Broken Vow

3: Life Before Marriage

Pumasok si Elena sa loob ng tindahan na naka-address sa papel na binigay sa kanya ni Clark. She's in Mini Stop department store. Maliit lang kaya siguradong magkikita din agad sila ng pagbibigyan ng envelope. Hindi na sya umupo sa mga chairs doon dahil alam naman nyang hindi sya magtatagal. She remain standing just few feet apart from the entrance and exit of the establishment.

Naghintay lang doon si Elena hanggang sa pumatak na sa 5:12 ang oras. Uwian na nya ang oras na yun pero heto sya't naghihintay parin.

Kanina pa naghihintay doon si Caleb. When he saw Elena entering, he open his newspaper and pretended to be reading. Pasimple lang syang sumusulyap sa dalaga. He let her wait for a short moment para naman hindi sya mapaghalataan na kanina pa doon naghihintay. Nang nangawit si Elena sa pagkakatayo, she decided to sit down next to the wall. Nakatalikod si Elena kay Caleb at paikot-ikot ang tingin nya. Pati lahat ng pumapasok ay pinagmamasdan nya.

Caleb stands up. He folded the newspaper into two at iniwan ito sa mesa. He fix his sleeve and tie, inayos pa nya yung buhok nya. Instead of going straight to Elena, Caleb chooses to go thru the shelves of different products para kunyare bagong dating.
Nakatulala lang si Elena sa labas ng Mini Stop. Pinapanuod nya ang mga tao na naglalakad, ang mga sasakyan na nagpaparoon at parito. She's busy with her own thoughs when a guy spoke.

"Hi."

Inalis ni Elena ang pagkahalumbaba nya and she look up. The same guy from yesterday is in front of her! Nakangiti na naman ito. Ngayong mas maliwanag, mas lalong lutang ang kagwapuhan ng lalaki.

"Are you here on behalf of Clark?" He asked.

Hindi nakasagot si Elena. Tanging pagtango ang ginawa nya.

"Hi. I'm Caleb. I'm here to get the document?" Pagkukunwari pa ni Caleb na yun talaga ang purpose ng pagkikita nila. He extended his hand. "We met last night. Sa show ni Clark. We didn't have the chance to introduce ourselves properly, baka hindi pa naman huli for that."

Elena look at his hands first before putting her own next to his. "Elena, sir." They shake their hands together. Mabilis na pinutol ni Elena ang skin contact nila at tumaayo na rin. "Ito na po yung document, sir. Mauuna na po ako."

Lumabas si Elena sa store habang si Caleb naman sumunod sa kanya.

"Wait. Let me treat you somehow for doing me a favor." Humarang si Caleb sa harap ng sasakyan ni Clark which is Elena's service sa pagpunta sa store at pagbalik sa office.

"Naku, sir. Wag na po kayong mag-abala. Sige po." Dahil nakaharang si Caleb, inikot na lang ni Elena ang kabilang pinto ng sasakyan. She open the door but stop at her tracks when he spoke again.

"Why are you always in a rush?"

Napilitang ngumiti si Elena as she mumbled her apology saka sya sumakay.

Malinaw naman para kay Elena na nang f-flirt si Caleb. But sorry for him. She is not into committment lalo pa't breadwinner na rin sya ng pamilya nila. She doesn't want disstraction. At sa gwapo ba naman nung lalaking yon, she's sure na maraming babae yun.

Her first week as a secretary isn't easy dahil kailangan pa nyang mag-adjust. Pero kumpara sa pagiging assistant, mas magaan naman ang trabaho ng secretary because she serve only one person at hindi halos buong team.

She was in peace. Never nyang naisip si Caleb. As in not even for a second dahil sobrang dedicated sya sa trabaho. On her second week, nagkita ulit sila dahil bumisita si Caleb kay Clark. Since then, they see each other more frequent. Naging madalas ang pagbisita ni Caleb using his friend as an excuse

Caleb used to fall in love at the very first sight at talagang he pursue the woman but ang ending, hindi sila fit. He is pursuing every girls that catches his whole attention and that's what he'll do to Elena. Mas nacha-challenge nga sya ngayon dahil hindi mabilis mabingwit si Elena. She is so distant and cold. Pero alam ni Caleb na isang araw, he will break the ice between them.

One month after they met, naging normal na ang conversation nila. They are exchanging laughs and disappoinments already. Another month passed at pinapaunlakan na ni Elena yung paglabas labas nila for coffee, movie, lunch minsan dinner. Despite all of that, friends parin ang label nila. On the third month, Caleb formally said that he wanted to court Elena. When he confessed his desire to pursue her, mejo inilayo ni Elena yung sarili nya.Hindi pa kasi sya nagkakaroon ng katipan kaya hindi nya alam kung papaano magre-react. Saka yun naman normally ang ginagawa nya kapag may nagtatapat sa kanya. Lumalayo sya sa kanila.

She keep their distance, nagtatago sya kapag nanjan si Caleb. Isa pa, nangako sya sa sarili nya na papatapusin muna si Jiselle bago magcommit. Sobrang dami nya pa kasing responsibilidad at baka hindi nya magampanan ang pagiging girlfriend, yun ay kung sakali nga.

All is well ikanga not until Elena went home na naabutan nya si Caleb sa kanila. She didn't know how on Earth he became instant close with her family. Basta ang nangyari na lang niligawan ni Caleb ang magulang at mga kapatid nya. Even Caleb himself. Hindi din nya alam na gagawin nyo yon just to win Elena's heart.

She was the first ever woman na niligawan nya ng matagal at ang malala, pati pamilya nya niligawan nya. He didn't know he was capable of doing that until now. Until now that he's already doing it. Sa katunayan nga natutuwa sya dahil welcome na welcome sya sa pamilya ni Elena. Yung tipong imbes na pagsilbihan sila just like the old day style of courting, hindi ganon dahil sya pa ang pinagsisilbihan ng mga ito.

Tumagal ng apat na bwan na nanliligaw si Caleb before Elena finally said yes. To sum it all up, more than 6 months palang silang nagkakakilala but it feels like they've known each other forever.

Nang ipakilala ni Caleb si Elena sa mga magulang at kapatid nya, they all liked her purely except for his mom na hindi gustong sa middle class lang na pamilya galing si Elena. Caleb is the youngest in her 3 sons. Yung dalawang panganay nakapangasawa na rin pero sa kilalang pamilya galing ang mga in-laws nya. Kaya naman kung malalaman nya na naghiwalay sila ni Elena at anak na si Caleb, Marichel will be so glad. Mayroon na kasi syang best picked for her son.

Despite sa pagkadisgusto nya kay Elena, pinakisamahan nya parin ang dalaga for the sake of her son.

With cross fingers, she hope for the day na maghiwalay sila Caleb and Elena but they lasted for two years bago sila maging enggage.

Elena was nearly 25 habang 26 naman si Caleb. Yes they're still young pero sure na sure na sila sa isa't isa. Elena love him so much and Caleb feels the same way.

Nasa third year na si Jiselle sa college kaya isang taon na lang makakatapos na sya and she can help in their financial assistance. Malapit na rin namang matapos ang schooling dahil April na.

“Caleb, baka naman nabibigla ka lang. You're so young to get married!” Marichel said isang gabi sa bahay nila.
“Why not? Si kuya Carlo 28 nang mag-asawa, si kuya Cedie naman 27 when he got married. So why not me at this age?” Caleb answered.

“Because they are sure with their wives. Kayo two years palang nagkakakilala.”

“Ma, it's three years already. At saka it doesn't matter how long we'd been together. I love Elena, ‘ma. And we are sure to have each other ‘til the end of time.”