Chapter 4| Interrogation

We are now sitting in the living room. I was next to Verna while I was opposite Tatay Mario and his sons. The others sitting on the floor.

They just stared at me while Verna just bowed her head. Looks like she was embarrassed about what's happening right now.

I feel like I was going to melt like ice cream the way how Tatay Mario glared at me. I gulp. It losing me the courage to speak even more. I feel like everything I am going to say should be favoured by them all.

I glanced at Miggy's room when the door opened. My monkey cousin busy stretching his arms and yawning. When they saw us sitting in the living room, he spoke.

"Good morning! What's happening in here, guys? What's up?" he innocently asked while there's a smile on his face. Tatay Mario and his sons just stared in my cousin's direction. Didn't utter any word.

Miggy's smile on his face fades away. He shifted his gaze in my direction then look at me with his serious face. After a second, he looked at Verna. He nervously cleared his throat. It looks like he already had an idea about what's going on.

I look at him, begging. I hope he gets that I need his help right now. But the problem, he is not doing anything in his position. He's just stuck staring at me. Fuck!

I startled and shifted my gaze from Miggy to Tatay Mario when he suddenly hit the table with his full force.

My heart beats triple faster than usual while my eyes got widen opened in shock. I, even more, get nervous and feared by Tatay Mario.

Shit!

Where is the formerly cool and the great playboy Alexander?

Please, somebody, help me.

"What's the meaning of what I saw earlier?" Tatay Mario asks in a low but dangerous tone.

My hands got shaking and my knees kept trembling.

"Ah-Uhmm... It's-It's-" I couldn't continue what I was supposed to say when he suddenly shouts on my face.

"Answer me!" He shouts in anger and clenches his fist. Just because of that, I was pressured to answer his question quickly, clearly and unequivocally.

"It was a mistake."

Ow freak!

I mentally slapped my forehead after saying it. It was too late to realize what I had answered is a wrong move. It can be my cause of death just in case.

Why so dumb Alexander? Geez!

"What did you say? It was a mistake?! My only daughter Verna was a mistake to you?! How dare you?! I'll put you in jail!" Tatay Mario was about to stand up and kick me out of his house but Miggy runs quickly in our direction to stop him. He holds both shoulders of Verna's father and looks straight into his eyes.

"Tatay Mario... Don't you worry. I will assure you that we can fix this. Kindly let's fix this peacefully." Miggy uttered and look at me emphatically.

I sigh in relief after hearing it.

Thanks to you, cousin. You save my life.

"How can we peacefully fix this, Miggy?" Marco, the son of Tatay Mario asked sarcastically and look sharply in my direction.

"Uhmmm..." Miggy whispered and looked at me.

Based on the expression on his face, he seemed he wanted to say—

Sorry?

Huh?

Miggy looked again at Tatay Mario.

"I will assure you that my—cousin Alexander will marry your daughter as soon as possible."

My eyes got widened in horror after hearing it. I felt I was strike by lightning in my head.

WHAT THE FUCK HE SAID?!

Tatay Mario was silent for a moment. Staring deeply at Miggy's face. Looks like he's measuring if my cousin was dead serious in his proposal.

Miggy didn't bother to blink or gulp. Tatay Mario just sigh then looked at me.

"It should be. I don't want your cousin wouldn't be responsible for what he did to my daughter. He has only two choices, whether marry Verna or be in jail." he said in a serious tone. Most especially in the last word. I swallowed hard in that thought.

Later, Tatay Mario left the living room. Looks like he already contented about the proposal of my cousin. He also has to go to the rice field.

Before he steps out to the door, he told Miggy when he returns from the farm, we will resume the talk about the marriage proposal again.

The siblings have also left the living room. Marco looked at me first and pointed his two fingers at his eyes then point in my direction. Looks like he wanted to say he is watching me.

Fuck!

I'm dead.

* * * *

"Damn you! Are you out of your mind?!" I yelled at Miggy. We are both in town, sitting on the bench in the park.

"What?! You are out of your mind too, Alexander!" he countered which makes me boiled in anger.

"Why did you say that? There's another way Miggy to escape in that issue! I hope you just thought of something else or other excuses to save me in that situation!"

"What?! Other excuses?! Did you hear yourself, Alexander? Tatay Mario almost killed you in front of me! A marriage proposal is all that I can see that could save you and make the tension go away."

