Maine
"I love you."
I heard RJ whispering in my ear. I slowly open my eyes, squinting from the ray of sunshine that is peeking through the curtains.
He's not awake. I think he's dreaming. I wonder what he's dreaming about. I thought of the memories yesterday. A lot has happened, it is quite overwhelming but for some reason I didn't feel scared.
RJ is right, I've never felt so calm and peaceful too, not until I met him. For me, probably it's also because I feel secured when I am with him.
I touch my belly and let out a deep breath. I can't believe I am pregnant with RJ's baby. I can't believe that a baby is growing inside me now. I really hope that the test result is accurate and not a false alarm.
I am already attached to the unborn baby inside me.
And then I realized something, something cold touched my belly. I lifted my hand and there it is, my beautiful Tiffany engagement ring. I smiled. This is the first time I am seeing it in daylight. The stone is big, probably a 2.5. My dear fiancé did a very good job choosing my ring.
I still can't believe that RJ proposed to me last night. Out of all the women he was partnered with, those beautiful women, he chose me.
He chose me!
Me!
Simple, geeky, dorky me!
He put a ring on my finger!
Well, he did say I am beautiful, smart and sexy as hell! I giggled at the thought.
"Hmmm. Someone is happy." I heard RJ mumbling on my shoulders.
I turn to look at him. He gathers me in his arms and I am soon cocooned against him.
I nibbled his neck and started running my fingers up and down his sculpted stomach.
I hear him groan and grin.
He slowly shifts and turns onto his back and I kiss his chin. I look up into sleepy, amused eyes.
"Good morning, handsome."
"Well, good morning, beautiful."
Suddenly I'm flat on my back and RJ has laced his fingers in mine and pulls both my hands above my head. He kisses my neck and my chin, and moves his hands down my arms to cup my head in his hands.
"How are you this morning?" He whispers against my mouth and rubs his nose back and forth on mine.
"I'm good."
"You don't feel any symptoms yet?" He kisses my jaw and I sigh.
"Nope, none of those yet." I tell him and I tilt my head, giving him better access.
"Good." He whispers.
I smile and run my hands down his back. "I can't believe pregnancy symptoms talk is sexy."
He leans up to look down at me again and I cup his cheek in my hand.
"How are you?" I ask.
"I am happy, very happy."
I smile at his honest reply.
"I am glad."
"Oh babe, this feeling and this smile will never ever leave my face, because I know you will be forever mine."
"You are quite charming this morning Mr. Faulkerson."
He smiles down at me.
"You are beautiful in the morning my fiancée."
I snort at him and start to brush him off, but he holds my chin firm.
"You. Are. Beautiful." He tells me in between kisses.
Holy shit!
"You aren't so bad yourself." I smile against his mouth.
"I want you, baby" He murmurs.
Baby? Not babe? Why is he being so flirty?
"I can tell." His mesmerizing eyes gazes into mine and soon he is making sweet love to me again.
I can get used waking up to this every morning.
This is better than coffee, way better!
~~~~~><~~~~~
"I'll drive." RJ tells me. He takes the keys from me and loaded a suitcase full of my clothes.
"Yay! I get to be a passenger." I walk around the passenger side and get in.
"Just help me with the lanes while we're still in the city."
"Okay." I settled in my seat and let RJ drive.
He's been really tensed while driving around the city. It's funny watching him drive, so focused, his eyebrows all scrunched up. I didn't talk while we were still in the city because I didn't want to distract him.
But once we hit the Garden State Parkway again, I see RJ's shoulders loosen up. I was starting to doze off when I suddenly felt his hand on my belly.
I turn to look at him. He is smiling at me.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing. I am just imagining how it will feel like when your tummy is bigger." He tells me affectionately.
"It's still flat though." I said caressing my belly too, placing my hand on top of his.
He then takes my hand and placed it on his thigh. We both settled in a companionable silence and just enjoyed each other's company.
I pulled out my phone, to check if I got some messages.
"Oh shit!" I blurted.
"Babe what? You scared me." RJ said surprised at my sudden outburst.
"Oh sorry! I didn't mean to scream like that. I think my phone is broken." I whined.
"Why?" He asked.
"Look, my notifications are nonstop! It's just going and going." I said, showing him my locked phone screen.
He looks at it and he smiled at me.
"Why are you smiling? Babe! My phone is broken!"
