The Unexpected Wife

Prologue Night Sumalubong sa amin ang ingay, usok at sari saring amoy ng Imperial Bar. Hindi naman ako inosente sa ganito pero hindi ako sanay. Napupunta lang talaga ako dito pag naimbitahan at importanteng okasyon. Like now, it's my big boss's birthday. Melvin Choi is a very good man, very down to earth and approachable at higit sa lahat bachelor. Lahat ata ng empleyado ay ka close niya. He's just twenty-eight and I can already say that he's successful. "Come on, let's sit!" Hila sa akin Ella. My friend since highschool. Kaya kung ituring ko siya ay para ko nang kapatid. Lumapit kami sa kung nasaan si Sir Melvin, malawak ang kaniyang ngiti habang marami ang bumabati sa kaniya. "Happy Birthday Sir Melvin!" Bati ko, "My gift..." Malapad naman siyang ngumiti. Mas nadepina tuloy ang napakalalim niyang dimples. He's wearing a dark blue polo na nakatupi sa siko. Kung titingnan ay hindi mo aakalain talagang single. "Salamat! Di na dapat kayo nag abala..." Sabi niya ng magbigay din ng regalo si Ella. We just smiled and didn't say anything. Mahirap na rin kasing magusap dahil sa lakas ng music. Sumenyas naman siya na pupunta sa iba pang kasamahan kaya tumango kami. "Kung wala lang akong boyfriend, baka ako na nanligaw d'yan kay sir e." Sabi sakin ni Ella kaya siniko ko siya. "Kilabutan ka nga! Yung bibig mo!" "Nagbibiro lang e." We went to another table where our other officemates were. May ibang sobrang wild na at ang iba naman ay hindi umiinom. We talked a bit about our busy work and laughed about it. Kahit naman maraming reklamo na hindi maiiwasan sa pagt'trabaho ay nag e'enjoy pa rin kami sa napiling career. Maya maya ay kinalabit ako ni Ella at saka may nginuso kung saan. Bumaling naman ako ng tingin sa kung saan siya nakaturo. Then I saw the one and only Dan Lio Santibal. He's alone at his table and looking earnestly at his drinking glass. Pagkatapos lumagok ay nagsalin ulit at mabilis na ininom. He's drinking his heart out. Hanggang ngayon, huh? "Hindi pa rin move on?" Inosenteng tanong ni Ella. "As you can see," Mapait kong sagot. I look at Dan. He's a mess. Simula ata nang iwan siya ng babaeng pinakamamahal niya ay nagkaganyan na siya. He's wearing a black polo na naka tupi sa siko at bukas ang dalawang unang butones. Iniinom ko ung alak sa aking baso. "How can I unlike him?" I whispered as I looked down and bit my lip. "Woah," Ella exclaimed, not expecting it from me. "Kaya mo ba?" Hindi ko alam kung anong mayroon sa lalaking iyan at nasasabi kong gustong gusto ko siya. Magdadalawang taon narin siguro ang pantasiya ko sa kaniya. Akala ko nga noong una ay crush lang kaya hinayaan ko dahil normal lang naman iyon. And now seeing him like this pain me. I hate seeing him like this! "Lapitan mo kaya?" Napatingin ako kay Ella na parang isang kahibangan ang sinabi niya. "I will never do that." We're not strangers to each other. Nakilala ko siya two years ago through Sir Melvin. Magkaibigan sila at isang taon palang ako sa trabaho noon, but I'm closer to my boss than any other employees. Kaya napakilala niya sa akin. We talked, we socialized with each other, but I tried to express my feelings for him never in my life. Because at that time, he's still with his now ex-girlfriend. Pero kahit naman ngayon na anim na buwan na ang lumipas nang mag hiwalay sila ay hindi pa din ako nagpapakita ng motibo. Kahit pa nagkakausap kami at madalas nagkikita dahil palagi siyang tambay sa office ng boss ko. He's obviously in post-relationship grief. Hearsays are circulating on how they broke up, but I don't really want to focus on that. Hindi ko alam kung nakakailang drinks na ko at ilang oras na akong nakatitig kay Dan pero nararamdaman ko na ang hilo. I never thought I will drink this much! Damn that Santibal. He should never make me see him! But of course, kaibigan siya ni Sir Melvin kaya naririto. Pero mukhang hindi naman dahil doon ang pinunta niya. Mag e'emo lang siya! Luminga ako at napahawak sa noo. Marami na talaga akong nainom. I spotted Ella on the dancefloor. I don't want to dance. Kahit kailan ay hindi ako nahilig diyan. Binuhos ko pa ang oras ko sa pag inom at pag kausap ng ibang tao. Sa sobrang bagot ko ay lumabas ako ng bar. Uuwi na ako. I will just text Ella na mauuna na akong umuwi. I didn't bring my car, so I'll just take a cab. Mas mainam na iyon. I was busy getting my self to think straight when I heard some noise on my left. May lalaking hindi na yata kayang tumayo sa kalasingan. Napakurap pa ako dahil kahit ako mismo ay hilong hilo na. Paano ba