"Is it your parents again?" Kaylee is drinking with her friends in a bar. Hindi naman madaling malasing si Kaylee, at umiinom lang siya kapag sobrang stress na siya sa bahay nila. "Ano pa nga ba, lagi naman akong stress kapag sila." tugon n'ya pa sa kaibigan n'ya. Narinig n'yang nagbuntong hininga sila Ava, Amelia at Celeste sakanya. "Why don't you move out anyway?" takang tanong ni Celeste sakanya. "If i could, i would have. Alam n'yo naman sila Mommy, they refuse to let me go. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit eh, hindi naman nila ako pinapansin sa bahay. All they do is work, mag sugal sa Casino and then go home to fight kasi natalo sila. I'm an air to them who they refuse to let go, ni ayaw nga nila akong pagtrabahuin. Remember, i applied to be a secretary to this one of the most big company in the country at dalawang araw palang ako sa trabaho pinasisante na nila ako. Wala akong nagawa, may koneksyon sila." nagbuntong hininga pang ulit ang mga kaibigan n'ya saka sabay-sabay na tinu
"here, ice cream." it was Ava, they're currently at a ice cream shop inside the mall habang hinihintay kung kailan sila pwedeng pumasok sa sinehan. "Anyway, Kaylee, pinayagan ka ng parents mo na lumabas?" nakakunot ang noo na tanong ni Amelia. "Hindi, hindi naman ako nagpaalam." proud n'ya pang tugon dito at natawa naman sila. "But you know na malalaman nila na lumabas ka diba? yung driver mo mag rereport sakanila at paniguradong anytime ay andito na sila para kunin ka." Celeste said at luminga-linga s paligid. "Sino ba nagsabi na nagdala ako ng driver? nag commute kaya ako kasi alam kong gagawin nila iyang sinabi mo so i became wiser this time. Bahala silang mag-alala na hanapin ako, yun ay kung mag-aalala nga sila. Baka nga isipin pa nilang nagiging pasaway ako eh at tatalakan ako pag-uwi. Anyway, who cares, they're tiring." nagbuntong hininga si Kaylee matapos n'yang sabihin iyon. Amelia tap her shoulders after saying those. "Kami bahala sa'yo. Nagrerebelde karin naman na na d
Kaylee woke up feeling a bit bliss. Nakangiti kaagad siya habang sinasalubong ang magandang sikat ng araw na tumatama sa mukha n'ya. "Good morning, Earth." masayang aniya pa. Malakas siyang napabuntong hininga habang nakangiti parin. Masaya si Kaylee lalo na't araw ng pagkabuhay n'ya. It's her birthday, kahit pa nga hindi ito naaalala ng mga magulang n'ya at tanging siya at mga kaibigan n'ya ang mag celebrate nito. "It's my birthday." masayang usal n'ya sa sarili n'ya at saka dumeretso sa banyo para maligo na at bumaba para sa breakfast. Sa araw na iyon ay pinayagan siya ng mga magulang n'ya na lumabas kasama mga kaibigan n'ya. Nang matapos na siyang maligo ay bumaba na rin siya. Medyo maraming pagkain na nakahanda dahil alam ng mga katulong nila na birthday n'ya. "Happy birthday po ma'am." bati ng lahat ng katulong nila sakanya at mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti n'ya. Her parents doesn't remember her birthday or would they even try to remember it to celebrate it with her. And Kaylee
"WHAT!? WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" hindi napigilan ni Kaylee ang sarili na sumigaw dahil sa sinabi ng mommy n'ya. "Well, you're not getting any younger. You are already 26 years old so therefore, you should be married already." nakangiti pa nitong tugon sakanya na para bang hindi big deal para dito ang magpakasal. "Are you out of your mind?" her mom and dad looked at her in disbelief dahil sa tanong at uri ng pagtatanong n'ya dito. "Do you think marriage is a joke and just nothing to you? do you think marriage should done just because someone turns 26 years old? I'm 26 years old, so? ni wala man lang nga kayong binigay na gift man lang kahit late na, tapos sasabihin n'yo sa'kin ngayon na magpapakasal ako? did you guys lose your brain while gambling in the casin—" hindi natuloy ni Kaylee ang sasabihin n'ya ng biglang dumapo sa pisngi n'ya ang palad ng mommy n'ya habang ang daddy n'ya ay walang pakialam sa nangyayari. "Watch your tone young lady, you're being such a rude b
"Slow down, Kaylee!" Celeste hissed at her, even hold her wrist so that she would stop drinking. She has been drinking for 2 hours now since they arrived at the bar. Kaylee messaged her friends after what her own parents did to her. She told them that she needs some drink and that alone screams that she has a problem that's why her friends didn't say no. "Tell us what's the problem! Tell us hindi iyong parang magpapakamatay kana diyan dahil sa pag-iinom mo. Dalawang oras kanang hindi tumitigil sa pag-iinom diyan, tapos tumakas kapa sainyo. At least tell us something so we know how to console you." ani pa ni Ava sakanya na tinanguan naman ni Celeste at Amelia. Kaylee drink another shot of whiskey and looks at her friends. "My great parents, my super great parents are the worst of all the worst!" she said slightly shouting. kumunot ang noo ng mga kaibigan n'ya sa sinabi n'ya. "What did they do this time?" tanong pa ni Celeste. Huminga ng malalim si Kaylee at uminom ulit ng is
