Behind Every Man (COMPLETED)

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Love in itself is powerful but to add guilt in the equation? Guilt that I made sure to remind him every day? Every time he'd see me try to get close to the product of his affair? And every time he'd see me fail because whenever I'd look at Atticus, all I remembered was his mother?

Gallego's mine.

"You're playing a game," Jack said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied. "Also, why aren't you married?"

"Oh, wow."

"What?"

"First time you asked me about my personal life," he said.

Umirap ako. "Why not? It's been a while."

I was in the bar, trying to decompress. It's been a long day, a long month, a long year. A lot has happened yet a lot still has to happen. Year after year, Archibald's name was on the news for all the great things he's done in the senate. But when he's outside senate, I made sure that he's seen with me in public. Everyone in the know knew that we're doing an early campaign—kasi sino ba naman ang magpapaka-pagod na maglibot sa Pilipinas dahil lang sa wala?

"Just haven't met anyone worth giving up my freedom for," he replied, shrugging.

"What? You'll marry for love?"

"That's the dream," he said. "What about you, Mrs. Nadia Gallego?" he called. It's been years since I changed my name. It still felt weird hearing that.

I finished my glass of whiskey. "What about me?"

"Why did you change your name?" he asked.

"Why not?"

"You love your name."

"It's still Nadia."

"Who is Nadia if not a de Marco?"

I gave him the kind of smile that I give the people I meet. It was warm, but not real.

"I will always be a de Marco," I replied before I left him because I needed to go home.

Atticus was waiting for me even when it was past his bedtime. Archibald has always been a doting father, but I felt like because I'd always been a bit distant, Atticus wanted my attention more.

"Mama!" he said upon seeing me.

"Why are you still awake?" I asked him.

Kaya nga ako dumiretso muna sa bar. I had a long day at work. I had no energy to play pretend with him.

"I was waiting for you..." he said.

"Why?" I asked.

The smile on his face fell. I heard footsteps approaching. I knelt down so I was eye to eye with Atticus.

"Go to sleep," I told him. "We'll play tomorrow."

Just another promise that I'll forget to fulfill.

Nang makatakbo si Atticus papunta sa kwarto niya, tumayo ako para humarap kay Archibald. We'd come a long way from where we began. Ever since that session, he'd been nothing but the perfect candidate. He always did his best at the senate and when he's being interviewed, he'd always mention my name and tell the people that it's a teamwork between us.

Sometimes... sometimes I wondered...

"Were you waiting for me?" I asked.

He nodded. "Nagdinner ka na ba?"