It only takes you to make things right. – jazlykdat

Aubrey

Aubrey went to Vander's office. Hindi kasi ito umuwi ng nagdaang gabi.

Ilang araw na rin ang nakararaan simula nang tumuloy sila sa bahay ng mga magulang nito. He was only home for dinner during their first two nights. Nang mga sumunod na araw ay hindi na ito umuuwi ng dinner.

Madalas ay tinatanaw na lamang niya ito mula sa kuwarto kapag paparating ang sasakyan nito. Nagpapang-abot sila ng breakfast pero mukha itong pre-occupied kahit na paminsan-minsan naman itong sumasali sa usapan. Ewan niya kung napapansin ito ng mga magulang ni Vander dahil hindi naman nagtatanong ang mga ito pero siya ay ramdam na ramdam niyang mayroon itong pasanin.

"Nasa loob ate, may problema po yata." Sagot ng sekretarya nang tanungin niya kung nasaan ang asawa. She was right. Pati ang sekretarya nito ay napansing problemado ito.

Nag-alangan siyang tumuloy pero kalaunan ay napagpasyahan niyang pumasok na lamang. His secretary stood at the doorway bago nagmadaling umalis nang bumukas ang pinto.

"Marlene, I told you not to disturb me!" inis nitong saad nang mapansin nitong nakabukas ang pintuan. Ni hindi ito nag-angat ng tingin.

She cleared her throat and walked inside.

"It's me." She announced. Nag-angat naman agad ito ng tingin. She tried hard not to be transparent. Bumilis na naman kasi ang tibok ng puso niya sa pagtitig nito.

"Bakit may problema ba? May tantrums na naman ba si Dirran?" tanong nito bago ibinalik ang tingin sa dokumentong binabasa.

Napailing siya.

"Hindi si Dirran ang dahilan kaya ako pumunta dito." Nahihiya niyang saad rito.

"Hindi ka kasi umuwi kagabi. Gusto lang kitang kumustahin." Dagdag niya bago pa man siya takasan ng lakas ng loob.

Vander stared at her for a moment. Mukhang nag-isip ito ng malalim. He later shook his head and looked back at the documents in his table.

"Busy lang ako." Mahinang tugon nito. She sat on the chair in front of his table.

"Hinahanap ba ako ng mga bata kaya ka nandito?" tanong ulit nito. Her forehead creased.

"Vander, may problema ka ba? You look stressed the past days." Saad niya sa asawa. Saglit itong sumulyap sa kanya ngunit hindi nagsalita.

That's one of Vander's traits. Mas mabuting hindi ito sasagot kaysa magsabi ito ng kasinungalingan.

Huminga siya ng malalim para humugot ng lakas ng loob.

"Vander, I am still your wife. Kung may mga bagay kang hindi kayang sabihin sa iba, puwede mo pa ring sabihin sa akin." She didn't know where she got the courage to say those words. Isa lang ang alam niya, lumabas sa bibig niya ang nilalaman ng puso niya.

Vander stared at her. He opened his mouth but decided to close it later.

"M-may problema lang sa kompanya." He uttered. He gently pushed the table so that his swivel chair would slide away from the table. Ngumiti ito ng alanganin.

She's not sure if Vander's eyes glistened.

"I'm sure you can handle that. Napalaki mo nga ng ganyan ang hotels at resorts niyo siguradong malalagpasan mo iyan."

She knows it sounded cheesy but she thinks he really needs encouragement. Ganoon naman talaga lahat ng tao kapag frustrated. Kailangan ng encouragement. It was one thing she never did before. It's the least she can do for him now.

Vander seemed lost. Matagal itong tumitig sa kanya. He was about to stand up when the office door opened. Pareho silang napatingin sa pintuan.

"Sienna." Vander muttered. Tumayo ito mula sa kinauupuan. Hindi yata nito alam kung sasalubungin ang babae o hindi dahil tumingin ang asawa sa kanya at napatigil sa akmang paghakbang.

Hindi niya alam kung maiinis siya sa biglang pagsulpot ng babae.

"Babalik na lang ako mamaya?" Sienna said right away enough for them to hear.

"Nope. Please come in. Sienna, this is Aubrey, you haven't introduced yet, I think." Sunod-sunod na pahayag ni Vander. Parang natuliro pa yata ito. Hindi ba talaga espesyal ang babae rito?

"Aubrey, of course." Sienna walked closer and extended her hand. There's nothing antagonistic in her aura. Pero hindi niya alam kung bakit naiinis siya. Maybe because Vander seems so affected with her presence.

"Vander's wife." Inabot niya ang pakikipagkamay ng dalaga.

"Wife? Is it not ex-wife?"

Pakiramdam niya ay nang-iinis ang tono ng babae at napatingin pa kay Vander. She saw how Vander smiled nervously. Hindi ito nagsalita. Pinaglipat-lipat lang nito ang tingin sa kanilang dalawa.

