His Possession

Chapter 7

"Kamusta ang bakasyon mo, Gen?" salubong sa akin ni Miss D. Di ko alam kung anong isasagot ko. Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya.

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at ginaya ako papunta sa opisina nito.

"So, how's your vacation. You texted me last week telling you need to go to your grandparents province. I thought you're an orphan tulad ng sinabi mo noon." mahabang linyana ng boss ko sa Café. Para akong nawalan ng dila.

I swallowed hard. I really want to cry. I know she's been too good to me for years but what have I done right now is sewing a lie.

Mangiyak ngiyak akong yumakap sa kanya.

She looked surprised and hugged me back. "I'm worried about you. You know you're like a daughter to me." malungkot nyang sabi habang hinahaplos ang likod ko. A sobs escaped from my mouth.

"Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?" nag aalalang tanong niya sa akin. Umiling ako at hinawi ang luhang bumagsak mula sa mga mata ko.

"I am so grateful to have you in my life." I cried. Ngumiti sya sa akin at niyakap ulit ako.

"Halika nga dito. You know that we love you no matter what. You're more than a family to us." pampagaan niya ng loob sa akin.

Tumango tango ako at niyakap sya ng mahigpit.

Noong isang araw lang kami nakauwi at kinagabihan non ay nag attend kami ng anniversary ng parents niya. Golden anniversary. He introduced me tulad ng sinabi niya.

His parents are shocked yet happy because at last their only son has a wife to be with. But what shocking more was his father's words.

"Now that your married all I want to asked is a grandson. I want to see my grandson before leaving earth. And I am giving you a year to make it." old Del Rio announced. Para akong binuhusan ng mainit na tubig. Di na malamig dahil sa hot news yun.

Hinawakan ng mahigpit ni Sean ang kamay ko. Nanginginig kasi ako sa narinig. Akala ko sapat na ang ipakilala niya ako sa parents niya bakit kailangan pa ng apo.

"Of course Papa, we can give you a beautiful grandson." masayang sagot niya sa ama niya. You can give him but I can't help you with it. "Right, Honey?" pinandilatan niya ako ng mata na parang sinasabing just go with the flow.

Nag aalinlangan akong tumango. God, wala na bang mas shocking pa na balita kesa dito? One year? One year nalang din at gagraduate na ako. Pano na ito?

"You are really beautiful, hija." puri sa akin ng Mama ni Sean na mama ko na din since kasal na naman kami.

"Thank you po." nahihiyang pasalamat ko sa kanya. Umiling iling sya habang natatawa.

"You're so adorable and too innocent. How old are you?" I caught off guard with a question. Anong isasagot ko?

"She's nineteen Mom and please don't intimidate her." suway ni Sean dito at hinigit ako papunta sa kanya. Humalakhak ang mama niya. Di naman pang kontrabidang halakhak ngunit halakhak na parang tuwang tuwa sa nasaksihan.

"My son is so possessive. I never saw you being possessive to any other girl." tawa pa nito. Hinigit niya ako mula kay Sean. I hear Sean's cursed silently. "You should not be possessive over your girl, you're suffocating them." aniya at dinala ako palayo kay Sean.

Inabot niya sa akin ang isang juice na kinuha niya mula sa waiter at dinala niya ako sa medyo tahimik na lugar ng kanilang mansion. Yung lugar na di masyadong maraming bisita.

"I hope, he never forced you to marry him." simula nito habang nasa party ang tingin. Napanganga ako. Pakiramdam ko namula ang mukha ko sa nalaman.

"I know Sean Isaac too well. After all he's my son. My only son. He grew up getting what he wanted. He's an obedient son. " sinimsim niya ang inumin niya at tumingin sa akin.

"We dared him about marriage, kapalit nito ay ang mamanahin niya. He don't have plans marrying at the age of 25 but he accepted the dare." binaba niya ang baso niya sa upuan at hinawakan ang kamay ko.

"I expected him to get married to someone he can could intrust his heart and wealth, now meeting you as his wife is not that shocking in our part. He made the right decision. He picked the right woman." she paused and smiled genuinely.

Gusto kong itama na mali ang pagkakilala niya sa anak niya pero ayokong sirain ang magandang mood niya. "Please, take good care of my son, Autumn. I know you can do that." I smiled back at her and nodded my head slowly.

"Thank you for coming into his life." If you only knew. Binaba ko ang tingin ko dahil punong puno ng saya at pag asa ang nasa mata ni Mrs. Del Rio. I can take care of him, but I don't think he can take care of me. Sad but true.

