He Married the Stripper.

The Un/Expected Visitor.

---EMILY---

"Where's Alex? I wanna talk to him!" Inis na sabi ni Monica Ruiz, isang sikat na TV personality na kilala sa pagiging mahinhin at masayahin, kabaliktaran sa inaasal nya ngayon sa harapan ko nang itinulak nya ako para makapasok sya sa loob ng condo.

"Wala siya dito. Nasa Taiwan for business." Sagot ko naman habang sinundan ko sya sa loob.

"Alex!!" Sigaw nya habang nagpapa-ikot-ikot sa first floor. Bakit ba kasi binuksan ko pang pintuan. Nakapasok tuloy tong bruhang to at kung kelan pa kaaalis lang nina Gigi at Anthony kaya naman nag-iisa ako at walang back-up.

"Wala nga sya dito." Ulit ko na naman.

"I don't believe you. Tell him to stop hiding from me because I'm not leaving until he talks to me!" Sagot nya habang paakyat ng second floor.

"Hindi naman ako nagsi-sinungaling. Nasa Taiwan nga siya at hindi ko alam kung kelan siya babalik. So kung pwede bumalik ka na lang sa ibang araw! Please!" Padabog syang nag-lalakad sa buong bahay at nagbubukas sara ng mga pintuan. Nauubos nang pasensya ko sa babaeng to ha, naririndi narin ako sa boses nya.

"Look maid ka lang ni Alex. Ako, girlfriend, so wag mo kong uutus-utusan dahil baka ipasisante kita sa kanya!" Nag-lakad sya papunta sa kwarto ni Alex, pababayaan ko na sana sya kaso nainis ako sa sinabi nya kaya hinarangan ko yung pintuan.

"Tumabi ka jan! Gaga ka!" Sigaw nya sakin.

"Miss, sinabi ko na sayong wala sya dito, umalis ka na kung ayaw mong ipa-tawag ko yung guard."

"Excuse me?! Gaga ka ba?! Kilala mo ba ako? Ako si Monica Ruiz! Baka ikaw pang ipa-tapon ko sa guard! Leche ka! Alis jan!" Sigaw nya ulit sakin.

"Okay, MONICA RUIZ. Tumigil-tigil ka na sa kakasigaw mo at kakatawag mo sakin ng gaga bago pa kita ipakaladkad sa security guard. Ako pang tatakutin mo samantalang ako ang nakatira dito?! Dayo ka lang dito!"

"Anong sabi mo? Bastos ka a! Show some respect or I'll really tell Alex to fire you!"

"Pano mo sasabihin sa kanya? Hindi ka nga kinokontact diba? Kaya ka nga nag-wawala dito kasi hindi na sya nagpapakita or nagpapa-ramdam sayo! Sige nga sabihin mo sakin kung paano mo sasabihin at anong gagawin mo MONICA RUIZ?!" Namula sya sinabi ko at itinaas nya ang kamay nya para sampalin ako pero agad ko syang pinigilan.

"Sige sampalin mo ko! I-assault mo ko dito sa condo kung san ako nakatira tingnan natin kung sinong kakampihan ng pulis!" Banta ko sa kanya, kitang-kita sa katawan at expression ng mukha nya ang galit nya sa akin. Gustong-gusto nyang ituloy ang pagma-maldita niya pero alam nyang tama ako.

"Ikaw na may sabi diba, sikat ka. Ano na lang sasabihin ng mga tao kapag nakita nilang ineescortan ka ng pulis palabas sa isang exclusive condo? Malamang headlines yun, masisira good girl image mo."

"You fucking bitch. Hindi pa tayo tapos! I swear I'll get Alex to fire you!"

"Okay, see you when that happens." Sabi ko sa kanya as she hurried out the door.

Ibinalibag nya pasara yung pinto at agad ko namang ni-lock yun. Sira ulong babae yun? Sa lahat ng naging fuck buddies ni Alex, sya na talaga yung pinaka-nakakainis.

Bumalik ako sa kusina at itinuloy ko ang paglu-luto ko ng may kumatok na naman sa pinto, kinuha ko yung cordless phone at dinial yung number ng security desk just in case si Monica Ruiz na naman ang nasa labas at nagbabalik for round two. Natuto na ako sa pagkaka-mali ko kanina kaya sumilip ako sa peep hole. Nagulat ako nang makita ko kung sinong nasa labas. Napa-isip kung bubuksan ko ba ang pinto o hindi.

"Emily!" Tawag nang nasa labas habang kumakatok ulit sa pintuan.

---NARRATOR---

Emily sat motionless on the couch, her eyes boring a hole through the floor as Gina and Alexander II aka Xander was talking about life in general. They haven't said or explained why they showed up out of the blue and Emily was feeling nervous. 

Alexander Altamerana II, son of Lolo Al, father to Alex her husband and is therefore her father-in-law. Her father-in-law who she's meeting for the first time despite the fact that she married his son almost half a year ago.

Should she tell Alex? Should she make an excuse and grab her phone to send him a quick text about the situation? Does he even know they're here?  

She mentally kicked herself for opening the door and letting them in, she knew she should have pretended to be out but seeing Gina she knew she would have a key and the only reason she knocked was out of courtesy and for her own privacy. She's cornered and she knows it so she opened the door with a big smile and welcomed them in, thinking it'd be best to just get it over with.

"Emily, hija. Nagluluto ka ba?" Gina asked as she came out of her reverie. She smelled something burning coming from the kitchen and hurriedly got up to try and save her garlic bread.

Good thing she turned the heat down when Monica Ruiz came or her bread would have been entirely ruined, the bottom was a little burnt but nonetheless still edible.

Gina and Alex followed her in the kitchen and saw the dinner she made for herself.

"Did you cook these?" Alexander asked.

"Oh Xander. Emily is an expert in the kitchen, she's a great chef and baker since she also works at a bakery. Right, Emily?" She couldn't help but nod.

"Were you expecting company tonight?" Xander asked.

"Ah... hindi po."

"Really? Because this seems a lot for just one person." 

"Madalas po kasing bumibisita dito sina Anthony and Ed and madalas din po na pinapabaunan ko sila, since they don't really cook." Xander nodded.

"Oh in that case, why don't you guys have dinner together here then?" Gina suggested, Emily's eyes went wide as Gina finally explained why they suddenly showed up.

Apparently Xander is in the Philippines for a few days for business and since he was in town he decided to visit Emily and get acquainted since Alex has not made an effort to introduce them quite yet.

"And what better way than to do it during dinner, am I right, Emily?" 

And for the second time that night, all Emily can do was nod and smile awkwardly.