ako tatawag ng taxi! My eyes widen when I saw the clear view of the man's face. Ilang hakbang ang ginagawa ko para lang mas makasigurado. "Dan?" I asked. Napasandal naman ito sa isang kotse doon bago ako nalingon. His eyes squirmed, getting a clearer view of me, I guess. "Melissa." His voice was husky, almost out of breath. "Uh... are you okay?" I hesitantly asked. "Yeah," "You don't look like you're okay." "Why bother asked then?" Napakurap ako sa sagot niya. Point taken. "Oh. Okay. Should I... call you a cab then? Or are you with some friends?" He tried sitting up straight. Hindi ko naman alam saan ako hahawak sa kaniya o dapat ko ba siyang hawakan. Sa huli ay umatras lang ako. He stood up, walked to the door of the car and lean there. "No, I can... manage." I looked around, not knowing what to say. Should I leave then? Parang nawala iyong hilo ko nang makita siya! I watched him find his key and open his door. I am so worried because he obviously can't drive right now. "Uhm, you know what, I'll just call you a cab. You obviously can't drive. My boss will kill me if anything bad happens to you." He chuckled, still not able to open his door. "You think?" I can't think right now, actually. "Stay there. Okay?" I sighed and looked for a cab. Please, I need one. I exhaled when I saw one and talked to Dan. Bumalik ako kay Dan at lakas loob na siyang hinawakan sa braso. His eyes are closed, and he can barely walk. Buti nalang ay tinulungan ako ni Kuyang Driver na buhatin siya sa loob ng taxi. "Siya lang ho ba mag isa ma'am? Saan po ba iyan nakatira?" I tried to tap Dan's face to wake him. "What's your address?" I asked softly, but he just groans. Oh goodness, I should be celebrating this kind of interaction with him, but I'm anxious. "Address, Dan Lio," I said slightly loud. Nagmulat naman siya ng mata, hindi makapag focus sa isang bagay. Nang sinabi ang address ay sinabi ko na rin iyon sa driver. "Kaya niya po bang umuwi mag isa? Condominium po iyon Ma'am. Parang hindi naman po makakakyat mag isa yan si Sir." Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ako sa driver pero may point din naman siya. Napapikit ako at sumakay na sa taxi. Fine, ihahatid ko na. Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto ang byahe bago kami nakarating doon. I just stare at Dan's face the whole time. Bakit hindi mo sundan kung mahal mo? Hearsays said that Rhealyn, his ex-girlfriend went abroad for her career. Bakit kailangan pa nilang maghiwalay kung hindi naman pala niya kaya? I sighed and looked away. Mabagal kong binuksan ang pinto at halos nanghihina na. Tinulungan ako ng driver hanggang makarating kami sa elevator. "Dan, what floor?" I tried asking him. Sinandal ko siya sa may gilid ng elevator. Buti nalang at halos three am na at wala nang tao. "Floor?" I asked again. Slightly getting annoyed. Hindi ko alam bakit naiinis ako ngayon. He looks like a mess! Naiinis akong nakikita siyang ganito. Parang may tumatarak na mabigat sa dibdib ko habang pinagmamasdan siya? Really? Nagkakaganito siya dahil sa babaeng iyon? Ganoon niya kamahal? He lifted his head, and I saw him smirked, "I never saw that expression from you before," Nagiwas ako ng tingin at tinuro iyong numbers sa elevator. "Number?" I asked again, hindi na pinansin pa ang sinabi niya. "Eighteen," Mabilis kong pinindot iyon at sumandal malayo sa kaniya. "I can actually go home alone," "Then sana hindi ka natulog kanina." I heard him chuckled. Nang makarating sa tamang palapag ay tiningnan ko siya. May ngisi na siya sa labi ngayon at mariin na nakatingin sa akin. I blinked, "What?" "I always wonder why you don't like me," Napakunot ang aking noo sa sinabi niya. Napatitig ako bago nagiwas ng tingin. "What do you mean?" "You're always dismissive when I tried to talk to you." He said slowly, getting a hold of himself. I licked my lips. He's right. Kahit naman kaswal kaming nag kakaroon ng interaction ay hindi ko pinipiling magtagal iyon. Ayaw ko lang paasahin ang sarili ko. Ayaw kong mas lumalim ang nararamdaman ko sa kaniya kung sakaling mag kakalapit pa kami. "I-I'm not." "I'm not blind, Melissa." I looked at him, "I just see you... as a boss." Palusot ko. "But you talked friendly to Melvin." I sighed and hold his arms. Nadala ako nang gumewang pa siya sa lakad. Hindi ko alam saan tutungo ang usapan namin o baka nasasabi niya lang iyon dahil lasing siya. "Let's go. I need to go home." He chuckled again. Lasing talaga siya. He told me the unit number. Nang makarating sa tapat ng pinto ay siya na ang nagbukas noon. I never