinasabi sa kanya. Every week kasi, I really go to KFC for a meal or snack. And I spend around 200 (all for myself) sa pagkain lang. At times, twice a week pa nga eh.

I hugged him so tight and giggled at the same time. Hindi ko maiwasang matawa sa mga sinasabi ni Alfred. He makes me admit even yung pinakatago-tago kong desires. Malamang, alam niya rin na sometimes I keep some hotshots on my bag for secret meals. He probably saw a couple of times a large hotshots sa bag ko na pinapapak ko whenever I feel like eating it and without telling him about it kasi ayaw ko ishare ang favorite food ko.

“Matulog ka na,” sabi pa rin niya. And so I did just what he said.