A couple of months after they got married, both the Marcoses and Aranetas arranged a dinner for their joint family. The Marcos-Araneta couple was the most expected to come. It will be held at the Araneta residence where Don Luis resides.
"Putting on a show again tonight, huh?" panunuya ni Irene habang inaayos ang buhok para sa kanilang hapunan ngayong gabi.
Greggy glanced at his wife while fixing his sleeves, putting on a cufflink that was given by his grandfather. "I know. Da-drama na naman tayo."
Napailing-iling si Irene at ngumisi. She sprayed perfume all over her body and looked at the full sized mirror for the last time. She's ready to go.
"Shall we?" tanong ni Greggy. Irene simply nodded.
They left their penthouse shortly and went to the mansion of the Aranetas. This will be Irene's first time to visit where Greggy grew up and spent the most of his childhood.
"So, kung saan tayo magdi-dinner ay kung saan ka lumaki?" tanong ni Irene habang nasa sasakyan.
Greggy sighed and nodded. "Yes."
"Any memorable experience from your mansion? I'm sure you had many. Nagtatakbo ka siguro sa loob ng bahay niyo dahil sa laki ng mansyon niyo." Irene assumed at bahagyang natawa pa.
Umiling si Greggy at sinabing, "Not really. All I could remember from that house is the endless fights of my parents. And also, the study time I had with my sisters. We weren't allowed to fool around inside our house, there were always guests. We were trained to be used to socializing."
Irene was surprised to hear that. Sa tuwing titignan mo si Greggy, alam mo na agad na pilyo at puro gala lang ang inaatupag. She also assumed that he wasn't serious about his studies.
"Does Don Luis still live there?" tanong ni Irene.
Nagkibit-balikat si Greggy at sinulyapan ng saglit si Irene bago ituon muli ang mata sa kalsada. "I'm not sure. But I know he goes there from time to time. Mukhang sa bagong bahay na ata siya nakatira. I don't know. I left the house after my first year in college. I lived on my own."
"How about your mom? If you don't mind me asking. Hindi ko kasi siya nakita nung wedding..."
Greggy cleared his throat. "I left the house when she moved to the States. May ibang pamilya na siya. My groomsmen Jorge and Francisco are both my brothers from her second family. She couldn't come during the wedding cause her husband is sick, kaya 'yung dalawa lang ang nakapunta."Irene just nodded.
Naramdaman na niya na hindi na kumportable si Greggy habang pinag-uusapan nila ang tungkol sa kanyang ina. Seryoso itong nagmamaneho. Irene took her phone from her bag when it vibrated, a sign that there was a message.
From: Aimee
Are you on the way here? Nandito na kami.
Hindi napigilan ni Irene na tumili. Greggy got startled upon seeing his wife's sudden movements."Why? What happened?" naguguluhang tanong ni Greggy kay Irene.
Irene was smiling from ear to ear while replying to Aimee.
To: Aimee
YOU'RE BACK HOME????!?!!! OH MY GOD!!! WE'RE ON OUR WAY, DOLL!!!!
"My baby sister is home!" sobrang saya na sabi ni Irene. "Nandoon na raw sila."
"Didn't you see her at the wedding?" nagtatakang tanong ni Greggy.
Tumikhim si Irene at umayos ng upo. "Yeah. But I still get excited whenever she's home knowing that she doesn't really like it. She's like my baby, my baby girl."
Tumango si Greggy, "Malapit ba kayo? Bakit hindi siya dito sa bansa nakatira?"
"We're very close, like super. Lahat kaming magkakapatid actually, we're super close. Aimee's staying in London, finishing her Masters. That's where she wants to settle." sagot ni Irene.
"That's good." napakaikling sagot ni Greggy.
Later on, they arrived at the Araneta's mansion. They parked the car and went out to walk to the main door. Sa labas pa lang, napakalawak na nito. There were a lot of trees and plants, may patio at treehouse rin.
The house looked vintage from the outside. It's an extraordinary hacienda of the Aranetas. Sa sobrang ganda at sosyal ng mansyon, hindi mo mapagkakaila na mayayaman ang nakatira dito.
