Since Childhood

27: Stubbornness

Just a day after our wedding, nakalipat na ako kayna Tim. Si tito Joe naman umalis sa bahay nila for our sake. He owned a small house near his workplace as he claimed and he moved there before I move into their house.

There is no honeymoon. No sweet wedding night. No out of town vacation. Walang nangyari and I'm good with it. Bumalik lang sa normal ang araw ko at araw nya. I go back to hospital and he too go back to his own business.

We have a separate rooms. Sa kanya ang master's bedroom ako naman ang nago-occupy ng guestroom which is only few square meter small from the size of the master's. I arranged my own room all by myself. Mom wanted to help me so much pero ayaw ko naman na malaman nyang me and Tim are going to have a separate rooms. Ano na lang sasabihin nya if she finds out? It's only gonna make her suspicious.

The wall's paint are still intacked and still could last for many years.

Tim has his own bathroom ako naman accessible naman ang banyo because it's just next to my door.

I leave the house earlier than I'm supposed to be para lang hindi kami magkita ni Tim. Minsan umuuwi ako ng gabing-gabi yet wala pa sya. We are basically living our own life na kunyare we are both invisible to each other. We never exchange words. Nor eat together. We don't stay in the living room watching some movies while my head is resting on his lap and he's holding a popcorn.  Walang ganon. We see each other occasionally. Minsan naaabutan ko sya pag maaga sya gumigising and he's having his breakfast in the kitchen while reading a newspaper. Although we see each other, we barely talk. Weird as it is pero wala akong magagawa. I just have to be use to that set-up for my own good.

Siguro sasabog na lang bigla yung ATM ko dahil sunod-sunod yung gabi na over time ako. I'm going to be rich. I laughed at the thought. What's the use of money tho? I don't need too much money kung ganito naman ang buhay ko.

"Doc, di ka pa po ba uuwi?" tanong sa akin ng isang nurse na napadaan lang to the spot where I'm spacing out.

"Ahh. Later. I'm finishing a report. It's due tomorrow." I lied. All the reports that I needed to submit are all done. Nagpapalipas na lang ako ng oras.

"Sige po, doc. Mauuna na po ako."

"Yeah, sure. Take care, you."

The nurse smiled and then she head out.

Pagkauwi ko, Tim's car is already in the garage. He's probably at his room doing his stuff.

I don't care. I remind myself.

Dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko. When I stood next to my door, I saw sticky note pasted at the wood. Hiniklas ko yung sticky note and read it.

"We are out of bathroom and kitchen stock. Do an errand. You can find my ATM above the dining table."

My jaw clenched automatically after reading the note. And he has the guts para utusan ako? What am I to him? A maid? And he deliver it throught notes?! Hah!

"Manigas ka." I uttered angrily as I crumpled the note and dropped it. I stormed into my room. Angrily, I flop into the edge of my bed them I started to think about the note twice.

What if magalit sya if I declined the errand that he wants to be done? Pero... why me? Bakit iuutos pa nya when he can get the things be done by himself. At saka he can say it directly to me. Ni hindin nga sya gumamit ng 'please' sa notes nya eh. Its feels like he's ordering a maid.

"Bahala ka." I mumbled to myself. "I'm not doing it. Hindi ko gagawin yon. Not now. Never."

I throw myself in the bed and shut my eyes closed. I keep on repeating to myself that I'm not doing it. No way.

*          *          *

[Timothy's Point of View]

I left home without disturbing any single soul living on this house. The ATM Card is still above the table maybe mamaya na kukuhain ni Rhein.

Usually, every morning I exercise in the treadmill. Nagpapapawis ako while dad is busy watching news or reading his newspaper. Ngayon I'm doing my best to avoid Rhein. My own wife. Papasok ako ng maaga or I will wake up later so we won't see each other in the morning. Sometimes I go home late sometimes hindi na talaga ako umuuwi.

Mukhang ganon din naman ang ginagawa ni Rhein. I can sense that she is avoiding having even a small talk with me.

How did things ended up like fucking this? I don't know. Maybe it was just our way of adjusting into our new life.

I put on my white long sleeve. I tuck it into my black pants. I also slide the ironed coat into my  upper torso. My black leather shoes are bright. It's another day.

I used to run a restaurant but I transfer the ownership to my cousin. Nagtayo ako ng bagong business and its been performing well since the year of founding it. The knowledge that I acquire during college was in used until now.

My business is a Real Estate and Real Estate Brokering. It was not easy achieving this business. Before founding it, nag-aral muna ako and I completed the pre-licensing broker education and the I took the Broker Licensing Examination. I passed and the rest was history.

I become interested in the business because it became trend. Second, it is profitable and third, I can control my schedule. I have agency on my own. A five floor building made of imported glass, metals, iron, cement, name it. When it comes to business gusto ko my establishment will standout kahit na sobrang tataas ng ibang building.

As for now, I have about 80 employees. At ang nakakaalam lang ng business ko ay si dad, my other close relatives and my friends. Hindi ko alam kung alam ng asawa ko. She doesn't look interested tho.

I have a secretary of my own. Her name is Jane. Maybe two or three years younger than Rhein. She's academically good and trust worthy. Also, she's dedicated into the work. We'd been working together for one and half years.

Lately, some property owners had been coming to us and asking for a contract. My business had been building its own reputation for quite some time now. But as much as possible, I want to keep this business as small as it is. Hindi kasi habang buhay ay businessman ako. I also need to be a husband, and hopefully, a father, soon. Sana.

After a whole day in the job, I arrived late. I haven't eat and I'm so dang hungry. This time naabutan ko ang sasakyan ni Rhein na nasa garage na.

I get into the house and went straight to the kitchen. I saw the ATM Card on the table. With the thought that Rhein already uses it as I requested, ibinalik ko ang card sa wallet ko. I open the refrigerator to cook food for myself pero walang laman ang ref kundi tubig at ilang tira-tirang ingredients. I open the drawers in the kitchen and wala ding mga laman.

Naginit ang ulo ko dahil sa pagod, sinabayan pa ng gutom and sumabay pa ang pagmamatigas ni Rhein. I hold my anger for a little bit then I run to my room. I checked the bathroom and wala ding kagamit gamit na nadagdag.

The veins in my temple showed up because of anger. Mabibigat din ang hakbang ko papunta sa kwarto ni Rhein. At her door, I saw the note. Kusot-kusot and ignored.

Galit na galit akong kumatok sa pinto nya kasabay ang malalakas kong sigaw sa pangalan nya.

I took a long time before she open her door. With a furrowed brow, she asked, "what?!"

Mas lalo lang akong nagalit dahil sa tono nya.