Chapter 12

Show Business

I'm awoken by the sound of laughter and kids running in my room. Unti-unti akong nagmulat ng mga mata at ngumiti na lang nang makita ko sina Itachi, Kakashi, at Shinya na pumasok na naman ng kwarto ko ngayong umaga. Pumikit akong muli para magkunwaring natutulog pa. But then my three boys started waking me up and even tickling my side as they jumped up and down my bed, too. I just chuckled. Wala na akong nagawa at bumangon na nga.

Nagmadali na lang din ako sa paghihilamos ng mukha ko bago bumaba na kasama ang mga bata.

I was used to living alone in my condo. Although a maid would come by to clean my place from time to time before. Pero ako lang talaga ang mag-isang nakatira sa tinitirhan ko noon. Yes, I'd also bring girls to my place sometimes... But after that, after all the fun... It's just me again.

I wasn't sad... Iyon na rin ang nakasanayan ko and I think since I was in high school. During my senior year that's when I started to move out of my parents' house and lived on my own. Of course with the help of my grandparents who always indulged me with what I wanted to do with life. Nagustuhan ko nga rin iyong buhay ko noon because I felt like I had more privacy. But I just realized now... that I also came to like living with Valerie and our three boys...

And it makes me happy.

I think, nasasanay na rin talaga ako sa presensya ng mga bata at ni Valerie sa buhay ko ngayon... And thinking about it... I suddenly thought and becomes afraid na baka mawala sa akin ang pamilya ko...

It's not a good thing to think about... It's a bad feeling... that I almost couldn't explain. Winala ko na lang ito sa isipan ko.

I smiled to my kids and went with them downstairs where their Mom was already finished preparing us breakfast. Ngumiti ako nang sinalubong din ako ng ngiti ni Valerie.

"Good morning." She greeted.

"Good morning." I smiled at her, too.

"Upo na kayo. Shin, dito ka kay Mommy para masubuan kita, anak."

I looked at Valerie as how she called the kids. I smiled.

"Eat your veggies, Ashi." She reminded Ashi who's also picky with food now. At minsan ayaw pang kumain ng gulay at gusto lang lagi ng hotdog or chicken nuggets.

"You need vegetables to stay healthy, Ashi." sabi ko rin sa kaniya.

Tumango na lang naman ang bata kahit medyo nakangiwi na nang makitang nilalagyan ni Valerie ng steamed broccoli ang plato niya.

Habang wala namang problema sa pagpapakain kanila Achi at Shin. Maybe because Ashi's the middle child and you know things about what people say about middle children...

But despite that Ashi's still a lovable child. And he's also a good son to me and Valerie just like his older and younger brothers.

Kumain na rin kami ni Valerie ng breakfast kasama ang mga bata.

"Ginising ka na naman nila sa kwarto mo?" Valerie smilingly asked me.

Mula sa pagkain ay bumaling ako sa kaniya at ngumiti na lang. I nodded. "Yeah. Ang kukulit."

"Oo nga. Pasensya ka na. Ako kasi ang nag-utos sa kanila na gisingin ka na. May trabaho ka pa kasi." She said.

And I just nodded. "It's all right. Thanks. Medyo napuyat din kasi ako kagabi sa pagpapatuloy ng paggawa ng report ko rito sa bahay."

"May presentation ka ngayon sa company n'yo, tama?"

I nodded. Na mention ko rin kasi sa kaniya kagabi nang makita niyang mukhang busy rin talaga ako. "Yes. Magpepresent ako kanila Daddy at sa board."

"Good luck." She said it to me with a smile.

Ngumiti rin ako kay Valerie. "Thank you."

"Nga pala, I also prepared you lunch. Baunin mo na mamaya... uh, kung gusto mo lang naman..." She trailed off a bit.

Pero nakangiti na ako sa kaniya at na excite na sa baon na ginawa niya para sa akin ngayon. "Sure! Thank you!" And I felt really grateful.

I'm loving everything that I have now with my family. It makes me really happy to be with the kids, ang ihatid sila sa school at sunduin din minsan, at ang ipasyal din sila sa labas kasama si Valerie. And it makes me even happier that Valerie would cook us meals every time she's with us...

Madalas kasi ay may lakad o trabaho na rin siya ngayon...

"Gus,"

"Oh, Ate Alia. You're here?"

She nodded. "Yeah. May naiwan si Dad sa bahay at inutos na sa akin ni Mommy na dalhin dito." She said.

"Oh, okay."

Nanatili pang nakatingin sa akin si Ate Alia. Naghintay naman ako dahil mukhang may sasabihin pa siya. May konting oras pa naman ako bago ang presentation ko ngayon dito sa office.

"How have you been here in Dad's company? Tinuturuan ka rin daw ni Kuya Austin ng mga kailangan mo." Ate asked.

And I nodded. "Yes, Kuya Austin's been helping me. Especially when I was just starting here. Minsan kasi lalo na noong una ay madalas pa rin akong pumalpak sa mga trabaho rito sa office..." I scratched my nape a bit in the little embarrassment I felt for myself.

"It's okay. Ganoon talaga. But look at you now. Mom and Dad have told me that you've been doing well, Gus." Ate Alia smiled and she even tapped my shoulder like saying that she's proud of me...

Ngumiti na lang din ako sa ate ko.

"Anyway, I also have something to ask you kaya nagpunta na rin ako rito ngayon."

"What is it, ate?"

"Do you have time? O mamaya na lang after ng gagawin mo..."

