The Jerk's Wife (Filipino)

Chapter 4

"I won't beat around the bush princess, hindi lang kami nagpunta dito para sa honeymoon namin ng ate Amanda mo." Itinaas ko ang tingin kay kuya mula sa pag-inom ko ng kape, I narrowed my forehead and listen to him carefully.

"Sinadya ko talaga na puntahan ka dito because I really need to discuss a serious matter." Aniya matapos sumimsim ng kape, nangunot lalo ang noo ko dahil normal naman na pumupunta sila dito sa New York upang bisitahin kami ni Zeus, especially when I won't be able to visit the Philippines dahil sa schedule ko.

"Really kuya? Sabihin mo namiss mo lang ako!" I vivaciously utter at ngumisi sa kanila ni ate Amanda, ang ate naman ay natawa lang sa sinabi ko.

"Silly lady, this is so urgent, this is too important so don't play around." Napaupo ako ng tuwid because he's now using his serious voice, It only means na seryoso talaga siya sa kung ano man ang sasabihin nya.

"Ate? What's with him? My curiosity will eat me." I silently whispered at ate Amanda, lumapit pa ako sa kanya ng nakakunot ang noo.

"Just listen to your kuya." Ate Amanda  shrugged as she sipped her coffee, dumako naman ang tingin ko kay kuya Blaze, his green eyes are pierced on mine, I swollow hard dahil bigla akong kinabahan sa gestures niya.

Para akong teenager na papagalitan ng tatay, inabala ko na lang ang sarili sa pag-inom ng kape, Kuya clear his throat before talking.

"You need to go home, settle down in the Philippines, Isasama ko na kayo ni Zeus pag-uwi namin." He directly declare na lalong nagpalalim ng pagkakakunot ng noo ko.

"What for? Biglaan naman yata kuya? As you can see nagsisimula pa lang akong magtrabaho dito." I exasperately hissed, hindi ko kasi maintindihan kung bakit bigla na lang siya dadalaw dito isang araw at gusto akong pauwiin sa Pilipinas.

"Stop raising your voice at me Artemis." He calmly voice out but I know how he patiently control his madness.

"Kuya, I-I'm sorry, I was just surprised, why so sudden? That's impossible!" I frustratingly rolled my eyes, hindi pa ba sapat na umuuwi ako ng Pilipinas kung kaya ng schedule ko? Bakit kailangan ko pang doon tumira!

I spend my 10 years here in New York for goodness sake! Nandito ang trabaho ko at isa pa ay maganda ang lagay ko dito. I am contented to be here.

"Nothing is impossible, princess. Uuwi ka at maninirahan sa Pilipinas whether you like it or not." Matigas niyang turan kaya lalo akong nainis, I controlled my anger to boost up, he's my big brother pero hindi naman siguro yun sapat na dahilan para pakialaman pa niya ang buhay ko.

"Kuya, listen to me, wala pang isang taon ang clinic ko dito, I have my job here, my life is here and there's no need to leave here." Malumanay at kalmado kong paliwanag, I sighed at pinaningkitan siya ng mga mata.

He's seriously eyeing me, si Ate Amanda naman ay pinanood lang kaming mag-kapatid. Muli akong napabuntong hininga bago magsalita ulit.

"Isa pa, I'm 29, too old to be dictated, hindi na ako bata kuya! May sarili na akong buhay at kaya ko ng magdesisyon para sa amin ng anak ko! Please just please, stop interfering with my decisions." I bite my lower lip to stop bursting out, I feel so annoyed that he's still treating me like a teenager and dominating my life.

"Listen carefully to me, woman." He grimly said before looking at me, umayos pa siya ng upo kaya nasapo ko ang sariling noo, alam ko na, if he's acting this way that only means he's being persistent at ipipilit ang gusto niyang mangyari sa akin.

"Nagpatayo ako ng bagong hospital  sa Maynila." Panimula niya, pinagsalikop niya ang kamay nila ni ate Amanda habang nagsasalita.

