Fundamentals of Marriage | Suarez I

Chapter 2

"What do you take me for?"

Thinking of the sweat my forehead made to get in here on time, the way I ran my way to the parking area earlier, and the seconds I'm wasting as of the moment with him just to get sprayed by alcohol and scanned like what am I? A criminal?

"It's always good to be safe, Ms. Legazpi. You can't blame me for knowing the background of your family business."

Nagsalubong ang kilay. "What do you mean?" I am genuinely asking him but he gave me a lopsided grin. He took my question as a joke.

"Let's not talk about business here. Tell me about your plans for this unit." He turned his back and walked to the side so he can sit on the single table that makes the room empty yet unempty. It's the single thing here.

Plain room of whites, white curtains, chandeliers like branches of trees, and stars are the fruits. It can light up the whole unit even without the existence of sunlight.

There are two glass windows. The city of treasure trove will greet you every morning or even at night if you want to. It's plain, which I love because the more simple and plain a canvas is, the easier it is for us to picture the style, aura, design, and colors we want to live in.

"Let's paint the unit green," I suggested after wandering around.

"Mint green?" Kasalo ng pagtaas ng boses niya ang pag-arko ng kilay.

"Emerald green," I said in particular.

"No," tutol niya agad. "I don't like bright colors."

"That's why you look pale and dull. I like bright colors, they are mood-lifting." Ibinaba ko ang bag sa tabi niya. Using my phone, I searched for the color I mentioned and showed him. "This."

Nanatiling malamig ang timpla ng mukha niya, hindi man lang sinulyapan ang phone ko. I almost concluded he's so whipped that he can't take his eyes off of me. I bite my lips to hold back a giggle.

Tinalikuran ko siya at itinapat sa puting pader ang kulay sa screen ng cellphone. "It looks good, don't you think?" There's no need to look at him, I can already picture his face in my head.

"Can't you pick a more calm and light color? It's painful to the eye."

"It's not. We can add orange and dark yellows. That's a good theme."

"I can't live with that colors," tutol niyang muli. "Choose something cool to the eyes."

My eyes rolled before facing him. "Blue then," I said.

Kung hindi pa iyon malamig sa mata niya. I better buy a big refrigerator, make him ice, and put it on his eyeballs. Or I can throw him to Alaska so he can enjoy the coldness he's wishing for 24/7.

"Sky blue?"

"Royal blue," segunda ko. "For real sky blue? Only kids love light blue." My feet crossed, waiting for his answer.

"I will only accept sky blue, pastel blue, and light turquoise." He raised his fingers as if I can't count the choices he stated.

"Then let's just settle for yellow not blue. That's a light collor," ani ko, tinanggihan ang pamimiliang binanggit niya.

"Cream yellow."

"Canary," paglilinaw ko sa dilaw na tinutukoy.

"Banana," he suggested.

"Are you hungry? Cream and then a banana. Dandelion is better than that."

He exhaled his exhaustion. His hand went to the back of his neck, vigorously stretching his neck muscles. He opened his buttons and fanned himself like he was emphasizing I'm stressing him so bad.