"No! I'm n-not going anywhere." she said to him and even run away from him and goes back to the crowd. Kaylee is so drunk already, she might forget everything about what she did tonight when morning came. Kaylee dances again and grab another drink but Alexander caught her again. "Woman, you need to go home." he hissed on her ears. Iwinaksi no Kaylee ang kamay nito. "Ano ba, I want to have fun tonight. This might be the night na hindi na ako single. I don't know what my husband's real identity and I don't know if I'm able to party again so will you please get lost and just let me party? I don't even know you." Kaylee straightly said to him na para bang hindi siya lasing. Nang natahimik na ito ay saka lang ulit sumayaw si Kaylee at sumayaw. She keeps dancing and drinking, while Alexander are just guarding her because someone might touch her again. But Kaylee looks at Alexander and gave him a drink, ayaw pa sana nitong uminom pero pinilit ito ni Kaylee kaya uminom narin ito kasabay
Kaylee worked up feeling the headache and sore down there. Napahawak siya sa ulo n'ya ay napa-araw sa sakit na nadarama ng katawan n'ya. "What happened last night?" half asleep and while holding still her head, she quietly asked to herself nang biglang may nahawakan ang isang kamay n'ya sa gilid n'ya. Kaagad siyang napalingon doon at nanlaki ang mga mata ng may makitang lalaking nakatalikod sakanya at hubad iyon. Kaagad na tiningnan ni Kaylee ang sarili at hubad din siya. Kaagad siyang tumayo pero hindi paman siya tuluyang nakatayo ay napaigik siya sa sakit na nadarama n'ya sa gitnang hita n'ya. "Fuck! that hurts so much." she said in quiet voice para hindi magising ang lalaki sa tabi n'ya. She calmed down and slowly get off the bed and wore her dress. Paika-ika din siyang lumabas ng hotel room na iyon hanggang sa makalabas siya sa hotel building at sumakay sa taxi. Nakahinga ng maluwag si Kaylee, at pilit inaalala ang mga nangyari at ginawa n'ya kagabi. She remembers dancing,
"Ma'am Kaylee? pinapababa na po kayo ng mommy at daddy n'yo po." rinig ni Kaylee sa Yaya nila habang nagbibihis pa siya. "Tell them to wait, I'm still not done here." she said at narinig n'ya naman ang papaalis na tunog ng sapatos nito. Kaylee sighed in so much annoyance habang sinusuot n'ya ang dress n'ya. Her own mother told her to wear dress para daw presentable tingnan sa mga Monaco. It's been a week since her parents told her about the wedding and since then, they've been busy forcing her to wear this or that for the Monaco Family. Kaylee already meet the parents of the man that she will be married to and she can say that they're nice people but his grandparent and him as well, she haven't meet them yet. She was told that the name is Riker, her parents won't tell her his whole name kasi yun daw ang request ng groom. 20 minutes had passed and finally, Kaylee is done dressing up at bumaba narin siya sa sala kung saan naghihintay ang mga magulang n'ya. Her mom had this annoy
2 days had passed but there's still no improvement with Alexander and Kaylee's relationship. Alexander is still mad with the lies and the fact that Kaylee doesn't have the plan to tell him about their daughter which is valid and Kaylee is afraid to talk to Alexander at the same time she's also still mad at him for what he did in the past, valid as well. Both have a valid reason why they're mad. "Hello? I brought you something.." Alexander is grinning from eat to eat as he is approaching their daughter in her room, hiding something from behind him, a surprise for his daughter. Alexander always come home from work na may dalang toy para sa anak n'ya and his daughter loves it everytime. "What is it po, daddy?" his daughter ask, giggling in excitement. Napangiti ng mas malaki si Alexander dahil sa reaksiyon ng anak nito. "I bought you this big barbie. A human size, barbie." napatalon sa tuwa ang anak nito. She is so happy and immediately hug the toy that he bought for her. Mat
"Daddy? are you mad at mommy?" tanong ng anak n'ya sakanya habang nasa loob sila ng sasakyan at nagmamaneho si Alexander pauwi sa Manila. Kaylee is in the passenger seat while their daughter is in the backseat. Alexander throw a glance to Kaylee sa mirror but Kaylee is just facing the window. Not facing him at all. And she's still in her uniform. "No, baby. Daddy's not mad on mommy, just disappointed but not mad.." tugon n'ya sa anak n'ya. Pawang katotohanan, ayaw n'yang magsinungaling sa anak n'ya. "Then why are you guys not talking to each other po?" tanong pa nito ulit. "Mommy is just tired from work and daddy needs to focus on driving. That's just it, baby." tugon n'ya ulit sa anak. Tumango-tango naman ang anak n'ya sa sinabi n'ya. "You can sleep there, baby. It will take a while before we'll arrive at our house in the Manila." aniya pa ulit sa anak. "Is our house big po ba sa Manila? excited po kasi ako makita kasi sabi ni mommy sa'kin dati na big daw po ang house n
"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