Chương 20: CHAPTER 20
YUL
We've been waiting for thirty minutes for Atty. Cabungcal in a private room of a restaurant. I'll be having a very confidential meeting so I chose the venue of the meeting myself. Sa lugar na walang pwedeng makakita at makarinig sa magiging usapan namin. I don't care waiting. Ang mahalaga sa akin ay marinig ang mga sasabihin ng aking abogado.
"Sir are we hiring this private room just to have coffee?" ani Jewel habang palinga-linga sa paligid.
"Yes."
Tumingin siya sa kanyang relos. "Sino po ba itong kausap natin at parang okay na okay lang sa iyong maghintay? Is he someone very important?" usisa niya na mukhang mas naiinip pa para sa akin.
Hindi ko pa pala nasasabi sa kanya ang dahilan kung bakit kami naririto. " We're going to meet Atty. Mark Cabungcal. Siya ang abogado ko na lumalakad sa annulment nating dalawa. Soon you'll get your own lawyer to represent you too. He requested to have meeting with the two of us."
"Ho? M-May meeting tayo tungkol sa annulment natin?" Napainom siya ng kape sabay buntong hiningang-malalim. Halatang biglang kinabahan.
"Sorry I forgot to tell you sooner. My head was too preoccupied," despensa ko.
"O-Okay lang po." She smiles but her consternation can't be concealed. Napagtanto ko ang pagiging insensitive ko. I thought this matter only concerns my personal affair. Nakalimutan kong kasali rin pala siya rito. She maybe look cheerful most of the time but she
can be sensitive too at times when it comes to her own personal issues.
"I'm sorry if you're not ready yet, I
can reschedule the meeting," I sincerely said.
Lumunok siya't pagkuway ngumiti nang masigla sa kabila nang nangangambang mga mata. "Sus okay lang sir! Para ito lang. I-rereschedule niyo pa eh minamadali na nga natin to."
"But you seem not okay."
"Medyo na tense lang ako nung una. Hindi ho kasi ako sanay na humaharap sa abogado. But don't worry tubig lang ho ang katapat nito." She poured water from a carafe on an empty glass and drank it. Ngumiti siya nang mas malapad at masigla. "See! Okay na ako."
A corner of my mouth simply raised. She always adjust herself wherever I'm comfortable at. I always appreciate it whether she does it because of her job or she does it because she still blames herself for everything. I feel sorry for her but this time it's my turn to be a little selfish.
Dumating si Attorney Cabungcal. Nagpaliwanag agad siya sa akin na naextend ang meeting niya sa contact niya sa regional trial court kung saan siya magpa-file ng annulment.
"I'm sorry Yul. Di ko iniexpect na magtatagal pa pala pag-uusap namin. I know you're very busy," he explains while sitting.
"Okay lang attorney. Ako lang naman ang nagpumilit na ngayon na tayo magmeeting." Nilingon ko si Jewel na tila di alam kung paanong ngiti ang gagawin. "By the way attorney this is Jewel Gaviola."
"So she's the wife."
"Hi Attorney, nice to meet you." Nakipagkamay siya sa kabila ng namumulang mga pisngi dahil sa tinuran sa kanya ng abogado.
"Can we start now? I know I can't waste anymore Mr. Dela Vega's golden time," wika ni Atty. Cabungcal.
"Ah teka lang ho. Can I excuse myself for a moment? Punta lang muna ako ng comfort room," asiwang saad ni Jewel.
"Go ahead. Take your time," sagot ko.
After she went out, Mark teasingly smirked at me. "She's very pretty. No wonder why you carelessly married her."
"We're here to talk about about the annulment and not the past," I chuckled.
My lawyer is one of my most trusted friends. He's a very good family lawyer who's the son of my grandfather's lawyer. After my closeness to Luigi drifted away, siya na ang naging pinakamalapit kong kaibigan. He's three years older than me. Kumpare ko rin siya dahil inaanak ko ang kanyang panganay.
"But are you sure you really want to do this annulment? Sigurado bang hindi magbabago ang desisyon mo hanggang dulo?"
Natatawang tiningnan ko siya. "Ano ba naman klaseng tanong yan pare? You know that the reason why I'm doing this because I want to get married for real to a woman I'm currently in love with."
"Alam mo na witness ako kung gaano ka nabaliw sa babaeng i-aannull mo ngayon. Sigirado ka wala ka nang natitirang pagmamahal sa babaeng una mong pinakasalan?"
I gave him sharp eyes. "Ang dami mong sinasabi tol. Bat di mo na lang ako diretsahin na hindi mo kayang hawakan tong kaso ko."
"Ako pa. You know I can always make the impossible possible. Ikaw lang ang inaalala ko baka magsisi ka sa bandang huli," mayabang na tugon niya.
