David & Alexandra

VEINTE

Pakilala sa Pamilya Gernale

**Alex

I don’t know what got into me to wear that skinny jeans… God! I know I would look sexy in it, that’s not me especially going to the site. But I can’t help it… I’m losing my confidence on how I look beside Andreu… who always looks fashionably chic whatever he’s wearing. My insecurities are eating me, looking at those stylish, sexy, elegant other girls who he hangs out with on site. I know they came from that popular school in Intramuros. 

- Sa isang probinsyanang katulad ko, nakakababa ng self esteem… But I’ve learned from working here in the Metro that, Confidence in what you do always makes a difference. And maybe I just don’t want him to lose interest in me. Yeah much more like it. 

Natuwa naman ako sa reaksyon niya… mula ng sinundo niya ako, mga tingin niya kakaloka. 

It was a confidence booster for me, kaka flatter lang… isang David Andreu Gernale na demigod ang naka appreciate sayo. 

- At least hindi naman na ako mukhang basura sa tabi di ba.

Ang hindi ko napaghandaan ang ginawa niya after the walk through… 

Sh*t! PDA ang mama, I know that move he’s marking me. Galing talaga mambakod.  

Hindi ko alam ano dapat reaksyon ko… ayoko naman siyang mapahiya. 

- Gusto mo din kasi… landi mo Ateng

- Bakit ba ang dami kaya malalandi sa paligid, maagaw pa!

Pagbalik ko sa pwesto namin sa Site Office

Pinandilatan ako ni Mam Riza… nangingiti.

“Nagkabalikan na kayo?” taas kilay niyang tanong…

“Hindi pa, ay ano ba… Hindi” pinandilatan ko din siya…

“Ano pa inaantay mo, baka maagaw yan ikaw din” asar niya sa akin

“Eh di dun siya” asik ko

“Huwag ka ngang mag inarte dyan, ang daming umaaligid dyan na mga higad… sige ka maiwan ka na namang luhaan” hirit niya ulit

“Grabe, luhaan agad. Taking time lang naman ako. Si Engr. Gernale na siya ngayon… malayo sa kilala kong si Mr. Gernale lang” explain ko

“Taking time, pero na pa halik naman” sabay halakhak niya, bwisit na Boss ko na to

“Alangan naman ipahiya ko” sabay ngiti ko sa kanya

“Arte… Landi mo din, sabihin mo gusto mo din ipakita sa iba na ikaw ang babae niya. At talagang nag skinny jeans ka pa ha.” asar niya ulit sa akin

“Grabe siya… Halata ba” binulong ko sa kanya yung dulo

Halakhak lang binalik niya sa akin…

“Kasi naman, ang lalandi kaya nung mga higad” bulong ko ulit… 

“Insecure na ako masyado” habol ko pa

“Gaga, insecure layo naman ng alindog mo sa kanila” sabi niya

“Alindog talaga, wala ako nun” sagot ko sa kanya

“Ewan ko sayo” asik niya… sabay halakhak ulit

Sa huli ayaw niya pa rin maniwala na hindi pa kami nag kabalikan. Baliw na babae.

Pati mga kasamahan ko nakisali pa, hindi man daw kami in a relationship eh… we do act like we are. Dahil nga sa mga kilos namin.  

Kung sabagay… halos araw araw niya ako hinahatid at sinusundo, ang pa bulaklak andyan pa rin naman. Pag out of town or country siya, panay ang tawag. Pati mga officemate ko nililigawan kaya tuwang tuwa ang mga loka, may pa pizza or pa pancit kasi lagi ang Lolo mo. Kaya lahat sila alam ang effort ng mama. 

- Nakakatunaw din naman talaga ng puso ang mga effort niya

- I’m just waiting for a sign… and I’ve been praying for it. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Our relationship really has been growing... whatever we have now, kahit walang label masaya kami pareho. Kagaya dati may mutual understanding kami at mas maasikaso siya ngayon. We may not be talking about it but we both feel that we’ve moved on to another phase of this relationship we are building. I can see how happy he is that I’m not bullying him anymore, that I’m not being stubborn anymore and that I’m not shying away from his simple touches. 

