"What's the flowers for?" Kaylee asked Alexander. Humalik ito sa noo n'ya bago sumagot. "To make it up to you." sabi pa nito sabay lapit ng bibig nito sa tenga n'ya at bumolong. "I want the maids to think that we have reconcile because I know they heard our fight last night." Kaylee finally understood that. And she's slightly scolding herself in her head because she was hoping that the flower is a 'just flower' from her husband. Nothing with the agreement and nothing with the pretending but she was proven wrong once again. ngumiti si Kaylee sa asawa n'ya. ngiting hindi mo mahahalata na pilit. "Thank you but you don't have to buy me flowers." she said pretending just like Alexander. She smiled when she holds the flower, it's tulip. It's her favorite. It would have been a bit special if he bought it because he wants to and not because he wants everyone to think they're fine specially that it's his favorite flower. "I want to, and I ordered that specific flower because I know th
Morning came and Kaylee woke up feeling bliss. Sobrang gaan ng pakiramdam n'ya at sobrang payapa ng gising n'ya sa umagang iyon. "Good morning, Earth." she utters while smiling to the heat of the sun that's hitting her face. Kaylee took a deep breath at saka tumingin sa sofa bed na higaan ni Alexander. Nagtaka siya dahil wala na doon ang asawa n'ya, she quickly grab her phone to look at the time thinking that Alexander already left for work and she didn't woke up on time. Mas lalong nagtaka si Kaylee at kumunot ang noo ng makitang sobrang aga pa. "Where is he?" she asked herself sabay tayo mula sa kama at deretso sa banyo para magsipilyo. Pababa na si Kaylee sa kusina, inaasahan na makikita ang asawa doon pero mga katulong lang ang naabutan n'ya doon. "Lilia, nasaan si Alexander? umalis na ba papuntang opisina? pero maaga pa." sabay-sabay na tanong n'ya sa katulong nila. "ay ma'am nasa study room n'ya po si sir. Maaga po siyang gumising at nag luto ng ilang ulam pero umak
"Brother? you have a brother and you haven't told me about it?" she burst out angrily. The two of them are in the room at that moment. Kaylee excused Alexander for awhile after Rio introduce himself as Alexander's brother. "I don't think it was important." he said like it's nothing. Nanlaki ang mata ni Kaylee sa tugon nito. "It is important! we're pretending in front of the maids that we're really inlove with each other and then malalaman nila na hindi ko kilala ang kapatid mo just like what happened earlier?" aniya din dito. "Well the maids know that we were in an arrange marriage—" "But they don't know that we're pretending to love and care each other to get whatever you want from your grandparents. So supposedly, you already told me everything about your family inside the 2 weeks because that's how a couple do. Get to know each other." putol n'ya sa dapat na sasabihin nito. "relax, okay? they'll just think that you forgot his face and name. And besides, you didn't ask about it
"What? what did you just say?" Kaylee is trapped with the two brothers. "all I said is that I'm not going anywhere. Mom and dad made it so clear to me na dito muna ako sa bahay n'yo kasi nire-renovate ang bahay natin. Lola doesn't want me around the house because according to her I'll drain her energy.." natawa naman si Kaylee sa sinabi nito patungkol sa Lola nito dahilan para mapatingin sakanya si Rio. "Oh I'm sorry, carry on." she said to him. "so back to what I was telling you about—" "What's wrong with your house?" putol ni Alexander sa dapat sasabihin ng kapatid n'ya. "Yun na nga, I can't go home to my own house because it's under construction. I have knowhere else to be." ngumiti pa ito kay Alexander. "Then rent a condo." ani pa ng binata. "And waste money? no thanks." kumunot ang noo ni Kaylee sa bangayan ng dalawa. "you love wasting money on useless things—" "enough kuya, stop lecturing me about money and where I spent it because you know we'll where I spend those mo
