Charm's POV
Some good things truly never last because here I am packing our things signaling the end of our three days vacation con honeymoon. I really hope to have this once in a while.
"Are we all set?" Richard asked while giving me a sweet back hug.
"Almost, aalis na ba tayo?" I asked back.
"Ayoko pa ngang umalis eh, mag-extend kaya tayo ng one week? O kaya dito na lang tayo forever." He said while planting small kisses on my shoulder.
I grabbed my phone and hand it over to him "O tawagan mo si Daddy Ricky, kapag pumayag na mawala ka sa office ng one more week we will stay, I don't worry about Celestine anyway, I know hindi sya papabayaaan ni Rizza." I said.
Instead of taking my phone, he took out his phone from his pocket, scroll on it then show a text message to me. "Make sure to report for work early tomorrow, a big chain of hotels is considering to get our services." was Daddy Ricky's message to RJ.
"Sorry, better luck next time." I replied, smiling.
"I will make sure to spend at least a week kapag dumating ang next time na yan." He replied.
"Celestine will like it here, mahilig din sa beach ang little girl natin eh." I replied.
"I love you Mendoza Girl." He whispered.
"I love you too, Faulkerson, Jr." I replied and continue packing our things.
We left La Union a little before nine in the morning, and arrived in Sta. Maria passing two in the afternoon.
"Kamusta honeymoon? Magbibilang na ba ako ng nine months?" Nanay asked teasing
"Pwede naman po, Nay." RJ replied beaming. Grabe 'tong asawa ko ang taas ng confidence level sa pag buo ng baby.
Come to think of it, possible nga na may sarili na kaming Celestine if something had happened that one night in Calatagan. But I am not denying na-excite ako when Nanay asked about my possibility of conceiving.
"Kumain muna kayo" Tatay said
"Nag lunch na po kami sa expressway, dumaan lang po talaga kami dito Tay" I said
"Let's go to the library, there is something that we need to talk about. Ayokong pag-usapan yun dito" he said.
As we walk to our library, my heart started to beat too fast. Oftentimes, only sensitive issue as being
dicussed in our library, yung mga issue na hangga't maari lang pati mga insekto sa bahay hindi pwedeng malaman. I reaches for RJ's hand because I don't know why am I this scared.
"Everything will be alright." He whispered.
"Kung magsalita ka parang may alam ka. Sabihin mo na ngayon pa lang, para saan ang pag-uusap na 'to?" I asked.
"Love, may I remind you that we arrived here together, so how would I know what this discussion is all about?" He replied.
"Malay ko ba, kinakabahan kasi ako. Ang lakas ng kabog ng dibdib ko oh." I said.
"Don't entertain negative thoughts, malay mo may surprise pala sila sa atin." RJ said trying hard to calm me down.
"Ano namang surprise yung sa library pa dapat pag-usapan. Mind you, we talk in the library only for very serious matters." I said.
"Malay mo naman, sasabihin nila buntis si Nanay Mary, that's a serious matter, don't you think so?" RJ replied and I could not suppress myself from laughing.
"Siraulo ka talaga Faulkerson, Jr." I told him upon entering the library.
"Tawa ka nang tawa Menggay, tingnan ko lang kung makatawa ka pa sa sasabihin ko." Tatay threatens.
Hala bakit parang may pagbabanta? Wala akong natatandaang palpak na ginawa ko. Ano 'to face the wall na naman ang alindog ko?
"Bakit ako Tay? May nagawa po ba akong mali na naman sa paningin nyo?" I asked.
"This is about Celestine." Tatay said.
"What about her po?" RJ asked.
"I know who her real father is." Tatay Teddy replied.
"Po?" I exclaimed. "Paano nyo po nalaman?" I quickly asked.
"Nagpunta si Patrick dito yesterday, he is claiming that Celestine is his daughter." Tatay said.
"At naniwala naman po kayo?" I surprisedly asked. "Tay, paalala ko lang po, mismong si Olga na nanay ni Celestine, hindi sinabi sa atin kung sino ang tatay ng anak nya, bakit naniniwala po kayo sa isang taong basta na lang darating dito at sasabihing anak nya si Celestine?" I said.
"Walang ibang naging boyfriend si Olga, si Patrick lang. And Patrick admitted to us that Olga and him have slept together several times." Tatay said.
"But that does not guarantee na anak nga ni Patrick si Celestine." I objected.
"Charmaine, are you saying that Olga cheated on Patrick?" Nanay asked. I got dumbfounded for a while because we all know that it is Patrick who cheated on Olga at my expense.