"Your phone is not broken babe. It's just your notifications in Instagram. Remember I tagged you in my post? I forgot to tell you to turn your notification off. You probably have thousands now." He tells me.
"Oh! Okay. Wow! Wait I need to video record this and show it to Audrey." I grab my iPad from my tote and took a video of the nonstop notifications.
"Turn it off now babe, otherwise it will drain your battery." He tells me.
"Alright."
I open the settings in my Instagram account and turn off my notifications. Curious, I checked my Instagram account and true enough I got almost six thousand notifications. I took a photo of it again and just laughed.
"God babe! I need to get used to this."
"Don't read the comments yet okay? I want us to read it together."
"Oh sure!"
"Babe, I am craving Filipino food again, can we passed by a store?"
I look at him and smirked. "Babe, I'm the one who's pregnant, why are you having the cravings?"
"Babe, Pinoy ako! I need to eat Filipino food at least twice a week. I need rice! Parang awa mo na!" He begged, acting really hungry.
I laughed at his antics!
"Oh sigey, oh sigey! Pepekaynin ketey nan-g pengkayin na peynoy!" I kidded with him. But God! It's really hard to talk in Tagalog. I really need to learn and practice.
"Ha ha ha ha, babe! Why are you so freakin' cute! So adorable! Sus! Nanggigigil ako sa'yo!" He said, lightly pinching my cheek.
"Erey! Mesekit yown!" I whined exaggeratedly, making him laugh some more.
"Ay ka cute talaga ng mapapangasawa ko! Ang swerte ko talaga!"
"I'm not a snake!" I complained.
"Wait! What snake?" He asked, confused.
"I heard you said sawa!" I said pouting and crossing my arms on my chest, like a petulant child.
"Ha ha ha ha! Babe I didn't say you're a snake. I said mapapangasawa, it meant future wife."
"Oh!" I replied.
"Yes, oh! Why would I even say you're a snake? You know I love you." He said, taking my hand and kissing it.
"Hmmm. Okay. I found a Filipino store just off of Garden State Parkway, and closer here in New York. Do you want to go there?" I tell him while looking at my phone.
"Sure. Can you put that address on my phone so Siri can give us the directions?"
"Okay," I said, putting in the address. "What are you craving for anyway?"
"I want to eat sinigang and pancit. Do you know how to cook those?"
"I know I've eaten those, I'm sure my mom has the recipe in her box. But let me just check some recipes online so I know what to get inside the store."
"Thanks babe!"
"No problem. I am marrying you and I love you, so I might as well get used to cooking Filipino food."
I searched for the recipes and came to realized that there are different kinds of sinigang and pancit.
"Okay babe, what type of sinigang and pancit?" I asked him.
"Sinigang na baboy and pancit canton. But you don't have to cook it at the same time. It doesn't really go well together."
"Oh, alright."
~~~~~><~~~~~
"Babe, before we go in, I just want to warn you that people may recognize me and then you. They'll take our photos and most likely than not, ask for selfies with us. If you don't want to, you can always decline but they'll still take it anyway. I am already apologizing ahead of time, but this is my reality. I don't have privacy." RJ tells me as he puts the SUV to park.
I look at him and touched his cheek. I already know that this is going to happen. I mentally, sort of, psyched myself to this scenario when he first told me that he wants to passed by a Filipino store. I will call this a practice run for a much bigger picture.
"Good thing I am photo-op ready!" I answered casually.
"Ha ha ha! That's why I love you! But in all honesty? I want to be seen with you. I want my fans to see you because I got myself a very fine fiancée." He smiled and caressed my cheek.
"Ready?" I asked.
"Yes, let's go." He got out of the car and walk around my side to open my door. When I got out. I noticed there's really not a lot of cars in the parking lot. That's good. Well since it's a Monday too, I'm sure the store will not be as busy.
He took Totoy from the back seat and locked the SUV. As soon as we enter the store, I heard someone shriek from the baked goods counter.
"Let the show begin." RJ whispered in my ear, tightening his hold on my hands. "Hello po Nay, okay lang po ba na dalin ko yung alaga ko sa loob? Kakargahin lang namin." RJ smiled, giving the lady behind the counter a glimpse of his dimples.
"Ay oo naman anak! Basta wag mo lang ibaba ha." The lady replied, gushing at RJ.
"Okay po, thank you."
