First Love

Kabanata 21

Note: This will be Mandy Eun Elgort POV until 24. Next will be Eresia Catherine Hemenez. Thank you.

Wife

"Yurki, give me your phone" I said.

"No, Mandy, look, I am not having an affair, gha." He cupped my face. "Ikaw lang ang mahal ko." Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at tiningnan ko siya ng masama.

"Liar! Sino si Marian ha? Si Elena? Si Selena?" Banat ko.

Napasapo ito sa kaniyang noo. See? Tama ang hinala ko.

"They are just my co-worker in FBI, gha. Please stop being jelous, ikaw lang ang mahahalin ko wala ng iba."

He always said that. He is cheating. He doesn't love me anymore. Napahawak ako sa aking tiyan, baby, Ajuma is sad because of your Appa. A tear escape in my eyes. I am three months pregnant and I usually being like this. I don't know why I am being like this.

"Gha, please talk.. nababaliw ako dito" Aniya.

"Stop being a liar, Yurki. Hindi mo ako mahal, binuntis mo lang ako dahil lasing ka. That was not love it's lust" Humikbi ako.

"Damn." Mabilis niya akong niyakap. He caress my hair.

"Please stop saying that, five years being so stupid is now worth it, because I have you finally." Humiwalay siya sa akin at tiningnan ang mga mata ko.

"Sa limang taong pagiging torpe sa'yo, bayad na bayad na'ko ngayon. Kasi nandito kana sa'kin, akin kana, pagmamay-ari kita at magiging asawa na kita, Mandy."

Nagulat ako ng lumuhod ito sa aking harapan. Napahawak ako sa aking bibig. Halo-halong emosyon ang aking naramdaman. Pakiramdam ko ay tumigil ang paghinga ko. I never see this coming. I never had a thought of this, akala ko ginagawa niya lang ang responsibilad niya bilang isang ama dahil buntis ako. But I was wrong.

"I'm not good doing proposals, but, Mandy, I am darn inlove with you, and I will only love you and I want you to be part of me. I want you to be with me for the rest of our lives. Together with our child" He touch my womb and kiss it.

"Mandy, will you be my wife?"

Mabilis akong tumango.

"Yes, yes, Yurki!" I said. He hug me tight and kissed my hair and my temple. This man is the only man I've been inlove for years, been hurt so many times because of him but now? I am finally his.

His wife.

One month later...

"Gha, baka ma-late akong umuwi mamaya. May aasikasuhin pa akong kaso" He said on the other line. I sigh, napatingin ako sa singsing nasa aking kamay. I'm now married to him. Mum and Dad was so darn happy about it.

"Okay, gha. Matutulog na ako, hindi healthy kay baby ang pagpupuyat" I heard him chuckle, natawa rin ako. Kinikilig 'to panigurado. "I love you"

I smiled. "I love you, too" The line died. Bumaba ako para magtimpla ng gatas, alas otso y media na at nag-aalala akong hindi maka-uwi si Yurki, sanay naman ako ganiyan lagi ang eksena namin pero hindi ko maiwasang huwag mangamba, asawa ako at natural lang ang pag-aalala ko sa kaniya. He works in FBI for goodness'sake, sinong hindi mag-aalala kung ang taong mahalaga sa'yo ay may delikadong trabaho gaya nito?

I was about to go upstairs when my door opens. "Eresia, you're here!" I exclaimed.

Mabilis kong inilapag ang baso ng gatas at sinalubong siya ng yakap. Humiwalay ako sa kaniya at bumungad sa akin ang namamaga nitong mga mata, maputla rin siya at malaki ang eyebags. Nanliit ang mga mata ko.

"What happend? Anong ginawa ni Exequiel sa'yo?" Seryosong tanong ko.

"Mans, c-can we talk that later? I need a hug, please." Gumarangal ang boses nito. Para namang tinusok ang puso ko, kahit may pagkaloka-loka 'to, kaibigan ko pa rin siya. I see her laughing when she's enjoying toying other man, but when Exequiel came, she became jolly and serious. Kaya laking papasalamat kong dumating si Exequiel sa buhay niya. Mas lalo akong naging masaya nang nag-propose ito at mas nauna pa akong makasal. Matapos ang ilang minutong yakapan ay umupo kami sa sofa. Kumuha ako ng tubig at ibinigay iyon sa kaniya.

"Ano ba kaseng nangyari? Mabuti nalang at safe kang nakarating dito" Bulas ko. Nasa Penthouse pa rin ako nakatira ang pinagkaiba lang ay kasama ko si Yurki. Masasabi kong thankful ako dahil kung hindi ako pumunta sa Party na 'yon hindi ko malalaman na parehas pala kami ng nararamdaman.

"We had a row" Kalmadong aniya. "At dumating iyon sa hiwalayan, he wants me to dump him and cancel the wedding"

"What?"

"I can't believe it, Mans. I don't want to lose him the way he want me to lose him" Nabasag ang tinig nito. Tears pooled in her eyes and it made my heart sink.

"I never been inlove like this, I never like someone so much. I do love him more than in this world, Mans. I cannot bear to see him loving someone else" Humikbi ito at natahimik ako. Hinagod ko ang likod niya.

"Hush now, Eresia. Whatever his reasons, I know you can move on. Sadyang may mga bagay lang talagang akala mo para sa'yo pero hindi pala. Maybe God let him come in your life for a lesson."

"Siguro nga, karma ko na siguro 'to, Mans."

"Let's just say, yes. Pero hindi mo naman kasalanang hindi ka naging masaya sa piling ng mga lalaking nakasama mo noon kahit sa madaling panahon lang. One thing I know in love is, when someone love you that hard he can't let you go. He can't live without you because he said he loved you, he wants you in his life but in your case, my friend. I can say, fate doesn't want you to be him."

"Mans.." Mas lalo siyang naiyak. Maski ako ay nadala rin sa emosyon niya.

"Iiyak mo lang, alam kong masakit pero ganiyan talaga. Kung mahal mo iiyakan mo, dahil kung hindi mo 'yan iiyakan, hindi mo talaga siya mahal. Bilang kaibigan mo, hindi ko kayang makita kang ganiyan dahil lang sa isang taong pinangakuan kang papakasalan. If you think he is the right man for you then think twice. Whatever your decision in life, don't think once, think million times, Eresia. "