Chapter Seven

Marriage

"Are you okay? I saw you earlier, mukhang may hindi kayo napagkasunduan ng kasama mo?" I asked Yessa about sa kasama niya na resident doctor din dito sa Dela Cuesta Medical Hospital.

Umiling naman sa akin si Yessa. "I'm sorry you had to witness that." And then she sighed, and decided to tell me about what happened. "I just didn't like her tone towards our relationship..." She said.

At nakuha na niyon ang buong atensyon ko. "What is it about us?" I asked.

She sighed again a bit. "Nothing really, I just didn't like it that other people think they have a say in our relationship." Yessa said.

Nanatili naman akong nakatingin lang sa kaniya.

"Don't you get it?"

"What?"

She sighed once again. But then she smiled, at napailing. "Some doctors and nurses here are just so bitter because I got their Doctor Leo Madrigal for myself." She said.

Umawang naman ang labi ko.

While Yessa was just smiling at me now. "Aren't you aware of how popular you are, doctor?" She asked me.

Napailing naman ako...

And Yessa chuckled this time. "You are just too handsome for your own good, Doctor Madrigal. At magaling pa na doctor. So I get it that many admires you and even some of the patients..." She smiled.

"Uh, I'm sorry, Yessa..." Ewan ko kung bakit ako nag-s-sorry, but I just feel like I should... At medyo naguguluhan din ako sa sinabi niya...

Hindi ko pa yata nakuha ang sinabi niya...

Ngumiti lang naman siya sa akin. "It's all right. It doesn't really matter that much to me. Let's just not think about it now. Let's go?" Pagkatapos ay niyaya na rin niya akong umalis na kami.

Tumango naman ako. Gabi na, but we agreed to still go out on a date tonight and have dinner. Kaya dinaan ko na muna siya sa isang magandang restaurant bago ko rin siya ihatid pauwi sa kanila.

And we had a nice dinner again together. The food was delicious, at masarap din makasabay na kumain si Yessa habang nagkukwentuhan lang din kami tungkol sa mga bagay-bagay at sa work namin sa hospital. And she was smiling the whole time. And I was smiling as well watching her smile. Ang ganda talaga ng ngiti niya. Ang ganda niya.

We had a wonderful evening.

Pero nang paalis na kami ng restaurant ay may nakasalubong kaming tao at nakita ko ang pagkawala ng magandang ngiti ni Yessa...

"Yessa?"

Napatingin siya sa nakasalubong naming lalaki. At tumingin na rin ako rito. He just called Yessa and he must have known her...

I looked at the guy in front of us now. I noticed that were of the same height, at siguro pati sa laki ng pangangatawan ay pareho lang din...

"Yessa, do you know him?" I asked Yessa beside me.

Tumingin na rin sa akin iyong lalaki. Pero umiling si Yessa at tumalikod na siya. Agad din naman akong sumunod sa kaniya.

"Yessa," I called her.

Mabilis siyang naglakad palabas at paalis ng restaurant. Pagkatapos ay tumigil siya nang nasa gitna na kami ng lobby ng hotel. We ate in a hotel's fine dining restaurant. Masarap kasi ang pagkain dito when I dined here before with my parents. Kaya naman dinala ko na si Yessa rito. And she also liked the food here.

Hinarap niya ako. "Leo, can we stay here for the night?" She asked me.

Umawang naman ang labi ko at napalunok ako. "Yessa..."

Pagkatapos ay inabot at hinawakan niya ang kamay ko. "Let's check in." She said. And then she already went to the front desk and booked a room.

Habang wala naman akong nasabi. At nagmadali na lang din akong ibigay ang card ko roon sa desk. And then we got in the elevator and went up to the hotel suite...

It was as if everything just happened fast. Nasa loob na kami ni Yessa ng room at kakasara lang ng pintuan. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa nang nasa loob na kami. At lumapit sa akin si Yessa. Nilapit niya rin sa akin ang mukha niya, in an attempt to kiss me.

And I let her kiss me. Pero pinigilan ko rin siya. "What's wrong?" I gently asked her when I stopped her.

Nag-angat naman ang mga mata niya sa akin at tiningnan niya ako. "Leo... don't you like me?"

Umawang ang labi ko at agad akong umiling sa sinabi niya. "No, I mean, I like you, Yessa..." I said. At nag-alala na rin ako sa kaniya. I feel like she just suddenly acted weirdly...

"Then do you love me?" She asked me again.

And my lips parted more. "Yessa..." Isang beses akong lumunok at unti-unti rin akong tumango sa kaniya. "Yes... I love you, Yessa..." I told her.

Love. I know that human beings were capable of giving love... My parents loved each other. And this romantic feeling can develop between two people...

When I started dating Yessa, I knew that I was attracted to her. She was beautiful and elegant. But more than that I saw her as a good person...

And that's why I like her.