intended to go beyond his door. Huminto na ako sa tapat noon at tiningnan siya. "I'll go now," mabilis kong sabi. Mabilis naman siyang humarap sa akin at nangunot ang noo. I blinked several times before clearing my throat. I turn around, but I halted when he holds my wrist. Dumapo doon ang tingin ko bago umangat sa kaniya. Hindi ako makatingin ng diretso ng mapansin ang seryoso niyang titig. My breathing hitched when he pulled me closer, stumbling as I tried not to fall on him. Tumama sa ilong ko ang pabango niya. Mas naging depina iyon sa aking pang amoy. I tried to pull away, but he's much more potent than me. Kanina hindi ito maka tayo ah? "W-What-" "Melissa." My eyes immediately darted on him upon hearing his serious voice, "Uh..." I was still finding the right words to say when I just felt his lips on mine. I wasn't even thinking nor expecting it. My eyes literally grew wide. I pushed him and stare in shock. "What a-are you-" And even before I finish, he kissed me again. This time, imbes na manlaki ang mata ay napapikit na ako. And I think that's when it went wrong. I felt everything when I closed my eyes. I felt his hand on my back and the other on my wrist, and his lips as it moves on mine. Halos tumindig ang aking balahibo ko nang gumalaw ang kamay niya sa aking likod kasabay ng kaniyang labi. I never did anything. He tilted his head to kiss me again. Hindi pa din ako gumagalaw sa kinatatayuan. "Kiss me," he said in between. His voice is almost panting for air. I felt how my temperature rises. How my ears feel ticklish as his voice soothes them. I open my mouth to say something, but the words lingered and swallowed by him. Mas lumalim ang halik dahil doon. Slowly, I give in. Unti unti ay ginaya ko ang galaw ng kaniyang labi habang gulong gulo ang isip sa nangyayari, o kung tama ba ang ginagawa ko ngayon. I heard the door slamming before I felt the cold wall behind my back. Tila nalamigan noon ang nagbabaga kong nararamdaman. Tinagilid ko ang aking ulo upang umiwas sa kaniyang halik. My heart is pumping fast, and my mind went haywire. Ilang beses akong napakurap at tuluyang napapikit ng hindi niya itigil ang pag halik sa akin. "D-Dan..." I called, not knowing if I wanted him to stop or begging him to go on. "Just... kiss me," I felt his lips on my ears as he whispered that. My lips are parted as I clench my fist. Ayaw kong bumigay pero hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ko masabi iyon. Part of me wants to give in to his kisses and to whatever it leads us after. But part of me knows that this is wrong, and I shouldn't be really considering doing this. When I saw his eyes, his parted lips, I already knew the former part of my mind will win. One chaste kiss, and it went downhill. When I put my hands on his nape, I knew it was something I would definitely regret in the morning. In his every touch, I burn. With every kiss, it's like he's making me not think that this was all a mistake. I woke up feeling my head aching so much. Sinubukan kong gumalaw nang may maramdaman sa aking kama. Nang magmulat ako nang mata ay tumambad sa akin ang mukha ni Dan Lio. My mouth went dry as memories of last night flooded in my brain. Napapikit ako ulit at lalong nadama ang sakit ng ulo. He's lying in a prone position while his face is directed at me. His right hand is above my stomach. I froze momentarily while thinking. What have I done? I felt my hands tremble as my mind went straight. Paano ko iyon nagawa? With my trembling hands, I tried to remove his arms on me. I didn't know why my eyes watered when I notice that I didn't even have my bra on or anything. Just my underwear. Even my breath tremble. At the sight of temptation, I give in, huh? Never in my life, I imagine I would be in this kind of situation. Thinking of how my parents would be disappointed makes me feel terrible. I should just... forget this. Lalo na dahil wala naman akong panghahawakan sa lalaking kasama ko ngayon. Ang tanga Mel. Inayos ko ang soot ko. I looked at my phone, it's five fifteen in the morning. I should go before he wakes up. Tiningnan kong muli siya at bumuntong hininga. "I really like you...." I whispered, words only I can hear. "But that doesn't mean I will want to be part of your life when I know it's impossible." I stood up and find my clothes. Mabilis kong sinoot iyon at dahan dahang lumabas ng kwarto. I sighed when I realized this means so much to me. I give myself to him, and for me, it's a big thing. What breaks my heart more is for him; it may be just any other night.