- Malandi kasi masyado ang mama, buti na lang malakas ang control ko at nag papapigil naman siya. I’ve promised myself I will not be doing that again until I’m married.

He’s been opening up his personal life to me…

- Isa yun sa mga nasa wishlist ko, if I am to move forward with this relationship

Marami na rin siyang na kwento sa personal niyang buhay… his childhood, college life and his family. Henyong bata din pala siya nagkasabay na kami sa mga National Competition dati. At may banda siya dati, heartthrob ang mama akalain mo yun. Sa isang probinsyana para na siyang artista sa akin. 

He used to be womanizer, sabi niya myth lang daw yun… pero sa itsura niya at katayuan niya sa buhay hindi naman malayong ganun siya. Lalo na at may banda siya dati. At triviang malaki Ex-girlfriend niya yung ID na panay ang lapit sa kanya sa site. The girl who dumped him that caused him trusts issues. 

- Buti nalang pala nag lakas loob akong panindigan siya, that girl is bent to get him back. Nagsisi na daw ito sa mga nangyari dati. He assured me that they are not getting back ever and that he’s happy with me. Haba ng hair ko… Sh*t ! Landi lang...

I can’t believe somebody like him would even look at me, kung hindi siguro siya ipinatapon ng Tatay niya sa site dati, hindi kami magkaka kilala. Malayong malayo ang katayuan namin sa buhay, coincidence nalang kung mag ku krus ang landas namin sa construction industry.

- But maybe Fate is playing us… we both don't know our future, if we want to stay together we have to work on it.

His family is the kind everyone wants to have… a complete happy one. And you can see in the ways he talks about them that he adores them. Mahal na mahal niya ang Mama niya palibhasa only boy siya. Cool naman daw ang Papa niya sa kanya… napuno nalang ito sa mga kalokohan niya kaya siya natapon sa site dati. Isa silang ideal family kung tutuusin, hindi na nakapagtataka na isa siyang mabuting tao. Huwag mo lang gagalitin or tatapakan ang pagkatao dahil sigurado giba ang mababangga niya. 

- That’s how passionate he is in whatever he do… pag may gusto hindi pwedeng hindi makuha. Naintindihan ko yung galit niya dati natapakan ang pagkatao niya sobra sobra… nakaka galit lang din na sa akin niya binuhos yun instead sa mga taong dapat. Pero wala ka ng magagawa tapos na nangyari na… nagawa na niya. Kita naman na nagsisisi na siya… 

And he has been showing how sorry he is a million times already…

And believe him, He is truly sorry, he wouldn’t be pursuing me this way if he’s not. 

We have moved on from that awful memory… we are looking forward to a wonderful future.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Architect, do you have plans on Saturday?” seryoso niyang tanong pagka hatid niya sa akin isang gabi

“No plans other than the usual run in the morning and sleep all day, Why?” natatawa kung sagot sa kanya… that’s my usual Saturday kasi. 

“It’s Mama’s birthday, I would like to invite you to come with me” nakatitig niyang sabi

- Sh*t! Natulaley ang Ateng niyo…  meeting his family is dream but now that it is coming true, kinabahan ako bigla. 

“Don’t worry they’re cool people” nakita niya yata pagka tulaley ko…

“Yeah I know, It’s just that they don’t know me. And it’s kinda making me nervous” nakayuko kung sabi… 

- Alam ko naman base sa mga kwento niya na hindi mapag mata ng kapwa mga magulang at kapatid niya. 

