Nakangiti lang ako.
I was staring at my husband. 20 years of marriage and he still gave me butterflies in my stomach. CJ was on his phone talking to someone about work, his brows were furrowed and he kept on running his hand through his hair.
We were in our 50's but he didn't look a day older that 40. Being an athlete really does have its perks, and I like to think na I contributed by not giving him anything to stress about.
"Sige na, pupuntahan pa namin anak ko." tumango siya, he tried to smile at me but failed because it was hot and he was under the sun. "Text nalang kita kapag may oras na ako."
Lumapit na siya sa akin at ngumiti, mouthing an apology. I waved my hand to dismiss it. "Bakit daw?" I asked, CJ just rolled his eyes.
"May issue lang pero kaya naman nung manager, hindi ko nga alam kung bakit tinawag pa sa akin." I nodded and stayed quiet. CJ really doesn't talk about work, lalo na nasa lunch kami. "Do you think we could stop by QPav later?" I stared at him.
He waved his hand in front of my face. I blinked a few times and smiled. "Ano yun?" ngumisi si CJ.
"About QPav, can we go?"
Tumango ako. "Oo naman, let's wait for Lei there nalang."
He smiled and didn't say anything, nagbayad na siya and we made our way to the car.
"Should we buy groceries for the kids?" I asked. CJ was focused on the road, he hummed to show me that he's thinking about it. "What if puro cup noodles kinakain nila? Kawawa naman sila."
CJ chuckled. "Lei knows how to cook, plus she sends me every receipt that she gets."
"May condoms ba? Please tell me they use condoms." I made the sign of the cross and that made CJ laugh.
"Love, Malaki na sila. They went through high school and Lei didn't get pregnant. I think they can manage." He reached out for my hand ang held it throughout the whole ride. Tama naman siya, I should really trust my daughter.
We reached UST at sa QPav kami dumiretso at nagpark. We really went here for Coach Aldin, he said na he wanted CJ to talk about his experience and what playing for UST was like.
He's really excited about this day kaya naman itri-treat namin ang mga bata mamaya.
"Elin!" I looked behind to see who was calling me. "Nandito rin pala kayo?" I nodded.
Sydney really didn't change. Sure, her hair was shorter and the way she dressed changed, but those stuff comes with age. Sydney was still warm and positive, loving, caring. Her smile didn't even change a bit.
She's still the Sydney that I wanted Brent to marry.
"Love," CJ called, tinaas ko ang kilay ko when he kissed my cheek and waved at Sydney. "punta lang ako dun." Tinuro niya kung nasaan sila Brent, Ira, Zach, Mark at Rhenz.
"Guess its you and me?" nginitian ko si Sydney. She giggled and pulled me into one of the benches.
She started to take pics of Archer and then she sends it to their family group chat.
"He really looks like Brent no?" I couldn't help but comment. Archer was dribbling the ball and running through the court with the dedication shown in his face. Just like his father.
"He does, except Brent has a lot of gray hairs and his eye sight is getting worse." Ngumiti ako sa sinabi ni Sydney.
"Sydney," I called after a few minutes of silence, she looked at me. "What does it feel?"
"Being married to Brent?" I laughed and Sydney furrowed her brows.
"Having three children?"
"Masaya pero sobrang hirap," she started. "Archer was very different from Agustin tapos syempre si Atalia, nag-iisang babae. They have different needs and I sometimes want to cut my body into three just to accommodate their needs."
"I hope Brent was helpful." Hindi ko na kasi alam yung sasabihin ko, how can I tell her na I would kill to be in her place? To have more than one child.
"Kahit naman hindi niya ako mahal noon, mahal niya si Archer." She gave me a smile.
"I'm sorry."
"No need for apologies, I married him and he loves me now." This is the reason why I knew that Sydney was the right one for Brent. Mapilit siya, she knew what she wants and she did her best to get it. It being Brent. "But?"
"But what?"
"Why didn't you prevent Brent from marrying me? Nasa simbahan ka. I saw him looking at you when the priest asked if may tutol, and to be honest, I was kind of expecting you to say something."
"I knew him for 24 years, if we didn't break up at all we'd be together for 17 years." She stared at me. "But... we broke up 5 times, for 5 different reasons, do you really think that marriage was for us?"
YOU ARE READING
Our Own Way
Fanfiction"My mom doesn't hate you, Arch. She hates that she's watching herself and tito Brent through us and she's scared that we'd end up the same way as they did." > In which Brent and Elin tried their best to make it work. But when the world doesn't want...
