Buying Love (Published Under UMPRINTABLES!)

Thirty Two

Mula sa librong nasa kanyang harapan ay naglandas ang mga mata ni Ram papunta sa may kusina kung saan naghuhugas ng pinagkanan si Hana. Hindi niya kasi maiwasang mapansin ang hapit nitong spaghetti-strap top at maikling khaki shorts. Those are new, alam niya. Why, he had never seen those before. Super loose old shirts lang naman kasi ang paborito nitong pambahay. And although she used to wear shorts before, laging above-the-knee naman. Not this time, though. Her shorts right now was really short, flaunting her perfectly shaped legs. He was fighting the urge to groan. His reaction was natural. Lalaki siya, siyempre. At hindi lang babae si Hana. She's a very beautiful woman. She's a beauty titlist, he reminded himself. He suddenly felt proud of being her husband.

Naglandas ang paningin niya pataas, papunta sa balingkinitan nitong beywang. Then up to her small yet firm breasts. Then up to her face only to realize that she was staring at him, too. At base sa reaksiyon ng mukha nito, mukhang may ideya na ito kung anong iniisip niya.

"What?" he said.

"Bakit ka ganyan makatingin?" ang nag-aakusa nitong tanong.

"Like what?" ang patay-malisya niyang sagot.

"Na tila ba may galit ka sa akin."

He chuckled. "Something" about him is "mad" but it was far different from what she's thinking. And he bet she didn't want to hear about his pervert thoughts.

"Anong nakakatawa?" anito.

He tried to contain his smile. "Wala," aniya. "Ikaw! Why are you wearing that?"

"Ang alin?" anito.

"Yang suot mo ngayon."

"Anong problema nitong suot ko?"

"Wala. Parang... parang that's just not your style."

Sumimangot ito. "So wala na ba akong karapatang magbago ng style? Sabi naman kasi ng Mama mo..."

"You're talking with her?" Totoong nagulat siya.

"Oo. Tumatawag siya."

"Since when?"

"Simula nang lumipat na ako dito. Mabait naman pala si Madam Aurora, ano? Iba kasi tingin ko sa kanya dati. Pero mali naman pala ako ng akala. Mabait naman pala siya. Alam mo bang siya pa mismo ang namili nitong mga damit ko?"

"Nagpunta dito si Mama?"

"Oo. Noong isang araw."

"Bakit 'di ko alam?"

"Kasi lagi ka namang wala."

True. Bigla tuloy siyang na-guilty.

"Sinamahan niya akong mag-shopping. Sabi kasi niya'y wala naman daw'ng masama sa pagiging probinsyana pero hindi rin masamang sumabay ako sa.. alam mo na... agos ng buhay. City girl na daw ako ngayon so I should act, and dress, like one na din daw dapat."

Napanganga siya. Why, parang hindi siya makapaniwalang ginawa ng Mama niya iyon. She didn't even have the time to buy him a brief, pero talagang sinamahan pa nitong mag-shopping si Hana ng mga damit? Parang 'di yata kapani-paniwala.

"At hinayaan mo siyang mag-decide para sa'yo?"

"Mukhang tama din naman kasi siya. Saka mas mabuti na rin 'to. Kaysa naman muli akong mapagkamalang katulong noong mga sosyal mong friends."

Yes, he remembered the incident when Roanne mistaken Hana for his househelp. He didn't realize that Hana took it seriously.

"That was nothing. You don't have to take that seriously," aniya.

Nagkibit-balikat lang ito bago muling ibinalik ang atensiyon sa paghuhugas ng plato.

"Basta 'wag kang magsusuot ng ganyan 'pag nandito iyong mga friends kong lalaki," aniya.

"At bakit?" anito.

"Basta. Ayoko lang."

Was he being possesive already? Oh, that's bad, man.

Tumingin lang ito sa kanya ng saglit bago ipinagpatuloy ang ginagawa.

He still couldn't take his eyes off her. She's the perfect wife material, he thought. Magaling na sa mga gawaing bahay, maalaga pa. It's a bonus that she possessed good looks, as well.

He made the right choice of marrying her, alam niya. No regrets so far.

"How long have we been married, Hana?" aniya.

"One month," anito nang hindi siya nililingon.

"Exactly when?"

She threw him one dark look. "Ngayon."

Napanganga siya. "Really? Wow. Sorry I forgot."

Nagkibit-balikat ito. "Mas magugulat pa siguro ako kung maaalala mo." There was bitterness in her voice.

And he shouldn't feel guilty, right?