"At bakit naman ako magsisisi?" I chuckled.
"Ang tagal mong hinintay ang pagkakataong ito na makita ulit ang babaeng yan. Tapos ngayong nakita mo na siya ulit, ang unang mong naisip gawin ay iannul siya. Can you give yourself more time? Paano kung may natitira ka pa palang pagmamahal sa kanya?"
"Wait a minute. Are you bluntly disrespecting my relationship with Stella? It seems that you're still pushing me towards other woman?"
Tumawa siya. "I respect your present relationship kaya nga gusto kong malaman kung siguradong-sigurado ka na ba sa desisyon mo because I don't want you and Stella to end up hurting each other deeper."
"I am two hundred percent sure," matigas na sagot ko. "And I'm also sure that I don't have slightest romantic feeling towards Jewel kung meron man akong nararamdaman para sa kanya ay simpleng pagmamalasakit na lang sa isang kaibigan. Pwede ba tumigil ka na diyan sa mga walang kwentang hinala mo."
He sighed. "Okay. Kung ganun eh di ituloy na natin tong annulment niyo," kibit balikat na saad niya.
We stopped our friendly bantering when Jewel returned. Bumalik ang pagiging pormal namin sa isa't isa.
"Can I call you Ms. Gaviola since I can't call you Mrs. Dela Vega for sure." Hindi malaman kung seryoso o nagpapakapilosopong saad ng abogado ko.
Namula na naman si Jewel sa narinig. "O-Of course you can call me Ms.Gaviola attorney."
"Is it okay if I'll ask you few questions first?"
"S-Sure."
"Do you really want to do this annulment?"
"Yes. Why not?" she answered confidently.
"Are you sure you're not going to change your mind in the future?"
"Yes I'm sure."
Kinakabahan ako sa takbo ng pagtatanong ni Mark.
"What do you think of Mr. Dela Vega now?"
She looked at me confused. "W-Well so far he's a good person and a good boss."
Napangiti ako sa isipan.
"Is there no chance that you'll develop any small feelings for him?"
She laughed softly. "How can I have feelings with a man who's deeply in love with other woman?"
"What if he's not in love with other woman? Is there still no chance that you'll fall for him?"
"None."
"Then why did you get married to him? The fact that you marry him means you saw something in him."
Is he torturing my ego? Does he personally want to know how pathetic my one-sided love was? Daig niya pa ang paring nagkakasal na naghihintay na may tumutol.
"W-Well it's because I thought he's a good person and he'd understand my situation.
Gulong-gulo ang isip ko nun attorney kaya kahit alam kong masyadong selfish ang desisyon ko ginawa ko pa rin dahil siguro alam kong mapapatawad din ako ni Sir Yul balang araw."
"Why do you think Mr. Dela Vega married you?"
Napainom ako ng kape habang nag-aabang sa sagot.
"B-Because he wanted to help me. Bago kami ikasal, I clearly remembered he told me that. Meron pa ho bang ibang dahilan kung ba't niya ako pinakasalan?" she asked looking confused.
My lawyer gave me a glance. He took a deep breath. "Never mind," he muttered. "I'd like to ask both of you if you can stand with your decision till the end. We will be using money and connection for this annulment to be processed secretly and peacefully. Nakasalalay ang magandang pangalan ko dito that's why I want the two of you to give me assurance that there will be no problem and chaos from your side in the future."
Payak na ngumiti si Jewel. "Sure na sure po akong walang magiging problema sa part ko. Gaano po ba katagal ang magiging proseso nitong annulment namin?"
"I'll do everything to finish it within six months or at most a year. Are you in a hurry too like Mr. Dela Vega?"
"Ah hindi naman po. Kaya lang iniisip ko ang sitwasyon ni Sir Yul. Gusto ko rin hong malaya na siyang makapagpakasal sa babaeng mahal niya."
"Since we're talking about that..." Atty. Cabungcal opened his attache case and took out some papers. Nakita ko ang aming marriage certificate. "After I studied Yul's statement, the fastest way to void your marriage is finding flaws in the technicalities. He said after you two agreed to get married, kinabukasan din ay ikinasal kayo. You were both under twenty one then and definitely your parents didn't give you consent. That ground is huge enough to void the marriage."
Umiling ako. "You can't use that method. The mayor who wed us is Congressman Juancho. He is a well-known politician now. He gave me a huge favor back then and I can't drag his name unto this. Please think for another grounds," mariing di ko pagsang-ayon.
"Naisip ko na rin yan. But the next ground will depend on Ms. Gaviola's acceptance." He glanced at her. "That will be the psychological incapacity or mental illness. Okay lang ba sayo yan Ms. Gaviola? Since Mr. Dela Vega will be the one filing annulment, his side will charge you with that ground."
