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

I Meant It When I Said, 'I Do.' - CHAPTER 6

"Okay," anitong napilitang kumalma. "I'll see you tomorrow at five! Give my hugs to Kuya."

"Sure, I'll do that."

"Goodnight! Bye." At nawala ito sa kabilang linya.

Muli, mas lalo niyang naramdaman ang pag-iisa. Napatingin siya sa wall clock. It's still nine o'clock. Marahil apat na oras pa bago ito umuwi. Bumalik siya sa pagta-trabaho. Kailangan lang niyang palipasin ang oras. She will survive this night. She definitely can. She just need to endure the pain.

Kinuha niya ang sketch pad nang hindi pa rin siya dalawin ng antok at sumandal sa higaan. Nagsimula siyang gumuhit ng bagong disenyo. Ngunit kagaya ng nagdaang mga gabi pilit pumapasok sa isip niya ang mukha ng asawa. Saulado na niya ang bawat hugis kahit pa ang kaliit-liitang detalye ng mukha nito. She used to draw his face whenever she missed him. She remembered how crazily in love she was with him in college. She would miss him each night and end up drawing his face and she felt better each time.

"This is..." Hindi ito makapaniwala matapos buklatin ang folder na naglalaman ng compilation ng drawings niya.

"Happy anniversary, babe!" aniya sabay yakap rito. Nasa university grounds sila, naka-upo sa damuhan. Konti lang ang estudyanteng naroroon dahil papagabi na. Nagsinungaling siya sa Papa niya na may tatapusing project para lang makasama ang kasintahan.

Tiningnan niya ito nang hindi ito kumibo. "What?"

"Hindi ka na ba nag-aaral?" seryosong tanong nito.

Tumawa siya sa reaksiyon nito. "Of course, I do. Ginagawa ko lang naman ito kapag nami-miss kita."

"Hmm... Gabi-gabi mo ako nami-miss?" tudyo nito nang buklatin nito ang mga pahina at makita ang petsa kung kailn iyon iginuhit. Nag-init ang magkabilang pisngi niya.

Hinila siya nito at niyakap ng mahigpit. "You don't know how happy you made me today, babe," masuyo nitong sabi. "I love you," bulong nito sabay kintal ng halik sa labi niya.

"I love you, too... more than anything else in the world," buong puso niyang sagot.

"I've got something for you, too," anito sa kanya at pansamantala siyang binitawan para kunin ang nakarolyong papel na nakasuksok sa backpack. It was a blueprint of a bungalow house. "This is for you," anito sabay hawi ng buhok niya at inipit iyon sa likod ng tenga. "Plano pa lang iyan. Pero pangako, hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi ko naibibigay sa'yo ang dream house mo."

Ibig niyang maiyak. Kaya pala palagi siya nitong kinukulit tungkol sa detalye ng bahay na gusto niya. Hinawakan niya ang magkabilang pisngi nito at pinupog ito ng halik sa buong mukha. Tumawa ito at niyakap siya ng mahigpit.

"When the right time comes, I will ask for your hand in marriage. I will make you my wife and we will live in this house," anitong itinuro ang blueprint. Nakangiting tumango siya. "I will make sure you won't draw my face each night because I will be always be right beside you. I will be the first face you see in the morning and the last you see before you sleep at night. I just need you to wait. It might take time but it will definitely come."

Ngumiti siya sa kabila ng panlalabo ng mata. God, how she loved this man. "I have no doubt it will. I promise to wait and to love you while waiting."

Ngumiti rin ito at masuyong hinalikan siya sa labi na buong puso niyang tinugon. At kagaya ng nakasanayan nilang gawin tuwing anniversary nila, they wrote each other's promises, read it aloud and sealed their promises with a kiss.

Iyon ang huling anniversary nila. She promised Earl that she will love him until her very last breath which she kept until this moment. Subalit hindi na nito kayang paniwalaan lahat ng iyon ngayon. Dahil nang malaman ng Papa niya na may kasintahan siya, nagbanta itong tatanggalin sa scholarship program si Earl. She knew how powerful her father is and she can't bear seeing his dreams being taken away from him. Kaya nakipagkalas siya dito. She told him she didn't love him anymore, she told him all about her dreams which he can't fulfill because he is poor. She broke his heart and she felt like she died inside.