"We used to climb that treehouse whenever we escape from our endless guests everyday." kwento ni Greggy habang nakaturo sa treehouse.
"Your hacienda is very posh and wide. Who designed it?" tanong ni Irene.
"My parents." maikling sagot ni Greggy sa asawa.
The maids opened the front door widely. Sa sobrang laki at taas ng pintuan nila, magkakasya na ang dalawang sasakyan papasok sa loob. Irene flinched a bit when Greggy suddenly grabbed her hand and intertwined it with his. Her hand looked tiny while Greggy was holding it with his huge, hairy, veiny and rough hands.
"What are you doing?" nagtatakang bulong ni Irene, pinanglalakihan ng mata si Greggy.
"The show begins. Let's just go with the flow. Nandito ang mga maids, magsusumbong ang mga 'to kay Daddy." Greggy gritted his teeth and forced a smile to Irene. Irene immediately got the message.
They walked to the dining banquet and they found their family members sitting there, altogether mukhang sila na lamang ang inaantay. Their parents were all smiles seeing them together, hand in hand.
Aimee walked towards her older sister and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
"Glad you're home, sweet." sabi ni Irene at humiwalay sa pagkakahawak kay Greggy upang yakapin ang nakababatang kapatid.
They greeted each of their family members and sat on their assigned seats. Irene was sitting between Greggy and Imee, in front of Bongbong. Nagsimula na silag kumain pagkatapos ng pagbati. Nagulat ng bahagya si Irene nang biga siyang siniko ng mahina ni Imee.
"Ganap na ganap, Mrs. Araneta." pabulong nitong pang-asar.
Irene rolled her eyes and ignored her older sister.
"Greggy, have you received the memo? You and your wife have been invited from a business related trip to Hawaii. Both of you will stand as the representatives of the company." Don Luis stated.
Nagkatinginan ang dalawa bago sumagot si Greggy, "Hindi ko pa nababasa sa email, Dad."
Biglang nagtanong ang kapatid ni Greggy na si Patricia. "So how was your stay in Cebu?"
Si Irene ang sumagot, "We enjoyed our time there, marami kaming napuntahan. Cebu is beautiful."
Nagsimula na ang pamilyang asarin sila, syempre nangunguna si Imee na sinasabayan ni Elvira. It's no secret that the Aranetas really likes Irene. Mukhang mas mahal pa nila ito kesa kay Greggy.
"Wala pa ba kayong plano na mag-anak? Sige na please... Gusto ko ng baby." hirit ni Patricia.
"Gusto mo ng baby? Edi mag-anak ka," pabalang na sagot ni Greggy, sinamaan siya ng tingin ni Patricia. Mahinang natawa si Irene.
Biglang sumingit si Ferdinand sa usapan. "Tama nga si Patricia. Kailan ba dadating ang apo namin sa inyo?"
Irene sighed and answered. "Dad. Bakit apo agad? Meron namang Borgy at Mike ah. We just got married, we don't want to rush anything."
Biglang nagngitian ang mga kapatid ng dalawa. They know the situation of the two.
"Mukhang may nangyaring ano sa Cebu ah... Blooming ka, Irene. Balita ko maulan sa Cebu ngayon 'e. Malamig, tas nasa iisang kama pa." pang-aasar ni Bongbong. Nilingon nito ang ama. "Dad, panigurado paparating na ang hinihingi niyong apo."
They shared a hearty laugh while Irene was obviously pissed.
"We have no plans to have a child yet po, pareho po kaming abala sa trabaho. I think my wife is not yet ready too." Greggy calmly said.
"Huwag puro trabaho, ang isa't isa naman ang trabahuin niyo." dagdag na pang-aasar ni Elvira. Sinamaan ni Greggy ng tingin ang kapatid at pasekretong inambahan.
"Oo nga, Irene, should I offer you a month off? Kayo ni Greggy," sabay ni Ferdinand, habang natatawa.
Tumigil sa pag-kain si Irene at halatang napipikon na. She's never fond of teasing when it comes about Greggy and her. Naiirita siya at napipikon.
"May anak kang lalaki, Dad, ba't hindi si Bongbong ang hingan niyo? I'm busy with work," malditang sabi ni Irene at umirap.
