My Unexpected I do

Chapter 2

Their escapade is about to end but Cindy has not seen Pinky’s brother since that encounter. Ang dami na nilang napuntahan, ang dami na nilang nakain, ang dami na ring pictures ang na-upload sa f******k, **, at Twitter pero ang anino ni Julius ay hindi niya pa uli nakikita.

Ang alam niya ay umaalis nang maaga si Julius tapos uuwi lang kapag gabi na. There was no way to ask for forgiveness. She thought of waking up early to patch things up with Julius before their vacation comes to an end. She wants to make friends with him. He seemed nice and, it’s such a small world. Paano kapag nagkasama sila sa isang business project,hindi ba? It’s better that they settle whatever it is that needs settling so that when they get back to the Philippines, everything will be smooth and okay.

She’s heading to the kitchen to prepare for their breakfast. Naisip niyang gumawa ng sunny side up at fried rice with corn soup. Meron ding hotdogs at bacon. Hindi siya ganoon kagaling sa kusina pero pipilitin niya. She’ll give her best shot at magpapabibo siya. This will be her peace offering to Julius.

Napahinto siya sa paglalakad nang marinig niya ang mahinang pag-uusap ng magkapatid. Mas maaga pa palang nagising ang dalawa sa kanya. Sira tuloy ang plano niya. Mukhang seryoso ang usapan nila.

“Kuya, hindi gano’n kadali ’yon. Ang hirap kaya ng hinihingi mo! Give me time. Bubwelo lang ako.”

“You need to do this. Remember, her father is the reason why our father died of depression,” galit na sabi ni Julius. Isinabunot pa nito angkamay sa buhok.

“Hindi ko naman nakakalimutan ’yon, Kuya. Masakit pa ding wala tayong nagawa no’ng mamatay si Papa but she’s still my best friend . . .”

“Kung ayaw mong sabihin, kahit ako na lang.”

Tumayo si Julius at nagulat nang lumabas sa pinagtataguan si Cindy.

“Ako ba at ang papa ko ang pinag-uusapan n’yo?”

“Yes,” maawtoridad na sagot ni Julius samantalang ang bestfriend naman niya ay nakayuko lang. Pinilit magmukhang matapang ni Cindy kahit na bahagya siyang natakot sa mga nangyayari.

“What about me and Papa?” tanong ni Cindy na ngayon ay kinakabahan na.

Julius handed Cindy a long brown envelope. “You’d see inside how your father put our father’s business down.”

“Impossible. Mabait ang papa ko saka maganda ang business niya.”

“Read the documents first before you speak on behalf of your father!” galit na sigaw ni Julius.

“Bestie, dating assistant ng papa ko ang papa mo. Then he found ways to get a good amount of money from the company and ran away.”

“Bumagsak unti-unti ang business ng pamilya namin habang ang papa mo, patuloy na naging successful. Ang galing ng papa mo, ’di ba?” Matalim ang pagtingin ni Julius kay Cindy. Mukhang nagsasabi ng totoo ang mga kausap niya but she could just not believe it.

“Why are you telling me allthese? Gusto n’yong kausapin ko ang papa ko at ibalik ang perang kinuha niya?”

“No. Ang dapat na mangyari ay malipat sa pangalan naming magkapatid ang business n’yo o ako ang gawing CEO nito,” sagot ni Julius.

“You are both out of your minds! At ikaw, bestie, I trusted you so much! Hindi ko alam na may plano ka palang masama sa pamilya ko.” Pinipigil ni Cindy ang maiyak sa sama ng loob. Pero mukhang hindi niya kaya.

“I’m sorry, bestie.” Unti-unti nang pumatak ang luha ni Pinky.

“Never na mapupunta sa inyo ang business namin.”

“You are wrong, Cindy. All I have to do is marry you here in Vegas and soon we’ll have legal ways to take over your father’s business.” Nag-smirk si Julius at ininom ang kanyangbrewed coffee.

“I won’t. I don’t even know you and I don’t think I can even trust you!”

“Well, it’s either you marry me or your father will go to jail.”

Tumayo si Julius at inayos ang kuwelyo ng t-shirt niya. “Pinky, help Cindy fix herself. I don’t want an ugly bride.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you adjust with kuya.” Nakayuko si Pinky. Guilty sa lahat ng mga nangyayari.

“No need. I can handle myself. And from now on, I don’t know you anymore.”

***

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Cindy saw Julius inching his face toward hers. She inhaled his manly scent and temporarily forgot that this was just a shotgun wedding. Voluntarily, she closed her eyes and averted her face to welcome the kiss from her groom.

And then she felt it . . . the kiss. It was warm. It landed on her . . . forehead. She was surprised but somehow pleased with the thought that he did not take advantage of her.

‘So, he respects me after all?’A small smile grazed her lips. But still, at the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

“Where do you, guys, wanna eat?” Julius said.