Her face got a bit paler. Halata ang pag-aalinlangan sa kanyang mga mata but she still managed to smile and nod. "K-Kung yun ho talaga ang kailangan I guess I'll just go with the plan."
"Don't worry may mga kakilala akong doktor na hindi mo na kailangan ng actual consultation. They can release medical certificate anytime. But I'm still warning you that though everything will be staged maaring masaktan pa rin ang damdamin mo during hearings."
"Hindi po ako masasaktan attorney. Gagawin ko kahit ano makawala lang si Sir Yul sa problemang binigay ko sa kanya."
Ngumiti sa akin si Atty. Cabungcal. "Ang dali naman pala nitong kausap ni Ms. Gaviola. If everything will go according to our plan, asahan mong next year pwede mo nang pakasalan si Stella."
Nabuhay ang aking loob sa narinig. "Salamat alam kong maasahan kita anumang oras," tugon ko sa kaibigan kong abogado.
"Next week I'll introduce to Ms. Gaviola the lawyer that will represent her. Sa ngayon ay tapusin na natin tong meeting dahil alam kong marami pa kayong gagawin. But before we leave..." He looked at her. "Can you give me a moment alone with Mr. Dela Vega?"
"Sure." She looked at me smiling. "Hintayin ko na lang po kayo sa main entrance Sir Yul." She quickly stands up and leave the room.
Mark glared me with suspicious. "You haven't told her everything."
Napakunot ako nang noo. "What are you talking about?"
"The reason why you marry her."
Natawa ako. I thought he's going to say something very important. "It doesn't matter now. Malaman niya man o hindi wala nang magiging epekto yun."
"You'll never know. Paano kung sa kalagitnaan ng annulment na to ay malaman niyang minahal mo siya nang sobra. What if her feelings for you wavered? Woman has always soft spot within them to this kind of romantic ideas. If that happens, we won't get full cooperation from her anymore. I am not fully confident unless she knows the whole truth."
Ngumisi ako. "Don't worry. I was hurt enough. I have no plan on rewarding her that fact for the rest of my life."
JEWEL
Tahimik akong nag-aabang ng masasakyan sa labas ng CGC. Akap-akap ko ang papipirmahan kay Sir Yul. Bakit ba lagi na lang ako ang naabutan sa pagpapapirma na to? Kung kelan nakaalis na ang mga kasama ko saka naman may ipapahabol na dokumento. Hindi pwedeng ipagpabukas dahil sa paparating na out of town business trip. Madaming mafi-freeze na transactions kung hihintayin pa ang pagbabalik ni Sir Yul.
From our secret meeting earlier, bumalik pa ako ng office dahil maaga pa naman. Sir Yul just dropped me off. Mukhang may personal na lakad na sila ni Ma'am Stella.
Sumagi sa aking isipan ang naging meeting namin sa abogado. Mental illness? Am I really confident to pull it off? Nasaktan din naman ako kahit papaano nang sinabi yun sa akin kanina pero ano ba naman ang karapatan kong humindi? Ako naman talaga tong siraulo na basta na lang nang-alok ng kasal sa taong hindi ko naman kilala tapos basta na lang nang-iwan matapos ikasal! Ngayon ko na pinagbabayaran ang kabaliwan kong yun.
Napaiktad ako nang biglang kumulog nang malakas. Kasunod nito ay ang pagbuhos ng malakas na ulan. Tumakbo ako sa malapit na waiting shed. Nang makasilong ay una kong tiningnan ang akap-akap kong file. Buti na lamang at hindi ito nabasa. I put it inside my bag and took out my phone. Wala talagang dumadaang available na taxi kaya magagrab na ako. Bahala na kung kulangin ako mamaya ng pamasahe pauwi ng bahay. Magtataxi na lang ako at si mommy na ang pagbabayarin ko pagdating sa amin.
Ano ba naman to pati grab ay wala akong mahanap!
May narinig akong busina. Nag-angat ako ng mukha at nakita ang nakahintong sports car sa harap ng waiting shed. Bumaba ang bintana nito. Natanaw ko si Sir Luigi na siyang nakaupo sa driver seat. He looks like he's saying something.
Ngumiwi ako sapagkat di ko marinig ang sinasabi niya dahil sa malalakas na patak ng ulan. He seems shouting already. Without thinking, I approached the car and bended towards the open window to hear what he's saying. Nagulat ako nang lumabas siya ng kotse at sinuong ang ulan. He opened his trunk and walked towards me holding an umbrella. Pinayungan niya ako.
"What are you thinking? Ba't ka nagpapaulan?" medyo inis na wika niya.