"What did my mom tell you?" he asked me. Pauwi na kami ngayon mula sa party ng parents niya. Family and friends lang ang nandoon at walang media. Kahit na sabihin pa sa buong angkan niya ang tungkol sa pag aasawa niya everybody accepted the news.

But they promised to keep it in a family circle alone at yan ang hindi ko maintindihan. "We have to keep your marriage private because we don't want you to get in business matters." That's the exact words old Mr. Del Rio said.

They want me protected.

" Your mom is so nice. She's the best." maikling saad ko sa kanya habang nasa unahan ang tingin. Nagmamaneho sa ngayon habang ako naman ay nasa passenger seat.

"Glad you like her and I know she likes you too. I have never seen her fond of any other girl, expect you." napalingon ako sa gawi niya. "She's too picky when it comes to my affairs. And knowing she likes you makes me happy." sulyap niya sa akin.

"She always reminded me to pick carefully."

"Should I be grateful for picking me as your wife?" I asked curtly. Biglang nag iba ang mood nito at napansin kong kuyom ng panga nito at humigpit ang paghawak niya ng steering wheel.

"I don't know if I have to be grateful to be a chosen one. Where in fact I am not. You took my freedom as a young woman. A freedom to live. To choose and to be happy." hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling ang sama ng loob ko.

Huminga ako ng malalim. Napansin kong napawi ang magandang mood nito at napslitan ng galit at poot ang kanyang mga mata. Biglang bumilis ang takbo ng sasakyan kaya napahawak ako sa seatbelt ko ng mahigpit. "W-what happen?" kinakabahang tanong ko sa kanya. Pakiramdam ko nanginginig ako sa takot. Ano na naman ang nangyari sa kanya?

"Shut up." sigaw niya sa akin. Before I knew it, he parked the car in front of his mansion. Dali-dali niyang binuksan ang pintuan niya at yung sa akin sabay higit ng braso ko.

"You're hurting me." daing ko habang kinakaladkad niya ako papasok at paakyat sa malaking bahay. Muntik pa akong madapa sa staircase. "Hinay-hinay lang nasasaktan ako." naiiyak na ako sa sakit.

Binuksan niya ang pinto binalibag ako sa paanan ng kama. Nasubsob pa ako sa kama. Hapong-hapo niya akong dinuro. "You really know how to fuel my anger, don't you?" galit niyang sigaw sa akin.

"Why, Bakit ka nagagalit? Totoo naman di ba? Kayo lang ang naging maswerte na nasa inyo ako dahil magagamit niyo ako. Your father likes me to bear his grandson. Your mother asked me to take care of you. And you asked me to marry you para makuha ang mana mo. Now tell me! How can I be grateful? I like your mom too, but she asked me an impossible thing. How can I take care of you when I know hell is waiting for me? They want you to have a better future, but I don't know what my future is. You stole my future." mahabang sumbat ko sa kanya. Minsan lang ako nagsalita ng mahabang salita.

Mula ng dumating sya sa buhay ko lahat ng hindi ko naisip na magagawa ko nagagawa ko. Bursting out in front of someone is not me. Dahil punong puno na ako here I am now.

"You're such a drama queen. Tsss. I don't have time in this shit." aniya at lumabas ng kwarto. Hindi ko talaga sya maintindihan.

Napaka bipolar niya.

I cried silently. Akala ko di na ako iiyak but I am here again. Crying silently. This is bullshit. I am not a cursing woman but now I don't know myself anymore.

Ganito nalang ba ang buhay ko ang umiyak ng umiyak? I am so sick of crying. Gusto ko ng umalis na dito but how? How can I escape from a beast's cage?

"Tulala ka na naman. Alam mo simula ng bumalik ka mula sa bakasyon mo lagi ka nakang tulala." siko sa akin ni Yna. Pagkatapos naming mag usap ni Miss D last two days ago ngayon lang ulit kami nagkausap ni Yna.

"May naiisip lang." sagot ko sa kanya habang nagpupunas ng baso. Humalukipkip sya sa tabi ko.

"May napapansin ako sayo. Nawala na ang ngiti sa mga mata mo. May problema ka ba?" tanong niya ngumiti naman ako agad pero inismiran niya ako. "Your smile is fake. Wag mo ng ipilit. I know you. You don't know how to act perfectly fine when you are not."

"But don't worry, hindi kita kukulitin. I'll wait until you open up with me." ngiti niya. Isang totoong ngiti. I hugged her tight.

"Thank you, Yna. You are really a good and true friend."