Nagising si Kaylee na wala na si Alexander sa sofa bed nito. Nagkibit-balikat na lamang siya at nag toothbrush bago bumaba sa kitchen. Pagkarating n'ya sa kitchen ay andoon si Rio at nakikipag-usap sa mga katulong na para bang close na close ang mga ito pero bigla din naman silang tumigil nang makita siya ng mga ito. kumunot ang noo ni Kaylee dito. "What were you guys talking about at bakit bigla nalang kayong natigil nang makita n'yo ako? are you guys talking about me?" she jokingly asked. "actually, yes. They told me how you and my kuya are so sweet all the time and how you guys spending time together." biglang tumaas ang kilay ni Kaylee sa sinabi nito. Parang hindi makapaniwala ang tono nito. "Yes, we actually are doing good. But you sounded like you're not convinced, why is that?" umupo siya sa katabi nitong upuan matapos niyang tanongin iyon. "Nothing really, it's just that my kuya is not a fan of PDA." paliwanag pa nito. "well..." napaisip pa si Kaylee sa pwedeng idugtong s
"So sister-in-law, what do you always do here?" tukoy nito sa bahay. Umalis na si Alexander papuntang trabaho nito at hanggang ngayon ay hindi parin matukoy ni Kaylee kung ano ang ayaw nitong masabi sakanya ni Rio kaya ayaw n'yang lumapit siya dito. "Wala nga eh, minsan nagbabasa lang ako ng libro sa library ng kuya mo." parang nagulat pa ito sa sinabi n'ya. "He lets you in there?" turo nito sa library. tumango-tango si Kaylee dito. "Why? hindi ka ba n'ya pinapapasok diyan?" tanong din pabalik ni Kaylee sa binata. Umiling-iling ito sakanya sabay ngiti ng nakakaloko. "He never lets anyone enter that room. You see, my brother is really fond of books. He reads a lot and he built that library room for himself, with all the book he bought from different country. Pero simula noong naging sila ng ex girlfriend n'ya, hindi na siya pumapasok diyan dahil ayaw ng ex girlfriend n'ya na nagbabasa siya ng libro." nagsalubong ang kilay ni Kaylee sa sinabi nito. "Bakit naman? isn't booms good fo
"No way, he did that?" Kaylee exclaimed. Naghahanda na sila ng dinner ngayon, tumutulong sila sa mga katulong habang nagku-kwento parin patungkol kay Alexander."Sure he did." proud na proud naman na tugon ni Rio sakanya. "And here I thought that Alexander has been so silent even when he was a kid and you're telling me that he hosted a party in your house in America and invited a lot of his classmates tapos sobra siyang nalasing at sumayaw sa center bago siya nahuli ng parents n'yo?" Kaylee never thought that she'd hear a story about Alexander and his embarrassing moments during childhood and teenager years."Sobrang rami pang ginawang kahihiyan n'yang si Kuya noong teenager siya. He's not really the nerd type most of the time, sometimes he's all fun—and oh I remember that he put some ketchup, butter, mustard and juice in the bag of a bully during high school. That bully guy ay inaway ang kaibigan n'ya kaya siya yung gumanti para sa kaibigan n'ya." natawa si Kaylee dito."That's so c
"I told you to bot get close to Rio." Alexander is so pinning her towards the wall of their room. He saw them talking and laughing in the living room after he got off from work. "It's the 20th times now that I told you about this. It's been 3 days and you don't even listen to me. Don't talk to him will you?" he's so mad but Kaylee gives zero care about it. "What is wrong with you?" she asked him in Avery serious tone and that made Alexander came back to his sense. She crossed both of her hands into her chest and stare at Alexander. "Why are you acting weird? instead of letting me get close to your brother which is my brother-in-law, you want me to stay away from him. why is that? what are you keeping from me? natatakot ka ba na may masabi siya sa'kin na ayaw mong malaman ko?" she's interrogating him. Alexander just stare at her back and didn't even blink. "Just do what I say." that's all he said and turn his back at her but before his feet could go far away from her, she asked a que
"Alright, schedule the meeting at 4 pm today, I'll be heading home now." Alexander utter to his secretary om the other line. "Noted, sir. Have a safe drive, sir." his secretary replied and Alexander just nodded like his secretary can see it and he ended the call. He's now packing his clothes and ready to check out that hotel room that he lived for how many weeks. Matapos sabihin sakanya ni Kaylee ang lahat ng masasakit na salita na dapat n'yang marinig, naisipan n'ya munang bigyan ito ng space. Uuwi muna siya sa Manila para sa trabaho n'ya. He doesn't know how long he will give Kaylee a space, maybe he will just watch her from afar and protect her from afar for awhile before showing himself to her again. Alexander knows that Kaylee was really pissed and angry at him every since and even now, he doesn't want to add fuel to that by adding more frustration to her. After that night, Alexander didn't go to restaurant when morning came. He was just at his hotel room and spacing ou
