My High Standard Husband [Tagalog | Filipino]

Chapter 4

Lane POV

Ibinaba ko na ang tawag ngunit napalingon ako nang bumukas ang pinto. Bungad dito ang mommy ko.

I was surprised. She is already here.

“Mom…” I mentioned her name.

“Mom… Mom ka diyan. Magpaliwanag ka,” sabi niya sa akin. Tiningnan niya ako ng matalim. “Sino ang babaeng iyon na nakita ko sa t.v?”

Oh ghad! I know, mabibigla sila sa nakita nila.

“It’s not what you think,” dahilan ko pa.

“Ang drama mo. It’s not what you think ka pang nalalaman diyan. Sino nga iyon?” Kulit niya pa.

Hayst. Bakit ba may ganito akong kakulit na nanay?

“Someone… Someone you don’t know,” sabi ko pa.

“Kaya nga… Hindi ko nga alam. Kaya nga nagtatanong ako. Sino nga iyon?” pangungulit pa niya.

Hayst. Ang kulit-kulit ni mom. Mukhang hindi niya ako titigilan. Mukhang kailangan ko na naman siya.

“Okay. I’ll introduce her to you. Sa tamang panahon,” I said na sumusuko na.

“Ito na ang tamag panahon. Naiinip na ko. Stop making excuses, will you?” sabi niya sabay paypay sa mukha niya na kunwari ay naiinip.

“Okay-okay. Give me a break. Basta itong month. Okay na?” pagsisigurado ko sa kanya.

“Okay.” Sang-ayon niya at tumalikod na sa akin at akmang aalis na siya ngunit humarap siya sa akin na ikinagulat ko. “Pag hindi mo siya na-ipakilala sa amin ay ako na mismo ang maghahanap sa kanya. Ciao.”

Pagkasara niya ng pinto ay hindi ako makapaniwala sa sinabi niya. I know her, she will do anything. Mukhang wala akong kawala sa kanya.

‘TOK-TOK-TOK’

“Come in,” I said. It’s my secretary.

“Can you please search the name of Larisa Aguirre for me?” I command him.

“Yes, sir,” he answered and walked out.

Hmm… What should I do?

- one hour later –

‘TOK-TOK-TOK’

My secretary entered my office while holding an envelope. He then put the envelope to my office table.

“Here is the information of Miss Aguirre, sir,” he said.

“Thank you.” I opened the envelope. I saw her one by one picture with her smiling face. She is twenty-seven? She also have a younger brother. Graduated in college. She doesn’t have a parents? And the most that I was surprised is…

She is one of the employee here in the Pafrika Mall.

Cool! I’m so lucky. Madali ko lang siyang makikita.

“Sir, dagdag information. Si Miss Aguirre ay naka-day-off ngayon dahil ito raw ang araw sana ng honeymoon nila ng mapapang-asawa niya. Ngunit, hindi ito natuloy dahil kahapon daw ay umatras ang groom nito. Bukas pa po ang kanyang pagbalik sa trabaho,” pahayag niya sa akin.

Pffft… Seriously?

“I see,” I said. “Thank you for this. You can go back to your work now.”

“Okay, sir.” He said and leave the room.

I fix my things and I am heading to my meeting with the other clients. I checked my watched. It’s already six in the evening. I looked my cellphone and dialled my client’s number. It was a dinner meeting so I guess, we will have a meeting in the restaurant?

(Hello, Mr. Nicholson.)

“Yes, hello. Can we meet at Ajinomoto Restaurant? It’s dinner already so I guess you will be hungry.”

(Sure. No problem with me.)

I hang up the phone. I pick up my things and leave my room. I walk like nothing happened this earlier. But, I hear their gossips everywhere.

‘Sayang naman. May asawa na siya.’

‘Oo nga eh. Ang swerte ng napang-asawa niya.’

‘Balita ko… Dito nagta-trabaho si girl.’

‘Naku!!! Sa gwapo niyang ‘yan?’

‘Ang alam ko… Mapili siya sa babae pero bakit nag-iba ang taste niya?’

I looked at them. They were surprised when I looked at them. I walked through them. They were scared as if they saw a ghost.

“You… And you… And you…” Pointing my head to them. “Hindi ba at oras ng trabaho niyo?”

They didn’t answer. Instead, they are rushing getting back to their places.

Ah! What a stressful day.

Pumunta ako ng ground floor kung nasaan naka-park ang sasakyan ko. Pumunta na ako ng Ajinomoto Restaurant. Now, I am waiting for my client.

“Here’s the menu, sir,” the waiter said while giving me the menu.

“Thank you. I’ll order later. I have to wait someone,” I said.

“Okay, sir.” At umalis na muna ito.