“I want pizza, Kuya,” Pinky answered. Naisip niyang matutuwa si Cindy kapag sinuggest niya ’yon, pero wala itong imik. “Ikaw, bestie?”

“I’ll just sleep. Tonight is our flight. I just want to rest.”

Naglakad nang mabilis si Cindy at sumakay ng taxi pauwi sa tinutuluyan. Naiwan ang magkapatidsa chapel. Medyo naluluha na naman si Pinky samantalang si Julius ay nakakunot lang ang noo.

Matigas siya, tingnan natin kung kakayanin niyang ’di makipagtulungan sa akin, bulong ni Julius sa sarili niya.

***

Cindy felt her tears as she boarded the cab. She just married a man she doesn’t  know and her bestfriend set her up.Unlike the romance stories she would read, their ‘arranged’ marriage is open-ended.

Walang deadline. Hangga’thindinagiging CEO si Julius, she can never run away from him. And she couldn’t do anything about it. She doesn’t want her dad to go to jail. Her mom is gone. It is only his father that they have. Bata pasi Anton. She wants a complete family and she’s willing to sacrifice even her ‘love life’.

“Heto ang tissue, Iha,oh. Ano man ang gumugulo sa isip mo, ibigay mo lang sa Diyos.”

She took the box of tissue and it made her cry even more. Tama ang taxi driver. Marami ngang gumugulo sa isipan niya. She has no idea what will happen next after their whirlwind wedding. What will happen to her life? Paano niya paniniwalain ang papa niya pati si Anton?

And then she realized, the driver spoke in Filipino. Pinoy ang taxi driver! Isang kababayan!

“Pinoy po kayo, Manong?” Nawala pansamantala ang pagkalito ni Cindy. At least may makakausap siyang maiintindihan siya at hindi na niya kakailanganin pang mag-English.

Narinig niyang natawa ang driver na nagpagaan naman ng kalooban niya.

“Hindi ba halata sa kulay ng aking balat?”

“Pasensya na po. Lumabo ang mga mata ko kakaiyak.”Siya naman ang natawa sa mga sinabi niya. Alam niyang mugto na ang mga mata niya.

“Kaya nga inabot ko na ’yong tissue.Iyak ka kasi nang iyak. Nag-away ba kayong mag-asawa? Lilipas din ’yan.”

“Ho? Paano n’yo ho nalaman na kasal na ako?”

“Kasi marami din akong naisasakay na mga kinakasal do’n sa kung saan ka sumakay kanina. ’Yung iba nga ’di na napipigilan ang mga sarili at may kissing scene na sa likod ko, e.” Natawa uli ang driver. “Bakit ikaw, Iha, umiiyak? Hindi naman mukhang tears of joy ’yan.”

“Ahmm . . .ano po kasi . . . huwag na lang po.” Kahit na Pinoy pa ang driver,hindi naman niya alam kung mapagkakatiwalaan niya ito nang lubos. Malay niya ba,baka kakilala din ito ni Julius. Hindi imposible ’yon. Ito ngang biglaang kasal nangyari, e, naisip ni Cindy.

Ngumiti uli ang taxi driver at umiling-iling.

“Ganyan talaga ang buhay mag-asawa,hindi laging puro saya, pero kapag nalampasan n’yo ang problema nang magkasama, masasabi mong sulit lahat ang mga luha mo.Iiyak mo kay Lord ang lahat at huwag kang bibitaw.”

“Salamat ho, Manong.”

“Saan ba kita dadalhin, Iha?”

“Sa lugar kung saan makakakuha ako ng peace of mind, Manong. Kailangan ko ’yon.”

***

Cindy wasn’t expecting to see Julius at the sala. It’s almost 12 midnight, he’s still up and there’s a cup of coffee in his hand. ‘Was he waiting for me?’ she thought.

She looked at him in the eyes and gave him a sweet smile. While she was at the church, the place where the driver brought her, she realized that things will be easier if she will just go with the flow and show him that she can handle herself.

“You can sleep now. I’m already here.”

“Who told you that I’m waiting for you?”

“You’re not? Okay. Matutulog na ako kahit konti. Tapos babawi na lang ako sa eroplano.”

He said nothing. Not even a nod. She really wants to annoy him, so she sat beside him instead.

“Sa eroplano na lang natin pag-usapan ang love story natin,” Cindy said.

“Huh?”Confusion was on Julius’ face.

“My papa and brother should be convinced that I’m really in love with you. I never had a boyfriend kahit mutual understanding man lang. Puro crush na hindi naman ako pinapansin, and then uuwi akong kasal na?”

Julius nodded as if he understood everything she said. Then suddenly, he held both of her hands.

“I’m your daughter’s secret admirer. It was love at first sight. I saw her when I picked up Pinky from school. First year college pa lang ang kapatid ko noon. I had to wait until she graduates bago ako nakaisip ng paraan. Sorry kung minadali ko ang lahat pero mahal ko po ang anak n’yo.”