I am waiting patiently for Jema to come out from the bathroom but she is still in there.
What keeps her too long?
I sighed. Honestly, I always don't understand women. All I know is that they have night rituals before going to bed. Kung ano ano nga pala ang ginagawa nila kaya sila natatagalan sa banyo. May nilalagay pa sa mukha. Nailing na lang ako.
My eyes are starting to close but I fought hard and tried to stay awake. I want to say my good night to her and have a cuddle na rin until we fall asleep.
Inayos ko ang aking higa at tumingin sa kisame. Naalala ko ang aming ginawa kanina lang kaya napangiti ako ng abot tenga.
That was a tiring but satisfying union of our bodies. It's been a long time since me and Jema had shared intimacy.
As always, I started it as Jema will never initiate it. She is still shy when it comes to our lovemaking. As my wife, she must remember that initiating sex is an important part to keep our healthy relationship.
Only if sex means a lot to us both. Does she enjoy having sex with me? Hindi kasi siya ganun ka vocal unlike me.
I like it rough and hard. I sometimes talk dirty just to satisfy my sexual needs as my wife is too timid during sex.
Bakit kaya?
Hindi naman na siya lugi sa akin. I'm handsome with a nice body. Clean and always smells good. Ang daming nagkakandarapang babae sa akin noong binata pa ako. Kahit ngayon pero hindi na sila ganun kaagresibo.
Kulang lang siguro sa practice ang asawa ko.
Or maybe, you haven't found her kiliti sa kama.
After ng election, sa asawa ko muna ibubuhos ang lahat ng aking oras at atensyon. We will have our second honeymoon.
I will give her what she wants and what she's looking for sa kama. Tignan ko lang kung makawala o makalimutan pa niya ako.
I smirked then looked at the closed bathroom door.
The clock is ticking, my eyes are heavy. Body is slowly getting comfortable in bed.
Where is Jema?
Tick, tick, tick.
Since the clock keeps on repeating, my brain starts to organize sounds so it became tick-tock, tick-tock.
Fatigue consumed me and I instantly shut my eyes. Parang narinig ko pa ang boses ni Jema pero hindi ko na naintindihan ang sinasabi niya.
I don't know how long I was asleep but I was awaken by Jema's touch.
Dahil parang naalimpungtan ako, automatic na bumaling ako sa kaliwang side. Nagising ng bahagya ang diwa ko. Tumahimik naman at hindi na gumawa ng ingay o galaw si Jema.
What time is it?
Why is she still awake?
Nagkunwari na lang akong tulog.
Lately, I noticed that Jema is becoming restless. She's like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Marahil ay dahil na rin sa akin. I wasn't able to give her much deserved attention.
She needs me.
My love and my time.
Napaka busy ko this few weeks, sabagay lagi naman. Mas lalo akong magiging occupied this coming months, with the looming election.
Jema deserves a vacation, kaming dalawa.
Tama.
However, I really need to check if I can insert it on my fully loaded schedule. Halos walang bakante for the month of August.
Pwede naman sigurong magbawas ng working engagements ko kahit 3 days o kahit 2 days lang. Ano ang ginagawa ng PA ko kung hindi niya ito magawan ng paraan?
Saan naman kaya magandang dalhin si Jema? We can't go abroad as I have limited time to be away. Three days maximum lang pwedeng mawala.
Locally na lang nga kaso, halos lahat na yata ng lugar dito sa Pilipinas ay napuntahan na namin.
I might as well let Jema decide where she wants to go. Siguradong sa bundok ang pipiliin niya. I don't mind as long as it will keep her happy.
We are well off so we can afford extravagant travels. Our businesses are doing well. I have a good paying job. Jema helps in running some of our companies. Not to mention the wealth of our parents on both sides.
One thing I observed though, Jema is a kind of woman na hindi maluho kahit na ipinanganak ito with a silver spoon. Napaka down to earth. At ang dali niyang pasayahin. Kahit simple lang, she always appreciates it.
Hindi rin siya magarbo sa katawan even if she can afford anything she wants.
Bukod sa kanyang taglay na kagandahan, isa ito sa katangian niya na nagustuhan ko. Kung iba ito siguro, baka gasgas na ang credit card ko sa pagwawaldas. She is indeed one of a kind.
My wife, Jessica Margarett Galanza.
She is 24 years old now, turning 25 soon. Only child. Jema is a nurse by profession. She came from a prominent family in Laguna.
Her father was the late Governor Jesse Galanza. Her mother was a teacher, Madam Fe Galanza.
Sadly, her parents perished when the private plane they were riding crashed into the sea off the shores of Masbate Island. Galing sila ng Cebu at pauwi na sana from a speaking engagement.
Of the four people aboard the aircraft, there was a sole survivor. It was the Governor's aide. He said that the airplane broke apart as it hit the water.
After a lengthy investigation, it was concluded that the reason of the crash was due to engine failure and pilot error.
I think 18 or 19 pa lang si Jema noon. She was in school when it happened. My Dad, who was the Governor of Cavite that time, is a good friend of Governor Jesse. Siya ang dumamay kay Jema.
Lahat ng tulong ay ibinigay niya dito. Ako naman ay 25 na noon at nasa US taking up masters in Political Science.
I came home after completing the course and that was when I met Jema. I was smitten right away. Love at first sight yata.
I did everything I could to get her. Mahirap pero mas pinagbuti ko as I was challenged. Nobody says no to me.
The rest is history.
