Love in a Rush 2 (COMPLETED)

Walk-in Closet "Lately you've been questioning if I still see you the same way, 'cause through these trying years we gonna both physically change. Now, don't you know you... you'll always be the most beautiful woman I know? So let me reassure you darlin' that my feelings are truly unconditional..." Gerard hummed to the tune of the song Don't Change by Musiq as he faced the huge mirror near the glass console in the master's bedroom. He turned the volume a little up to make sure that Shayla, his wife, would hear it, too, while she was in the walk-in closet preparing for the office serviam gala that they would attend.   "Hon?" tawag ni Gerard sa asawa nitong si Shayla na nasa walk-in closet.  He initially wondered why it was taking long for his wife to step out of there when she was not usually like that in the span of years that they've been together. Halos magdadalawang oras na ito doon. He would have worried if their room including the walk-in closet and bathroom did not have centralized air condition, which they could turn off or on, as needed.  For that moment, he felt proud of himself for having designed their room that way. To him, it meant that he was able to provide service to his wife out of his own talent and skill. It was also his way of showing love for her. If there's a Taj Mahal in India that the emperor made for his wife, he has his own way of showing his love to her, and that was to create her a walk-in closet that he personally designed. Yun nga lang, may downside it para sa kaniya dahil kapag nagtatampo pa naman ang kaniyang asawa sa kaniya ay nagkukulong ito sa kuwarto o kung saan puwedeng hindi siya makita nito. Thankfully, it was not all the time that she was upset with him.  He glanced at the closed walked-in closet and wondered why she was taking so long to prepare. He had an inkling, but then he remembered she has already agreed with him about coming to the serviam gala, because her best friend, Rori, would be there as well.  Gayun pa man, alam niyang pumayag lamang ito dahil gusto siya nito pagbigyan. Naisip niya na baka kaya nagtatagal si Shayla sa walk-in closet ay kinakabahan ito at nagaalinlangan sumama sa kaniya. "Hon?" muli niyang tawag as he tried to fix his bow tie. He was getting the feeling that she was intentionally delaying her preparation.  Sinusubukan niyang ayusin ang bow tie ng kaniyang suot na tuxedo, habang hinihintay si Shayla upang tulungan siya dahil bumabaliko pa rin ito.  "Honey kong goddess?" marahan niyang tawag muli habang hinihintay ang asawa na lumabas sa walk-in closet. "Pag hindi ka pa lumabas diyan, ako na ang papasok, honey. Papasok talaga ako, honey-- if you know what your husband means? Pinapasabik mo ba ako?" pilyo pa niyang hirit. Naging tuksuhan na nila ito sa tuwing nanunutil o nangiinis siya sa asawang mahiyain. Sa limang taon nilang pagsasama, kilalang kilala na niya ang asawa, kaya naman batid niya kung bakit ito nagtatagal sa walk-in closet. Naga-alinlangan itong sumama sa serviam gala ng Ponce Group of Companies.   Alam niyang mahiyain at nerbyosa pa rin ito, lalo na sa big crowd. Sa beauty contests lang naman ito hindi nagpapakita ng nerbyos, pero dahil ito sa pagba-block out daw nito sa audience, at dahil sa gipit na gipit at wala daw itong choice noon. But life changed for Shayla for the better after that chapter in her life. She felt safer and happier. Yun nga lang, nasanay si Shayla na mga kamag-anak at kaibigan lamang ang nakakasalamuha. Halos hindi rin ito lumalabas ng bahay kungdi nga lamang ito mag-gogrocery o magsha-shopping para sa mga bata. At kadalasan, lalabas lang ito ng bahay kung maga-out of town or country trip silang pamilya.  Taon-taon na may serviam galal sa Ponce Group of Companies at kada taon ay parati itong nakikiusap na huwag nang dumalo sa mga ganoong kasiyahan lalo pa't sigurado itong maraming curious na mga mata ang titingin dito sapagkat hindi pa ito nakikita ng personal ng mga empleyado ng kanilang family business. He knew Shayla felt awkward about attending the company serviam gala, where the tenured employees would be given awards for their years of service and loyalty to the company. Ang mga aawardan kasi ay ang mga 5, 10, 15, at 30 years na nagta-trabaho sa kumpanya. Since Gerard was the president of the family company, it was only but natural for him to bring Shayla and be acquainted with the employees. Lalo na hindi pa nakikita ng personal ng mga empleyado ng kumpanya si Shayla.  