"There are things that only happen in fictional stories." –jazlykdat

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Lianna almost gasped when she saw the entire place. Nasa function hall sila ng isang hotel. It is decorated with white and blue roses and balloons. The table cloths are white with blue top. Each table has a vase of small white balloons with three blue roses at the middle. Maganda ang effect ng mga blue at white rose stands sa paligid dahil peach ang kulay ng walls. The ceiling is filled with flying small blue and white balloons with ribbons.

"Nasaan yung mga tao?" tanong niya sa asawa. Nagtataka siya dahil nakita na niya sa parking area ang mga sasakyan ng ate at kuya niya. There were also a lot of cars kaya imposibleng wala pang mga bisita.

"May order kasi ang pagpasok dito sa venue." Vaughn said chuckling. Inalalayan siya nito papunta sa platform kung saan may malaking upuan na kulay asul at puti. Sa baba nito ay carpet na may mga cushions na royal blue at white din.

"Bakit ang lamig ng kamay mo?" nagtatakang tanong niya rito. First time ba nitong magpa-party? Napangiti siya nang maalala ang mga nangyari noong birthday ng kambal. He was so overly protective. So na nga, overly pa.

Napakamot ito sa batok matapos siyang igiya paupo.

"What?" she asked. Napakunot-noo siya. Mukha kasing tensyonado ang asawa. Alanganin pa itong ngumiti sa kanya.

"I have something to tell you." He said almost whispering.

Parang gusto niyang matawa sa itsura nito.

"I know that one of the reasons why you were scared before is because I don't speak a lot." Umpisa nito. Napangiti siya. Masaya siya na ngayon ay tanggap na talaga ng asawa niya ang nangyari noon at nire-recognize din nito na hindi lang siya ang may mali noon.

"Lagi kang nanghuhula kung ano ang iniisip ko. Now, that we are starting over I wanna open up everything to you." He smiled. Sinuklian niya rin ito ng tipid na ngiti. Hindi naman niya sinisisi ang asawa sa nangyari noon. Sadyang mali lang talaga ang sitwasyon.

Tumingin ito sa paligid.

"Bakit ka tumingin sa paligid? Tayo lang naman ang nandito?" Natatawa niyang tanong.

"There are cameras around. I want this moment to be captured baka hindi na mauulit." He uttered before turning his back. He went to the podium across the platform and took the microphone.

He saw him inhaling deeply bago itinaas ang mic at nagsalita. Hindi niya rin tuloy maiwasang tumingin sa buong paligid. Ano bang nangyayari? Isn't this suppose to be a baby shower?

Bumalik ang tingin niya kay Vaughn nang magsalita.

"Before I met you, I was used to dating a lot of women from time to time and getting married never crossed my mind." His voice echoed around. Pinagmasdan niya lang din ito habang nagsasalita.

"I never expected that a single gaze from a woman wearing a simple blue tee and white pants from across the street can change my perspective for a lifetime."

Bahagya siyang natawa. So, that explains the white and blue thing?

"Mom told you that I called her up. That was after you left my house on our first encounter." He said smiling. Naalala nga niya ang kuwento ng biyenan niya.

Vaughn looked at the entrance door. Sinundan niya ang tingin nito.

She saw his parents walking inside the hall. His mom is smiling widely while waving her hand. Dumiretso ang mga ito sa upuan sa pinakaharap na table.

"Mom said I should marry you. She already told you about it so I don't have to repeat." Vaughn added chuckling.

His mom took the wireless mic just below the platform.

"I already told you about it. You see my son never introduce any woman to us. He is very private when it comes to his women. Minsan nga naisip kong bakla siya."

Napatawa siya sa sinabi ng ina nito.

"So, when he voluntarily called and talked about a woman he met. I just knew you are the one for him." Her mother-in-law added with a wide smile. Ginantihan niya rin ito ng ngiti.

"I don't know what was going inside my head that time. Mom was the first person I thought off. Maybe that time I already know that you are the one. I just needed affirmation." Vaughn seconded. She could feel his sincerity at his words. She suddenly felt teary-eyed.

So, this is what he means by opening up?

"So, I immediately called the head of NBI to give me information about you."

So, that also explains why he never asked anything about her before? Pina-imbestigahan nga talaga siya nito. Sabi nga niya, he has ways.

Nakita niyang pumasok ang apat na kalalakihan.

"That is Mr. Gonzales, the NBI director. He's a friend." Saad nito. Kumaway naman ang director. She just smiled at him.

"The other three are NBI agents. 'Yong dalawa diyan ang kumausap sa'yo no'ng nagpunta ka doon." Natatawa nitong dagdag.

Bigla siyang pinamulahan. Kaya pala pamilyar ang mga lalaki na kasama ng director. Nakakahiya. Kung anu-ano pa naman ang pinagsasabi niya noon. Alanganin siyang ngumiti. Tumango naman ang mga ito.

They smiled and occupied a table on the side. Gumaan naman ang pakiramdam niya sa pagngiti ng mga ito.

A waiter appeared from nowhere at inabutan ang director ng mic.

"Hi! I am glad to see you personally, Lianna," the director stated.

"You know Vaughn is a principled man. He never used his connection to the NBI to gain anything." He continued. Napangiti siya at tumingin sa asawa. Ngumiti naman ito ng tipid sa kanya. She could still feel his tension.