Isinandal ko naman ang likod ko sa sofa habang nakikinig sa kanya, alam ko naman na nagpapagawa siya ng bagong hospital, ito na ang pangatlo sa hospital na pagmamay-ari ng kuya pero hindi ko kasi maisip kung ano ang kinalaman ko dito!

"Gusto kong ipangalan sa'yo ang hospital. Pinagawa yon para sa'yo." Napa-awang ang mga labi ko sa sinabi ni kuya, I momentarily in surprised bago nakahuma.

"Kuya, You don't have to do this, This is too much." I shake my head at tumayo upang tabihan siya sa sofa, I hold his hands and look into his green eyes.

"You have helped me so much kuya, pinag-aral mo ako, you stay beside me even I'm at my worst, even I disappoint you a lot of time, you still accept and supported me. That was enough kuya." I sincerely said, my eyes are getting wet, he helped throughout those years, nakaalalay siya sa akin at hindi ako iniiwan.

"Kuya, you gave me a huge house here in New York, lahat ng gastos ng anak ko ay sinasagot mo kahit na may trabaho naman ako, you treat my son as your own. This is too much kuya." I whispered, hindi ko na napigilan ang sumiksik sa dibdib niya upang umiyak. I heard him chuckled bago hinimas ang buhok ko, I can feel him kissing my head.

"I just want you near, besides, nanay is getting older, she's tired of flying back and forth here and in the Philippines, she just wants to spend her life with you and Zeus." Mula sa seryoso niyang boses ay malambing na ito ngayon, I stay silent for a moment before heaving a sigh.

I just realize that when I am getting older and living my life, I forgot that my mother is also growing old.

"Okay, but please kuya, give us a time and I won't accept the Hospital. I can work as a Doctor pero hindi mo kailangang ipangalan sa akin." Humiwalay na ako kay kuya at pinipilit ipaliwanag sa kanya ang nais kong mangyari, his face went to being serious again kaya lumayo ako ng konti sa kanya.

"I insists, princess, please do not upset me like that, accept it and this is the last time, I promise, I won't never interfere with your life anymore." Dagdag pa niya, I smiled at him and shake my head gradually.

"Kuya, That's a big responsibility, hindi ko kayang magpatakbo ng mag-isa ng malaking hospital and besides, I want to make time for Zeus, ayaw kong mawalan ng oras sa anak ko kuya." Nagsusumamo kong saad. I look at him, begging. I can't trade my relationship with my son for anything else.

"And who told you that you'll manage it alone?"Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko sa sinabi niya, I look at him at pinahihiwatig sa kanya na hindi ko siya maintindihan.

"So I'll be with kuya Hanz, then?" Tinaas ko ang kilay ko sa kanila, kung hindi si kuya Blaze ay malamang na si kuya Hanz ang mamamahala ng Hospital, I know kuya Blaze won't trust anyone when in business.

"Your kuya Hanz has a six kids, he will surely kill me if I give him another responsibility." He averted his gaze, nilingon niya si Ate Amanda na pabalik-balik ang tingin sa aming dalawa. I just stared at the both of them confusingly.

"Someone bought the 50% of stock, our new business partner." Deretso niyang saad ngunit malikot pa din ang mga mata at parang may kung anong sinesenyas sa asawa, Para silang nag-uusap gamit lamang ang mga mata, weird.

"So sino?" Nalilito kong tanong, he just shrugged and stand up, hawak ang kamay ng asawa ay sabay silang humarap sa akin.

"You'll see, I will give you a week, That's enough time, princess, see you." They kissed me a good bye at tuluyan ng lumabas ng bahay na hindi man lang ako nililingon, wala akong nagawa kung hindi panoorin silang umalis, Nakakunot pa din ang noo ko habang sinusundan sila ng tingin, may hindi sinasabi sa akin si kuya.

There's something going on here.

LEGENDARIE