First time din lang kasi ng kumpanya na may aabot na ng 30 years sa kanilang kumpanya at marami rami na din sila. "Eto na, honey, lalabas na!" Sagot ni Shayla na narinig niyang tila nagmamadali. Alam kasi nito na wala pa rin naman siyang pinagbago kahit na limang taon na silang kasal. Pilyo pa din siya pag dating sa asawa at haharutin niya ito. Ganun din naman siya. Kilala niya si Shayla. Batid niya na hanggat maari ay mas gugustuhin pa ng mahiyaing asawa ang pumirmi na lang sa bahay at magpaka-housewife. Mas gusto kasi nito ang alagaan siya at ang kanilang mga anak. It's been so long since he saw his beautiful wife wearing a cocktail dress again. If he recalled correctly,  the last time that he saw his wife wearing a cocktail dress or gown was during their wedding day, kaya naman excited siya na makita ang kaniyang asawa ngayon na naka-ayos, na tulad ng beauty queen that she is for him. "Honey kong goddess? Susunduin na ba kita diyan sa walk-in closet naten?" malambing niyang tanong. "Ito na, honey! Promise. Lalabas na ako," sagot naman ni Shayla. Narinig niyang naglakad palabas si Shayla sa walk-in closet dahil wood ang flooring, kaya minabuti niyang salubungin na ito. Pagharap niya sa pintuan ay nakita niya ang asawang nakayuko. Naka-make up na ito na nakapag-enhance pa lalo ng magandang mukha ni Shayla. Nakalugay din ang buhok nito. Nakasuot ito ng puting cocktail dress na fit sa katawan at bahagyang kita ang cleavage. Saglit siyang napatulala sa hitsura ng asawa at napatingin from head to foot. Napatingin na rin si Shayla sa kanya at napakagat labi. "Panget ba?" Hindi kaagad nakapagsalita si Gerard. It felt like the first time he saw her. Tumibok ang puso niya habang nakatitig sa asawa. Nanibago siya dito. Madalas kasi ay nakapusod ang buhok ni Shayla at nakikita niya lamang itong maglugay ng buhok kapag maliligo na sila ng sabay o di kaya'y matutulog.  Hindi din ito nagme-make up. Madalas lang itong mag-lipstick. Hindi rin ito madalas magsuot ng hapit na damit. Kadalasan ay naka-duster ito o kaya'y t-shirt at shorts. Magbibihis lamang ito ng dress or blouse at Capri pants o jeans kapag may lakad sila. Kadalasan din ay nakikita lang niya ang hubog ng katawan ng asawa kapag naliligo sila, o kaya'y pag matutulog na at magla-love making sila. Kaya naman napangiti siya sa ayos ng maganda at simpleng asawa.  Para siyang totoy na first time magka-crush. Pakiramdam nga niya ay namula ang kanyang mukha.  "Ano nga? Panget ba?" namumulang tanong ni Shayla.  Ngumiti siya sa asawang na-coconscious.Hindi pa rin siya sumasagot. Nakangiti lang siya na lalong ikina- conscious nito. "Hay naku, magpapalit na nga lang ako!" Bigla siyang humawak sa kanyang dibdib at napayuko. "Ah!" Napapikit siya. Napatakbo sa kanya si Shayla sa takot at hinawakan siya. "Hon! Are you ok?" Mabilis niyang inakap ang asawa at nagpahulog siya sa kama kasama ang asawa. Napasigaw tuloy si Shayla sa nerbyos nang mapahiga sila. "Honey!" Tarantang bumangon si Shayla sa kama at hinawakan siya. Nakapikit kasi siya at parang nawalan ng malay, pero kahit nakapakit siya ay sinapo ng kamay niya sa dibdib ang asawa and squeezed one of her boobs, saka nagmulat ng mata at ngumiti, showing off his dimples. Hinampas siya ni Shayla. "Pakshet ka! Pinakaba mo ko, honey!" Tumatawa siyang bumangon at inayos ang nagulong buhok ng asawa, saka hinawakan ito sa magkabilang balikat.  