"Kaya nagulat ako noong kumuha siya ng ilang impormasyon sa amin but I trust him kaya binigay ko lahat ng detalye mo." He added laughing. Bahagya rin siyang napatawa. Vaughn is really impossible sometimes.

"Thank you director. You did your purpose well," Vaughn chuckled. Tiningnan naman niya ang asawa.

Ganito ba ang sinasabi nito kanina na may order ang pagpasok sa venue?

"Do you still remember these honorable gentlemen?" Vaughn asked as two men emerged from the entrance. Napangiti siya. Sila 'yong mga hukom sa korte suprema.

"Hello, Mr. & Mrs. Vaughn Filan! We're glad to see you again." Saad ng hukom nang iabot sa kanya ang mikropono.

"May nakalimutan pala akong sabihin noong ikinasal ko kayo." Natatawa nitong saad.

"Please don't tell me the wedding is fake," Vaughn answered chuckling. Napatawa rin siya.

"Nope it was genuine! I forgot to say, you may now kiss the bride," he answered laughing. Napatawa silang lahat na nasa loob ng venue.

Nang makahuma ay tumingin siya sa entrance. Bigla tuloy siyang naintriga sa kung sino ang susunod na papasok sa venue.

"When you went away, that day. I was so devastated. I kept thinking what wrong I have done. Lahat ng kaliit-liitang kasalanan na puwedeng nagawa ko, inaalala ko."

Devastated?

She inhaled deeply. So, they are on the time na umalis na siya ng bahay.

Ito na ba 'yong time na nagkaroon ito ng iba't-ibang babae? Did he invite those women?

Hindi ba sinabi nito noon na ihaharap nito sa kanya kapag nalaman kung sino ang babaeng tumawag sa kanya dati?

Inalis niya ang tingin sa entrance. She doesn't want to see who's going in.

"Hmm. Hi, Lianna!" a woman's voice echoed.

"Alam mo ba nung nawala ka. Laging naglalasing yang si Vaughn, nagwawala sa mga bars," the woman laughed.

Hindi niya tiningnan ang babae. Wala siyang pakialam. Nakaraan na 'yon. Naiinis siya.

Bakit kailangang imbitahin pa ang babaeng 'yon? Nakakasira ng mood. Okay na sana.

"Wife, aren't you going to look at my cousins?" Vaughn butted in. Napatingin siya rito. Nakalapit na pala ito sa kanya. Cousins?

"My cousin's speaking," he said smiling. Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya. Naramdaman ba nito ang pagkainis niya kaya ito lumapit?

"Hi! We've met in Ireland remember?" nakangiting saad ng babae. There are four of them. Naalala nga niya ang mga ito. They were with Jake during the twin's birthday party. Tinanguan niya ito. Nag-isip pa siya ng masama. Pinsan lang pala ng asawa niya.

"We were with Vaughn at every bar he went to that time. Good thing he was able to gather his sanity when the twins were born." The woman added.

Napangiti na lang siya. Did Vaughn really do that?

"I have a confession to make," Vaughn stated looking at her. Bigla siyang kinabahan sa sinabi nito. Huminga siya ng malalim at hinintay itong magsalita.

"It's not true that there were other women. In fact, I never looked at any woman differently the moment I met you."

Her forehead creased. Hindi ba inamin nito na marami itong naging fling pag-alis niya?

"Masaya po ako na bumalik ka sa buhay ni Sir Vaughn," a woman's voice echoed. She will never forget that voice. Ito yung tumawag sa kanya na nang-aaway.

Tumingin siya sa may hawak ng mic. A petite woman settled in one of the tables.

"She's one of our employees. I asked her to call you up. I was the one who told her what to say."

She was so hurt when Vaughn admitted that he had flings. Pero tinanggap niya iyon dahil wala naman siyang magagawa sa mga nangyari noong wala siya. But now that he admitted that it wasn't true, parang sasabog ang puso niya. His husband was faithful all along.

"Why did you do that?" baling niya sa asawa.

"I'm sorry. I want you to see the worst. Gusto kong malaman kung hanggang saan ba ang kayang tanggapin ng pagmamahal mo." Puno ng sinseridad nitong saad. Gusto man niyang magtampo sa ginawa nito pero mas nangibabaw ang kasiyahan niyang malaman na wala itong naging babae.

"Akala mo ba mawawala ako dahil lang doon?" Tanong niya rito.

"I'm sorry, Lianna. I was so hurt when you left. When you came back I didn't know what I should do. Send you away or make you stay." Tugon nito.

"In the end I realized, I didn't want you away. That was my way of knowing whether you'll stay and I am happy that you love me that much to stay." Vaughn reached out and kissed her forehead.

"There are no other women and there will be no one." Her eyes welled-up. Sobrang sakit lang siguro nang nangyari noon kaya nito nagawa ang bagay na iyon.

Naiintindihan niya ang asawa niya. They are still fixing their situation then. Kaya gusto nitong makasiguro na kahit ano pa man ay hindi na talaga siya aalis.

She's happy that she was sane enough not to leave. Kung hindi ay baka nakagawa na naman siya ng isang bagay na magpapalayo sa loob nito.