Traje de Boda 3: Nora (COMPLETED)

Chapter 33

"Ah, this gets interesting by the minute! That's clearly what you only wanted. You should've just told me than get into dramatics. But what you want is impossible since we're married. And it would be very rude of you to name the baby after its father when you are married to me!"

Galit na galit si Emilio at noon lamang siya nakadama ng ganoon katinding galit sa buong buhay niya. Nora betrayed him. She was carrying another man's baby in her womb. Gusto pa nitong palabasin na siya ang ama ng bata kahit napaka-ridiculous noon. Kung may nangyari sa kanila ay tiyak na maaalala niya. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang pumasok sa isip nito ngunit sanay na siya sa mga taong handang sabihin ang lahat ng alibis gaano man iyon ka-absurd para lang mabigyang-katuparan ang gusto ng mga ito. As a matter of fact, he ate alibis and lies for breakfast.

Gusto ni Nora na bigyang-diin sa kanya na hindi siya ang ama ng bata at ibig nitong ipangalan sa iba iyon! That made him so mad! In fact, he was now beyond mad thinking how she got pregnant. Kahit masakit ang katawan niya ay sumasama siya rito saanman ito naroon sa hacienda bagaman aminado siyang may mga pagkakataong sadyang hindi niya kayang mangabayo at hindi siya nakakasabay dito.

Did it happen during one of those times? Ah, surely not. Nangyari iyon marahil noong wala pa siya sa hacienda. Noong mga panahong iyon ay malaya pa nitong nagagawa ang gusto. He was one hundred percent sure it was that Cleto guy. He would fire him first thing tomorrow.

"Do you understand that, Nora? You can't have your cake and eat it too! Habang kasal tayo, hindi puwede ang gusto mong mangyari. I'm sorry but you would simply have to adibe by the rules."

"Ang sinasabi mo, handa kang isunod sa pangalan mo ang bata pero hindi mo tatanggapin na anak mo siya, ganoon ba?"

Hindi siya agad nakasagot dahil komplikado ang gusto niya. Sa huli ay sinabi niya rin iyon dito. "I will treat him as my own, of course. I would have no problem regarding that matter but you'd have to make a promise to be my wife. Really be my wife. I don't want to see you with other men. In fact I would fire Cleto tomorrow."

"Hindi mo puwedeng gawin 'yan!" singhal nito.

"Try me!" paghahamon niya rito. Hayun at mukhang labis itong nagalit sa suhestiyon niya.

"Kung hindi mo kayang isiping talagang ikaw ang ama ng anak ko, hindi kita pipilitin. Pero hindi ako papayag na ikaw ang magpatakbo ng buhay ko sa loob ng dalawang taon. Malaya kang makakaalis kung ayaw mo sa mga patakaran ko dahil sa ayaw mo't sa gusto, hindi sa 'yo ang hacienda na ito. Magsimula tayo sa kuwartong ito. Kung ayaw mong umalis, 'wag mo na akong asahang dito rin matulog."

"You are not leaving this room!"

"Try me!"

Lumabas ito sa silid at nang ilang sandali bago siya sumunod dito. Nakita niya itong pumasok sa isa pang silid. Naisara na nito iyon bago pa siya nakalapit. Naisuntok niya ang kamao sa pader, walang pakialam kahit may kaunting sakit pa iyon mula sa kanyang aksidente.

Ibig niyang gibain ang pinto, ibig magwala sa galit, ngunit sa huli ay nasuntok na lang niyang muli ang pader, nagpasyang huwag nang magsalita muna. Nora was pregnant and even if she was nto carrying his child the last thing he wanted was her for to be upset.

Nagbalik na siya sa silid, nakabuo ng planong kahit ayaw ni Nora ay paaalisin na niya si Cleto bukas. Kung kinakailangang kausapin niya ang biyenan niya ay gagawin niya. As a matter of fact, he wouldn't wait until tomorrow. Lumabas siya sa silid at nagtungo sa stable. He rode a horse and as the wind brushed his face he could only think about Nora.

That woman had turned his world upside down. His life used to be simple—simple for someone like him. His life plans were all laid out in front of him, like pieces of Post-it notes in varying colors and sizes with complete details—maps with legends, a huge compass rose, and written directions; and all he had to do was pick up one at a time to check out where he was going. Now he was lost.