"At bakit hindi ikaw? Ikaw ang may asawa na 'e. Busy ba sa trabaho, bayaw?" tanong ni Bongbong kay Greggy.
Greggy smirked and finally joined the teasing para hindi mahalata na scripted ang mga galaw nila. "Maaga naman umuuwi, bayaw, mukhang namimiss ako agad." mas kinantyawan pa sila ng pamilya.
Nagulat si Irene sa sinabi ng asawa, pinandilatan niya ng mata si Greggy. "Ang kapal!" she exclaimed. Nagtawanan ang pamilya nila. "Tigil-tigilan niyo akong dalawa, naiinis na ako, baka hindi ko kayo matantya."
Bongbong dramatically covered his mouth, "Naku! Pikunin! Buntis!"
"BONGBONG!" galit na saway ni Irene, tinawanan lang siya ng mga ito. Nakangiti lang si Greggy, natutuwa sa inis na mukha ni Irene. "Isa ka pa!" banta ni Irene at dinuro pa ang asawa.
"Tama na, napipikon na. Hay! Ikaw talaga, Bonget!" saway ni Imelda.
Their night didn't end that easily. The elders stayed inside the mansion to have wine. While, Greggy and Irene with their siblings went to the patio to catch up. Nag-uusap lang sila doon nang pasikretong hinila ni Elvira si Greggy.
She grabbed him to talk near the treehouse.
Hinila ni Greggy ang kamay at sinabing, "Bakit ka ba bigla-biglang nanghihila? Ano ba?" iritado nitong sabi.
"Sino 'yung babaeng kasama mo months ago?" diretsong tanong ni Elvira sa kapatid.
Nangunot ang noo ni Greggy. "Anong babae? Anong pinagsasabi mo?" patay malisya niyang tanong pabalik.
His sisters doesn't know about Isabelle. Tanging ang kanyang ama at si Irene lamang ang may alam sa relasyon nila ni Isabelle.
"Months ago, Dad said that you had to leave early for work dahil may sakit si Irene. That same night I saw you have dinner at a restaurant in BGC. May kasama kang babae. At huwag mong sasabihin sa akin na kliyente 'yon, we have a policy at the office that no meetings outside the building during non-working hours. Alas-siete na 'yun, lagpas na. Then after that, I saw you both in the car at the parking lot of a convenience store. May dala ka pang ice cream papasok ng sasakyan." seryosong ani Elvira.
"Elvira.." Greggy mumbled.
"Nagloloko ka ba-"
Greggy cut her off. "Hindi ako nagloloko at isa pa, sa papel lang kami kasal ni Irene."
"Oh tapos?" sarkastikong sagot ni Elvira. "Ano naman kung sa papel lang? Does that give you the chance to see other women outside your marriage? Gusto mo bang sabihin ko 'to kay Dad?"
"No!" marahas na bumuntong-hininga si Greggy. "Wala lang 'yun, okay? She was just a... friend! Walang malisya!" todo tanggi ni Greggy.
Matalim na tiningnan ni Elvira ang kapatid. "Get your shit straight, Gregorio. O ako mismo ang magsasabi kay Daddy at sabihin sa kanya na ipadala ka na lang kay Mommy..." banta ni Elvira.
Greggy remained silent, marahas siyang napalunok. Tinapik ni Elvira ang braso niya sabay sabi, "Ayus-ayusin mo 'yang pinaggagagawa mo." she went back to the crowd.
Little did they know, Imee was eavesdropping their conversation. Bumalik si Imee sa loob ng mansyon at nakita si Irene na kakalabas lang galing banyo.
"Hoy." sita ni Imee.
"Oh. Bakit?"
"May kinikita daw na ibang babae ang asawa mo. Narinig ko silang nag-uusap ni Elvira. Alam mo?"
Irene nodded and tried an alibi. "Kaibigan niya, nagpaalam siya sa'kin."
The couple left the mansion shortly. They will be leaving for Hawaii in two days. Hinanda na ni Ferdinand ang ticket, hotel, at iba pang kakailanganin ng mag-asawa doon. Their family will be bringing them to the airport para daw sa publicity at para may bagong pag-usapan ang media.