RJ grab a cart. I take Totoy from him and let him push the cart. By then a few patrons have recognized RJ and are buzzing around us.
"Babe, have you tried this?" He showed me a package of what looks like a shortbread cookie. It looks good.
"Not yet. What is it?" I asked him.
"It's called polvoron. It's good. I'll let you try it."
He puts the package in the cart and we continue on perusing the aisle. I can feel people looking at us now and snapping photos but no one has really approach us. I am feeling a little bit conscious now.
"Babe, I want to try more Filipino stuff. Tell me what these are?" I ask him, looking at some of the cookies.
"You know what, tell me what you think you like. We'll get it and then try it when we get home."
"Okay" and so I point to the items I like and RJ puts the package in our cart. Soon our cart is almost full.
After getting the items I will be needing for the sinigang, since he said that's what he wanted tonight, we approached the counter.
By this time, a crowd has already gathered around us. He gently placed his arms on my shoulder and steered me in front of him.
"Alden, pwede ba magpa-picture sa'yo?" One of the ladies asked him.
"Ay opo, pero magbabayad po muna kami ha?" He replied politely.
"Oh babe! I forgot, I want that something creamy with coconut and green jello?" RJ looks at me, not really understanding what I want.
I don't know what you're saying babe." He replied, smirking.
"My mom used to buy it in Filipino stores." Turning to the lady working the cash register, I ask her, "Atey, do you have that dessert, uhm, it's creamy with coconut and green jello?" I explained.
The lady smiled at me and nodded, "Is it buko pandan?" She asked me.
"I'm not sure, I'll know when I see it." I tell her. "Where can I find it?" I asked.
"Ay don't worry, I'll ask someone to get it for you."
"Baka nga buko pandan." The lady who asked for the photo said. "Alden ang ganda ganda naman ng girlfriend mo."
"Oo nga." Her companion agreed.
I blushed.
"Mga ate, di lang maganda, super bait and matalino pa! Bibili na nga ako ng helmet e, at baka mauntog, matauhan pa!" He kidded.
I jabbed his side. I understand most of what he said but not the helmet part though.
"Babe, ikew telegey!" I whined.
"Aww. Marunong ka palang magtagalog?" She asked me.
"Ownti lan-g pow!" I said, embarrassed of my lack of Tagalog speaking skills.
"It's okay babe, ang cute cute mo kaya pag nag-Tatagalog." RJ said giving me a kiss on the cheek.
The ladies blushed witnessing RJ's affection.
"Did you grow up here in America iha?" An older lady asked me.
"Yes pow, I am born and raised here. My mom's Filipino-Spanish and my dad is Italian-Brazilian.
"Ay kaya pala di ka masyadong marunong mag Tagalog."
"I can understand it pow, but I can't really speak it." I said, embarrassed.
"Oh you are doing a good job iha. It's just your accent." She tells me.
"Ey selemeyt pow!" I blushed from the compliment.
"Is this what you want?" The lady behind the cash register asked, showing me a tub of that fine Filipino delicatessen. My eyes widen and my mouth just watered.
"Yes! That's it. I want this babe!" I turned to look at RJ, who is already looking at me affectionately.
"Then we'll get it. It's called Buko Pandan babe." He points out.
"Bukow Payndayn." I repeated.
"Yes." He said smiling. It's clear that he's finding my Tagalog-speaking struggle amusing.
When we finished checking out, RJ gladly gave everyone a photo opportunity with him, but the surprising thing for me is that, they don't want a photo with him alone, they want a photo with us together.
And so I stood beside RJ, his arms protectively around my waist, and I experienced my first interaction with Alden's fans.
"Alden, member ako ng fan club mo dito sa Jersey. I know bakasyon mo 'to, pero baka naman bago ka umuwi sa Pilipinas, baka pwedeng mag get together tayo? Pag nag concert ka kasi madalas sa California. E since asa New York ka, baka pwede ka namin makasama kahit sandali lang." One younger lady asked him.
"Ay sige po. I-direct message nyo po si Sam tapos pa mention po na ako yung nagsabi sa inyo na i-message s'ya. Wala pong problema yun." He replied.
I noticed he is a little uptight, guarded even. This is Alden Richards right now and not RJ. I can tell the difference.
A few more pictures, a trunk full of groceries and a free bag full of Filipino breads later, we were finally able to hit the road again.
Once we exit Garden State Parkway, RJ was back. Grabbing my hand, he laced our face fingers together and lifted it up to his lips.
