LA HEREDERA VIII: Hermelinda de Cartajena (Filipino/Tagalog)

CHAPTER NINE

EVERYTHING went well at the pre-wedding party. Dinaluhan ito ng buong entourage at ng buong pamilya ng mga de Cartajena at mga Collado.

Millie was about to stand up after her grandfather and Pinky’s father delivered their speech and congratulations to her Kuya Isagani and Pinky when Don Felipe de Cartajena loudly cleared his throat while looking at her.

“Since we are all gathered here and since all of you are basically a family to us, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you this fine gentleman…” Don Felipe nodded at Ram Castañeda who was sitting two seats from where her grandfather was sitting, opposite where she was sitting.

Agad namang tumayo si Ram at nagpakilala sa mga naroon habang siya naman ay bumaling sa katabing si Celine para alisin ang atensyon sa kasalukuyang nangyayari sa loob ng reserved meeting room kung saan isinagawa ang pre-wedding party.

“Ram and Millie are engaged and we would like to invite all of you to attend…” Awtomatiko siyang nag-angat ng mukha at gilalas na tiningnan ang abuelo niya dahil sa sinabi nito. Maging sina Isagani, Pinky at Celine ay nagulat din sa idineklarang iyon ng lolo niya.

Ti la naman nabasag ang pansumandaling pagkawala niya sa kasalukuyan nang bigla na lang magpalakpakan ang mga naroon habang binabati silang dalawa ni Ram, na noon ay masayang tinanggap ang mga pagbati ng mga naroon.

Naramdaman niya ang pagpisil ni Celine sa kamay niya. “Ate, do you wanna run away from here? I’ll go with you,” bulong ni Celine sa kaniya.

She didn’t react nor answered. She was caught off-guard. Gusto niyang maiyak sa sandaling iyon pero wala siyang magawa kundi manahimik at tanggapin ang mga pagbati ng mga naroon. Gusto niyang sumigaw at magwala dahil ni wala man lang pasabi sa kaniya ang abuelo sa balak nitong gawin ngayong gabi. Nadagdag pa sa pagkainis niya na inalis nito ang atensyon ng mga bisita sa mga dapat sana ay sentro ng selebrasyon na sina Kuya Isagani niya at Pinky.

She showed everyone her fake smile, a smile that she practiced for almost a year and especially intended for this kind of awkward moment.

Yes, she was smiling and seems fine with what Don Felipe just announced but her heart is raging with anger and refusal to what’s about to happen. All this time, ang akala niya ay tanong na ang loob niya at tanggap na niya ang kapalaran niya, pero ngayong narito na siya sa mismong sitwasyon ay tila baga siya pinangangapusan ng hininga sa sobrang pagkadismaya at pagtutol!

As part of the act, pagkatapos ng pre-wedding dinner ay kinumbinse si Millie ni Don Felipe na magkasabay sila ni Ram Castañeda na lumabas sa meeting room. Kahit pa nga tila linta na kung makadikit sa kaniya si Celine dahil ramdam nito ang inis niya, napilitan pa rin itong sumama sa magulang nito nang panlakihan ito ng mata ng daddy nito para iwan siya.

“You’ve been very busy the whole day. Are you sure you wanna go for a walk instead of resting?” mayamaya ay tanong ni Ram sa kanya habang naglalakad sila sa hallway palabas ng hotel. Ram invited her to go for a walk at the garden near the orchard where the golf course and other courts like basketball, volleyball and tennis are located.

Pilit niya itong nginitian kasabay ng kaniyang pagtango.

“Okay, well then, let’s go,” masayang sambit nito at saka siya hinawakan sa siko. Bahagya pa siyang napapitlag sa ginawi ng lalaki ngunit nagpatianod na rin siya nang makita niyang tila balewala lang naman sa binata ang ginawang iyon.

Habang nasa golf cart ay walang patid ang pagkuukwento ng binata sa kaniya. Noon lang din niya nalaman na graduate ito ng Architecture sa Ateneo at sa edad na twenty-three years old ay kasalukuyang Project Manager ng Castañeda Real Estate Company. Kuwento rin nito na tuwing summer vacation noong nag-aaral pa lamang ito sa kolehiyo ay sa Isla del Amor Yacht and Country Club ito nagbabakasyon simula nang i-introduce ang lugar na iyon ng kaklase nito noong college.

“This place is breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder you loved it here,” komento niya habang ang atensyon niya ay nasa dinaraanan nilang mga pine tree.

Maliwanag ang paligid dahil sa mga nakasinding ilaw sa bawat posteng nasa mga pagitan ng matataas ng pine tree. May mga naglalakad rin na marahil ay mula sa orchard pabalik ng hotel, ang ilan ay mga nagba-bike habang ang iba naman ay katulad nilang nakasakay sa golf cart. Palibhasa ay ngayon lang siya nagawi sa bahaging iyon ng hotel kaya namangha talaga siya sa mga nakikita niya. They supposed to visit that area after the wedding along with the whole entourage since they’ve been all busy helping out her Kuya Isagani and Pinky. Personalized kasi lahat ng giveaways ng mga ito at hindi basta-basta lang.

“We’re here,” untag nito sa kaniya pagkatigil nito ng sasakyan sa mismong tapat ng entrance ng orchard. “You’re fan of which sports, Millie?” usisa nito habang inaalalayan siyang bumaba ng sasakyan.

“I’m not a fan of any sports,” direktang tugon niya. “Thanks,” pasasalamat niya rito nang ganap na siyang makababa ng sasakyan.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought—” alanganing sambit nito na agad niyang pinutol.

