A SUMMER LOVE FOR YOU (Summer Anthology)

11| Lo voglio nodo

I Do Knot

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"SO, when will these two going to get married?" tanong ni Attorney Balsano sa mag-asawang Ruth at Tim Petonio. Galít na tumayo si Jescelle bago pa makasagot ang mga magulang.

"NO WAY!" mariing tutol niya. "Ang bata-bata ko pa para magpakasal."

"And what made you think I want to be married to you?" iritadong sagot sa kanya ni Caasi.

"Calm down, bambini. Anyway, Adrian also added his own clause. It says here that in five years, if nothing good comes out of your marriage, you can have it annulled. And mimma," baling nito kay Jescelle, "should that happen you will be well-compensated—"

"No, Attorney. I don't need anything from—"

"'Nak," saway ni Ruth sa kanya bago pa siya makapagsalita ng maaari niyang pagsisihan. "You two, labas muna kayo. Mag-uusap muna kami nila Attorney. Sige na."

Padabog na naglakad palabas si Jescelle. Caasi followed her, mirroring her frustrated face.

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MAKALIPAS ang ilang minuto, lumabas si Attorney Balsano upang papasukin sila. Pero nagpaalam na itong aalis bago sila pumasok.

Si Tim ang nagbukas ng usapan nang magkaharap-harap silang apat.

"Magpapakasal kayo ayon sa hiling ni Anastasia."

"No!" matigas na tutol ni Jescelle. Gusto na niyang maiyak. Twenty five years old niya pa planong mag-asawa.

"'Nak, hindi naman 'yon marriage in a true sense. Akala mo ba ipapakasal ka namin ng gano'n lang, eh, ang bata mo pa?" ani Ruth.

"Tutulungan lang nating makuha ni Asi 'yong mana niya," segunda ni Tim.

"Ma, Pa, kasal po 'yon," mariin niyang sabi. "Anong mangyayari sa 'kin when I'm branded as married? Pa 'no na kami ng crush ko?" kumunot ang nood ni Caasi sa salitang crush kahit ang tinutukoy niya ay ang kanyang K-Pop bias. "And we're Christians. Maghihiwalay after five years? Walang broken family sa pamilya natin."

"If your marriage won't work—"

"Of course it won't," putol niya sa sasabihin ng ama. "I hate him and he hates me."

"He don't hate you—"

"Ma, I'm not talking about then. I'm talking about now. Isa pa, I won't get married just for the sake of fulfilling a last will and testament."

"Of course you won't," sabi ng tatay niya. "Pakakasalan mo siya because you want to help him. Anak, we're his only fam now. Sino bang tutulong sa kanya kundi tayo? At kailangan niya tayo."

"But it's five years of being stuck with him!" sigaw niya.

"Stuck?" Caasi said, bitterness in his voice.

"Baka ang ibig mong sabihin ako ang ma-stuck sa 'yo. Like I said, what made you think I want to be married to you. Ikaw makikinabang sa yaman ko while you," his jaw flexed, "you will just make my life a living hell."

Natameme si Jescelle. She'd never seen Caasi that angry. At alam niyang kasalanan niya. She was too harsh. Nakalimutan niyang kamamatay lang ng mga magulang nito at hindi pa ito nakare-recover. And the stupid will made his situation worst.

"Sorry, zia, zio," walang emosyong ani Caasi sa dalawang matanda. "I appreciate your help but it's better if you think of your daughter first. She don't want to get married to me. Not then, not now, not ever. Because she hates me. At kung ayaw niya, ayaw ko rin. It's not like I can't live without my parents' wealth."