"Anong shade kaya ang maganda?" I asked Kavius who is currently busy looking at the different colors of nail polish.

Linggo ngayon at hindi siya pumasok. Siya pa ang nag-aya sa 'kin na lumabas kami at bumili ng skin care niya. It was supposed to be just his skin care, but when we passed by a hair and nail salon, he suddenly thought of me. Alam niyang gusto kong magpaayos ng kuko pero walang oras na umalis sa bahay. Hindi naman kasi puro tambay lang ang ginagawa ko. Nagtatrabaho rin syempre.

"This will look pretty on you, wife," turo niya sa kulay jelly pale pink na nail polish.

"Babagay ba?"

"The color suits you well. Cute."

Sa kaliwang kamay ay hawak niya ang shoulder bag ko kaya wala akong dala. Pati ang cellphone ko ay hawak niya rin.

"Ikaw? Anong gagawin mo habang nasa salon ako? Baka matagalan at ma-bored ka lang do'n," ani ko. Kinuha ko ang nail polish na pinili niya. Pinakatitigan ko iyon at iniisip kung babagay ba 'yon sa akin o hindi. I do think it'll suit me since I don't like bright colors like red or yellow.

I am also planning on having my hair fixed. Humahaba na at hindi ko na nagugustuhan. I want it just at my waist level. Mahirap na siya sakupin at suklayin. Kavius was always there to help me fix my hair before he go to work. Nauuna akong gumising dahil tinutulungan ko ang mga kasambahay na lutuin ang umagahan niya.

"I'll watch."

"What? That's... you're weird. Bumili ka na lang siguro ng mga gusto mo. You can roam around, I'll just text you when it's done."

Kumuha pa ako ng ibang shade na hindi masyadong masakit sa mata. Napaisip ako saglit kung ano-ano pa ang mga bibilhin. Pulbo at make up siguro. My make up pallette is already dying, I think I need to buy another set again.

"Why the heck would I do that? You know, wife, I like watching you. And I will watch you while you make yourself pretty."

"Magpa-gwapo ka rin."

"Why? Am I not handsome enough?"

"Gwapo, syempre. Sabagay, huwag ka masyadong mag-ayos. Baka maagaw ka ng iba, e."

Umusli ang ngisi sa kaniyang labi habang nakamasid sa 'kin. He's looking at me amusingly. As if I am the center of his everything. And if someone tells him to bow down to me, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Gandang-ganda ka na naman sa 'kin. Uso kumurap, Kavius. Baka makalimutan mo."

He let out a soft chuckle and swallowed hard after. He returned to looking at some girly products for me. Hinayaan ko siya. Magaling naman siya pumili.

"Magpakulay kaya ako ng buhok?" ani ko.

"Whatever you like, we'll have that."

Napaisip ako kung anong magandang kulay. I want it light. This isn't the first time that I dyed my hair. When I was in high school, I dyed my hair with red and it was a disaster. Hindi bumagay sa 'kin ang kulay at dahil maiksi ang buhok ko noon, nagmukha akong mansanas. Sunod na kulay ay violet. I thought it was cool but it wasn't. Bright colors doesn't fit me.

"Caramel, ash, golden brown," he uttered.

"What?" I asked.

"You pick. Either caramel, ash, or golden brown."

"You do realize I have green eyes?" tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"Ash is out of the list, then. Caramel or golden brown..." he stopped for a minute, walked towards me, and scoop my hair. "I suggest you get back with your ginger hair. But whichever you prefer, wife, you'll have that."

Kavius loves giving me suggestions, but he never decides nor do things in behalf of me. He'll let me decide whatever the hell I want and then we'll have that. Anyone will be so blessed to have a man like this. And indeed, I am. He's my man.

"Do I look good with my ginger hair before?"

From my purse, he took my clamp. He fixed my hair and gave me a kiss in the neck after. Ilang beses niya pa iyong inamoy saka lang lumayo sa 'kin.

"You look... really really... damn pretty with it."

