Habibi, Boss Karim

Habibi 24 - Moon Island 4

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!!!"

"Congr----"

Bigla ay natigil ang pagbati ng mga tao ng tumama ang isang baso ng wine sa dibdib ni Karim.

"Ay!" Pati ako ay nagulat dahil tumalsik ang laman ng baso sa aking mukha.

"Ayreh Feek, Karim! What's the meaning of this? Why did you say that she's you're fiancée and not me?! I am you're fiancée!" Nagwawalang sigaw ni Madam Hala at mabilis akong sinugod. Mabilis din namang iniharang ni Sir Karim ang kanyang katawanan para hindi ako tamaan ni Madam Hala kaya siya ang pinagsasampal nito.

Mabilis namang lumapit si Madam at bago pa ulit masampal ni Madam Hala si Karim ay malakas din itong sinampal ni Madam. Napasinghap ang lahat sa ginawa ni Madam. Akmang lalapitan din siya ng mga magulang ni Madam Hala ng sumigaw si Madam, "Don't you dare lay a finger on Karim, Hala! Karim doesn't deserve you---"

"And why so, khaal?" Masama ang tingin nito kay Madam habang hawak ang pisngi na sinampal ni Madam.

Tumawa lamang ng malakas si Madam at tumingin sa buong bisita.

"Friends.. families and colleagues.. I want you to see this. This is the real Hala!" Saka itinuro ang malaking screen sa gitna ng hall.

(Showing in screen)

"Calm down, Mohamed! Don't shout here! Shhh.. listen to me, habibi, that's why I'm marrying Karim. He's very rich, he's family is rich. Good thing that he's grandfather and my grandfather are good friends and they have an agreement before that their children or grandchildren should get married. We're still lucky."

"Noooooooo...!!! Stop it!!!! Stoooop!!!!" Bigla ay nagsisigaw na tumakbo si Hala may screen.

"What if you fall inlove with him?"

"I will not. I will just stay for how many years until I got his money.. like one or two year then I will divorce him. I love you more than him, Mohamed. There's no other guy that will pleasure me like you do, that's why I will still go back to you. Once I get his money, you can start again another company."

"What about your mom?"

"My mom likes you to be my husband. She doesn't like the mom of Karim. Actually, I don't like her also.. same with the sister of Karim. They're not pure Lebanese like us. Their mom is a gold-digger, she knows some witchcraft that's why Uncle Walid fall for her. Of course, she's Pilipini... they are witches."

"No..." Nag-iiyak na si Madam Hala sa gitna hall.

"Oh my gosh. Is it true? She's pregnant with another man?"

"She's a cheater!"

"Shameful!!"

"What a disgraceful family!!"

"Oh.. that's why Karim did not chose her to be his wife."

"She's a racist. Her family's a racist too!"

Bigla ay naging sentro ng usapan si Madam Hala.

"Hala!" Nagulat kaming lahat ng bigla na lamang sampalin ng tatay nito si Madam Hala.

Sobrang bilis lamang ng pangyayari. Sa isang iglap ay kinaladkad ng tatay niya si Madam Hala kasama ng nanay nito na nagmamakaawa ding huwag saktan ang anak. Pansin ko ding may ilang bisita ang nawala ng umalis sina Madam Hala. Siguro ay kamag-anak ng mga ito at nahiya sa nakita nilang video. Kitang-kita at dinig ng lahat kung paano nilang inalipusta si Madam at inamin na buntis ito. Bawal pa naman ang mabuntis na hindi kasal sa bansang 'to, iyon ang pagkakaalam ko.

Matapos makaalis ang buong angkan nina Hala ay tumayo sa gitna ng hall si Madam.

"Friends and families.. to our VIP guests. This is so saddening specially we treated their family so well." Pinalungkot pa ni Madam ang kanyang boses, "We will not condone any racist marks towards our family. Not only to our family but also.. to other people Anyways.. let's forget them, this is not about them," itinaas ni Madam ang kanyang kopita. "To Karim and Geraldine," tumingin ito sa aming dalawa na parang naestatwa na lamang sa buong pangyayari. "Cheers to both of you.. this is only the start of a more joyous, colorful and rose colored journey. Congratulations!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheerssss..!!!"

Tunog ng mga baso ang kasunod at tuluyan na ngang nakalimutan ng mga bisita ang tungkol kina Madam Hala.

Sa dami ng bumati sa amin ni Sir Karim na hindi ko naman kilala ay hindi ko na namalayan na tapos na pala ang party at nagsibalikan na ang mga bisita sa kani-kanilang villa. Hanggang sa kami na lamang na pamilya ni Sir Karim ang natira.

