Game 17 - Game 17 - You'll definitely be my daughter-in-law
I stayed in New York for another week because of some business I had to attend to for my grandfather's bidding. I wanted to go home but because it was my grandfather who asked me, I couldn't say no. After all I am his only granddaughter and he had no one else to trust to do his business except me, after all I am to inherit everything.
I knew I had greatly disappointed him when I pursue medicine instead of business management. I knew he expected me to take over the chains of hotels and hospitals because well what could he expect with my mother after all? But I never wanted to be a businesswoman, it didn't appeal to me as being involved in Science did. But he never showed his disappointment, I think he must had just been glad that I didn't end up like my mother.
Anyway, I told Caleb that I would stay for another week, he didn't like it but he didn't argue that much. I called him everyday and it wasn't so bad being in a relationship with him. It's so normal and I grew missing him each day and I wished to just go home and be with him.
Weird right?
I think I must be grateful to Caleb for coercing me to be his girlfriend, yes he coerced me to be his girlfriend, it was sexual blackmail, not giving me the release I needed that time until I say yes. But I moved past it because he was also torturing himself that time as I remembered it correctly.
Yeah, I am grateful to him for because of him, I realized how society viewed me: a slut, a whore, a loose woman. I may not be like my mother who gallivants around the world for merely her own pleausre, who is selfish. But I might as be well be like her. In fact I think I was worse than her.
I slept around. And Caleb made me realize that I didn't want that. I do enjoy the pleasure sex could bring but I didn't want to be viewed as a whore. I wasn't.
If David didn't propositioned me with a quick fuck on the storage unit even knowing I had a boyfriend, I would never know how men thought of me, they all thought of me as an easy lay well not so easy but a willing one. Na kahit pa may boyfriend na ako, handa pairn akong makipag sex sa kanila kahit pa nga may boyfriend na ako. They expected me to cheat.
David did. Damn him. But I wasn't like that. I may have an aversion with relationship but I wasn't a cheater. Never was and never will be.
So yeah I am grateful to Caleb and because I am grateful I would do my best to be make this relationship work. I would show them all that I too can change and be a wonderful girlfriend.
"Don't you think ang aga pa para ipakilala mo ako sa parents mo?" tanong ko kay Caleb, we were on our way to Caleb's family home in Tagaytay. Kahapon na pagkauwi ko ay sinabi na niya sa akin na pupunta kami sa family gathering nila. "We can always turn back now." dagdag ko pa. It wasn't like I didn't like to meet Caleb's family but I wasn't ready. It was too early for our relationship to do the meet the parents kind a thing.
He simply glared at me and continued driving. "Makikilala't makikilala mo rin naman sila Emma so why prolong the wait?"
"So you're saying na ayos lang din sayo na pakilala kita sa family ko kahit maaga?"
He shrugged. "If you want to."
Napangiti ako sa pag-iisip na ipakilala si Caleb kay lola at lolo. I'm sure they would scare Caleb away. "Sure. Next month may party na hahanda si lola para sa akin, you must come."
"What kind of party is that? A society one?"
"Wedding anniversary. Every year naghahanda sila lola at lolo ng party para sa anniversary nila."
"Darating ba yung mom mo or dad mo?" tanong niya sa akin.
"Mom's in India or maybe she'd be in Bali next month so I don't know about her pero si dad, he always tried to minsan busy siya para makapunta." Even when dad had already divorced mom, he was still friendly to my grandparents. He still considered them as part of the family. Siguro dahil sa investments na ginawa ni lolo sa kompanya ni dad when he married mom but still he was on good terms with them.
We didn't talk after confirming that he was indeed coming with me. I slept through the ride. I was ride from my flight and well from Caleb last night.
Nagising nalang ako nung may kumakalabit sa akin at bumubulong. "Emma, we're here."
Dinilat ko na yung mata ko at tinignan ko si Caleb at tumango sa kanya. Lumabas na siya ng sasakyan at pinagbuksan ako ng pinto. While I went out of the car I looked in front of me, it was beautiful. It was captivating. It was so simple yet so elegant, lola would love this house.
"Like it? Caleb asked as he slid his arm around my waist.
The house was breathtaking and I wonder paano pa yung loob nito. "Yeah." I said.
He kissed me chastely and he escorted me inside the house at tama nga ako, ang ganda nung loob, it was grand yet so simple. Na para bang hindi pinagmamalaki ng pamilyang to na may pera sila.
It also brought warmth to her, she felt the warmth the house gave not just to anyone who lived there but also to the guests.
Pagkapasok namin sa loob agad kaming sinalubong ng isang babae which I assumed to be Caleb's mom, she was tall and attractive. Caleb had her eyes. She was beautiful. "You must be Emma." bati niya sa akin.
Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya. "Nice to meet you po Mrs. Montemayor."
Nginitian niya ako, yung alam mong hindi talaga peke yung ngiti niya. "Nonsense. Call me Tita Lara or better yet mom." she told me. "I must say, yung tinawagan ako ni Caleb at sinabing dadalhin niya yung girlfiend niya hindi ako naniwala, he must had bewitched you for you to agree to be his girlfriend."
"MOM!" saway ni Caleb sa mommy niya.
"What? Look at her Caleb! She's so beautiful! Who would have thought she's your girlfriend?" Tita Lara said.
"Mom I'm your son!"
I chuckled. "Caleb, your mom is right. But he didn't bewitch me kinulit lang niya ako ng kinulit."
"He must have!" napatingin kaming tatlo sa lalaking nagsalita. My God. He looked exactly like Caleb except for the eyes. "We Montemayors do anything just to get what we want." he said as he stood beside his wife. "I'm Terry, Caleb's dad but I assume you thought of me as his brother." he grinned.
I smiled. Cocky just like Caleb. "I certaintly did Mr. Montemayor."
"Now. Now. It's dad." Tito Terry said.
"Assuming are we?" I teased.
He grinned. "Nonsense! You'll definitely be my daughter-in-law."
Pinakilala nila ako sa iba pang relatives nila na nasa garden, and wow their garden was stunning. The view was stunning, yung Taal Lake kitang kita. Nakilala ko na rin yung dalawa pang kapatid ni Caleb na si Caden at Cole. Nalaman ko rin na architect si Caden at siya yung nagdesign ng bahay ngayon ng parents nila. Si Cole naman ay isa namang chemical engineer.
I liked them. They were sweet at easygoing.
Pagkatapos akong ipakilala sa lahat ay hinatak na ako palayo ni Caleb sa kanila dahil nagsimula na rin silang magkwento ng mga bagay bagay tungkol kay Caleb. Dinala ako ni Caleb sa kwarto niya which for my point of view had the greatest view of the Taal Lake.
Umupo siya sa sofa at inupo niya ako sa lap niya, he rested his head to my chest. "Sorry 'bout them." he murmured. "I missed you, you know."
"I know." I smiled. "I like your family."
"They like you too." sabi niya. "Emma?" he called while I ran my fingers to his hair.
"Hmm?"
"How close were you with Andy during high school?" he asked.
I went still.
A/N:
Meet the family of Caleb, abangan pa sila next chapter.
I posted something about Anya's story entitled Romacning the Princess, click on the external link to view it. I will be posting the prologue on August 17 so sana suportahan din niyo iyon pag na post ko na.
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till next time...