Ilora Georgina
My mom was right, yung issue between me and Wax spread like a wildfire. Everyone was surprised how the city's most popular black sheep is about to tie knots with the country's most in demand neurologist.
Tahimik akong kumakain ng almusal. My mom is rushing everything kaya madalas wala ito. I sometimes feel like ginagamit nya itong opportunity para mas makilala pa sya sa eleksyon. The Soriano's are popular in our city because they are rich at kadalasan sa kanila ay nasa medical field din.
I sighed. Hindi ko din maintindihan ang sarili ko kung bakit pumapayag ako sa nalalapit na kasal namin ni Wax. Hindi ito engrande, it will be just a civil wedding pero dahil kilala ang pamilya namin naging usap-usapan pa din.
Hinawakan ko ang impis kong tyan.
"Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa kokote ng tatay mo. Pwede naman nya tayong i deny, pero hays! Nagpapaka superman porket kamukha si superman"
"Ma'am, nandito po si Sir Wax" mabilis akong napalingon sa kasambahay namin at maya-maya pa ay lumabas na sa likod nito si Wax, wearing a light blue polo and white pants, making him look neat and of course handsome as hell.
"Good morning" he greeted me bago lumapit sakin, I didn't stood up dahil ipinaparating ko naman sa kanya na naiinis talaga ako sa mga nangyayari. "How are you feeling?"
"I am good for now, I barely started eating kaya wala pa akong isusuka. Please, sit down" I told him na ginawa naman nya. "Do you want to eat as well?"
"No, I already ate before I came here. Coffee, will do"
"Yaya, kape nga po" I told one of our maids.
"Oo nga pala, I brought these" iniangat nya yung bag at ipinatong sa legs bago isa-isang nilabas ang mga bote ng gamot. "I spoke with Dra. Samson, ito yung mga vitamins na kailangan mo i take to ensure na healthy ka and si baby"
Napakunot ang noo ko dahil parang ang dami naman.
"Bakit ang dami naman?"
"Well, pinaka crucial ang first trimester, we want to make sure lang. I have listed here yung oras ng inom mo and kung alin dito" itinaas nya ang isang puting papel. "But I will still text you to remind you"
"Grabe, thank you doc" pang-aasar ko.
"Kape sir" inilapag na ng maid yung kape nya.
"Thank you" he answered.
"May kailangan ba tayong gawin ngayon? Everything is settled right? We have the date and everything for the w-wedding"
"Yes"
"So, why are you here?"
He took a sip of his coffee before he looked at me.
"Seriously, Ilora? What's so wrong in visiting you and our child?"
I smirked and crossed my arms.
"How long are we going to pretend that everything is alright? Umaandar ang araw, at soon enough, I will be using your surname, I will be living in your house, we will have a child and yet we both know na mali ito!"
"You have to calm down hindi maganda ang ma stress sayo"
"I am stressed because I know there is Isabel, does she even know that you are marrying someone else?-
"She does!"
Parang tila nalunok ko ang dila ko dahil sa sinabi nya. She knows already?
"W-what?"
"We met last week, I told her everything-
"And what did she say? Nagalit sya malamang and maybe she wants you back!"
Nag iwas ito ng tingin at bumaling ng titig sa kape nya and seeing him like this, alam kong mahal nya talaga yung babae.
"You don't know Isabel, she is a strong woman, she will never accept what I did to her and I guess that is for the best" he looked at me. "I told her everything not because I want to have her back but to tell her na I have to be responsible for what happened"
"Wax naman!"
"Nasaktan ko sya, I do not deserve her and she said it herself na mas okay na ito because she have more plans for herself and-" huminga sya ng malalim. "and having me around, trying to tie her down is the least of her priority"
Did she really say that? Ganoon ba talaga ka importante ang pangarap nya?
"I know that you don't like the idea of us getting married but at least we should give this a try, para sa anak natin. I want to be a good father and if I can only do that by marrying you, then I am really sorry Ilora, you will have to stay by my side forever"
***
"Grabe naman yang mukha na yan parang hindi ka bagong kasal, parang bagong sakal" pang-aasar sakin ni Winnie.
