Chapter 44
"So?" tanong ni Maqui as she gives me a hot cup of tea. "What did he say?"
Andito na kami uli ni Elmo sa Pilipinas. I visited the apartment the next day at heto na nga. Nagkkwento na ko kay Maqui about what happened in our 3-day Maldives vacation.
"He didn't say a thing." sagot ko saka uminom sa tasa. "Well, he did say na gusto niya daw magpakasal kami after ko na lang manganak pero other than that wala na."
"But he was the one giving hints before. Bakit all of a sudden ganyan na?" pagtataka niya. Nagkibit-balikat naman ako as I took another sip.
"Siguro gusto niya lang talaga na matapos muna tong pregnancy stage ko. Diba kasi di din naman nagkakasal sa simbahan kapag buntis na yung babae?"
"Bes, pwede pa as long as di pa halata yung tyan mo." aniya. "He has all the money in the world. He can hire wedding coordinators who can organize a church wedding in less than a month no." dagdag pa niya.
Hindi ako sumagot saka na lang bumuntong-hininga.
"Ewan. Bahala na kung anong mangyari." sabi ko.
Bakit ko ba kasi inisip yun? Bakit ko ba tinanong? Minsan mas mabuti pa yung itago mo na lang kaysa dada ka nang dada eh. Nasasaktan ka lang. Umaasa ka lang. Kagaya ko. I should've just kept that question in my mind. If only I kept it, I won't be overthinking things. I won't be assuming too much. I won't be expecting a lot.
"Well, wala naman tayong magagawa if he has other plans about the wedding. Baka nga tama ka. Maybe he wants to have you give birth first before you guys get married. Baka gusto niya gawing abay yang anak niyo. Or malay mo, one of these days eh lumuhod na lang sa harap mo yan at magpropose. Wala tayong idea pareho eh. Kasi he gave you a beach house already. He gave you a luxury car and he brought you to Maldives." Maqui said. "Or maybe he's not yet ready to commit just yet." she added.
"Maq..."
"Hey, I'm just thinking of possible reasons why he hasn't ask for your hand in marriage. Siya tong sabi nang sabi na gusto ka niyang pakasalan pero di naman siya nagppropose. If he really wants to marry you, kahit gaano pa kayo kabusy pareho, hahanap at hahanap siya ng paraan kung paano magppropose sayo. Eh ano kung walang time para asikasuhin yang kasal? Pwede namang engaged kayo ng ilang years bago magpakasal ah. Gago ba siya?! Kung gusto maraming paraan. Kung ayaw maraming dahilan." irap niya.
"I thought okay na uli siya sayo. Bakit nagagalit ka nanaman?" I asked.
"Alam mo bes, minsan isipin mo rin na baka kaya ko lang siya kinakaibigan uli is because you're my bestfriend and I love you too much to act all bitchy around your boyfriend. Kaya nga may word na 'nakikisama' eh. Nakikisama ako sa kanya kasi gusto ko masaya ka. Pinapakisamahan lang namin siya ni Patrick dahil sabi mo nga he is your happiness and we don't want to be the bad guys here."
Hindi ako nakakibo sa mga sinabi ni Maqui. Heto nanaman. Mag-ooverthink nanaman ako. Jusme! Buntis po ako bawal mastress!
"I was just wondering though. Do you really think he has plans on marrying you?" she asked.
"Sabi mo nga, he's giving hints." I answered.
"Yeah he is. But does he really have a plan on marrying you?" she asked as she looks at me. "Di ako kontrabida Julie. Iniisip ko lang ang future niyo ng inaanak ko. Gusto mo bang maging illegitimate child ang bata?"
"Hindi siya magiging illegitimate child, Maqui."
"Talaga? Well siguraduhin mo lang. Alalahanin mo pag kayo hindi nagpakasal at nanganak ka hindi niya makukuha ang apelyido ng ama niya." sabi niya saka pa binuksan ang isang bag ng chips. "Ang hirap kasi sa mga lalaki, puro libog lang ang alam. Kapag nabuntis na yung babae, umuurong yung mga bayag nila."