Bakit?

"Our marriage had never been annulled. So, I think it should be wife." Saad niya sa babae. Hindi niya napigilan ang inis sa tono ng pananalita niya.

"I see," Sienna muttered glancing at Vander. Bigla siyang nainis.

Ano bang pagkakaintindihan meron ang dalawa?

The girl's presence infuriates her. Nanggigigil talaga siya kaya mas mabuting umalis na lang siguro siya. Baka any moment ay mag-eskandalo siya. Nakakahiya.

"I better get going. Hintayin na lang kita sa bahay mamayang gabi." Baling niya kay Vander. She stressed the last sentence to spite the girl.

"Okay, see you." Vander answered. Medyo nasaktan siya sa sagot ng asawa. Umasa kasi siya na pipigilan siya nito at 'yong babae ang paaalisin.

Pigil-pigil ang inis niyang lumabas ng opisina.

Hatinggabi na ay hindi pa rin dumarating si Vander. Kating-kati ang kamay niya na pindutin ang number nito sa phone niya pero pinigilan niya ang sarili. Mag-isa siyang nakaupo sa sofa sa living room.

Napatayo siya nang bumukas ang pintuan.

Nakahinga siya ng maluwag nang pumasok si Vander sa loob.

"Bakit gising ka pa?" tanong nito nang makita siya.

"Nauhaw kasi ako, kukuha lang ako ng tubig," palusot niya.

Vander's forehead creased.

"Wala bang laman 'yong ref sa kuwarto niyo?" tanong nito. Shocks! Sobrang tanga lang niya mag-isip ng palusot.

"I'm going to remind the maids tomorrow para hindi nila makaligtaang lagyan." Wika nito bago pa man siya makasagot. Humakbang ito patungo sa bar counter.

She watched him as he took a bottle of liquor and glass. Napasulyap ito sa kanya kaya nagmadali na lamang siyang tumalikod at nagtungo ng kusina.

She went back with a bucket of ice cubes.

"You might want some ice for your drink." Hayag niya sa asawa at inilapag sa bar counter ang maliit na bucket.

Vander stared at her. He shook his head and smiled. Nagmumukha na yata siyang epal?

"Thanks." He uttered before putting some on his glass.

Umupo siya sa stool. She left a decent space between them.

"Matulog ka na, Aubrey. Aakyat na rin ako maya-maya." Saad nito nang makitang umupo siya. She was a little bit hurt but she can't back down.

She inhaled deeply and looked at him. She knows when something is bothering him.

"You can tell me what's wrong, Vander." Wika niya rito.

Vander put another shot on his glass and drank it straight. He didn't speak. Naghintay siyang magsalita ito pero patuloy lang ito sa pag-inom.

She patiently waited kahit parang wala itong balak magsabi.

Nakainom na yata ito ng makauwi dahil ang bilis yata nitong natamaan sa iniinom. He already looked tipsy.

"Vander, is it Sienna? Hindi ba siya kumportable na dito ako nakatira?" tanong niya. She momentarily held her breath when Vander stared at her with a creased forehead.

Ang kunot-noo nito'y unti-unting napalitan ng ngiti.

"Konti na lang iisipin ko na talagang nagseselos ka sa kanya." Natatawa nitong saad. Yumuko ito at tumitig sa basong hawak. His smile faded.

She inhaled deeply.

"What if I tell you, I am?" tugon niya rito. Vander looked at her. Parang tinitingnan nito kung seryoso siya sa sinabi niya.

"You are?" balik-tanong nito. Napapailing itong ngumiti.

She didn't answer and averted her gaze.

There was a long silence. She could even hear him breathing heavily.

"She's my Psychologist." Vander uttered. Napatingin siya sa asawa.

"Akala ko ba dermatologist siya? That's what Desiry and Ayder said." kunot-noo niyang tanong sa asawa.

Vander gave her a half-smile before looking down again.

"She's only a co-owner of derma clinics but she's a Psychologist by profession. The kids don't know that I am or should I say was on therapy." Paliwanag nito.

Parang nabunutan siya ng tinik sa dibdib sa nalaman. So the girl knows everything? Kaya naman pala ganoon maka-react ang babae kanina.

"So you're okay now? I mean the Psychological way." Wika niya. Napatango naman ito.

"Maybe." He mumbled. He drank another shot.

"So, what's bothering you now?" tanong niya ulit sa asawa. Vander looked at her and chuckled. Kailangan na talaga niyang masanay ulit sa bilis ng tibok ng puso niya sa tuwing tititig ang asawa.

"Ang kulit mo talaga kahit kailan, Aub." He said smiling. He raised his hand and pinched her nose.

"Hmm, puwede ba kitang halikan?" Natatawa nitong saad habang pinanggigigilan ang ilong niya. She felt like her entire face flushed.