I am sitting down sa restaurant na kinuha ng parents namin ni Wax. We are having our reception.
Yey, I am officially married. Please do help yourselves find the sarcasm there.
I looked at Wax who is with his parents and my mom. Ngiting-ngiti si mommy habang nakikipag usap sa mga bisita.
"Alam mo, hindi ako makapaniwala sa nangyayari, last month lang my mom hated me so much for partying all the time tapos ngayon, she is so proud na nabuntis ako ng isang Soriano" I told Winnie.
"Oh well, you bag the most popular neurologist in the country. Having Wayne Xavier Soriano as your son-in-law, created a buzz for your mom, supporting her candidacy."
"Well atleast one of us is happy"
"You should be happy! You married Kuya Wax, or I should call him Wax na lang din since husband na sya ng bestfriend ko" Winnie clasped her fingers and looked at me intently. "What would I do to have a handsome guy like him on my bed tonight"
"Geez, stop it Winnie! You said it yourself he is my husband na, so it is awful na pagpantasyahan sya" I told her.
"Grabe ang damot mo naman sizzzt! Doon muna ako, hahanap muna ng boylet" pagkatapos sabihin iyon ni Winnie ay tumayo na sya.
Nakita ko namang papalapit si Wax sakin, he was holding a plate and a glass of water.
"Here, I don't think you have eaten something since the event started" naglapag ito ng aglio olio na paborito kong pasta.
"Thank you pero wala akong gana" I told him.
"Ilora" he sat down beside me and looked at me intently. "I know it's hard for you to take all of this, believe me, sa akin din"
"If nahihirapan ka, why did you agree pa kay mommy?"
"Because I want this child" he told me. "I want us to work, I want our child to have both of us" he held my hand and for some weird reason ay naghurementando na naman ang puso ko. "Let's give it a try, okay?"
I stood up.
"I need some fresh air" tumayo din sya. "Alone" I added bago sya iniwan. I immediately walked out of the restaurant papunta sa garden area.
I was walking towards the fountain ng makita ko ang isang babaeng nakaupo doon. She looks so elegant and pretty.
"You're Ilora Georgina, right?" she asked.
"Yes? And you are?"
"You probably didn't know me but my fiancé is the one you just tied the knot with" she stood up and came closer.
Pakiramdam ko ay pinanlamigan ako. What does she want? Is she going to harm us?
"I'm Isabel, I bet you already know about me"
"Y-yes, at bakit ka nandito?"
"I really don't want to go, pero I wanted to speak with you"
"About what?"
"What happened to you and Wax, alam kong isa lang iyong one night stand. I also know your reputation, and knowing you, I am sure you don't really want to get married with him"
Napalunok ako dahil sa sinabi nya.
"In case you didn't know, my mom and yung ex-fiancé mo ang nagpumilit na maikasal kami, I already told him na hindi nya ako kailangang panagutan"
"That's exactly the point why I am here, Georgina" lumapit sya sakin. "You know, matagal na kami ni Wax and I know he loves me so much, I bet you heard how long he has been waiting for me pero" she looked emotional. "I have my dreams and so does he"
"What do you mean?"
"Wax always wanted to have a child, and you Ilora Georgina happened to gave it to him"
"So?" I tried to maintain my facade, that I am strong pero nanginginig na ako sa kaba at for some reason my heart is clenching in pain.
"That's why he married you, kahit pa ayaw nya akong hiwalay, kahit pa ako ang gusto nyang pakasalan. Wax, has been always righteous, he always wanted to follow what his parents want. I knew he will take responsibility and marry yo8 kahit pa labag sa loob nya yun and believe me, even you, mapapaniwala ka nyang bukal sa loob nya ang lahat because that's who Wax is"
"Why are you telling me all of this, Isabel?"
"To make you an offer"
"What offer?"
"I know you don't want this child and you don't like obligations, so let's do this, three months after you gave birth, you'll leave, you'll annul your marriage with Wax, you'll be free, you can leave your child and I-" lumunok sya. "I will take care and raise the child as my own"
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To be continued