"Alexander, ako na kasi." Alexander wanted to take the tray of food from Kaylee's hands para tulungan ito lalo na't marami-rami ang hawak nito at may drink pa na daldalhin. "I'll take this and you take the drinks." aniya pa dito. "You take the drinks and I'll take this. Hindi ka pwedeng magbuhat ng mabigat, kakagaling mo lang sa sakit." naiinis na tugon ni Kaylee sakanya. "Maayos na ang pakiramdam ko, anong pinagsasabi mong hindi pa ako magaling. Sige na, ako na ang magdadala nito at ikaw na doon." tinuro ng dalawang nguso n'ya ang drinks. "Gusto n'yo ako na magbuhat?" may biglang nagsalita sa likod nila. It's the unwanted guest of Kaylee. bumaling ang tingin ni Alexander dito at tinaasan ito ng kilay. "You shouldn't be here. This is for the employees only, you're not an employee so please get out." pagtataboy ni Alexander sa lalaki. "Alexander—" "am I wrong, Kaylee? tinaboy mo ako from here before, ba't parang sasawayin mo pa ako dahil pinapalabas ko itong bisita mo from the k
When everyone is working, at 2 pm in the afternoon, a customer enters the restaurant. It's a man that was very familiar to Alexander's sight. Naningkit ang dalawang mata n'ya ng bigla itong lumapit kay Kaylee at saka nakipag-beso dito. Tinitigan ito ng maigi ni Alexander, dahil sa selos at para narin maisip n'ya kung saan n'ya ba nakita ang binatang lumalapit-lapit kay Kaylee. "Anong ginagawa mo dito? bibili ka ba ng pagkain?" nakangiting tanong ni Kaylee sa lalaki. Sobrang laki ng ngiti ni Kaylee dito, ngiting hindi nito naibigay sakanya simula nang dumating siya sa lugar na iyon. "No, I just came to visit you." kumindat pa ito kay Kaylee na mas lalong ikina-inis ni Alexander. Who does he think that he is to do that to his wife? Mas lalo pang nainis si Alexander when the guy leaned closer to Kaylee para may maibulong dito at nagtawanan silang dalawa matapos iyon. "That's Colin, palagi iyang andito dati minsan kapag day off ni Kaylee si Kaylee ang pumupunta sakanya sa Manila." an
Morning came and Alexander felt better than last night. bumaba na rin ang lagnat nya, but Kaylee is not on his room anymore. She has left at nag-iwan lang ng note pati gamot at saka pagkain sa bedside table nya. binasa ni Alexander ang note na iniwan ni Kaylee para sakanya."I already check you, you're fever are already down but you still need to eat and drink your meds to prevent it from striking back again. Don't come to work today, just stay at home at magpa galing ng todo, don't be stubborn." napangiti si Alexander sa letter na iniwan nito matapos nya itong basahin."even in letters, she's still so bossy and mataray. I can hear her voive with only this letter." he jokingly said to himself and chuckled afterwards. Tumayo na si Alexander mula sa pagkaka upo sa kama at dinala ang pagkain na hinanda ni Kaylee sa maliit na dining table ng hotel room nya at doon kinain iyon pati narin ang gamot nya ay doon nya narin ininom. Matapos iyon ay inopen nya ang laptop nya at email nya para e-
Alexander woke up feeling tired ay dawn. Hindi na masakit ang ulo n'ya pero nanghihina parin ang buong katawan n'ya. He woke up still feeling sick but his eyes wants to see Kaylee. Hinanap ng mga mata n'ya ang asawa n'ya, umaasa siya na andoon parin ito at inaalagaan siya. At hindi nga siya nabigo dahil nakita n'ya ito sa study table n'ya na naka-upo habang may kausap sa cellphone nito. Hindi mapigilan ni Alexander na mapangiti. "Yes, I'll be home this morning, okay? you have to sleep na. It's way way past your bedtime already." anito pa sa kausap nito sa sobrang mahinahon at sweet na boses. Hindi naririnig ni Alexander ang kausap nito kaya hindi n'ya malaman kung sino at ano ito. "Alright, goodnight. I love you. Go to bed, it's 1 am already, bye." anito pa ulit at saka pinatay na ang tawag. Alexander can't help but to overthink that maybe Kaylee has a boyfriend already. "Who was that?" he asked hoping that she will not say that it's her boyfriend or what. "It's nothing that you