“They know you already, I’ve been talking about us to them… that’s why Mama insisted to meet you… madamot daw kasi ako sayo.” nangingiti niyang sabi

“Hala ka, ano pinagsasabi mo sa kanila… mas lalo pa ata ako kinabahan” bulalas ko bigla… malamang pulang pula na ako sa hiya

Ginagap niya kamay ko at hinawakan pisngi ko para iharap sa kanya…

“Hey, you’ll be fine, just be yourself… the jolly one not the grumpy” sabay tawa niya

“Grabe, grumpy ba ako” asar kung tanong sa kanya

“Sometimes you are, especially when you being stubborn and difficult” honest niyang sagot

- Hinahaplos niya ng thumb niya ang pisngi ko… 

“Oh well, ang kulit mo din kasi minsan… pasaway ka pa” sungit ko sa kanya

“Yeah, I know” sabay kurot sa pisngi ko

“Sama ka ha, para naman makilala mo na mother and father in law mo” sabay halakhak niya…

“Advance ka mag isip” asik ko… sabay hampas sa kanya

Natawa na rin ako sa mga “da moves” niya.

Loko tong mamang to, meet the parents agad… ni hindi ko nga alam kung ano na ba kami. Hindi namin pinag uusapan yun.

But this is an answered prayer for me, I told myself if he’s serious with me… he’ll introduce me to his family and it’s happening. This is the sign I’ve been waiting, if I am to take him back again. 

