DELICIOUS TROUBLE (Kitchen Lover Series 1)

CHAPTER ONE

Who would have thought that she would get this kind of luck here in the city? Ten years after getting out from her old life, she didn't look back. Well, she just followed the advice of her mother. Don't look back. Move forward and pursue her dreams somewhere far away from her old, miserable life.

And that's what she did. She studied hard. Took endless scholarship exams just to enter prestigious universities. Work her ass off day and night to make ends meet. Until she met her professor Thea Ilacad.

She smiled when she remembered that woman. Kung hindi dahil kay Thea, wala siya sa kinalalagyan niya ngayon.

The woman saw her potential. She was a famous stylist to the stars and helped her to create her own brand name by designing wedding gown and prom dresses. She helped her to study abroad and became an apprentice of well-known international designers.

Now, her name Charlie de Vera was one of the well sought designers for the rich and famous.

"Kailan ang wedding date?" Ramdam niya ang excitement sa boses ni Emie.

Napangiwi siya. "I don't know. Kailangan pa naming mag-usap ni Connor and-" hindi niya naituloy ang sasabihin at napahinga ng malalim. "If I am getting married, it means-" napabuga siya ng hangin at pakiramdam niya ay sumakit ang ulo niya sa isang realization.

"Oh," napangiwi din si Emie. "It means you need to invite your parents."

Hindi siya nakasagot at naihilamos ang kamay sa kanyang mukha.

"Charlie, it's been how many years since you last went home and visited your parents? Hindi mo ba sila nami-miss? I mean, we've been living together in this penthouse for how many years, but I never heard from you that you visited them."

"I am giving their allowance every month. I even sent my driver to pick them up para makapunta sila dito sa Manila pero hindi sila sumasama." Nainis lang siya nang maalala ang pangyayaring iyon. Bumiyahe ng kung ilang oras ang driver niya para lang sunduin ang magulang pero walang nangyari.

"Well, maybe it's about time that you're the one to try. Ilang oras lang naman ang biyahe papunta sa lugar 'nyo." Inilapag ni Emie ang hawak nitong puswelo. "You are my friend, and I am telling you, if you want to get married, pinakamasaya na ang kumpleto ang pamilya sa pinakamahalagang event ng buhay mo." Tinapik-tapik pa nito ang balikat niya bago siya iniwan.

Napahinga na lang siya ng malalim. Pakiramdam niya ay lalong sumakit ang ulo niya. Pero agad ding napangiti nang makita ang nagmamalaking engagement ring niya sa daliri.

And she was excited to plan for her wedding.

--------------

Ang ganda ng ngiti ng may edad na babae nang makita si Charlie na papasok sa coffee shop. Agad itong tumayo at yumakap sa kanya nang makalapit. Halatang-halata na excited ito na makita siya.

"Looking good, iha. Hindi halos kita nakilala," tinitingnan siya nito mula ulo hanggang paa. "Paganda ka ng paganda."

"It's still me, Thea." Nasanay na siyang first name ang tawag sa matanda. Ayaw kasi nitong magpatawag ng kahit ano. Simply Thea lang daw ang itawag dito para hindi nito maramdaman na tumatanda na.

"How are you? You really look fantastic. How's Connor?"

Napangiti siya ng todo at ipinakita dito ang engagement ring na nasa daliri. Nanlaki ang mata ng matanda.

"Wow! That's big! He proposed? Congratulations, hija. I am so happy for you." Muli ay niyakap siya nito.

"Yeah. I guess I need to design my own wedding gown." Hindi rin niya maitago ang excitement na nararamdaman.

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay nakita niyang pilit na ang pagkakangiti ni Thea.

"So, why did you call me? May problema ba?" Alam naman niyang kaya lang siya pinapatawag ng matanda ay kung mayroon itong problema na hindi na nito kayang gawin. Mas madalas kasi ay siya talaga ang confidante nito. Para na nga daw siya nitong anak.

"Remember, Armando?"

"Of course," natatawang sagot niya. "He is your husband. How is he?"

"Used to be my husband." Pagtatama nito. "Five years na kaming legally separated, remember?" Tonong nagpapaalala ito.

Nawala ang ngiti niya sa labi at napatitig sa matanda. Oo nga pala. Nang makilala niya si Thea ay nasa punto ito na on the rocks ang relasyon nito at ng asawa. Hindi niya alam kung anong dahilan pero talagang matigas si Thea na makipaghiwalay dito.

"And annulment is on its way."

"Annulment? Thea, you've been married for almost fifty years. Bakit may annulment?" Hindi siya makapaniwala sa narinig na sinabi nito. Alam niyang kahit matagal na itong hiwalay kay Armando, may nararamdaman pa rin ito sa dating asawa. Wala siyang nakilalang naging karelasyon ng matanda.

"I thought the feelings will go back. But I really can't feel the spark anymore. I felt I am drowning whenever I am thinking that I am still married with him. I wanted my freedom. I wanted to be myself for the remaining days of my life."

Napalunok siya. Kitang-kita niya ang kaseryosohan sa mukha nito.

"This is not a joke? You're not pranking me?" Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa sinasabi nito.

"I am not pranking you with this. I just want our marriage to be over and I filed it already. But he doesn't want to take my lawyer's calls. He doesn't want to face them. Basically, he was just a pain in the ass in this situation." Asar na sagot nito.

Hindi siya nakasagot at pilit na dina-digest ang mga sinabi ng matanda sa kanya.

"But you are sixty-eight years old, Thea. Don't you want to spend the rest of your life with someone that you married for so long?"

"Armando is not the man that I used to love anymore. He changed. He became grumpy. He always yells at me and he doesn't stay in our house. Mas binubulok pa niya ang sarili niya sa bahay niya sa probinsiya." Naramdaman niyang hinawakan nito ang kamay niya. "I need a favor, sweetheart. Could you please give this to him?" Kinuha nito ang isang envelope sa bag at iniabot sa kanya. "Let him receive it. Sign this acknowledgement papers for my annulment petition."

Napalunok siya tapos ay natawa. "Thea, I am not a lawyer. I don't know anything about this. I am a designer." Paalala niya.

"I know, but you are the only one that I can depend upon during this time. And besides, Armando is fond of you too. Maybe you can enlighten him and make him sign these papers. Para maumpisahan na ang processing ng annulment." Lalong inilapit ng matanda ang envelope sa kanya.

Hindi na niya ginawang buksan ang envelope dahil alam na niya ang laman noon.

"There is no chance of reconciliation?" Paniniguro niya.

Umiling si Thea. "I tried everything but-" napahinga ito ng malalim. "I don't love him anymore." Ngumiti na lang ito ng mapakla.

Napahinga siya ng malalim at inilagay sa bag ang envelope.

Ganoon siguro talaga. Kahit gaano katagal ang pagsasama ng isang mag-asawa, kapag nawala na ang pagmamahal ay talagang kakawala na ang isa.

Pero sinisiguro niyang hindi iyon mangyayari sa kanila ni Connor.

They will live their life 'til death do they part.