RJ's POV
The wedding was tiring, and I cant explain why I enjoyed it. The guests are celebrating for our union and I am celebrating with them in its real sense. Today is such a festive event and all of us are celebrating.
Chloe did a great job in making this celebration as real as is should be, except for one.
From the time my bride walks down the aisle, I could already sense sadness in her until when she was closer, her make-up was unable to hide her swollen eyes. Maybe it is only now that this whole thing has sink in to her system. But she could have been discreet in showing her dislike on this set-up just for this day at least. I don't know but her sadness pains me because I can see the same selfish girl I met five years ago.
Sana isipin na lang nya si Celestine, this arrangement could give our daughter a family that she can call her own. I will do everything to keep this family intact, we may not love each other but maybe we could be friends for Celestine's sake.
"Are you ready to go?" I asked her.
"Sandali lang pinakuha ko kay yaya yung favorite pillow ni Celestine, hindi yung makakatulog kapag wala yun." She answer casually.
"Bakit ba kasi hindi nyo na lang muna iwan dito si Celestine, unang gabi nyong mag-asawa wala dapat istorbo." Tatay Teddy said, and that's how I address Tito Teddy now.
"Tay, sa tutoong buhay lang po yun, at yung sa amin ni RJ hindi pang tutoong buhay. Kung maiiwan po dito si Celestine, mag-papaiwan na rin po ako." She replied.
"Mas maganda na rin pong kasama namin si Celestine, Tay. Alam nyo namang hindi sanay ang batang yun na hindi kasama si Charm." I replied.
"Tara na, hindi naman mukhang excited si Celestine, ayun na oh, nauna pang tumakbo pasakay sa kotse." Charm said.
"Aalis na po kami, Tay, Nay." I said to my in-laws.
Tatay Teddy shook my hand and said "Ikaw na ang bahala sa mag-ina mo." Just a few words but it gave me a lot of excitement. Today is the start of a new beginning in my life, I don't know but it delights me so much.
The two hours drive is too tiring, lalo na kung galing pa kami sa isang sobrang nakakapagod na event. Both Charm and I prefer not to say anything because of Celestine and her Yaya. Mahirap nang may mabanggit pa kaming hindi maganda at pag-awayan pa namin. Hindi tamang makita kami ni Celestine na palaging nagtatalo, baka imbes na lumapit ang loob sa akin ng anak ko eh mapalayo pa dahil sa inaway ko ang Mommy nya.
Pero nakakawala talaga ng pagod kapag nakita kong masaya si Celestine. She is too happy to see her own room, sa Bulacan kasi, magkasama sila ni Charm sa kwarto. This time she has her own room and since bata pa sya, kasama nya ang Yaya nya sa kwarto while Charm and I of course will share the master's bedroom.
Mukhang mula kaninang pag-gising hanggang ngayong patulog na hindi pa rin nawawala ang pag-sisimangot nitong si Mendoza Girl. Grabe ang kunot ng noo pagpasok pa lang ng kwarto, parang may gagawin akong masama sa kanya.
"Nasaan na yung binili nating sofa bed?" She asked.
"Hindi pa nadeliver, nagka- problema daw sa shipping." I replied.
"Bakit ganon, hindi pwede yun, nag commit sila ng delivery yesterday." She angrily said.
"Ala una na ng madaling araw, hindi ko na sila matatawagan para itanong yang mga hinaing mo. Atsaka, sino ba ang may kasalanan? They have an available couch sa store mas pinili mo pa yung imported, tapos ngayong nagkaproblema sa shipping, naghuhurumentado ka." I said.
"Eh saan ka matutulog, sa sahig?" She asked.
"Bakit ako sa sahig matutulog? Hindi ba kaya mo binili yung couch eh para dun ka matulog?" I asked.
"Ang kapal naman ng mukha mong patulugin ako sa sahig o sa couch, I am the wife here." She said.
"And I am the husband, therefore I will sleep wherever I wanted to sleep because this is my house." I said.
"Eh di isaksak mo sa baga mo 'tong bahay mo." She said and certainly very annoyed and I like it.
"We have here a king size bed wifey, kasyang-kasya tayong dalawa dito. Maluwag pa nga eh, pwede pang magpagulong-gulong." I said teasing.
"Ang bastos mo." She said.
"Bastos? Paanong naging bastos ang magpagulong-gulong sa kama kung malikot kang matulog? Teka lang, siguro kaya ayaw mo akong katabi matulog kasi may naaalala ka no." I said.
