CHRISTMAS OVER TIME
CHAPTER ONE | FIVE YEARS AGO

JAIMEE

​Nakangiti ako habang nakatingin sa singsing na nakasuot sa daliri ko. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na may-asawa na ako. Everything happened so fast. I met Rhett last month in our company party that we celebrated in bar. We immediately hit it off. Rhett was handsome. Cool. Smart and I was immediately swept off my feet when he smiled at me. Tell me about love at first sight. That was what happened to me and he told me he felt the same. The next thing I knew, we were going out. The following week we were a couple and he wanted to move in with me. After another week, he proposed and now I was Mrs. Jaimee Chelsea Ardolini.

​Marami ang nagsasabi na masyado daw mabilis ang pangyayari sa amin ni Rhett. Hindi ko pa daw masyadong kilala si Rhett. Weeks of being together then we were married, it really raised the eyebrow of many. But I didn't mind them. I knew Rhett was the perfect guy for me. We were both foreigners in San Francisco. We were both living away from our families and we were both trying to have our own lives in a foreign country. Siguro kasi pareho kami ng pinagdaaanan ni Rhett kaya kami nag-click. Pareho kaming galing sa hindi buong pamilya. He never knew his mom since he was a kid. His mom left and it was just his father who took care of him. Me, I grew up with both parents but when I was seven, my dad left us. I couldn't understand why my mother cried every night and tried so hard to explain to me that my father was not coming back. I was so young to understand what was going on. My father didn't look back. He didn't visit me. It was like he totally erased me and my mom and after a few months, my mother told me their marriage was already annulled and my father was marrying someone else which I later found out my mother's best friend.

​I saw how my mother coped with her heartbreak for years. It was so hard for her and after her failed marriage, it was just us. She didn't entertain any other men who wanted to be with her. She said he didn't need any man in her life and the two of us could live without anyone else. And we were okay. I finished my studies, had my job and it was still us. Until I got an offer to work in San Francisco as a Brand Manager from a well-known pharmaceutical company. It was an offer that I cannot resist. The pay was high plus the benefits and I was going to be promoted and luckily my mom understands and totally gave me freedom to do whatever I wanted in my life. That was also the time she started to entertain suitors and eventually she started to count new boyfriends.

​I was doing well and I couldn't ask for more. I was a newly grad and got a job from a good company. I was promoted and in just two years I got a good position. I was a boss at the age of twenty-three and now, I got a husband who loved me and supported me in everything. What more could I ask for?

​"I still can't believe that you are married with Rhett Ardolini."

​Maasim akong ngumiti at tinapunan ng tingin ang office mate kong si Korina. Naupo pa siya sa harap ng mesa ko. Pareho kami ng posisyon dito sa company. Kaka-promote lang niya as a brand manager din last month.

​"Believe it now," kahit hindi ko feel ang vibes niya, hindi ko naman siya pinapakitaan ng hindi maganda. Alam ko naman kasi kung gaano niya kagusto si Rhett. Nang araw ng company party namin, alam ko kung paano siya nag-flirt kay Rhett. Sorry siya, ako ang napansin. Sa akin nabaliw, sa akin nagpakasal.

​"But, hindi ba masyadong mabilis?" Ang asim din ng ngiti sa akin ni Korina. "Actually, iyan ang usap-usapan sa paligid. In just one-month nagpakasal na kayong dalawa? Gaano n'yo na kakilala ang isa't-isa?" Pumangalumbaba pa siya sa harap ko at talagang hinihintay ang sagot ko.

​Inayos-ayos ko ang mga folders na nasa harap ko bago tumingin sa kanya. "If it's true love, there's no need to wait for so long. We both felt that we belong together and we intend to keep it that way for the rest our lives."
​Pasimpleng napaikot ang mata niya at pilit na pilit ang ngiti sa akin. Wala akong pakialam kung cheesy para sa kanya ang sinabi ko. Basta alam ko, nagmamahalan kami ni Rhett at hinding-hindi kami magkakahiwalay.

​"Gaano mo na siya kakilala? How can you be so sure that you are the only one? Did you already meet his family? His friends. Pareho kayong walang pamilya dito sa San Francisco." Lumabi pa siya pero alam kong hindi naman siya masaya sa sagot na naririnig sa akin.

​"We are discussing about that. Next month after the holidays, we plan to surprise our families. We are going to visit them and we are going to get married in the Philippines. Iba pa rin siyempre ang Filipino traditional wedding with our families and friends." Napahinga ako ng malalim. "I trust Rhett. Actually, that is the foundation of our marriage. We trust each other."
​
Napatango-tango si Korina at hindi nawawala ang nakakaasar na ngiti sa labi tapos ay tumayo na.

