Sweet Pacific Breezes (Provincia de Marina Series #4)

Kabanata 24

Kabanata 24

Sweet Pacific Breezes

There are still a lot of things that I am not used to in this marriage. I'm not used to having someone sleeping beside me, waking up to the sound of the shower, and also seeing my husband making our breakfast early in the morning. Yes, I've come to be accustomed of calling him my husband for a while now. Ang akala ko ay magkakaroon ako ng problema sa pakikisama sa kaniya but it turns out, he was also trying his best not to cause problems for the two of us.

Nagkaroon naman kami ng agreement sa mga gawain sa bahay. Since the clinic doesn't open till nine in the morning, we can still spare some hours for house cleaning, water the plants or whatever morning leisure we can have. Sabay na rin kaming umaalis ng bahay dahil magastos naman kung magkahiwalay pa kami. It would also raise suspicions  if we're married and working together, yet we come to our work at a different time. It's exhausting to make some excuses so we've agreed to just go together.

"Do you need anything else?" tanong sa akin ni Isidore habang inaayos ko ang mga gagamitin sa decorations. I didn't have much time to decorate when I moved in here so since day off naman naming dalawa, nagpasya ako na dito na lang muna ako sa bahay.

"This is fine," I replied to him, pulling the line of christmas lights out of the box. Balak kong lagyan lang naman 'yong paligid ng haligi at ang bintana. Tapos 'yong loob ng bahay naman ay green garlands na lang. Hindi na kami bumili ng Christmas tree kasi masyado nang malaki para sa bahay. And although the house was spacious enough, hindi naman masyadong ma-a-appreciate ang Christmas tree.

"Okay, call me if you need anything. May gagawin lang ako sa loob."

"Okay."

Hindi naman mataas ang pagkakabitan ko kaya kayang-kaya ko namang gawin 'to lahat. I've already cleaned up the front of the house and added some plants. Puro gravel  lang kasi kaya hindi magandang tingnan na napaka-plain ng bahay niya. I'll be living here and as a wife, it's a part of my duty to beautify the place.

I was almost done after thirty minutes. Tapos ko ng kabitan ang paligid ng bintana, kahit ang nakatayong niyog na malapit sa bahay. The Christmas lights were battery powered so I did not worry about where to plug it. Nilingon ko ang pulang parol na isasabit sana sa gitna ng foyer. Kinuha ko iyon at sinubukang ikabit gamit ang stick pero ayaw namang sumabit. Frustrated, I went inside the house. Natigilan ako sa pagkuha ng isang high chair nang makitang may kakaiba sa loob ng aming bahay.

The large frame of our wedding picture was hanged on the wall, just above the family couch. Wala pa iyon kanina nang lumabas ako kaya nga nanibago ako nang makita iyon ngayon. The door opened from another room and revealed my husband. Pareho kaming nagkatitigan ni Isidore. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa kamay kong nakahawak sa edge ng high chair. Kumunot ang kaniyang noo.

"I told you to call me if you need any help," he scolded gently. Lumapit siya sa akin kaya naman lumayo agad ako. Bumalik ang tingin ko sa picture frame na nakasabit na sa dingding.

"When did you get that?" I asked him, curious about our wedding picture. Naalala ko ngang mayroon kaming picture ng seremonya at after pictures. I was smiling a bit for the photo, habang siya, nakayakap ang kaniyang isang braso sa aking baywang. He was a bit serious in it, tila hindi sanay sa mga litrato.

"I got it yesterday. When you went for the grocery, I went to the photo studio to get it."

Tumango ako. Kaya pala may nakahigang malapad na box doon sa back seat ng kaniyang sasakyan. It was just beside the groceries but I didn't bother asking him. Ang akala ko lang ay isang gamit na naman para sa kaniyang opisina.