“No, it’s fine. I used to go with my cousins naman sa basketball games when I was younger since Kuya Ian used to be a PBA player,” sabi niya kaagad at tukoy kay Fabian de Cartajena, ang sinundang kapatid ng Kuya Isagani niya na isang sikat at dating power forward ng isa sa mga koponan sa PBA na nag-retire na sa paglalaro three years ago dahil sa knee injury at ngayon ay nagco-coach na lang sa isang university basketball team.

“I used to watch the PBA games as well and I was a huge fan of Ian,” imporma nito na sinundan ng pagtawa. “The Wall!” dugtong pa nito at tukoy sa legendary nickname ng Kuya Fabian niya saka nito itinaas ang dibdib sabay taas ng dalawang kamay habang nakaangat ang hinlalaki at hintuturo na palaging gesture ng pinsan niya sa court noon sa tuwing nakaka-depensa ito sa kalaban.

“Oh, my! He’s so like that!” she exclaimed followed by her high-pitched laugh.

 “I played forward in high school and I tried to follow his moves,” tumatawang paliwanag nito. “Do you wanna watch or just walk at the garden?” tanong nito sa kaniya.

“Well, if I would be perfectly honest, I would rather sit down and talk somewhere ‘cause I am really really tired,” direktang tugon niya sa lalaki tutal naman, sa tingin niya ay hindi ito mahirap kausap tulad ng inaakala niya.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have not invited you—”

Iwinagayway niya kaagad ang kamay para patigilin ito sa pagsasalita.

“No, no, no. I will not go to bed right away anyway, so, it’s fine,” sambit niya saka ito nginitian.

“Are you sure?” naninigurong tanong nito sa kaniya.

Now that he is near and in front of her, napagtanto niyang guwapo talaga ito at may charming personality, iyon nga lang, hindi siya sigurado kung façade lang iyon o ganoon talaga ito makitungo. But what’s bothering her more is that she couldn’t feel any attraction to him just yet, unlike to that hotel staff that she saw and met by chance several times already.

Naglakad-lakad sila sa garden bago sila umupo sa isang garden bench na unang nakita nila mula sa entrance. She learned personal several things about him, something she didn’t even bother because she really doesn’t have any intention of getting married with him or anyone else just yet. She’s just seventeen, for Christ’s sake! And even if Pinky just turned nineteen and already getting married with his cousin, Kuya Isagani, she’s still hesitant to marry now that her grandfather brought it up already. Kahit nga siya ay nagtataka sa sarili niya. All her life, she really thought that she already accepted her fate. That she will grow up and end up with a man that her grandfather chose to be her husband. But the new-found liberty she experienced in the island seems to affect her decision to follow their family tradition. She wanted to enjoy her freedom… her life… without her family telling her what to do on every move she has to make.

Mahigit kalahating oras na silang nagkukuwentuhan nang tumikhim siya at saka ito matamang tiningnan.

“Can I ask you a question, Ram?” medyo alanganin pang tanong niya rito. Hindi niya kasi alam kung paano nito ite-take ang tanong na nakatakda niyang itanong dito.

Mukhang naramdaman nito ang kaseryosohan sa tinig niya. Umayos ito ng pagkakaupo at bumaling sa kaniya.

“Of course. Fire away,” anito.

She heaved a deep sigh then asked, “Why did you agree on marrying me?”

Ngumiti ito. Mukhang ini-expect n anito ang tanong na iyon mula sa kaniya.

“Why wouldn’t I? I mean, when my parents told me that your grandfather wanted me to marry his granddaughter, I was puzzled. I really never thought that perhaps, something is totally wrong with you that’s why you your grandfather has to go that far of finding a man for you…” pahayag nito bago man mataman na tumingin sa kaniya habang may bahid na ngiti sa labi nito. “But when they showed me your photo and I even got more confused. I mean, you’re so gorgeous and so attractive that any man would be fighting for to have you as their wife—”

“So, you agreed just because of my face?” singit niya.

Natatawa itong umiling.

“Of course not. I thought that perhaps, you have an attitude problem, so, I told them that I will give them my answer within a week,” paglilinaw nito.

Kumunot ang noo niya.

“A week? What for?” tanong niya.

“So, I could observe you and see for myself what was really wrong with you,” pahayag nito.

“You mean… oh, no! How?” nanlalaki ang mga matang tanong niya lalo na nang tumango ito bilang pagkumpirma sa sapantaha niya na ini-stalk siya nito.

“I followed you for two days and watched you from afar—with your grandfather’s permission, of course,” paglilinaw nito.

“Oh, wow! I hate to say this but I don’t like what you did. It’s invasion of privacy,” direktang wika niya.

“I know… and I’m sorry about that,” paumanhin nito.

She exhaled sharply then continued.

“And what did you find out about me?”

Mas matamis itong ngumiti bago umiling.

“That there is no reason for me to say no, so, after two days, I gave my parents my answer. And here I am now, wanted to know you more before we proceed on our engagement,” wika nito at bagao hinawakan ang kamay niya.

Awtomatiko siyang napapitlag at saka tumikhim para alisin ang pagkailang sa pagitan nila.

“About the engagement, I am really disappointed about what my grandfather did and I am sorry if he dragged you here—”

“I agreed to his proposal, Millie. I agreed to marry you already… and there is no turning back. I will marry you after you turn eighteen,” paglilinaw nito.

Pakiramdam niya ay tumigil ang mundo niya sa pag-inog sa sandaling iyon at kaagad siyang nilukob ng sari-saring emosyon.

Pagkabigla.

Pangamba.

Pagkalito.

Pagkagalit!

She clenched her jaw and her hands and got ready to go ballistic!