"How are you?" He asked. I am chewing on the hot bread the lady gave me.
I reached out to him and have him take a bite of the fresh bread.
"I'm good. Babe, this bread is so good!" I said taking another bite. "What is this anyway?"
"It's called pan-de-coco. Penge!" He said. I took another bite and and chewed on the yummy goodness!
"Uy! Penge!" He said again.
"Huh?" I look at him, not really understanding what he's trying to say.
"Penge ako. Aah!" He said opening his mouth.
"What does peyn-ge means?" I asked taking another bite.
"It means can I have some. Aaah." He tells me, opening his mouth again.
"Babe, it's pey-hin-gi. Not peyn-ge. Watch your Teygelog please." I said correcting him, taking yet another bite. Seriously this bread is so good.
"Ah, ngayon ako pa tinuturuan mo ha! O sige pey-hin-gi na. Aah!" He opened his mouth and I put in the yummy goodness in his mouth.
"Sarap!" He said.
"Peyn-ge." I whispered, trying to say and remember the word. "Peyn-ge." I said again.
"Mmm... cute mo!" He pinched my cheek lightly.
"Babe, I'm thirsty. If there's a rest stop with Starbucks, let's drive thru please." I tell him, giving him a cute face.
"How can I resist that beautiful face? Of course we are. I love you beautiful."
~~~~~><~~~~~
"Babe, this is sour! But I like it!" I am eating this tamarind candy, RJ bought from the store.
It's really good. I now wonder why my mom didn't introduce me to Filipino snacks. I already tasted a few cookies and some peanuts with garlic.
We are waiting for the pork in sinigang to get a little more tender so I can put the vegetables in.
"It's really good." RJ tells me, grabbing his phone on the coffee table.
I put another tamarind candy in my mouth and chewed.
"Babe, come closer. Let's look at the comments on my Instagram post." I scoot closer to him and lean my head on his shoulder. Immediately, he draped his arms around me pulling me closer.
His post have gotten almost one hundred sixty thousand likes and seven thousand comments. That's why my notification is crazy!
"Babe, this is insane! That much likes and comments? It hasn't even been a day since you posted it." I said in astonishment.
"Get used to it babe, that's just how it is." He shrugged. "And besides, I haven't posted anything in three months, my fans are really waiting for a post from me.
"Unbelievable, it's just amazing how you have a different life aside from this one that I know. Imagine, you have almost three million people following you, watching you and these are only the fans that has an Instagram account. I wonder how many fans you really have?" I wondered.
"Sam knows but only those that are registered. I don't want to know though, I don't want to get overwhelmed. But if I were to base it on the number of people whenever I have shows, I tell you, it's a lot." He explains.
I turn to look at the post again. RJ took the phone from me and scanned the comments. His facial expressions changing often.
"Hey! I thought we're going to read the comments together." I said nuzzling his neck.
Hmm... he smells so good. I love that smell.
"I don't know. I am having second thoughts if I want you to read the comments." He tells me.
"Why? Is it all negative?" I asked. Surely there will be negative reactions from his fans.
"No, but there are some though that I don't like you to see."
"Hey, I think I can handle criticism. It's alright, hand me the phone."
He gave me his phone and I started reading.
Most of the comments are 'happy for you', 'congratulations', 'when's the big day', and 'when are you coming home' messages.
I am not going to lie but there are some that says that 'he could have done better', ouch! that hurts! and 'there are more beautiful women here, why her?' Why not?
Oh well! I will not let this negative comments affect me. I know who I am, they don't. They are just basing their comments and criticism on the photo. The people I met this morning, said otherwise.
"Hey, I'm sorry." He pulled me in closer to him and kissed the top of my head.
"Why are you sorry?" I ask.
"I don't like it when people say bad things about you."
"Babe, it's alright. I understand, they are just being possessive. These people think they know what's best for you. They feel and act like they own you because they patronize you. That's what possessive fans do. Don't worry about me okay? I can take care of myself. These people don't know me, I'm sure once they get more factual information about me most of them will have a change of heart, if not, I really don't care. As long as you want and love me, that's all that matters."
"Thank you babe, and you know that, it's only you that matters." He run his fingers up and down my arms, giving my forehead some kisses.
It's only you that matters.
These are promised words from RJ that I am going to hold on to as I start a new life's journey with him.