"Hindi naman po sa ganon Nay, pero wala namang ebidensya si Patrick na anak nga nya si Celestine." I insisted.
"Ano po ang sinabi ni Patrick tungkol kay Celestine. Tay?" RJ asked.
"Gusto nyang kunin si Celestine sa atin. He said that Celestine should be under his custody since he is the father." Tatay Teddy said.
"He can't do that, wala syang karapatang kunin sa akin ang anak ko. It is my name that is written in all documents pertaining to Celestine's parentage. Hindi kayo o kahit na sino pa, Tay, ako lang." I exclaimed while tears begin to stream down my face and RJ is quick to envelope me in his arms.
"Love, you have to calm down, hindi natin maaayos 'to kung hysterical ka." RJ said.
"RJ, is there anyone else who knows about the marriage arrangement?" Tatay asked.
"Wala naman po Tay, ang buong pamilya lang po natin at si Atty. Francis because he was the one I consulted about the annulment." RJ asked.
"Do you think you can trust him?" Tatay asked.
"He is my friend and yes po Tay, I trust him a lot. Bakit nyo po naitanong?" RJ again asked.
"Because Patrick knows about the arrangement." Tatay reveals.
"What, paano nya nalaman?" I asked.
"Hindi ko alam, he just mentioned that he is aware about the arrangement." Tatay said.
"Sabi kasi ni Patrick, babawiin daw nya kayo ni Celestine kay RJ." Nanay Mary said.
"Gago ba sya? Tangina nya, wala syang babawiin. He does not own anything that I own, tarantadong yun ah" RJ said.
I saw how surprise Tatay and Nanay on RJ's outburst, this is the first time that we saw him this mad. Walang kwenta yung incident na nagalit sya when he learned that Celestine is my daughter. This is the first time he trash talk in front of my parents.
"RJ, please calm down iho, walang tayong maiisip na solusyon kung pareho kayo ni Menggay na nagagalit." Nanay said.
"Anong gagawin ko, Tay?" I asked.
"He wanted to talk to you, alone." Nanay said.
"But I said No." Tatay was quick to reply. "I told him that if the talk is about Celestine, then RJ, being your husband should be there too. But, he is very insistent to talk to you alone, sa tingin ko kayong mag-asawa na ang kailangang mag desisyon nyan. Isa lang ang tanong ko anak, are you 100% sure na hindi si Patrick ang tatay ni Celestine?" Tatay added and I shook my head because when we learned about Olga's pregnancy, si Patrick ang unang sumagi sa isip ko. Tinanong ko si Olga kung si Patrick nga ang daddy ni Celestine but she refuses to confirm it, lagi nyang iniiba ang usapan sa lahat ng pagkakataon na tinatanong ko sya.
"Therefore malaki talaga ang possibility na si Patrick ang daddy ni Celestine." Nanay said.
"I'm glad you did not end up with that jerk Charmaine, he is such one hell of a selfish human being. Mabuti na lang mas mahal mo si Olga kesa sa Patrick na yun at nagawa mong hiwalayan ang tukmol na yun." Tatay said.
"Babalik na lang daw sya para malaman kung kelan ka nya pwedeng makausap. But he did not mention when." Nanay said.
"I have to consult Atty. Francis about this." RJ said.
"And I will consult the family lawyer too, we need to act fast before may gawing hindi tama ang Patrick na yun." Tatay said.
"Uuwi po muna kami Tay, I think Charm needs to rest. Tatawagan ko po kayo agad kapag nakausap ko na si Atty Francis." RJ said.
"Sige RJ, hihintayin ko ang tawag mo, then let's set a meeting with the lawyers para mas alam natin kung ano ang tamang gawin." Tatay said.
"Also, make sure na babantayan nyong mabuti si Celestine baka kung anong kademonyohan ang pumasok sa utak ng Patrick na yun at biglang may gawing hindi maganda sa apo ko." Nanay said.
"I am counting on you RJ, please protect your family." Tatay said.
"You know that I will do everthing to protect them po. Hindi ko po sila papabayaan." RJ replied.
After saying our goodbyes to Tatay and Nanay, RJ and I immediately went back to Laguna. In the entire trip I keep on blaming myself, I should have talk to Patrick nicely during the contract signing event, I should have not treated him rudely. All this time hindi pa rin sya nagbabago. He still want to show everyone that he always prevails. "Why did I ever fall in love with that jerk?" I asked myself.