Alexander keeps yawning while working in the restaurant. 6 am na siya nakatulo dahil sa dami ng trabaho nya kagabi, at 8:45 am na din siya nakapasok sa trabaho na ikinagulat din naman ni Kaylee. He was never late, in the past weeks na nagta-trabaho siya sa restaurant na iyon, sa araw na iyon lang siya late."you keep on yawning, ano ba ginawa mo kagabi at wala kang tulog?" pang limang tanong na iyan ni Kaylee sakanya sa araw na iyon and it's not even lunch yet."nothing, hindi lang ako nakatulog talaga. insomnia." aniya pa dito. ayaw nyang sabihin sa asawa nya kung ano ang ginawa nya dahil baka magalit ito. he is overworking himself."talaga lang huh? baka naman kung saan-saan ka pa nagsusuot kagabi?" she is interogating him."saan naman ako pupunta?" tanong nya din pabalik sa asawa at tinaasan siya nito ng kilay kaya ngumisi na lamang si Alexander dito. "i swear, umuwi ako kaagad pagka hatid ko sa'yo, i just really had an insomnia kaya matagal akong nakatulog. you don't have to worry
A week has passed and Alexander is consistent in helping and winning Kaylee's heart again. Every hour, minute and seconds of everyday, he never fails to make her feel na he's being true to what he feels and his intentions is pure now. No more pretentious or lies. Even though Kaylee's trust are hard to earn again, it's alright because he's willing to work on it for however long it takes. "Let me help you with that." aniya pa sa asawa niya na may bit-bit na namang tray na marami ang food na order ang laman. "You have a customer and I can perfectly put that tray into my customers table." walang emosyon na saad nito sakanya. "I know but I'm willing to help you and besides, hindi pa luto ang order ng customer ko and iyong ibang customer na andito ay may mga waiter na so my hands are free." matamis siyang ngumiti sa asawa at inirapan nalang siya ni Kaylee na mas lalong ikinangiti ni Alexander. Those rolling of eyes may be mean but better than no emotions. "Put that in table 5. I'll go g
"Kaylee, let me.." kaagad na kinuha ni Alexander ang bitbit ni Kaylee na mga pagkain. It was heavy enough kaya tumulong si Alexander dito. "Alexander, i can perfectly deliver that to my customer.." nakasunod sakanya si Kaylee habang sinasabi iyon. "i know you can but i don't have a customer so I'm gonna helpp you with yours. Besides, these are alot so a little help will be okay, right?" nakangiti niyang sambit dito. "a little help? halos lahat ng order ko ikaw ang bumunuhat ngayong araw. It's not a little help, Alexander. Parang hindi mo na ako pinapa-trabaho dito." naiinis na reklamo ni Kaylee sakanya na ikinatawa lang naman ni Alexander. "it's not a big deal.." "when will you gonna leave?" napahinto si Alexander sa tanong nito. tumingin siya kay kaylee, tumitig siya dito. "Leave me alone, Alexander. Do you think working here with me will help me convince to give you accept you back into my life. Your lies and what you did is far more heavy than your efforts now." Alexander was
kinabukasan ay maaga ulit nagising si alexander, hindi para mag jogging or ano, kundi para pumasok sa trabaho. Alas tres na siya natulog kagabi at tinapos nya lahat ng trabaho nya sa opisina. alas sais na rin siya gumising dahil papasok pa siya sa bagong trabaho nya. he has his new uniform na hiningi nya kagabi sa may-ari at nang makapag simula na siya kaagad kinabukasan. wala siyang masyadong tulog pero wala siyang pakialam, ang importante ay makapasok siya sa trabaho at makita si Kaylee ulit. 3 hours of sleep cannot hinder him from being bubbly and happy while taking a bath and ordering a breakfast and eat it with a smile on his face. his excitement to be finally work with the love of his life gave him enough energy to survive the day. Saktong 7:00 siya nakarating sa restaurant. He has a big smile while the manager slash owner is opening the restaurant. "Mr. Monaco, you know well that I don't really wanna hire you because you're a very big business man but you beg me for this f