​"Tapos ka nang mag-interview sa akin?" Nakangiti ako sa kanya pero sarcastic ang tono ko. Alam ko naman na inaalam lang ng babaeng ito ang tungkol sa amin ng asawa ko.

​"I am just happy for you. For you and Rhett and I wish to find a man like him too. Good day, Jaimee. Pupunta pa ako sa AMPH Advertising Agency. Baka may ipapadala ka? I'll be having a meeting with Bobby and Rhett with the new ad campaign for the relaunching of MedRite paracetamol."

​"Bukas pa ang meeting namin sa kanila, but thanks for the offer. Magkikita naman kami ni Rhett mamaya." Pilit an pilit ang ngiti ko sa kanya. ​

​Kumaway pa sa akin si Korina at napaikot ako ng mata nang tuluyan na siyang mawala. Naipagpasalamat kong umalis na rin siya. Tumunog ang telepono ko at nakita kong si Rhett ang tumatawag sa akin. Agad ko iyong sinagot nang may ngiti sa labi. ​

​"Hi, Love. You're going to pick me up now?" Agad kong sabi nang sagutin ang tawag niya.

​"Love, I miss you so much." Ang lambing-lambing ng boses ni Rhett kaya lalo lang akong kinikilig.

Pinapanginig pa ang tuhod ko at pinapabilis ang tibok ng puso ko. That was his effect to me. If he was head over heels to me, I was totally in love with him too.

​"I miss you more. I wanted to see you na. Papunta ka na dito?" sagot ko sa kanya.

​Napatikhim si Rhett. "That's the problem. I still need to attend an emergency meeting with the boss and Bobby." Dama ko ang disappointment sa tono niya. "Is it okay if you come here? Dito ka na lang maghintay sa office para sabay na tayong aalis and mamimili ng mga Christmas gifts and sabay na tayong pupunta sa dinner reservation natin."

​"Is that the meeting with Korine?" Paniniguro ko.

"Papunta diyan si Korina sabi niya kasi may meeting daw kay Bobby saka sa'yo."

​"That's the meeting about. May sabit si Bobby sa ad campaign na inilabas last week. 'Yong kay Korina. We need to fix it. Ang laki ng penalty ng agency namin. The meeting will be quick I promise. Deretso ka na sa office ko, huh? Doon mo ako hintayin."

​"Okay, Love. May tapusin lang din ako dito tapos deretso na ako diyan. I love you."

​"I love you more. I can't wait to see you."

​Napangiti na lang ako sa sobrang kilig nang matapos ang pag-uusap namin. Pakiramdam ko ay nasa cloud nine ako. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagmamahal sa boses ni Rhett. Magmula ng makilala ko siya hanggang ngayon ay ganoon pa rin siya sa akin. Hindi nagbabago.

​Ngiting-ngiti pa ako nang matapos ang usapan namin at punong-puno ng energy na binalikan ang trabaho ko. Inabala ko ang sarili sa trabaho at tinapos ang lahat ng dapat kong tapusin. From time to time ay sinusubukan kong tawagan si Rhett para tanungin kung start na ng meeting nila pero hindi siya sumasagot sa tawag ko. Nag-text din ako pero walang reply. Naisip kong baka umpisa na nga ng meeting at hindi na puwedeng maabala. Iniligpit ko na ang mga gamit ko at naghanda na para puntahan siya sa office niya.

​Sumakay ako ng Uber at nagpahatid sa office ni Rhett. Nagsabi ako sa receptionist at pinaakyat naman ako sa floor kung nasaan ang office niya. Wala nang mga tao. May ilang office na may ilaw at isa na doon ang office ni Rhett. Sure ako na nakauwi na ang karamihan at team na lang nila Rhett ang naiwan dito para sa meeting.

​Sabi naman niya doon ko siya hintayin sa office niya pero dumaan muna ako sa conference room kung saan sila amdalas mag-meeting. Pero nagtaka ako kung bakit walang tao. Saan kaya sila nag-meeting?

Napahinga ako ng malalim. Lumakad na ako at dumeretso sa office niya. Ang creepy naman dito kasi ang tahimik at medyo madilim ang ilang bahagi. Bumagal ang lakad ko nang makarating ako sa office ni Rhett ay nakakarinig ako ng boses na may nag-uusap.
At boses babae ang naririnig kong nanggaling sa office niya.

Hindi ko maintindihan ang lakas ng kaba ng dibdib ko habang lumalakad ako papalapit. I could see two silhouettes inside from the blinds of his office. Hindi ko ito napansin kanina. I knew the two people inside his office were standing close to each other. The door was partially opened and when I tried to peak, I immediately covered my mouth with my hands.
I didn't want to make any noise. I didn't want to disturb what was going on inside.

