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Chapter 12: The Wife

"Thank you, Harrison."

"What for?"

"For... making me feel happy. And somehow... special..." then I looked away a bit.

While his eyes remained looking at me.

Then I looked at him again, smiling. "Don't worry. Babawi rin ako sa'yo..."

"You don't have to, I don't ask for something in return..." umiling siya.

"No. It's okay... And... I just want to remind you that you can continue doing the things that you like..." I gulped a bit. Then I just bravely looked at him. "I will... allow you to... still be with your women... kahit pa kasal na tayo." I tried to give him a small smile.

At pagkatapos kong sabihin iyon sa kaniya ay tinalikuran ko na rin siya agad dahil hindi ko na nakayanan.

It was one thing that I promised him before he married me. That I will not interfere with his affairs...

After all, kahit mag-asawa na kami, kasal lang pa rin naman kami sa papel.

We're not really in love. And we don't plan to... We're only here now because it's beneficial for us both...

At ang talagang nakapaloob sa kontrata na pinirmahan naming dalawa? Ito na 'yon. We will live like a couple in his house. Then I will try to be a mother to his daughter. He will give me food and shelter, he will provide for me. But I won't get a say to anything he does with his life. Kahit pa mag-asawa na kami at kasal pa kami.

And I don't have the intention to forget about our contract. He helped me. So I will be more responsible. And remember our contract always...

Harrison became quiet during our time back to the city. Bigla na lang siyang nanahimik nang umalis na kami sa beach resort. At hinayaan ko na lang din muna siya dahil inisip ko na baka pagod lang din siya galing sa trip namin. At ako man ay nakatulog din sa biyahe namin pabalik na ng Manila.

He only woke me up when we've already arrived at his mansion. "We're here..."

Tumango ako kay Harrison at sumama na sa loob ng napakalaking bahay. It's also their ancestral house. At dito na lumaki si Harrison. May iba pa naman siyang bahay. At iyong mas malapit sa trabaho niya. Ito kasi ay medyo malayo rin. Pero rito niya gustong tumira kami. And I was watching all the furnitures including the framed pictures of his family from his grandparents...

We were also welcomed and greeted by his house's servants... And I heard that these people, and even their parents and grandparents, have served Harrison's family ever since. Kaya nakita rin ng ilan sa kanila lalo na ng Mayordoma at isang matandang lalaki rin na pinagkakatiwalaan ng mga Abella ang paglaki rin ni Harrison dito sa mansyon na ito. And Harrison also seems closed to them. Napangiti na rin ako at nagpakilala. Nang ipakilala rin sila sa akin Harrison.

"Vienna, this is Manang Lourdes. And then Mang Ben. If you need anything just tell them. And you can also ask them regarding this house. It's old, but you can decide about the renovations. You can do anything here." Harrison told me.

Bumaling naman ako sa kaniya. The mansion seems old but it's understandable since it's their ancestral house. Pero maganda pa rin naman ang bahay. It has a classic exterior and interior design. And I bet that all the furnitures here and the old vases in this mansion, na sigurado rin akong mas matanda pa siguro sa akin, ay alam kong mamahalin lahat. Lumaki rin ako sa malaking bahay namin simula nang kinuha ako nina Papa nang mawala na si Mama. Pero iba rin ang kayamanan na makikita mo at sinisigaw ng bahay pa lang na ito. So I smiled at Harrison. "I like it here, Harrison." I told him. I also find it probably comfortable to live in here. Kahit ngayon pa lang ako talagang nakatapak dito.

At bahagya na rin siyang ngumiti sa akin ng tipid.

Nakangiti rin sa akin pareho sina Manang Lourdes at Mang Ben. At mukhang mabait din naman sila. Sana ay makasundo ko rin ang lahat ng mga taong makakasama namin dito sa bahay.

"Manang, please show my wife to our bedroom. She's still tired from the travel."

Tumango naman si Manang Lourdes kay Harrison at bumaling sa akin. Bahagya rin akong tumango sa kaniya at sumama na. Tiningnan ko pa si Harrison na tinalikuran na rin kami. "Si... Harrison, po?" bumaling ako kay Manang.

Tumingin din siya sa akin at ngumiti naman. "Dederetso pa siya sa opsisina niya rito sa mansyon. May mga gagawin pa siguro siya para sa trabaho."

Napatango na lang ako sa sinabi ni Manang. He didn't even tell me that he will still have to go to his office here. Pagod din naman siya sa biyahe dahil magkasama lang kami, so why not rest first as well?

Hinayaan ko na lang din muna siya hanggang sa dinala na nga ako ni Manang sa magiging kwarto namin ni Harrison dito sa mansyon. And my first impression was that it's clean and obviously well-maintained. Nagustuhan ko rin ang interior ng kwarto namin at ang mga furniture na nandoon. At nandoon na rin ang mga gamit ko.

