Chapter 4 - Naples, Italy

"Welcome to Naples, Mrs. De Luca!" bati sa akin ng matangkad na lalaki nang makababa kami ng eroplano. "I am Fritz Morris, Mr. Mikhail De Luca's secretary," pagpapakilala niya.

Ngumiti lang ako sa kaniya at sumunod na sa likod ni Mikhail. I can hear them talking business, but I didn't interfere at all. A convertable Porsche was waiting for us. Mikhail opened the door for me so I went in, then he followed me.

Nagsimula na siyang magmaneho habang ako naman ay manghang-mangha sa lugar. Italy is a gorgeous country, ni isang beses ay hindi ko naisip na titira ako rito.

"We're just 20 minutes away," he said. I didn't answer him but I just enjoyed the view. "You'll see the sunset too in a while," he added.

Habang tumatagal ay nawawala na rin ang mga malalaking gusali, kasabay nito ay ang pagbaba ng araw. I looked at my wrist watch and looked at the time. It's already 7:42 in the afternoon.

"Sunset's supposed to be done, right?" I asked.

"You're in Italy now, Seah. We're much farther from the equator."

Makes sense, I thought.

After a few minutes, I saw the sea. Natulala ako dahil sa nakita ko. It's majestic here in Italy.

"Are we going to live by the sea?" I curiously asked.

"Actually, yes," sagot nito. "I learned that you love staying by the sea."

Napatingin ako sa kaniya. "How did you know that?"

"Well, you had us married by the sea." Again, he made sense. "And your mom told me."

The sunlight hit his face. I noticed his blue eyes shine as he put his gaze on me for a few seconds. This Italian man is majestic as well.

"What?" tanong niya habang sinasadyang magpapogi.

Natawa ako sa inaakto niya. "Ang hangin mo!"

He laughed with me and fixed is eye on the road. He knew what he was doing. Alam niyang pogi siya, and I'm not even sure if that's a good thing or no.

"Ginagawa mo ba 'yan palagi sa mga babae mo?" biro ko.

I saw his eyes squint. "Una sa lahat, wala akong mga babae," he stopped the car in front of a warm colored house, "bakit mo naman 'yan naisip?"

"Hula ko lang," tugon ko.

He laughed it off again and went out of the car. Pinagbuksan niya 'ko ng pinto kaya naman lumabas na rin ako. Nagsimula siyang maglakad papasok ng malaking bahay na hinintuan namin, and when we got inside, an exquisite interior reminded me of my family's home.

"I intentionally designed this similarly to your family's home. Baka sakaling mabawasan 'yung pagiging homesick mo," he initiated.

The white walls and simple decors were on point. Kuhang-kuha nito ang istilo ng bahay namin, ang pinagkaiba lang ay dagat ang makikita pagsilip sa bintana. His effort made me smile, it somehow lessened my homesickness.

"Come with me," he said. Agad ko naman siyang sinundan patungo sa isang kuwarto, and what I saw made me feel happier.

Nakita ko ang mga lumang gamit ko na nakalagay noon condominium ko noong nag-aaral pa 'ko. He really did made me feel at home. Bukod pa rito ay may mga nakalagay rin na post-it notes sa hanging mirror ko, and a certain mirror reached my attention.

"You're hired! Congratulations," basa ko sa nakasulat doon.

I looked at Mikhail while I was holding the small note. "Ano 'to?"

"I won't leave you bored here at home, Seah. You can work for me," sagot niya.

"Really!?" I excitedly asked. He nodded as an answer which made me really excited.

Para akong batang napapasigaw sa saya. My first official work is in Italy, sino bang hindi matutuwa? Aside from that, naisip ko na rin na baka makakapagtrabaho lang ako kapag tapos na ang business marriage contract namin. Luckily, Mikhail made it possible for me to work either way.

"In the meantime, you will be working from home. You will be attending international meetings online which requires you to give me reports about it," he explained.

I'm an architect, not his assistant.

"Ano ako? Assistant mo?" I replied.

Bahagya siyang tumawa. "Pansamantala lang. Alangan namang hayaan kita sa opisina nang hindi marunong magsalita ng Italyano, 'di ba?"

And again, he had made a point. How dumb of me to not think of that. Baka nga mas ayos 'to para sa akin, pansamantala lamang.

"Okay, pero kailan naman ako makakapagtrabaho bilang architect talaga?" I asked.