Slowly, I drifted into a deep sleep. Parang naghihilik na yata ako. Nagising uli ako when Jema moved. Parang babangon yata. Where is she going na naman? I decided to turn around and faced her. Iniyakap ko ang aking kaliwang kamay sa kanya.
"Let's go to sleep na, babe. Good night." I mumbled.
********************
Early morning, I was having my coffee when I got a call. It's the head of my security team. What's the call for? I took my eyes off the daily paper and lazily answered my phone.
"Good morning Blue!" I answered.
"G-good morning Governor Anton. S-sorry sa maagang tawag pero urgent at emergency po ito." mabilis na sagot niya.
Napaupo ako ng diretso.
I can feel from his voice a sense of urgency and a bit of fear. This is definitely bad. Hindi niya ako gagambalain ng ganito kaaga kung hindi ito importante.
"What is it?" I urgently asked.
"N-nadale po kagabi ang isang kotse na ginagamit natin for decoy. Niratrat ang tropa natin, DOTS si P1. Nasa critical condition ngayon si P2." sagot niya.
Umakyat agad sa ulo ko ang galit.
"Fuck!!! Why did you let it happen? I always rely on your competency. Who did this? Umabot na ba ito sa media?" napatayo akong bigla.
I can only imagine the chaos and the circus it will create if this news reached the media.
"Wala pang info kung sino ang may gawa, Gob. Pwedeng sa kabila or yung sumasawsaw sa issue ninyo. We are checking all possible suspects. Alam na din ito ni General." sagot niya.
Napahawak ako sa aking mukha. Paano pala kung nandoon ako sa sasakyan?
"Make sure that all areas are being taken care of Blue. Kung hindi, ikaw ang malilintikan sa akin." galit na sabi ko.
"Governor, it's all being handled by the team. No leak so far sa media. Nagbigay na kami ng warning sa kanila." he replied.
"Clean this mess ASAP and see me right now. Give a code red alert to everyone." I instructed.
I checked the news after talking to Blue. Wala naman akong nakitang balita about the ambush. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag.
Putang ina!! Who wants me dead?
My fists closed tightly. Lintik lang ang walang ganti. Sisiguraduhin kong mahuhuli ang may pakana nito at mabubulok sila sa kulungan.
I wanted to tell my Dad kaya lang baka tulog pa so I called my publicist. As a Governor of Cavite, I need to maintain and protect my image, hence the publicist.
I still have a big plan in the future for my career in politics so kailangan na hindi madungisan ang aking pangalan. Dapat ay laging maingat ang aking bawat hakbang at hindi masabit ang pangalan sa mga negative issues or scandals.
"Good morning, Gob. What makes you call at this hour?" inaantok na sagot niya.
It's only 7 in the morning, maaga pa pala. Usually, 9 ang start ng work niya sa akin but I don't care. She is on my payroll kaya pwede ko siyang tawagan anytime.
I relayed the incident to her and she just listened to Lahat ay sinabi ko sa kanya para alam niya ang gagawin kung sakaling lumabas ito sa media.
"How do we keep this from leaking out? Ano sa tingin mo ang magandang gawin?" I asked.
"Gob, are you insane? This kind of stuff is a jackpot. Your enemies attempted to kill you and you want it to be hidden from the people? Mas magiging underdog ang image mo sa publiko kung malalaman nila ito. Their sympathy will be on you. We can always put a spin na may gustong pumatay sa inyo dahil mabuti kayong tao o kaya ay may alam kayo." she said.
"Hmmmn, okay. You have my ears now. What do you have in mind? Go on, I'm listening." I replied.
I can hear some noises in the background. Mukhang bumangon na ito. Huminga muna siya ng malalim bago sumagot.
"Just imagine this breaking news headline Gob.
"Governor Anton Jake Villarama survived assassination attempt."
Magkakagulo ang lahat sa inyo. Maaawa sila na ang isang batang bata na gobernador ay balak iligpit ng mga kalaban sa politics. You will have millions and millions of mileage of free advertisements. A publicity whether good or bad is still a publicity. You get me?" she explained.
I stopped walking for a while as I try to dissect it.
"But I wasn't even in the car." I said.
"We can easily put you in that car Gob. You will be P2, recovering from a shot in an undisclosed hospital. It's just natural that we don't give your whereabouts for your safety. Madam Jema can give the interviews. Wait, you did not go out last night, did you?" she asked.
"No." sagot ko.
"Nobody saw you in any other places?" she asked again.
"Nope. I was in the house the whole night with my wife." I answered.
"Perfect. Then you were in that car when they tried to kill you. End of story. In the meantime, make sure that nobody sees you. Stay in the house and don't take calls from anyone except me." she said.
"Tang ina. Bakit hindi ko naisip agad yan? Ang hayop na Blue ang may kasalanan. Binigla ako kanina kaya hindi ako nakapag isip ng mabuti. You better call Blue now." sabi ko.
"My staff is already talking to him right now as we speak." she replied.
Wow, so efficient. Sulit talaga ang ibinabayad ko sa publicist ko.
"I can kiss you if you are here in front of me, Ali." I replied.
Hindi naman siya nakasagot. Para ko ng nakikita na namumula siya dahil sa sinabi ko.
"Who are you going to kiss aside from me, your wife?" I heard Jema said behind me.
Patay ka Gob.
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Maulang gabi guys, I hope you are all safe.
Introducing to you the character of Jessica's husband. What do you think?
Please vote, comment and follow me here in Watty and Twitter if you haven't done it yet.
Thank you 😊
Shoutout to bosskeng , ayan na ha. Ingats.