Tinitigan niya ito bago nagsalita. "Ang ganda mo! Naiinlove ako!" He said na parang naiinis. Namula si Shayla habang nakatingin sa kanya, pero ngumiti na rin ito. "Parang hindi consistent. Kino- compliment mo ba ako, o naiinis ka na maganda ako, at naiinlove ka? "I'm complimenting my wife, but I feel possessive too. Parang ayoko na kitang dalin sa serviam gala! Parang gusto na lang kitang itago dito sa bahay." Sagot niya habang hinahalikan ang asawa sa leeg. "Hay naku, honey, mabuti pa nga dito na lang ako sa bahay kasi nahihiya talaga ako. Kailan ba ako last na lumabas in public? Yun' kasal yata natin yon eh... hindi na'ko sanay... nakakanerbyos." "Para maalis yun' nerbyos mo, one round tayo." Aya niya . He pulled down the string of her cocktail dress as he trailed kisses on her face to the nook of her neck. "What if..." sambit ni Shayla habang nadadala sa mga halik niya. "What if hindi na lang ako sumama, hon?" she shyly asked. Napatigil siya. "Sayang yun' effort mo ng pag-aayos." He calmly explained. "At saka... the employees are really looking forward to meet my wife in person," marahan niyang hinahalikan ng salitan ang labi at leeg ni Shayla. Tumugon naman ng halik si Shayla. She guided his hands to her dress to make him expose her breasts. He was about to move on top of her when Shayla stopped him.  "Honey, baka malukot yun' suot ko." Pigil ni Shayla sa kanya habang tinutulak niya ito para mahiga sa kama. "Saka pag nahiga ako, masisira na yun curl ng hair ko... at yun' make up ko masisira... hindi na ako makakasama sa serviam gala." He instantly knew that Shayla was doing reverse psychology on him.  Napatawa siya. "Ikaw ha!"   "Make love na tayo honey..." She encouraged him and continued to guide his hand to massage her breast and started to moan loud as his warm palm softly touched her tip. She guided his other hand between her legs to make him feel her moistness. She intentionally showed him that she was biting her lip as if she was about to reach orgasm, which he knew that she was faking. Somehow,Gerard knew what Shayla was doing. She was seducing him to make love and ruin her cocktail dress as well as make up so that she could have an excuse not to go with him to the ball. Wala na kasi itong extra cocktail dress. At wala itong mga bagong cocktail dresses dahil ayaw nitong pumayag na bumili o magpagawa. Tulad pa rin ng dati, matipid ang asawa niya kahit na niyayabangan na nga niya ito na kaya niya itong ibili ng 100 pirasong cocktail dresses na tig-30,000.00 pa. Pero hindi pa din pumapayag ang kaniyang asawa at sinasabihan siya nito na mahangin siya. Yun' mga dating cocktail dresses at gown naman nito nung dalaga pa ito ay hindi na kasya sa asawa dahil nag-gain ito ng kaunting weight after two pregnancies to their 4 children.  He is particular with the term 'kaunting weight' because he thinks na regardless kung malaki o maliit man ang i-gain ni Shayla, para sa kanya, sexy pa rin ang asawa. At isa pa, alam niyang maco-conscious lang ito, which he believed was unnecessary for her to worry about because the way he looked at her would never change. She's the most beautiful girl for him. Napangiti siya habang pinagmamasdan si Shayla na patuloy pa dina ang seduce sa kanya. " Make love na tayo? Hindi mo na mapigilan diba? Kaya go na tayo, honey. Hindi na lang ako sasama..." she moved to sit on his lap, facing him,  and rocked her bottom seductively as she let the string of her dress fall down, exposing her bosom. "Akong bahala." He smiled, and carried her to the foot of the bed. He made her sit, and spread her legs. He knelt down on the floor, and pulled her underwear, before he played with her love button using his tongue. "Honey... naman... eh... wala... ba ... talagang... lusot?" she moaned in between her words. "Lusot naman ah?" Ngisi niya as he pleasured her the way he knew she wouldn't be able to think clearly or stop. *** Gerard guided her to the ballroom. As expected, pinagtitinginan siya ng mga tao dahil hindi naman siya madalas na makita ng mga ito.   First time niya ulit makihalobilo sa big crowd, kaya naman lalo siyang nagha-hyperventilate. Pero hindi niya ito pinapahalata kay Gerard dahil ayaw niyang intindihan pa siya nito.  Inalala na lang niya yun' ginagawa niya noon pag may beauty pageants siya. Nagse-self talk siya. Carrybells lang yan' bakla! Mas matindi pa nga noon ang mga beauty pageants na sinalihan mo, kesa dito. At least dito, walang bathing suit segment. Rampa ka lang, smile, and wave. "Hon?" pabulong na tanong ni Gerard. "Yes, honey?" tanong niya habang nagwe-wave sa lahat ng nakatingin. "Bakit ka kumakaway?" "Ay, hindi ba dapat?" tanong niya at ibinaba paunti unti ang kamay. "So-sorry! Para lang akong tanga, 'no?" Napangiti siya Gerard at hinawakan ang nanlalamig niyang kamay. "Of course not, honey! You don't look stupid. You're my wife. Come on, let's wave together." Anito at nag-wave din ito habang naglalakad sila.  