And now that she asked me if I love her... Then, yes. I also already learned to love her... Hindi naman kasi siya mahirap na magustuhan, at mahalin din...

We were looking at each other in the eyes.

"Then kiss me..." it came out of her lips as a whisper...

I was looking at her. Until I lowered down my head to meet her sweet and soft lips... and I kissed her...

But then I stopped again... And I continued to look at her in the eyes.

"But, Yessa, this isn't right... We don't have to be in a hurry in doing things..." I gently and carefully told her.

I also didn't want her to think that I didn't desire her... Because I do...

It's just that when there's a right or a better way to do things with her, then I would prefer that. Because she doesn't deserve less... I want her to feel that I value and I respect her truly...

Pagkatapos ay parang unti-unti rin kumalma na si Yessa... She nodded her head at me, and then I held her hand and lead her out of the hotel suite.

I reassured her when she looked at me like she's already embarrassed with what happened. Siniguro ko naman sa kaniya that it's all right. And she doesn't have to worry about it.

Pagkatapos noon ay naging maayos pa rin naman ang relasyon namin ni Yessa sa isa't isa. Kahit medyo may awkwardness din just the day after that. Pero pagkatapos ay naging okay pa rin naman kami. Until we became more comfortable to each other.

And our parents already kept on telling us to get married, at huwag na raw naming patagalin pa...

But of course I want Yessa to decide on it more. Dahil kung ako ang tatanungin, then I'm willing to marry her. So if she would allow a marriage between us two, then we could...

And we end up in a hotel again. But we just went to Baguio to have another date while we have a break from working at the hospital. Since Yessa told me that her parents were strict with her while she's growing up, at ngayon pa lang talaga nila siya pinapayagan na lumabas nang ganito kasama ako. She said that she wants to travel, too. And we started visiting near places. Maybe next time we could also go abroad together. If she wants to travel then we would. I will make time for us. And I will prepare for it.

And then we stayed in a hotel in Baguio. Magkaiba naman ang mga rooms namin. But then we were already kind of drunk, dahil uminom din kami sa pinuntahang bar. Yessa was happy while we're there. Para bang ngayon pa lang niya halos na experience ang ganito. And I want her to experience more...

And because she's drunk, she just pulled me with her in her hotel room, nang hinatid ko lang sana siya sa room niya. And we started kissing...

Pero hindi pa naman ako ganoon kalasing, so I was the one who stopped us as well again. I didn't want to take advantage of her while she's obviously drunk like this. I should take good care of her instead.

"Hey, stop..." subok na pigil ko sa kaniya.

And to be honest, medyo nahihirapan na rin akong magpigil talaga...

Yessabella's really beautiful. She's gorgeous. And I really like her a lot. I love her... Kaya hindi rin ito madaling gawin para sa akin.

But I should, at least for now.

She just smiled at me. Habang ang mga mata niya ay mukhang inaantok na. Ngumiti rin ako sa kaniya at inayos ko ang buhok niya na bahagyang nagulo kanina habang sumasayaw din kami roon sa loob ng bar.

"Behave, okay? I am not a saint, Yessabella. Baka magkasala rin ako ngayon dito..." I smiled gently at her.

Tumingin naman siya sa akin. "Why? You're my boyfriend, anyway?" antok na niyang sinabi sa akin.

"I am." I said. "But I'm not your husband yet..."

Tumingin pa siya sa 'kin. At nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

She pouted her lips adorably. "Do you still believe in that?" She asked.

"What do you mean? I mean, of course it's okay... But you know, I'm just thinking that if we could do things right or in a better way possible then why don't we do that?" I smiled at her.

At nakita ko na unti-unti rin ngumiti sa akin si Yessa. Pagkatapos ay niyakap niya ako. At medyo natigilan pa ako. But I also calmed down and I hugged her back gently. She's so soft in my arms right now. And I was even afraid that I would break her if I'm not careful. So I try to always be gentle with her...

"Then be my husband..." Yessa whispered while we hug...

I wanted to see her face, and see if she's serious, pero naramdaman ko rin na ayaw pa niyang bumitiw sa yakap namin. So I remained just hugging her small frame. "Will you marry me, then?" malambing ko namang tanong sa kaniya pagkatapos.

At naramdaman ko na medyo humigpit din ang yakap niya sa akin. "Yes..." And she answered.

Napangiti naman ako sa sagot niya. Let's talk about this again tomorrow, my love. But for now you should rest after a long day. We still have tomorrow to talk about this clearly. And when you're not drunk anymore.

Alam kong napagod din si Yessa sa halos buong araw na pamamasyal namin ngayon dito sa Baguio. We went strawberry picking and tried Baguio's local delicacies, and took a lot of pictures for our memories. It was a lot of fun. I had so much joy as Yessa...

I didn't return to my hotel room that night. But I just stayed by Yessabella's side while she fell asleep. I think she was comforted by just my presence beside her as she slept. So I stayed there with her. And made sure that she could rest well that night.