She wants to laugh at his teenager-like gesture but she was too overwhelmed. There's also this giddiness she felt. Matagal na panahon na mula nang maramdaman niya iyon. It suddenly felt alien. Ni hindi na niya alam kung paano ba mag-react ng normal kapag kinikilig.

Vander let go of her nose and looked away.

"I was just kidding." Bawi nito.

Puwede ba siyang umoo kahit sinabi nitong nagbibiro lang ito?

She tried to stabilize her breathing when Vander's face suddenly became serious.

"Ano ba talagang problema?"

"I made a huge mistake, Aub." He said inhaling deeply. Bigla siyang kinabahan sa sinabi nito.

What mistake?

"When we went in California. I entrusted the VLF Empire hotels to someone." Kuwento nito. Huminga ito ng malalim bago ulit uminom ng alak. Pinagmasdan lamang niya ito at hinintay na ituloy ang kuwento.

"SHIT! Ilang araw lang tayo doon nailipat na niya ang pera ng kumpanya sa mga unknown accounts." He really sounds frustrated.

Paano nangyari iyon? Can anyone really do that to a Filan?

She didn't hesitate to tap his shoulder to heft his feeling.

"Okay lang sana kung ilang milyon lang kaya ko pang pagtakpan para hindi mahalata ng pamilya ko na naloko ako. But it's one billion, Aub. That's huge! Now the man's nowhere to be found."

Nakaramdam siya ng awa rito. Alam niyang simula't-sapul pakiramdam nito ay underdog siya sa mga kapatid. She knows how hard it will be for him to tell his family about his failure and misjudgment.

"I'm sure you can figure out ways para ma-trace kung nasaan ang mga perang iyon. You can hire the best people to track him down." Saad niya para pakalmahin ito.

"Ate Vanna will find out once I hire agents to track that person down." He answered with frustration.

"Bakit hanggang ngayon ba natatakot ka pa sa sasabihin nila? We've been through tough times Vander. You are stronger now."

Hindi niya mahagilap ang tamang salita para pakalmahin ito. Ang tangi lang niyang naisip ay sana maging matatag ito.

"I'm a loser, Aub." Saad nito bago itinungga ang laman ng baso.

"No, Vander. You are a good father. That makes you a winner. I am sure your family won't judge you. They are the kindest people I have ever met."

Gusto niyang gumaan ang pakiramdam nito dahil parang nararamdaman din niya ang bigat ng loob nito.

Napatango ito kalaunan pero nakayuko pa rin sa alak na iniinom. He even wiped his eyes using his palm.

Is he crying?

She stood up and went to his side. Niyakap niya ito mula sa likod para kumalma ito.

"Vander it's just money. Pera lang ang ninakaw ng taong 'yon. You are far more important than that. I'm sure your family would understand." Pang-aalo niya sa asawa. Unti-unti naman itong napatigil sa pag-iyak.

"Sorry!" saad nito nang makahuma. Kumalas ito sa yakap niya. Para naman siyang napahiya sa ginawa niyang pagyakap.

"Akyat na tayo?" aya nito matapos ang ilang saglit. Tumango na lamang siya at umayos ng tayo.

Her eyebrows furrowed when Vander wasn't able to stand straight pagtayo nito. Gumewang pa ito nang maglakad.

She went near him at inalalayan na lamang ito. Iniakbay niya ang braso nito sa balikat niya at inakay papuntang elevator.

"Thanks, Aubrey." He mumbled when they entered the elevator. She pressed three. Vander looked at her and smiled. Then, he pressed two on the button. Sa second floor kasi ang kuwarto nito.

Lasing ba talaga ito?

"Sa kuwarto ka na lang kaya matulog? Baka matakot si Dirran kapag nakitang lasing ka." Saad niya rito nang akmang lalabas na ito sa second floor.

Vander stared at her.

"Do you want my mom to kick me out of this house?" He immediately held the elevator door when it is about to close again.

"Ako ang magsasabi sa kanya." Nginitian niya ito. She understands his dilemma.

"No way wife baka mahalikan kita," natatawa nitong saad.

Hindi niya alam kung sino sa kanilang dalawa ang lasing dahil bigla niya itong hinila pabalik sa tabi niya at agad na pinindot ang close button.

She tiptoed and pressed her lips on his. Vander was utterly shocked. Ni hindi siya nito niyakap pabalik. She tried to move her lips to sway him in kissing her but he didn't move one bit.

Nahihiya siyang bumitaw sa pagkakayakap sa asawa.

When the elevator stopped at the third floor, mabilis siyang lumabas. She was hoping Vander would follow her but he did not. When she looked back, sarado na ang elevator at nakita niyang umiilaw na ang down button.

Napahawak siya sa bibig at napahikbi.

Why did she suddenly miss him kissing her?