Seth's POV
"You missed our poker night so you could be with Marian?" Phoenix shot a brow up at me as he lifted weights. We were at a gym, all five of us working out. Nagkikita kami dito tuwing weekends. Every Friday night we all hang out together and do guy stuff. They had a poker game last night and I wasn't able to come because I was with Marian. Doon ako natulog sa bahay niya. In the heat of the moment last night, Axel bet his Pagani Huayra car and Tristan ended up winning it. Damn! It was a limited edition car and I'd always wanted that. Galit na galit si Valerie ng malaman niya iyon so Tristan decided to give it to his little sister at hanggang ngayon sinusuyo pa rin ni Axel ang asawa. He was planning to buy her a pink diamond necklace as an apology gift. It was a win-win for Valerie, she had the car and she was going to get a diamond necklace. Women always win. That was what I had learned from my father and my married friends. Kahit ano ang mangyari, kahit ano'ng gawin at sabihin mo, sila ang panalo.
"She had a disastrous date." I explained as I was doing some warm up.
"And that's your problem because?" Asked Axel who just got off the treadmill.
"She's my friend. She needed me" I answered.
"You don't look at women as friends. There's always a scoopaloopa in your mind." Wayne laughed, busy with his crunches.
"We have to meet Marian. She piqued my curiosity. Wala ka ng bukangbibig kung hindi si Marian. Si Marian ganito, si Marian ganyan." Tristan chuckled, shaking his head.
"Tigilan niyo nga ako. Marian's just my friend." I frowned, losing my cool.
"Bakit may sinabi ba kaming hindi kayo magkaibigan? Getting defensive, aren't we?" Tristan snided.
"Malapit na ang birthday ng mga inaanak mo. Why don't you invite her to the twins' birthday party? We'd love to meet her." Sabi ni Phoenix.
"I don't know." I said, shaking my head.
"C'mon, hindi ba 'kaibigan' mo naman si Marian." Phoenix grinned putting emphasis on the word kaibigan.
"I have never honestly heard you talk about a woman as much as you do with Marian." Wayne said.
"That's cause she always gives me headache." I frowned. "Kung makakasama niyo lang siya kahit isang araw, you'll know what I mean."
"Saan headache? Sa baba o sa taas?" Axel grinned and they all ended up laughing like immature high school boys.
"Cut it out." My face crumpled.
"That Marian, she seems like an interesting girl." Wayne said. "We have to meet her."
Marian's POV
"Marian, natatandaan mo ba si Paulo? Yung ka-officemate ng kapatid ng asawa ko." Tanong ni Betsy habang kumakain kami sa isang restaurant. Naikwento ko sa kanila ang last disastrous date ko kaya ito na naman sila kung kani-kanino na naman ako nirereto.
"Bets, ayoko na. Ayoko na talaga! I quit!" I said, furiously biting off my burger. "Tanggap ko na, ito na talaga ang kapalaran ko. Ang maging matandang dalaga."
"Ano ka ba? Huwag ka ngang magsalita ng ganyan." Rose said. "Mahahanap mo din yan."
"Oo nga naman, twenty-eight ka lang. Hangga't hindi ka pa uugod-ugod may pag-asa ka pa." Sabi naman ni Andrea.
"Ayoko nang umasa. Where do I buy a spinster starter kit?" I sighed.
"Gaga ka!" Natatawang sabi ni Rose. "Huwag kang mawalan ng pag-asa, hindi pa naman nagkakaubusan ng lalaki sa Pilipinas."
"God's timing is perfect. His miracles take time to happen. He waits for you to feel hopeless and when you're about to give up, He comes knocking on your door. Patience and faith. Hindi ba tinuro sa atin yan sa kumbento?" Sabi ni Andrea.
"Hindi niya alam yun, isang araw lang siya sa kumbento. Ikaw ang may kasalanan kung bakit natanggal si Marian doon. Edi sana mother superior na siya ngayon, di na siya namomroblema sa lalaki." Humagikgik si Rose.
"Hindi naman lalaki ang problema ko." Sumalong-baba ako. "I just don't want to grow alone. Wala naman na akong pamilya. Paano kapag tumanda na ako? Walang mag-aalaga sa akin, kapag namatay ako, walang dadalaw sa libing ko. Walang bibisita sa puntod ko. Alam mo yun?"
"Kami." Answered Betsy.
"Paano 'pag nauna kayo sa akin?" Lumabi ako.
"Ang morbid mo ah. Knock on wood." Sabi ni Rose.
"What am I going to do?" I pouted.
"Kung ayaw mo lang pala tumanda mag-isa bakit hindi ka na lang mag-anak?" Sabi naman ni Andrea.
"Pwede ba yun? Wala nga akong boyfriend, sino bubuntis sa akin? Ano yun, magseself-fertilize ako?"
"Makipag-one night stand ka." Betsy suggested.
"Yuck! Hindi ko yata kayang gawin iyon. I can't imagine doing it with a random man. Paano kung may lahi pang psycho yung lalaking makabuntis sa akin at mamana pa ng anak ko?"
"Yung Seth kaya." Rose said. "Hindi ba sabi mo, okay naman siya? Sabi mo gwapo?"
I thought of Seth. His gorgeous olive eyes, his proud and arrogant nose, his well defined lips, his sharp jawline... I thought of my baby having the same features. Oh my God, we'd make a beautiful baby. I shook my head.
"Si Seth?!" I laughed really hard. He would never want to father a child, I was sure of that. Hinding-hindi iyon papayag. Ayaw nga nun nang girlfriend, anak pa kaya? Seth doesn't want any commitment. He doesn't want anything that would tie him down. A baby would be a lifetime commitment. "Hindi papayag yun at saka ayoko din malahian nun. Buti kung itsura lang niya mamamana ng anak ko, paano kung ugali?"
Pero paano nga kaya kung siya ang maging tatay ng magiging anak ko? Semilya niya lang naman ang hihingin ko. Wala ng iba. Would it be too much to ask? Sinasayang lang naman din niya iyon. All those potential babies dying in a piece of plastic. What a waste.