"Don't worry, all the meetings that you will be attending is related with architecture."

Tumango naman ako bilang sagot. That's fair enough.

"Thank you," I said to him.

"Thank you too," he said. "My room is the third one next to this room. Let's take a rest and maybe, we'll go out later for dinner."

He went out of my room and closed the door. Muli kong binigyang pansin ang kuwarto ko. I'm amazed of his skills. He was able to make it feel so familiar for me, ang pinagkaiba lang ay may balkonahe ang kuwarto ko.

I went out of the balcony and I suddenly felt the cold fresh air in my face. Rinig ko ang hampas ng alon sa dalampasigan kaya naman nang mapatingin ako sa ibaba ng balkonahe ko ay napagtanto ko na may daan roon papunta sa maliit na dalampasigan. Nakita ko na rin kung paano naging konektado ang tubig dagat sa swimming pool sa property na ito.

This house is really something else. Hula ko ay si Mikhail ang isa sa mga engineer ng bahay na ito. It seems like he knows this house so well, and it is well fabricated too.

I immediately went to the bathroom connected to my room. I just took a quick shower and changed my clothes. Hindi pa naman ako nakakaramdam ng pagod at mas gusto kong libutin ang bahay.

Gusto ko sanang magpahinga sa maliit na dalampasigang nakita ko, kaya naman agad kong tinahak ang hagdan na papunta ro'n. Nang makarating ako roon ay sandali akong nagtampisaw sa tubig kahit na medyo malakas na ang alon.

Beach houses are mainly the reason why I wanted to be an architect. I found it fascinating designing buildings by the sea.

I took a deep breath and let it out after a few seconds. I feel so far but close at home at the same time. Para bang hanggang ngayon ay hati pa rin ang desisyon ko kung talaga bang gusto kong bumalik sa Pilipinas o manirahan dito sa Italy. Hindi ko man lang makita ang sarili ko sa mga susunod na araw, kung paano nga ba 'ko mamumuhay rito.

"Having fun?"

Napatingin ako sa likuran ko nang marinig ko ang boses ni Mikhail. Iba na ang suot niya ngayon, he's wearing a white t-shirt, a denim short, and slides — a very casual outfit.

"Who wouldn't?" I replied.

"Alright, just take care. Malakas na ang alon pagdating ng gabi," paalala niya. "I'll watch you from upstairs by the veranda," aniya pa.

"Ayaw mo ba tumambay rito? Just relax!" aya ko sa kaniya.

Umiling siya. "I just have to talk business with someone, I'll be back," he said and made his way up to the veranda.

I took my time playing by the sea, and when I got tired, I finally made my way back to the seashore and sat down. I looked at the sea and reminisced the view while listening to the sound of the waves.

Ano kaya ang ginagawa ko ngayon kung hindi ako ikinasal kay Mikhail? I still do love my life very much, but will I love it even more if I had the chance to enjoy it alone as an architect in the Philippines? Hanggang ngayon ay ito pa rin ang tanong ko sa sarili ko. Well, I hope that in another lifetime, myself is enjoying herself as an architect.

"Ang lalim naman ng iniisip mo," Mikhail said, surprising me with a bottle of drink. "It's non-alcoholic," he added when he sensed my doubt.

Kinuha ko 'yon sa kaniya at ininom. "I want to thank you for everything."

"But?" he concluded. I bet he also felt the frustration in my life.

"But I'm still wondering about how my life could have been if I didn't need to marry you," pagtutuloy ko.

"It's fine, naiisip ko rin naman 'yan," tugon niya at uminom sa bote.

I suddenly thought of asking him something. "Bakit ka nga ba pumayag na pakasalan ako?"

He let out a small sigh. "Is this about the thing I said before na kaya kong humanap ng ibang babae kung ayaw mong magpakasal sa akin?"

Agad ko namang itinanggi. "No," I put down my bottle, "palagi ko kasing nakikita 'yung mga balita na mas madaling makakapag-expand ang negosyo niyo around southeast asia dahil matunog ang pangalan namin doon."

He say down by my side before answering me. "That's true, but your family is somehow connected with my family's history. I remember my grandfather telling me a story, it was when your ancestors used to be a big help in our business way back then."

I nodded as a response. Iyon ang hindi ko alam at hindi man lang nasabi sa akin ng mga magulang ko.

"Don't worry with your life here, Seah."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Dahil sa batas, asawa mo pa rin ako. With that, I promise that I will take care of you."