Napakurap ako. "D-Di ko ho kasi marinig ang sinabi niyo." What's wrong with him? Why does he keep acting like a gentleman lately? "Ano ho bang sinasabi niyo?"
"Tinatanong kita kung saan ka pupunta?"
"Ah sa Lux Club Sports Complex ho."
"Tamang-tama dun din ako pupunta. Sumabay ka na," kaswal na alok niya.
Mabilisang tiningnan ko siya mula ulo hanggang paa. Mukhang nagsasabi siya ng totoo dahil nakasports wear siya. Ilang sandali akong nag-atubili pero sa hirap sumakay ay mukhang kailangan kong maging practical. Hindi naman siguro manganganib ang buhay ko kapag sumabay ako sa kanya.
"O-Okay lang po ba sa inyo na makisabay ako?" asiwang tanong ko.
"Ako na nga ang kusang huminto di ba?"
"Sige salamat po. Pasensiya na at sobrang hirap pong sumakay."
Pinagbuksan niya ako ng pinto habang pinapayungan. Naulanan na naman siya bago sumakay kasi isinara muna ang payong. Nang magkatabi kami, he pulled tissues from the box between us. Nagtaka ako nang inabot niya yun sa akin.
"Wipe yourself. Basa ka, baka sipunin ka niyan."
Napapalunok na tinanggap ko ang tissue. Tahimik na nagpunas ako ng mukha at braso. Napasulyap ako sa kasama kong nagmamaneho na. Kung basa ako eh mas basa siya. I pulled tissue papers too and gave it to him.
"Sir magpunas din ho kayo," abot ko sa kanya ng tissue.
"Nevermind," simpleng ngiti niya. "I'm driving already."
Nakonsensiya ako kaya kusa ko na lang siyang pinunasan sa braso at noo. Mas mahirap kung siya ang magkasakit at dahil pa sa akin.
"Baka kayo naman po ang magkasakit. Bakit ho kasi nagpaulan pa kayo?" saad ko habang pinupunasan siya.
Tiningnan niya ako ng seryoso. Tumigil ako sa ginagawa. Kinabahan ako na baka nagalit sa pagka entremetida ko.
"Thank you," anas niya.
Nakahinga ako nang maluwag. Ngumiti ako nang malapad at sumandal nang mabuti sa upuan. "Ako nga ho itong dapat magpasalamat dahil isinabay niyo ako kundi baka di ko na maabutan si Sir Yul sa Lux Club."
"Kasama sa pasasalamat na yun ang ginawa mong pagtulong sa akin kagabi," he explained.
Napaisip ako. Palihim na kumunot ang aking noo at pagkuway nilingon ko siya nang may nagdududang mukha. "How do you remember it in that condition of yours? Nagpanggap lang ho ba kayong lasing?" akusa ko.
He laughed briefly. " I was really drunk. I had blurry memories of your face helping me. But I confirmed it after you returned the car key. That means na ikaw nga yung naalala kong tumulong sa akin."
Tumingin ako sa daan at ngumuso. "Ba't naman kayo nagpapakalasing ng ganun? Buti nakauwi pa kayo."
He sighed. "I was celebrating with few peers. It was my birthday yesterday."
Napatikom ako ng bibig nang ilang sandali. Napapalunok na tiningnan ko siya. "B-Belated happy birthday po."
"Thank you," ngiti niya.
Birthday niya pala kahapon. Pero bakit tila hindi man lang naalala yun ni Sir Yul. "Hindi ho ba kayo nagcelebrate man lang kasama ang pamilya niyo?" usisa ko.
He chuckled. "It's not a big deal to us. Everyone in the family is busy in their own work."
Medyo bumigat ang dibdib ko sa narinig. Ganyan ba talaga ang mga ubod ng yaman? They are always busy earning money that they even forget the special day of their family members. Humalukipkip ako. Pinipigilan ko ang panginginig sa tuwing tumatama sa akin ang malamig na aircon.
"Are you cold? Gusto mo hinaan ko ang aircon?" he asked.
Nahihiyang ngumiti ako. "Okay lang po ba? M-Medyo giniginaw nga ho ako."
He lowered the aircon. "How about music. Meron ka bang gustong pakinggan?" tanong niya.
"Kayo pong bahala. I don't really have much preference in music."
He played mellow songs. Palihim na tiningnan ko siya. Why am I having this feeling that he's not totally a bad person at all? I thought he's only acting to impress me but my instinct is telling me now that his being serious and sincere in his actions. He has hidden softness and gentleness inside him. Baka naman na mi-misunderstood lang siya ng mga tao sa paligid niya. I think he just need right people around him who can totally understand his weird personality to triggered his good side.
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