Wala sa kontrol na napangiti ako. His words is enough for me to have that hair again. Panigurado ay magugulat sina Mama bukas.

We made our way to the salon and told them the shade that I want. Iyong mga pinamili namin ay gagamitin ko sa bahay. For experiment purposes I guess.

"Why don't you go and buy something while I'm here?" I suggested.

"You want to eat something? I can get it."

"I'm not hungry though. Ang ibig kong sabihin, baka may gusto kang bilhin. Bilhin mo na habang nandito pa tayo," ani ko.

Few customers from the salon eyed my husband up and down. Some of them even took photos of him but he didn't budge. He stood there while looking at me. His lips were in thin line, eyes cold.

"I'll wait for you, wife. Where do you want me to sit? Waiting area or next to you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course in the waiting area. Sira ka."

Ang mga staff ng salon ay napapalingon din sa kaniya. My husband is overly handsome. I'll never get tired of praising him. Pero kung iisipin ko, kahit siguro pumangit siya... walang magbabago sa trato ko sa kaniya. He's my husband. We are together for better or for worse. I'll still... see him the same. He'll still be the most handsome man in my eyes other than my father.

Kavius headed straight to the waiting area. Nang makaupo ito ay agad na dumako sa 'kin ang kaniyang tingin. Habang ginagawa ang kuko ko ay hindi siya nalingat ng tingin sa 'kin. Iiba lang siya ng posisyon sa pag-upo pero na sa akin pa rin ang tingin. Nang buhok ko naman ang ginagawa ay napansin kong may katawagan siya sa cellphone. Bumabaling naman ang tingin niya sa 'kin sa tuwing nalilingat lang ng ilang segundo. That's how our day ended.

We went to shop clothes, skin products, and even home furnitures. Gusto niyang palitan ng malaking table iyong maliit na mesa sa library kung saan siya minsan tumatambay. Hinayaan na namin ang mga staff na umasikaso sa mga pinamili namin. They'll deliver it straight to the house and the maids and few bodyguards of his will fix it.

"Kanina ka pang nakatitig sa 'kin, nalulusaw na ako dito," pabirong sabi ko sa kaniya.

Hindi kasi nito inaalis ang tingin sa akin. Kahit na may kausap ay susulyap lang sa saglit at haharap na ulit sa 'kin. Hawak-hawak niya pa rin ang purse at cellphone ko.

"Ang ganda mo, sobra."

Kulang na lang ay magtitili ako sa kilig. Of course, I wouldn't do such irrational act. I composed my self ang smiled.

"Dapat lang. Gwapo ka, e."

"Your beauty is too much. Every guy we walk pass by turns their head on you." Humigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ko. "Damn. I've never been so insecure with my looks before. Girls flock before me. Pero pagdating sa 'yo, tangina nanliliit ako."

"You know, Kavius, your wife is extraordinary. I look foreign, no one would know I am partly Asian unless I tell them," I winked.

Before going home, we checked the restaurant if everything's going well. They're in the midst of decorating the whole place. The decoration made my heart happy. Never in my life did I imagined I can make things like this for my Papa.

Papa is a kind and good man. Mahaba rin ang pasensya niya at hindi basta-bastang nagagalit. Mas pipiliin niyang intindihin kami kaysa ang pagalitan kami. And if he knew that we did something wrong, pagsasabihan niya kami. Never niya kaming pinagbuhatan ng kamay. He treasures all of us. And I'm sad because Kavius didn't experience that until today. Maaga siyang ninakawan ng karapatan.

"Tired, wife? You want me to carry you all the way up?" tanong nito nang pagbuksan ako ng pinto.

"I'm okay."

He took my purse from me and encircled his arms around my waist. We the  proceeded inside and head straight to the elevator. Humilig ako sa kaniya.

"Napagod ka ba?" malambing niyang tanong.

"Drained. Parang whole day din 'yon," tango ko.