"Maiwan na muna kita rito para makapagpahinga ka? Kung may kailangan ka pa magtawag ka lang ng katulong. May maghihintay sa labas ng pinto." bilin ni Manang Lourdes sa akin.

Bahagya pang nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Manang. The De La Cernas are also rich but not to the point that someone or a maid would even just wait outside our bedroom's door because we might need something? I think they still follow the old-fashioned ways of maintaining an estate somehow...

Tumango na lang din ako kay Manang Lourdes at muli pang ngumiti sa kaniya bago iniwan na rin niya ako roon sa kwarto para magpahinga na muna. At tatawagin na lang din daw ako para sa dinner mamaya kapag nakatulog ako ay gigisingin na lang.

Nahiga rin ako sa malaking kama pagkatapos kong ma check ko rin ang mga gamit ko na nandito na sa kwarto. At nakita ko nga na bukod pa sa mga gamit ko ay may iba pang nakalagay doon na mga gamit din na mukhang para sa akin o gamit ng babae...

Nakatulog din ako dahil sa pagod ko rin galing pa sa biyahe namin ni Harrison papunta rito. And we just came back from our honeymoon. So it's all right to rest for a while. But when I woke up and saw Harrison who just entered our bedroom, I asked him right away of what I was thinking earlier before I fell asleep for a nap. "Harrison," I called him first.

"Yes? You're awake."

Nakita kong naghuhubad na siya ng damit niya at mukhang papasok sa walk-in closet niya. Nasa kabilang banda naman ng malaking kwarto ang sarili ko rin na walk-in closet.

"Galing ka pa sa office mo rito sa bahay? Your work?"

He just nodded at me.

Tumayo ako galing sa kama at sumunod sa kaniya. Kaya nakita ko pa siyang magbihis na parang wala lang din sa kaniya sa harapan ko. Nagpalit lang din siya ng damit dahil galing pa sa biyahe namin kanina ang suot niya. Habang ako naman ay bahagya pa rin napapalunok, as I can see him stripping in front of me. Nagbihis din naman siya agad kaya may mga damit na siya uli. "Uhm, may mga ibang gamit na nasa walk-in closet ko. Kanino 'yon? Do you also bring your girls here?" I asked him.

Kumunot ang noo niya nang bumaling siya sa akin. "What? I have those things prepared for you. It's yours." aniya lang at palabas naman muli ng walk-in closet.

Nakasunod pa rin ako sa kaniya. "So, you don't bring your girls here? Where do you bring them—or meet them, instead?" I asked him just out of curiosity. And at least he doesn't seem to bring his other women here. Kahit papaano ay parang napanatag naman ako sa naisip na baka ako pa lang din ang babaeng dinala niya rito sa ancestral house nila...

At nagulat ako na bahagya rin akong napaatras dahil nang balingan ako ni Harrison ay nakita kong parang may panganib na muli sa mga mata niya. And his seriousness was back just right after our honeymoon... "I don't know exactly how to answer that, but if you're only curious, then I just go to hotels..." he said then he turned away again.

Tumahimik na rin ako at hindi na nagtanong pa dahil mukhang badtrip pa siya...

Nagsabay din naman kami ni Harrison sa dinner nang gabing 'yon sa mansyon. We were served by the house helpers, and the table was really long for just the two of us. At ang dami rin pagkain. Kaya sinubukan ko tuloy na kumain din nang marami dahil baka masayang pa ang mga pagkain na hinanda nila para sa amin. At nakaupo lang din naman ako malapit sa tabi ni Harrison sa mesa. But he was just quiet again as we ate...

And then the next morning he already went to work. And I, too, went back to the university.

"Wow, Vien! You look amazing! How do I say it, you're glowing! Parang ang ganda pa lalo ng skin mo ngayon at hair mo..." pamumuna pa ni Claire sa akin.

Nagkita na rin kami muli nang makabalik na ako sa pag-aaral sa university. And the semester was already ending. Later we'll already turn to our third year in college...

Ngumiti lang naman ako bahagya sa sinabi ng kaibigan ko.

Then Claire sighed after a while. "Hindi ko inakala, Vien, na mauuna ka pa palang ikasal sa akin. It was still a little too sudden... But how have you been? As long as you're happy... I'll be okay with it." ngumiti siya sa'kin.

At unti-unti lang naman akong tumango kay Claire. 'Tapos ay ngumiti rin ako sa kaibigan ko.

"You're now the wife of Harrison Abella. I'm happy for you, Vien. As long as you're happy." She smiled at me genuinely.

Bahagya lang din muli akong napangiti kay Claire. And she's right. I'm now the wife of Harrison Abella...