"Gago ka talaga Faulkerson, Jr." She said and grabs one pillow and walks to the door, akala nya siguro hindi ko napansin na nagblush sya.
"Saan ka pupunta?" I asked.
"Sa anak ko, dun ako matutulog sa kwarto ni Celestine." She said.
"This room is almost three times bigger than Celestine's room, makikisiksik ka pa talaga sa kanila ni yaya." I said.
"Eh di sa sala ko papatulugin si yaya, or better yet, si yaya na lang ang tatabi sa yo sa pag-tulog." She said.
"Go ahead and do it, ano kaya ang gagawin mo kapag nagsumbong si yaya kay Tatay Teddy? Tapos, pwedeng kunin ni Tatay si Celestine para sa kanila na lang tumira para hindi na si Yaya ang katabi kong matulog." I said.
"Wala pang 24 hours kitang kasama pero bwisit na bwisit na ako sa yo Faulkerson Jr." She said then quickly puts three pillow in the middle of the bed.
"Kapag lumagpas ka sa barricade na 'to, lalaslasin ko yang lalamunan mo." She threatens.
"Grabe naman 'tong first night natin, lalaslasan agad ng lalamunan, ang bayolente naman nitong si Mrs. Faulkerson Jr." I teases.
"Don't you ever call me that." She said.
"Eh ano ang itatawag ko sa yo? We are husband and wife now, alangan naman walang terms of endearment." I said.
"Sa tutoong mag-asawa lang ang terms of endearment Faulkerson, Jr." She said.
"Tutoong mag-asawa naman tayo ah, hindi naman lapis ang ipinangpirma mo kanina sa marriage contract kaya siguradong hindi yung mabubura." I said.
"Bakit nga ba hindi na lang lapis ang ginamit sa pagpirma kanina para wala pang 24 hours pwede na tayong bumalik sa tutoo nating buhay." She said.
"Madali lang namang bumalik sa tutoong buhay eh, pwede na nating simulang gawin yung deal natin with Lolo, sabihin natin kay Lolo na anak natin talaga si Celestine, let's tell him the truth that we already met five years ago and …" I said but she immediately butts in.
"Anak ko lang si Celestine, bakit ba inaangkin mo ang anak ko?" She asked.
"Then tell me, sino ang tutoong tatay ni Celestine?" I seriously asked.
"Not because we are already married, it means sasagutin ko na lahat ng tanong mo. Pinag-usapan na natin 'to di ba? Walang pakialamanan and that includes my daughter." She said.
"Bakit ba kasi hirap na hirap kang sabihin kung sino ang daddy ni Celestine?" I asked.
"Because I don't want to, at kahit anong gawin mo hindi mo ako mapipilit. Akin lang ang anak ko walang pwedeng umangkin kay Celestine, ako lang." She exclaimed.
I did not argue anymore, this is not the right time to insist what I want to know. Mendoza Girl is a very stubborn girl, hindi ko lalo makukuha ang gusto ko kapag pinilit ko sya. Gagawa ako ng paraan para sya na mismo ang umamin na ako ang tutoong tatay ni Celestine.
"Alright, I'm sorry for bringing that up. Magpahinga na tayo, we both had a long day." I said and she did not reply anymore, instead she just grabs some clothes from her luggage and walks to the bathroom. I should not make her upset because it will only give me more problems.
After a few minutes Charm went out of the bathroom when we heard soft knocks at our door. It is Celestine standing at our door with her Yaya when Charm opens the door.
"I want to sleep with you Mommy." Celestine said while sobbing.
"Pasensya na po ma'am, ayaw po tumigil sa pag-iyak si Celestine, namamahay po yata. Pinainom ko na po ng milk nya pero hindi pa rin po makatulog eh, sorry po talaga sa pag-istorbo." her Yaya said.
"Ano ka ba yaya, walang problema yun. Sige na, iwan mo na lang dito si Celestine, itatabi ko na lang sa pagtulog. Hindi kasi sanay ito na hindi ako katabing matulog." Charm said.
"Sigurado po kayo ma'am, eh di po ba ano nyo ngayon." Yaya said and I could not control myself to chuckle, sensitive din pala 'tong si yaya, mukhang makakasundo ko sya.
"Sigurado ako yaya, at wag mo kong pakialaman sa desisyon ko baka sisantehin kita. Sige na bumalik ka na sa kwarto at matulog ka na." Charm fiercely said.
Ilang yaya kaya ang sisisantehin nitong si Mendoza Girl kapag kinuntsaba ko ang mga magiging yaya ni Celestine?