Naglalambing na hinalikan niya ang tuktok ng ulo ko. Makailang beses rin iyon hanggang sa bumukas ang elevator.

"Tinatamad ako at the same time gusto kong may gawin," reklamo ko habang nakahilata sa kama. "Anong magandang gawin?"

Hindi pa ako nagbibihis. Pagpasok ay nagtatakbo agad ako sa kama. Si Kavius ay nakasunod sa 'kin at nilapag sa tabi ang purse ko. He then started taking off his coat, watch, and rolled his sleeves up to his elbow. I bit my lower lip while staring at him. Gwapo.

"Do you want to play chess with me? To consume the time? I'll have the maids make our dinner."

Walang pagdadalawang isip na tumango ako.

"Wait for me, I'll go get your comfy slippers."

Hindi ako umimik at hinayaan siya sa gusto niyang gawin. Pagbalik ay nakasuot na siya ng kulay abong pants. Hindi ko naiwasang pasadahan ng tingin ang kaniyang katawan. Sa kamay ay hawak ang tee shirt at tsinelas ko.

Naglakad siya palapit sa 'kin at umupo sa tabi ko. He took a glimpse of my face before deciding to untie my white criss cross heels. Walang kahirap-hirap niyang ginawa iyon. He was focused on untying it, though.

I groaned when he bent down and placed a kiss on both my ankles. Naglagay naman ako ng body lotion pero kanina pa 'yon. I don't think it smells nice anymore. Isa pa, kanina pa kami sa labas, panigurado ay iba na ang amoy no'n. I tried to move my feet away from him but his grip was too tight.

"Kukuha ako ng pamalit mo. You stay here and rest your feet."

Kavius came back with his grey shirt. May bitbit rin siyang cycling shorts na kulay itim. Umupo ako at tumalikod sa kaniya. The square collar of my short puff mini white dress is showing my prominent collar bones. It perfectly hugs my curves and also highlights my legs.

"Can you pull the zipper down, please?"

"Ganda mo talaga."

Napairap ako ngunit natawa pa rin. Naramdaman ko ang dahan-dahan niyang paghila pababa sa zipper ng dress.

"Here's the shirt. I'll go tell Von for our dinner. I'll be back."

He kissed my shoulders. Umuga ang kama senyales na umalis ito. I comfortably took of my dress and changed into his grey shirt. Hindi na ako nag-abalang isuot ang cycling na dala niya dahil naka-shorts naman ako sa ibaba. Humilata ako sa kama habang hinihintay siyang bumalik.

"Lalim ng iniisip ng mahal ko," malambing niyang sabi. "Mind sharing?"

"Wala naman akong iniisip. I'm sleepy."

"Okay, I guess we can play some other time. I'll remove your make up for you while you rest, how's that?"

"You'd do that?" maliit na boses na tanong ko.

He gave me a small smile. Wow. Eversince I came here, he smiles a lot. I guess I'm his sunshine, huh? Haba naman ng buhok.

"Of course, wife. You relax and I'll do the rest."

"Okay. Thank you."

"I'll wake you up later for dinner."

I nodded. I really like him. I don't want to surprise him with my sudden confession. Hahanap muna ako ng tamang oras at panahon... lugar na rin siguro. I want it romantic but simple. Our anniversary, maybe?

"... but I really really like you, I hope you know that," half-sleepy, I said.

Naramdaman kong napatigil siya. Gusto ko mang bawiin ang sinabi ko ay hinila na ulit ako ng antok. I heard him say beautiful things before I finally drifted off to sleep.

"I hope it's me, Cream. I would kill anyone who tries to take you away from me. Sawa na akong angkinin 'tong nararamdaman ko." He swallowed hard. "I already confessed that I like you a long time ago. God knows how much I want to tell you I love you. Paulit-ulit... gusto kong sabihin ang bagay na 'yon sa 'yo. Maybe I am a coward... cause I feel so shy telling you about it. But I do. Mahal na mahal kita. Higit pa sa sarili ko."

*****