I Meant It When I Said, 'I Do.'

I Meant It When I Said, 'I Do.' - CHAPTER 1

5 months later...

"Working hard?"

Napatingala si Earl. Totoo'y kanina pa niya gustong i-angat ang ulo, he just allowed five more minutes dahil tambak ang trabaho sa mesa niya. Kunot ang noong tinitigan niya ang bagong dating.

"Where's Leah?" aniyang tinutukoy ang sekretarya.

"Nasa canteen, pina-kape ko muna. She looked awful."

"I thought I made it clear that I'm not seeing anyone," mahinang sabi niya saka ibinalik ang tingin sa binabasang papeles.

"Oh, c'mon Kuya, give yourself a break!" napabuga ito ng hangin sabay lapit sa kinaroroonan niya. "I haven't seen you for days, my God! And we just live in the same house, don't we?"

"I'm busy, Elaiza."

"Yeah, yeah...looks like it," anitong nakatingin sa papeles na nasa harapan niya. "Look at you, Kuya, you've aged! You look ten years older than yourself... and it's just because of these papers?"

"Please Elaiza, the last thing I need now is a nagging sister."

"I'm not nagging," anitong pina-ikot ang mata. "I'm just trying to show you what you're missing! You don't need to work twenty-four hours a day, my goodness! O baka naman may pinipilit kang kalimutan?"

Naalarma siya sa himig ng pananalita nito. Alam na niya kung saan papunta ang usapang iyon kaya pinigilan niya ang anumang sasabihin ng kapatid. "I don't have time for baby talks. Now, go and grow up!" singhal niya ngunit hindi man lang ito natinag.

"You're not busy. You're just doing the work of ten people. You want to be so stressed para makalimutan mong -"

"Stop it!"

"If you consider yourself grown up, then I want to be a baby forever!" she pouted. "Kuya, there's more to life than this company! Ilang beses ko ba dapat ipaalala sa'yo-"

"Elaiza-"

"Kuya, ikakasal ka na!"

Natigilan si Earl.

"Whew! Nasabi ko rin," anitong ngumiti at umupo sa gilid ng mesa niya. "Why are you always avoiding this topic, Kuya? And why are you always avoiding your fiancée?"

Napahilamos si Earl sa mukha. That's the last thing he would want to talk about. "Just leave, Elaiza. And I mean, NOW," buong-diing sabi niya.

"Not until you get my point!" padabog na sabi nito. "If you can't do yourself a favor, then do this for Veronica. She doesn't deserve to be treated this way."

"Just leave," aniyang hindi tiningnan ang kapatid.

Tumayo ito at nakapameywang na ipanagpatuloy ang sermon sa kanya. "She had no choice but to marry you. Why are you making things so hard for her? Is this really what you call marriage of convenience? Because it's not convenient!"

Hindi umimik si Earl. Sumakit ang ulo niya bigla sa narinig.

"You have to make it up for her. The wedding is two weeks from now and yet you never showed up even once for her after that horrible engagement party. You screwed up every date you had because of your work."

Napatiim-bagang ang binata. You had no idea, Elaiza..

"Kuya, I like her!" biglang sigaw nito nang hindi pa rin siya umimik. "I like her! I like her!" anitong parang batang nagdadabog. Elaiza is twenty-two with an attitude of two-year old which makes her irritating and adorable at the same time. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya kumukuha ng pasensiya para sa kapatid.