Because there was my husband.

Standing in the middle of his office kissing a woman. His hand was lifting one of the woman's legs and from what I could see, based on their movement, I knew what were they doing.

They were fucking each other while standing.

​I covered my mouth tightly. I didn't make any noise while I could hear their soft moans. I knew they were trying to make it quiet but they couldn't get a hold of each other.

And I knew who the woman he was fucking.

It was my officemate Korina.

I couldn't move. My whole body felt numb. I started to walk backwards trying so hard to keep quiet but my gaze was still glued to them. They were fucking each other hard. I didn't want to disturb them. Tears started to fall from eyes while my walk became fast paced until I had the courage to look away and I didn't want to look back from what I saw.

This was the first time I felt something like this.

Literally, I felt my heart was broken into pieces. I couldn't believe Rhett could do that to me. Rhett was my husband and we promised to love and be faithful to each other. I trusted him will all my heart. I trusted him to love me until our hair turns to gray. We promised each other to never cheat.

I thought he was different from those men that I knew. But I guess, all men were just the same. Cheaters and manipulators.

Sige ang pagtulo ng luha ko habang palabas ng opisina nila Rhett. Hindi ko na nga pinansin ang pagtawag sa akin ng receptionist at tinatanong kung nakausap ko si Rhett. Agad akong nag-book ng Uber at nagpahatid sa isang hotel.

Hindi ako umuwi sa bahay namin. Hindi ko kailangang makaharap si Rhett at pakinggan ang mga kasinungalingan na sasabihin niya. Tama na ang nakita ko. Huling-huli ang kataksilan niya sa akin. Nang maka-book ako ng kuwarto ay agad akong naghanap ng available lawyer na aayos ng divorce ko.

Tumunog ang telepono ko. Si Rhett ang tumatawag sa akin. Hindi ko sinasagot. Sunod kong natanggap ay text message.

Love, where are you.

Hindi ako nag-reply. Muli ay tumunog ang telepono ko at tumatawag siya.

Jaimee, where are you? The receptionist said you went here? Nasaan ka na?

Lalong sumasakit ang puso ko. This damn man didn't have any remorse of what he did. Ganito ba talaga ang mga cheaters? Talagang aarte sila ng parang wala silang ginawa?

Tumatawag na naman si Rhett pero nakatitig lang ako doon.

What is going on? Jaimee, this is not a good joke. Where are you? Answer your phone. Tell me you're okay.

Hindi pa rin ako nag-reply. Naka-receive ako ng E-mail reply mula sa abogadong na-contact ko para sa divorce namin ni Rhett. Tinawagan ko at ipinaliwanag kung ano ang nangyari. Sabi ng abogado na magagawan naman ng paraan ang gusto kong mangyari. Ito na daw ang bahala.

Lalo lang akong nag-iiyak. Ang akala kong happy ever after namin ni Rhett ay mauuwi din pala sa hiwalayan.

Akala ko ay magiging iba ako sa buhay na mayroon ang Mommy ko. Pero katulad ni Mom, I would end up divorced.

Tumunog na naman ang telepono ko. Si Rhett pa rin. Ngayon ay voice mail na ang ipinadala ni Rhett.

"I am home. You're not here. Where are you, Jaimee? What's going on? Talk to me."

Paulit-ulit ko lang pinapakinggan ang boses niya. Ang sakit-sakit. Bakit parang hindi niya alam kung ano ang ginawa niya?

Maybe marrying him was really wrong from the very beginning. It was a whirlwind romance. I didn't know him at all. I believed in that damn love at first sight and look where it got me. I should have believed the people around me. I remembered their words. You cannot find true love from a man you just met for weeks. Too bad, I married him. And now, this was the consequence of rushing to get married with a total stranger that I thought loves me truly.

Only fools like me truly rush in.

Napatingin ako sa TV at list ng mga Christmas songs ang pinapatugtog. Lalo lang akong naiyak nang ang pinapatugtog ay Have yourself a Merry little Christmas.

Paano ako magkakaroon ng merry Christmas kung ganito ang nangyari sa akin? My husband cheated on me and I was hurt so bad.

Rhett kept on texting and calling me. I knew he knew now that something was going on but I didn't bother to answer his call or read his messages. I knew what he was going to tell me were all lies. I blocked his number. I contacted a travel agency and booked for a flight to the Philippines. I made a resignation letter and sent it to my Boss. I didn't give any explanation. All I wanted was to turn my back to the life I had here and make something new away from here.

Away from the place and people that broke my heart.
A broken heart that I knew would have a hard time to recover even if it was Christmas time.