Pagpatak ng alas-tres y medya ng umaga ay bumangon na ako at naligo. I hummed while putting my make-up on and dressing up for the day. Matapos mag-ayos ng sarili ay bumaba na ako sa kusina at pakanta-kanta pa rin na nagsimulang magluto. Habang naghihintay sa pinapakuluang karne ay nagbasa muna ako ng balita online.
As expected, parang apoy na kumalat sa buong bansa ang eskandalo. Number top trending agad sa mga sites ang mga nangyari. Wala na ring nagawa ang mga Asturias para pigilan pa ang paglabas ng mga balita kaya ngayon ay pinagpipiyestahan na ng mga mamamayan ang videos nito.
Some are even digging up the unseen man in the video but I made sure that I buried the original video. Ilang milyon din ang ibinayad ko sa editor. I might hated the sight of my husband enjoying Elizabeth's mouth but I won't let the nation know that.
Akin na lang iyon.
The family threatened to sue the people behind it pero good luck na lang sa kanila. Mas dapat nilang pagtuunan ng pansin ngayon ang napakalaking baho na sumingaw.
I got reports that there have been incessant meetings from left to right and switching alliances are brewing. Sa lokal na senaryo ay nakikinabang na ang mga angkan ko sa mga pinaghirapan ko.
Nagkakagulo na rin ang buong Cerro Roca at Monte Vega. Hindi na magkandaugaga ang buong lugar sa paghagupit ng mga media. Sentro ngayon ng madla ang mga Asturia na hindi pa rin naglalabas ng opisyal na pahayag. Nanganganib din na hindi matuloy ang project ng mga Asturia at Gastrell. Dawit na ngayon ang pamilya ni Cholo sa eskandalo.
The sun rose from outside while I prepared the table. Mayamaya pa ay naririnig ko na ang mga yabag ni Cholo.
Matamis ang ngiting inihanda ko sa mga labi nang kinukuha ko na ang cup para ipagtimpla ito ng kape.
"Good morning. Just wait a sec for your coffee, dear," I said while putting the pod on the coffee maker.
I felt his presence behind me and his lips on my head right after that.
"Good morning. Don't bother. I need to go now. Emergency."
Hinarap ko ang asawa at bahagyang natigilan. Naroroon pa rin ang bakas ng mga pasa nito na ayon rito ay aksidente lamang.
"Nang ganito kaaga?" I looked at the huge wall clock on the kitchen. "It's still five thirty in the morning. Why the rush?"
"It's emergency. Ymir called and I need to be there in the meeting. Will you be okay here or would you want to go with me?"
"N-No... No. I'm alright here. Go now. I'll just bring you some breakfast or do you want me to order for you?"
Cholo smiled and pulled me to his arms. He showered my head little kisses and caressed my back.
"What did I do to be so lucky to have you? Please bring me my food later. I want to eat with you."
I giggled and kissed his cheek. "Okay, boss."
He looked at me and leaned in for a kiss.
"I'll go now."
I nodded and watched his back on me.
"Hindi ka ba talaga dito kakain? At least taste the kare-kare," hindi ko napigilang sabihin.
He stopped walking and turned to me. Pinaraan nito ang mga kamay sa buhok bago nagkibit-balikat at humila ng upuan.
"To hell with that meeting. If my wife wants me to eat with her then I'm exactly doing the same thing. Let's see now what's on the menu."
Nakangiting pumuwesto na rin ako sa katabi nito na upuan matapos ilapag ang umuusok pang kape na agad nitong ininom. Maasikaso ko siyang nilagyan ng mga ulam.
"I can't believe I'm having breakfast at quarter to six in the morning," naiiling nitong saad habang maganang sumusubo.
Tinitigan ko lang nang malamlam ang asawa na halatang nag-e-enjoy sa kinakain. This is heaven, watching him eating my cooking heartily. How I wish ganito na lang kami palagi, iyong tipong magiging tipikal na housewife ako para sa kaniya. I'll be his chef, his stylist, the mother of his children.
Napakurap ako sa sakit sa huling naisip.
Bakit ba kasi napakakomplikado ng buhay? Bakit ba hindi pwedeng maging kami nang hindi ako nasasaktan? Bakit ba kailangan pang mangyari ang lahat ng mga nangyari?
Why does it have to be me? Bakit ba hindi pwedeng maging masaya ako sa piling niya?
So many why's but there is little to no answer. Palagi na lang akong ganito. Palaging nagtatanong, nagbabakasakali ng mga bagay na alam ko namang hindi na magkakatotoo pa.
I'm always holding on to vacuum for me to jump inside it in the end.
"Eat," Cholo ordered me and put food on my empty plate when he caught me staring at him.
"Right. Sorry. You just look so good while eating. But I'll bet you'll look better if..." Kinindatan ko siya at kinagat ang ibabang labi habang nakapangalumbaba rito.
He painfully groaned and shoved a spoonful of rice on my mouth.
"Here, eat. And eat some more. Stop putting demons in my head at this early." Tumikhim ito ng dalawang beses at umayos ng upo habang pipapasakan ako ng pagkain. He's deliberately avoiding my eyes and focusing only on my mouth which I bit.
Umungol ito. "Wife, don't make it hard for me to leave you this morning. Today will be a tough one for sure."
"It'll be harder if you don't give in," I said and stood up to sit on his lap, my legs on either of his side. He's hard already.
"See what I'm talking about?" I grind my bottoms against his hardness while grinning.
I still heard him mutter something before he crushed my lips with his. Nalasahan ko pa ang curry sauce sa bibig nito. Hindi naman ako nagpatalo. I kissed him as hard as I could.
Namalayan ko na lang na tumatayo si Cholo habang nakapalibot ang mga bisig niya sa akin at hindi pinuputol ang halik. I didn't know how we reached the bedroom without stumbling on the stairs.
We end up making love on the floor and then on the bed. Humirit pa ito ng isa pa pero umayaw na ako dahil kanina pa nag-iingay ang cellphone at ang landline na konektado sa kwarto. He kissed me first and promised that he will come back this afternoon to finish our business. I just laughed at his silly remarks. He can't come back anymore because this will be a long day for him.
I just showered again and spent the hours looking at every corner of the house which has been our love nest for a time now. In such a short time of being here, I've learned to love the place more than I did in countless of homes I've lived in. There is just something special here. It's homey and not judgemental. It welcomed me and made me feel at peace.
But now it's time I leave it. Masyado na akong nagiging masaya dito at base sa aking mga karanasan, ilang oras na lang ang natitira at matatapos na rin ito. It's like another borrowed time of being happy and contented.
The clock struck ten in the morning, a sign that it's time to wake up from this dream and face my adversary.
"Good morning, Ms. Karina," ang bati ni Celeste sa tabi nang nakabukas na pinto ng kotse. Sa tabi nito ay si Vishen na hawak ang handle ng pinto.
I managed to give her a smile and nodded.
"Good morning. Are we all set?"
"Yes, Ms. Karina. All are in place. Kayo na lang po ang kinakailangan."
"Good." Sumakay na ako sa sasakyan at ibinaba ang salamin at tinitigan ang assistant. "Thank you, Celeste. This will be your last task from me. After this, you're free."
The windows rolled back again and I ordered Vishen to go.