Ang mga tao naman na madaanan nila ay nagsisibatian sa kanila. "Hello, Sir Gerard! Hello Ma'am Shayla! Ang ganda ganda niyo po pala!" Aniya ng karamihan ng mga taong nadadaanan nila. "S-salamat po. Kamusta po kayo?" sagot at ngiti naman niya.  Tumitigil sila sa bawat makasalimuha upang makipagkwentuhan saglit at pagkatapos ay magpapaalam na sa kausap at lilipat naman sa iba. Gerard introduced her to different people from different levels. May rank and file, supervisor, managers, engineers, architects, sales operations heads, at directors. Nang maupo na sila sa isang table upang mag-dinner kasama ang management committee ng kumpanya, nakipagkuwentuhan na si Gerard sa mga ito.  Puros inglisan ng inglisan ang nasa table, samantalang siya ay tahimik lang. Marunong naman siya mag-english pero hindi lang niya nakasanayan yun' manner ng pagi-english ng mga ito. Gumagamit kasi ng mga highfaluting words yun mga kausap ni Gerard at gumagamit din ang mga ito ng mga business terms na hindi niya maintindihan. Sumasagot naman ang asawa niya ng mga salitang never pa nga niyang narinig na gamitin nito kapag nakikipag-inglisan ito sa mga anak at sa kanya sa bahay.  She felt so proud of him. Sa isip-isip niya, go, go, go, honey kong cute!  Sige, pakitaan mo rin sila ng mga highfaluting english mo! Tapos mag- French ka na rin, Spanish, Portuguese, at Mandarin! Woohoo! Pero come to think of it, mabuti na lang at hindi ganito makipag-usap si Gerard saamin mag-iina pag nasa bahay ito, kungdi masasaktan talaga siya sa aken! Nakaka-nose bleed kaya! Masakit sa ulo! Sa isip niya. Pinagmasdan na lang niya ang mga karamihan sa mga babaeng naroon. Mga working at career oriented na mga babae— unlike her.  They looked so glamorous and confident! And, why wouldn't they be, right? They have work, and they are earning their own money. Samantalang ako--- just a plain housewife. Bigla siyang napa-isip. Ilang beses ba niyang sinabi na she was just a plain housewife?  Sabi nila don't put 'just' in your chosen profession. Dapat proud ka pa nga.  Ewan ba niya na kahit masaya siya sa buhay bilang housewife, there was something lurking deep within her. Yun' feeling of self fulfillment.  Yes, she was  a fulfilled housewife and mother;  and, she knows being a mother and housewife are one of the most noble roles in the world.  Pero, pakiramdam niya, she has to do something for herself. But when she would think about it, nagi-guilty siya at sinisita niya ang sarili niya.  Pakiramdam niya kasi it's so selfish of her kung naghahanap pa siya ng fulfillment para pasayahin ang sarili niya. Dapat ang happiness niya ay ang asawa niya at mga anak niya, at yoon naman ang core value niya. That was what defined her.  But as years passed by, she thought, perhaps things change, including one's wants, desires, dreams, hopes, and truths. Habang pinagmamasdan niya ang mga kababaihan, lalo siyang nakaramdam ng panliliiit which she wanted to dismiss. Tila napansin ni Gerard ang pagkatulala niya kaya nakipag-holding hands ito sa kanya. "Is something wrong, honey?" he whispered to her ear. Napatitig siya sa guwapo, mapagmahal, mabait, malambing na asawa at mabuting ama ng kanyang mga anak.  He was all that she needed and who made her heart happy-- forever. Napangiti siya sa asawa at tumugon. "Wala, honey. Nothing's wrong. Everything's perfect because you're here." It was Gerard's turn to smile. Somehow, alam niyang kinilig ang asawa niya sa kaniyang sinabi.   "I love you. Thank you for coming with me in this party." Gerard whispered as they looked at each other's eyes. She smiled at him  as he held her hand tight; and raised it to his lips to gently caress it. "I love you, too." She whispered. She started to feel a little comfortable at humilig sa kaniyang asawa. She pushed the feeling of self-doubt away and the feeling of longing for something else which she had no idea what disappeared. There was a certain feeling of peace and happiness she felt inside. And it reminded her heart that if she would only look at him and their kids, nothing really mattered to her but them.