Maybe life is asking me to take a leap of faith again… with HIM.

~~~~~~~~~~

**David 

Marking her as mine was my first move to have her back in my arms again. And I can see it’s mutual, we both wanted it. Ha!, this girl knows her ways too. Now everyone knows she’s my girl and I’m hers. Can’t wait to make it official… if I’m not that too busy with the company’s transition, I’ll marry her already. 

- Gusto ko na siyang itali sa akin, para wala ng kawala ba

- Gernale, utak mo din… gusto mo lang maka score ulit eh

- Well, isa na din yun pero alam ko hindi na yun mauulit hanggat hindi ko siya asawa, alam ko ang prinsipyo niya… kaya nga napaka g*go ko sa nagawa ko sa kanya. Magtitiis ako para lang bumalik siya sa akin ng buong buo.

I’ve been telling my family about her… kilala siya ni Papa, sabi niya nagtulong tulong silang mga contractor para mabigyan siya ng mga sideline noong panahon kinawawa siya sa dati niyang kompanya. Alam daw kasi nilang biktima siya ng demonyong lalakeng yun. May mga nagpagawa daw ng plano, pati interior fit-out designs ng mga condo… ayaw daw kasi nitong tumanggap ng pera or regalo. Kaya trabaho binigay nila. 

- Nabuhayan ako ng sinabi niya yun, kahit naman pala hindi ako… at least si Papa naka tulong sa kanya noon. Buti hindi niya alam ang nagawa ko dati, ang alam lang ng mga contractor yung kasong isinampa niya.

Mama has been pestering me to ask her to have Dinner with us. I’ve been avoiding it as I’m not yet ready to share her with anybody. Madamot ako. 

But for her birthday, I can’t steer clear of it anymore. Maybe it’s also the best time for her to meet my family. I have a plan to make this relationship official too and I’ve been postponing it for too long already. 

“Architect, do you have plans on Saturday?” I can see she’s puzzled with my question… usually Saturday is our day away from each other 

“No plans other than the usual run in the morning and sleep all day, Why?” Oh well! ganun din naman ako, gym tapos uwi sa bahay para kulitin si Mama

“It’s Mama’s birthday, I would like to invite you to come with me” natulala siya, kita sa mukha niya ang kaba… nabigla ko yata 

“Don’t worry they’re cool people” alo ko sa kanya, really my family are not that kind who will look down on somebody

“Yeah I know, It’s just that they don’t know me. And it’s kinda making me nervous” she’s shying away from me… ang cute ng babae, sarap pugpugin ng halik sa mukha

“They know you already, I’ve been talking about us to them… that’s why Mama insisted to meet you… madamot daw kasi ako sayo.” nangingiti nalang ako sa reaction niya

“Hala ka, ano pinagsasabi mo sa kanila… mas lalo pa ata ako kinabahan” at nag blush pa, hindi ko mapigilan hawakan kamay niya pati pisngi niya. 

Haayyy, kaya mahal na mahal ko tong taong to, she’s always honest in what she feels. 

Jolly or Grumpy, I love her still… and I mean it when I said that she’s meeting her future in laws.

She’s the only one I’ll marry, maybe not soon but I’m sure we will in God’s perfect time. It’s always been a silent prayer of mine. I also prayed that my family would accept her as she is, I know they will. Who could not love an angel like her. 

I have some fears that she can’t wait for me… for that God’s perfect time for us. But I know and I can see that we both want our careers to soar higher than it is right now.

I’ll be sharing with her also my dreams for our company, truth is I want her to be part of it.

I’m in the works to make it a Design and Construction of Engineering Works and merge it later with the Vergara Properties. I am trying to find an Architectural / Interior Design Firm to be a partner too, if not Alex will be my Architect. If God permits, I’ll even venture in Design and Project Management. That’s how big my vision is. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Messenger  

Ako (Andreu) : I’m on my way to pick you up… you ready?

Alex : Yes (nervous emoji)

Ako (Andreu) : Hey, you’ll gonna be fine… relax, OK

Alex : Can’t help it, it’s your family I’m meeting not just anybody… what if they would not like me

- Napabuntong hininga nalang ako, I’ve been assuring her that she will be fine… naiintindihan ko naman ang kaba niya. 

Ako (Andreu) : Don’t worry much, I’m near already.

She’s waiting outside her apartment when I reach her place. She’s also holding a gift, I’ve already told her not to prepare anything. Bumaba ako ng sasakyan, I hug her kissing forehead and her cheeks. 

“You'll be fine, smile ka na… dapat jolly not grumpy” pinching her cheeks and giving it a peck

She smiled the sweetest, sarap halikan kung hindi lang kami malilate...

Taking the gift from her hand I opened the car door for her, put the gift at the back and drove us home. She’s quite the whole time… and I let her. 

Wala naman party, it’s just really a Dinner. Kami kami lang… si Ate kasama fiance niya at si bunso ang boyfriend naman niya. Sila Grandpa and Grandma Vergara and Gernale yun lang plus si Mama and Papa. Hindi talaga nagpapa party si Mama intimate dinner lang lagi. Si Papa ang may party pag Birthday niya… marketing strategy niya sa mga Clients at kapwa Tradecon. 

Papa is at the door to meet us… 

“Good Evening Papa” bati ko sa kanya… sabay halik dito

“Papa, Si Arch. Alex de Vera po” pakilala ko kay Alex

“Good Evening Sir” saka siya nakipag kamay kay Papa

“Good Evening, Alex… can I call you Alex?” tanong ni Papa

“Opo naman Sir” magalang na sagot ni Alex

“Sir ka dyan, Call me Tito Andres” sabi sa kanya ni Papa sabay tawa nito

“Welcome sa bahay namin, pasok kayo” buti naman ngumiti na si Alex

“Si Mama po?” tanong ko

“Nasa Dining naghahanda” sabi ni Papa

“No, I’m here… Welcome Alex dear” sabay beso kay Alex…

“Good Evening po, Happy Birthday po Mam.” bumeso na din siya kay Mama

“Call me Tita Diana and Thank you for coming” sagot ni Mama, saka sila nauna ni Papa papasok sa Living Area… nandun sila Grandpa and Grandma.

Pinakilala ko na rin si Alex. Everyone gave her a warm welcome and I can see Alex relaxing already. She’s carrying herself well, I could not help but be proud. It’s my prayer that she’ll get along with my family lalo na at alam kung orphan siya. She longs for a family to belong to and I am happy to give her that. 

The Dinner went well, aside sa pang aasar ng dalawa kung kapatid sa akin… we have a happy conversation. And all my fears for Alex not fitting well with my family, all gone. She outdid herself… Everyone is charmed. 

-I’m whipped all over again, I can’t live without this woman anymore. 

I can now make this relationship official… I am taking a leap of faith with her again and I promise not to make the same mistake of not trusting her. I’ll always have an open mind and I won’t keep secrets with her, even if it angers her. I should have full trust in her if I want to make this work.