- a minute later –

“Good evening, Mr. Nicholson. I’m sorry at ngayon lang ako nakarating. Na-traffic kasi kami,” my client said.

At hindi ko inaasahan na may kasama siya. It was a lady in her mid-50’s.

“Asawa ko pala, Mr. Nicholson. Isinama ko na para ma-meet niya ang asawa mo,” he said happily.

Shoot! Now I get it.

“Well, you know… My wife is so shy and she is kind a busy with her works,” dahilan ko sa kanya.

“Ah ganun ba? Naku, huwag naman ganyan. Baka hindi na kayo magka-anak niyan pag busy kayong dalawa. You know, need ng quality time for husband and wife,” dagdag pa ng client ko.

“Hehe. Susundin ko ‘yang payo mo,” I said and then I called the waiter. I have to cut him dahil ayokong pag-usapan ang tungkol doon. And then, we started talking about the projects.

- one hour later –

I checked my watch. It’s past seven but we haven’t finish discussing our projects. But I have to end this meeting for now. I feel like, I’m already tired.

“Maybe, we should end our meeting for now. Maybe, we can continue this tomorrow. I don’t feel okay right now.” Tigil ko sa pag-uusap namin.

“Really? I’m sorry to here that. Okay… I don’t have meetings tomorrow with other companies. So yeah, we can continue tomorrow,” he said na may pag-aalinlangan na tumingin sa akin.

Pagkatapos na iyon ay nagpaalam na kami sa isa’t isa. Sumakay na ako sa sasakyan ko at umuwi na.

‘KRIING’

‘KRIING’

Napalingon ako sa aking cellphone nang tumunog ito. Kinuha ko ito sa lalagyan ko sa may sasakyan.

“Hello.”

(Where are you?)

“Nasa daan?”

(Saang daan?)

“Highway? Dito sa Margos Highway.”

(Dumiretso ka dito sa bahay. Nandito ang kapatid mo.)

Here we go again.

“Hayst. Okay.”

And I ended up going to my mom’s house. Ipinarada ko ang sasakyan ko. Lumabas ako ng sasakyan at pumasok sa loob ng bahay.

[confetting pasabog]

‘putok’

“Congratulations!!!” they said happily.

Naka-poker face lang ako. May mga confetti pa sa ulo ko at ini-alis ko ito sa buhok ko.

“What is all about this?” I said in annoyed tone while removing some confetti's on my head.

“Ano pa--- edi, congrats at may asawa ka na. Akala ko nga, tatanda ka ng binata. So, nasaan ang asawa mo?” Paghahanap ng magaling kong kapatid na si Leonora. She is my eldest sister.

I look at my mom. I glared at her.

“Mom, sabi ko naman sa iyo na itong month. Hindi ngayong araw,” I said it clearly.

“Naku, anak. Nang malaman ng Ate Leonora mo ay na-excite siya kaya ito. Nagbabakasakali lang naman kami na baka kasama mo na siya pag-uwi,” pagdadahilan sa akin ni mom.

“Busy pa siya. Huwag nga kayong makulit,” inis na sabi ko. Hindi lang siya makulit. Lahat sila makulit. “Masakit ulo ko ngayong araw. Dumagdag pa itong pa-surprise niyo.”

“Wow ha! Natuwa lang kami for you kasi ang tagal ng panahon. At sa napaka-choosy mo sa babae. Eh, ngayon ka lang nagpakilala ng babae. Take note: naka-media pa. Hindi mo man lang idineretsong ipakilala sa amin. Gusto mo buong mundo pa talaga. Hahaha.” My sister said in a crazy tone.

“Crazy… Hindi ko ginusto iyon. Baka naman may kinalaman kayo sa nangyari kanina? Baka kayo ang nagpatawag ng reporter,” I suspicious said to them.

“Duh~ Hindi ko gagawin iyon. You already in your 30. Baka naman may concern lang sa iyo at baka sa ka-choosyhan mo ay hindi ka na talaga mag-aasawa.” She said in a sarcastic tone. “Baka naman bakla ka talaga at kunwaring ipinakilala mo lang iyong girl sa media?”

Ghad!!! Why do I have a sister like her? What a crazy sister.

“Alam mo… Just wait and see nalang. Papatunayan ko talaga sa inyo na hindi ako bakla,” I said.

“Go… We are waiting. The time is ticking. And the deal, after this month at wala pa rin ay hahanapin namin siya.” Palaban na sabi ng ate ko.

“Uso maghintay, diba? Ngayong araw pa lang nangyari ito. Ang sakit niyo sa ulo. Nasobrahan ata ‘yang excitement niyo,” walang gana kong sabi.

“Syempre, para may kalaro na si Aurora,” hirit pa niya.

Hayst… I guess. Talagang kailangan ko siya.