"Yeah! You're right! The tension subsided but you gave me another problem! Look, it doesn't have to be like this. Offer them money. You don't know maybe... they'll agree?"

"Alexander... Can you hear clearly what you're saying? Man... Are you going to bribe Tatay Mario? Didn't you see how much he wanted to beat you lately? Are you kidding me?"

I bowed my head after hearing it. I massage the back of my neck and sigh just to let out the frustration I felt.

Dang!

How did that happen? How Verna and I ended up together in the same bed, naked and remembered nothing? All I know is that someone is supporting me to get inside the house to take a rest then—block out.

"Arg! Fuck it!" I hissed in frustration then kick the can of soft drinks on the ground.

I startled when my phone rang from my pants pocket. I fish out my phone and take a look at it.

My Mommy.

I shut my eyes tightly and took a deep breath before I look at my cousin. He was also looking at me and the caller id on my phone.

I decided to answer the call.

"Hello... Mommy." I answered lazily.

"Hello, sweety? I miss you... Come back home, son. It's okay for you to come back. It's been a one month you and your cousin are in vacation." she replied on the other line.

Both of my shoulders fell as I took a glance at Miggy.

"Mommy... I can't leave the province."

"What? Why? What happened, son?" Mommy asked worriedly. I swallowed hard and blink a couple of times.

This is another headache for her. Not because of hooking up girls. This is big time!

"Just come here, Mommy." All I can say. I heard her sigh on the other line. Looks like my mom smelled something is happening to me here in the province.

* * * *

We both fell in silence here in the park. Mommy and I just finished talking over the phone.

"What did Tita said?" Miggy breaks the silence and asked about my Mommy. I sigh for the nth time and look at his face.

"She's going here," I replied with a poker face.

"Is she angry?" he followed up the question.

"No. She just wondering why I can't go home in the City...in our home." I replied and starts playing with my fingers.

"Miggy... I don't want to get married yet." I whispered into the air.

"You need to," Miggy said and sat down on the bench.

We don't take so much time at the park, we decided to go home before the sunset. We got inside the car and drove to Manang's Leti home.

"Tsk! I just took a vacation here as a punishment and then I had a wife in an instant." I whispered while on the ride.

Miggy looked at me sharply.

*  *  *  *

We returned to Manang's house before six in the evening. When we got inside, they were already serving dinner.

Did Manang Leti already know what happened? She was not here this morning. I hope Manang isn't mad at me once she already knew.

Everyone was quiet while eating. I look in Manang Leti's direction. She was also quiet. It seems she already knew.

While chewing the food inside of my mouth, I thought about what would happen when Mommy arrive here? I close my eyes in worrying about the scenario I imagine could happen. Surely my Mommy will turn into a beast and going to beat me. I will hear a bunch of sermons from her also.

I massage my temple after thinking of it but stop when suddenly an idea came up in my mind.

What if I leave this house tomorrow? What if I run away and hide?

Yes! That's right! I'll just run away tomorrow and fly to other countries so they won't be able to catch up with me anymore. It will save me from marriage too.

I smiled at that thought.

I was in the middle of thinking of how to escape when Tatay Mario suddenly cleared his throat and look at me intently.

"Never try to run away and hide to my daughter, Sir Alexander."

Fuck!

I am currently on planning but it looks like I need it to abort.

"Y-yes... I w-will." I respond shakingly.

After eating, I offered to wash the plates.

When I'm done washing the plates, Manang Leti approached my direction.

"Sir Alexander, can we talk to you for a minute?"

My heart beats triple faster than usual. I felt nervous.

Here we go again.

"Y-yes... Manang."

Manang and I went straight to the terrace. I saw Tatay Mario sitting there. Manang sat next to him and I sat opposite them.

"Sir Alexander, I already know what happened this morning. Mario told me about it." Manang said. I bowed my head in shame.

"Please be patient and understanding with my husband if he scared you to death. You probably know that we're just taking care and protective to our only daughter. Now, everything happened so fast and it can't be changed. I hope you will not hurt our only daughter Verna."

I looked at the couple and nodded even though I wasn't sure what's the situation I was going to enter. Manang Leti hugged me. I also told them about Mommy will arrive here. Tatay Mario said it was a good idea because that's what he wanted to happen, to talk to my parents about the wedding preparations of Verna with me.

I winced at the idea.

I sigh.

When Mommy came here, I hope she will not kill me.

Fuck it!