"This is all your plan, Aurora," malakas ang boses ni Baba kay Madam.

Seryoso namang sumagot si Madam kay Baba, "Well, yes of course, Papa. I don't want that racist b*tch to be part of our family!"

Galit na sinita ni Baba si Madam. "I can't believe you ruin this occasion!"

Sa galit nito ay kita kong nahihirapan na itong makahinga at dinaklot na nito ang dibdib.

'Naku, mukhang aatakihin na naman ang matanda.' Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa aking damit. Ayokong makakita ng mga ganyan dahil naaawa pa naman ako.

"Papa, cut the act. We all know that you're stronger than a bull. Just tell them the truth that your okay.."

'Tama ba ang narinig ko na sinabi ni Madam.'

"Aurora!!" Biglang sigaw ni Baba pero hindi na nito itinuloy ang pagdaklot sa dibdib.

"Papa, don't be mad at Aurora! She's my wife. Just tell them the truth about your condition-- that you're okay!" Galit na rin si Sir Walid.

"What do you mean, Ma?" Takang tanong ni Sir Karim.

"Well, Papa, was really sick and uhhmm.. he suffered like.. same like a mild stroke... but, he recovered eventually. According to he's result, he's far from dying." Walang anuman na sabi ni Madam.

"B-ut.. but, he was in the hospital for a long time?"

"Yes.. that's what we thought. We even hired a caregiver for him. But his doctor confessed to us that Papa is healthy and he wants us to think that he's in coma so that we will blame ourselves and Karim will agree to marry that b*tch."

"Sh*t! Jid! How could you do this to me?" Nagtagis ang bagang ni Sir Karim sa nalaman. Humarap ito kay Madam, "Ma, why you didn't tell me sooner?"

"Don't curse, habibi! So what do you want us to do! Tell it straight to your face that your lolo deceived us all! Just be thankful that you did not marry that b*tch!"

"If you had tell me sooner, I would have marry Janice instead!"

"No! I don't want you to marry that girl, she's Filipina!"

"And how bout your khadama? Isn't she's also Filipina!" Gigil na sabi ni Sir Karim.

Nasaktan ako sa sinabi niya dahil gustong-gusto niya talagang pakasalan ang kanyang girlfriend.

"Geraldine's case is different. You're the one who brought this upon you. Kung hindi mo siya pinakialaman, I would have arranged some other girls for you!"

"I will not mar---"

"Are you sure, habibi? Remember the Baacchan's... I'm sure you know the consequence of not marrying our 'khadama'," pagdidiin pa ni Madam patungkol sa akin.

"Enough of this! I'm sorry Karim if I lied. I'm going back to Lebanon tomorrow. I won't meddle with you anymore," saka tinulak ng caregiver ang wheelchair ni Baba.

"That's it, Jid. After what you have done to my life. You will just go back to Lebanon," pahabol na sigaw ni Sir Karim sa lolo nito.

"La 'ahtamu! Tusbih ‘ala khayr!" Balik sigaw nito bago tuluyang lumabas ng main hall.

"I don't care! Good night!"

"I don't care huh! My a**! Masama kaming tiningnan ni Sir Karim at walang babalang hinablot ako nito kaya naman napatayo na rin ako. "Come with me!"

"Karim, saan mo siya dadalhin?" Humabol sa amin si Madam ng makitang basta na lamang akong kinaladkad ni Sir Karim.

"She's my fiancee and soon-to-be wife, Mama. I have all the rights na magdesisyon sa kung ano ang gagawin ko sa kanya. With all this ruckus, I know that you plan everything para mapakasal ako sa babaeng 'to!"

"Aray!"

"Bitiwan mo siya dahil nasasaktan siy--"

"Pinili niyang magpakasal sa akin, so be it! We will live together, in sickness and in hell!"

Wala nang nagawa si Madam nang tuluyan na akong kaladkarin ni Sir Karim sa kung saan.

Dalangin ko lang ay huwag niya lang akong sasaktan dahil hindi naman kasali sa usapin namin ni Madam na sasaktan ako ni Sir Karim.

Diyos ko naman! Gabayan niyo po ako. Ano ba naman 'tong napasukan ko. Akala ko ay si Madam at Madam Hala lang ang manloloko, pati pala si Baba, manloloko din. Natatakot na tuloy akong magpakasal kay Sir Karim. Galit na galit talaga siya. Paniguradong ako ang pagbubuntunan nito dahil wala naman siyang ibang pwedeng pagbalingan ng kanyang galit.