Bumaling din ako sa secretary ko na napatingin din si Ate Alia nang dumating ito. Nag-excuse ito sa amin ni ate. May pinakita lang din ito sa akin para sa meeting mamaya. I excused myself to Ate Alia for awhile and then nodded to my secretary.

Pagkatapos nitong umalis ay tinuon kong muli ang atensyon ko kay ate. "It's okay, ate. May oras pa naman tayo bago ang meeting ko. Gusto mo bang sa office ko tayo?" I said and asked.

"No, it's all right. Kahit dito na lang, hindi na rin naman ako makakapagtagal talaga dahil pupunta pa 'ko sa istasyon. But are you sure you still have a spare time? Baka nakakagulo rin pala ako sa trabaho n'yo rito, sorry." She apologetically said when she realized... Mukhang biglaan lang din talaga ang pagpunta niya ngayon dito to talk to me aside sa inutos din sa kaniya ni Mommy for Dad.

Umiling naman ako kay ate. "Ayos lang, ate." I reassured her.

"Okay. So, I think you're aware of what your wife is doing, right? I mean her auditioning and entering show business." ani ate.

Umawang ang labi ko saglit pero bahagya rin akong tumango kay ate at ngumiti. Nasabi nga sa akin ni Valerie na gusto niyang pumasok sa showbiz... Kaya nga pumasok siya noon sa pagiging rental girlfriend because she was actually kind of aloof she said and uncomfortable with guys, so her job before just served as her practice... "Yes, ate. What about it?"

Ate Alia sighed. "Are you really okay with it, Gus? I mean, kailan pa ito? And I think some media knows that you two are married..." Napunta ang mga daliri ni ate sa labi niya habang mukhang nag-iisip siya.

"And have you been watching the news?" she asked.

Unti-unti naman akong umiling. I've been busy with work and kapag nasa bahay naman I spend my time with my kids. Kaya hindi na yata ako nakakapanood pa ng mga balita or especially showbiz news. I don't even open my social media accounts anymore. "Bakit, ate?" I just asked my sister.

Ate Alia sighed again. "She's trending. You're wife, Valerie. Hindi pa nga ako halos makapaniwala noong una... Nagulat pa ako that she's invited to my show for an interview." She said.

Ate Alia is a TV host and reporter. Kaya malapit din siya showbiz. At iyon din talaga ang linya ng trabaho niya.

"What does the news say?" I asked.

"Wala naman talagang issue... I mean, may nabubuo lang na love team sa asawa mo at sa isang sikat din na actor ngayon..."

My lips parted. "Oh... really..."

Tumango si Ate Alia. "Oo. Mamaya nga rin ang interview ko kay Valerie. Just kinda awkward... And I did not really expect this. Hindi naman natin tinago iyong kasal ninyo kaya for sure may mga nakakaalam. But maybe people, or the media just forgotten about your wedding... Or because Valerie still uses her maiden name... Valerie Lavrov... Kaya siguro rin wala pa masyadong alam ang public ngayon tungkol sa inyong dalawa..."

Nagkatinginan kami ni Ate.

I just nodded my head. "Yeah, we already talked about this. And Valerie deserves it for working hard... for our family..." I said.

"Talaga?" Umiling din si Ate Alia. "Ang ibig kong sabihin ay hindi n'yo ito nabanggit sa amin... Or we just didn't know that Valerie is into show business... By the way, magkikita rin naman kami ni Valerie mamaya sa set... Matagal na rin noong huli kaming nagkita at nagkausap." Ngumiti sa akin si Ate Alia.

Ngumiti na lang din ako. "Yeah, good luck on your interview..."

"All right, Gus. Sige na mukhang tinatawag ka na rin sa meeting n'yo. Let's just talk some more next time... kapag hindi na kayo busy."

Pagkatapos ay nagpaalam na rin si Ate Alia nang makita na rin niya ang pagbalik ng secretary ko para tawagin na nga ako sa meeting.

"Okay, ate. Take care." I said to her. Papunta na siya sa TV station nila pagkatapos dito.

She nodded. "Yes, thank you. You, too. Good luck sa presentation mo. Just say my regards to Kuya Austin as well. Hindi ko na kasi siya nakita rito. Hindi pa ba dumadating o may nauna pang meeting?"

"I think he has a separate discussion with a board member this morning."

"All right, all right. Hindi ko na kayo guhuluhin pa dito. Sobrang busy ni Kuya Austin helping here in Dad's company tapos may sariling business pa siya. Ang workaholic." she said about Kuya Austin.

And I thought of wanting to say the same to her kasi sobrang passionate din siya sa trabaho niya sa industriya... Pero ngumiti na lang ako kay ate at nagpaalam na kami sa isa't isa.

I watched her back leaving and some of our employees would look her way dahil kapansin pansin din si Ate Alia na nakasuot din ng usual niyang high heels shoes and some formal and fancy blazer that she wears for work. Nakita kong binati na rin ni ate ang mga nakasalubong niyang empleyado namin na natuwa naman sa pagpansin ni ate sa kanila because she's also always seen on tv because of her job as a host kaya kilala rin siya ng mga tao.

"Gus,"

Bumaling ako kay Kuya Austin na tinawag na rin ako sa meeting room. Hindi na niya naabutan si Ate Alia na nakaalis na at ngayon lang din dumating si kuya dito for our meeting. Tumango ako at sumunod na kay kuya.

And as I was presenting my work... I can't help it but my mind would also wander to Valerie and what she's probably doing now... And then I questioned myself if I really know what she's up to...

But I still tried to focus on my work because I'm doing this for my family...