He opened his eyes feeling a warm breath brushes his neck. He smile as he looks down on Sarah scooted beside him, face buried just below his chin.
“I love you so much and you are mine” He silently declared.
He leans his head a little to kiss her head. He can smell the sweet aroma of her shampoo that her hair radiates.
Oh boy, how addicted he is to her.
All his thoughts stop when the woman he is hugging shudders. He knows why and it pained him because he doesn’t know anything about it at all.
She won’t tell him.
It frustrates him because ever since they live together, she never lies, but this is an exemption.
Yes, he is not mad at her, of course. It just pissed him off that he doesn’t know a thing to what causes her like this. All he wants is to take this thing away from her, but he can’t. It frustrates him that he can’t do a thing because he doesn’t know anything about it.
The whimper she is producing is getting louder that snapped him to wake her up.
“hey, baby” he sweetly whispers.
“baby” he calls again when his first call didn’t reach her.
He scooted away gently and touch his wife’s face lovingly
“Baby, wake up”
…
She snapped her eyes open when she heard the worried tone of her husband. She then felt his hand move from her cheek to wipe the tears that intrude her face.
She looks up to see his eyes full of worries focus on her. She can feel he has many questions in mind, and she is grateful that he doesn’t insist to know it anymore.
“I love you.” She heard him says sweetly, so sweet that it can melts her heart.
“I know.” She said, and then lean forward to give him a peck on his lips.
She can say that he froze from what she did.
Well, it didn’t surprise her since as far as she can remember, this is the second time that she kiss him, well, peck, and the first one is last night while he is sleeping, so for him, this is the first time.
She touch his cheek with her right hand gently. Finally, he managed to recover from her ‘bold’ act, he look back at her. She can see the look in his eyes, there has passion and love.
She then flashed him the sweetest smile that she can manage.
He smile back.
“I already have to get up. The team building starts today and I have to be in office at 6:00 am. Look! It’s already 4. I only have 2 hours to prepare.” She suddenly utters non-stop with matching hands gestures.
The man beside her laughs at her.
She smile. Oh, how she loves those laughs.
…
As they walk towards the company’s entrance, they can already hear the excited tone of her best friend.
They stop walking from not that a far from where most of her co-workers waiting, then she saw Yeng exaggeratedly wave at them. When she is about to run towards her, she felt a warm and firm hold on her wrist.
“Don’t get excited for leaving me, baby” said the man beside her as soon as she looks back at him.
“I’m not excited on leaving you. I’m excited for Yeng. Besides, I’ll be back. It’s just five days.” She seriously explains.
“So you mean to tell me, you’re more excited to be with Yeng than to be with me?!” the serious mixed with surprised tone suddenly came from him.
As soon as his words sink in her, she blinks.
Then blinks again.
And then she laughs.
She laughs harder as soon as he pouts.
“why are you laughing?” she knows he is irritated from the way he asked her back.
“Have you heard yourself? Seriously? You’re jealous at my girl best friend!?”
She then saw him open his mouth then immediately close, like a fish does.
She chuckles at the cute antics of her life.
She reach for his face; cupping it with both of her hands.
“These five days are for myself, selfish it may sounds and I really thank you for that. I know I’ve been unfair to you for this past two years, or maybe more. So as soon as I’m back, I’ll make it up to you.” She sweetly utters.
After some seconds of silence, his knitted bow straighten, he whispers
“promise?”
She smile.
“promise” she answered while nodding.
She then feels him lean a little closer but then halts when they heard the call from her loud best friend.
“Sarah! Come on, we have to go!”
“Okay! Okay!” she shoot back, then told Matt her goodbye.
…
“Yes bro”, he said to his friend Fred over the phone while driving to Batangas.
His dad’s company’s outing will be held somewhere in Batangas. He decided to drive directly to where they’ll stay for five days rather than to make a stop at his new house at Laguna since they left Manila a little late.
“Of course, Grace is with me.” he then take a glance on the rear view mirror to check his daughter who is now asleep; head rested on the lap of her yaya.
“That’s why I’m counting on you. I know you can handle my shop. Just give me updates and I trust you. Besides it’s just for a month.”
“wow! A month, bro. So what now? You’ll finally play the obedient son role, huh?” he heard his friend asked.
“It’s just ate needs me. It’s for my ate, not for him.”
“Woo. It’s the same. Let me remind you that it’s still a family business.”
“Whatever.” He said, focusing on the road.
“So.. you’re going to start already as soon as you got there?”
“No, the company will have team building for five days and I have to participate. By the way, bro, can you imagine it’s whole freaking five days and all the office staffs will be there.”
“so?” he heard his friend ask. He is sure that his friend didn’t catch anything from what he said.
“what so?! I’m saying, who the hell will work at the company while having this team building?”
“Haha. Man! Give them a break! You know, when your employees are satisfied, eventually your customer will be too.”
“Come on, man. Don’t you get my side? It’s almost we’re shutting down for five days. Isn’t my father getting insane or something?”
“Haha. Bro, really. Hmm. Maybe he just wanted you to meet someone else. I mean, you know…” his friend trails.
“I don’t know how we end up in this topic. Anyway, you know well my answer to that.”
“Right, the love of your life. Huh?” Fred asked in his bored tone.
“Of course. One and only.” He smile.
…
He stop his car at the entrance of Balai Isabel, a resort somewhere in Batangas. He took a glance at his wrist watch then taps his two fingers on the steering wheel.
One of the security personnel of the resort approach them and asked for identity and some substantial details from him. As soon as he settles everything, he started his car’s engine again to go inside the resort.
He drove directly at the reception area where this Mr. Garcia is waiting.
“Dad, are we staying here?” he heard the question from Grace, who is now fully awake. He wonders what time she’ll going to sleep later when she just woke up and it’s already 7:00pm.
“For just five days, princess.”
“I thought I won’t see Betty for 1 month?” His daughter is referring to his wife’s dog; Betty.
“Yes princess. After our stay here, we’ll transfer somewhere else where we’ll stay longer.”
“Is that so?” his daughter asked and he amusedly nods at her.
He then glance outside the car and saw someone approach them.
Maybe he is Mr. Garcia.
He hasn’t met anyone from the company, and he just talked to this Mr. Garcia over the phone. He also informed him the very reason why he has to go here which his Dad failed to tell him.
Apparently, the team leader of one department from the company had filed an emergency leave and since he is the son of the company’s owner, his father assigned him to be that department’s head and of course, act as the president on behalf of his ate since his ate is now in Egypt doing some business with his Dad.
“Just one second princess, I’ll be back.” He informed his daughter.
He got out of his car to get the key, balai number, and the direction where they’ll stay.
…
“Seriously Sarah, if you’re not yet married, I bet there are so many guys ogling at you right now. Well, guys practically ogling at you a while ago.” Yeng teased her.
They are now at one of the rooms the company rented. One balai has two bedrooms in it with two beds in each room, one cr and a shower room, a sala; two sofas and a tv set, and a small kitchen.
When they arrived at the resort, both of them dropped their jaw when they saw where they’ll stay for five full days.
And she is happy to have this time but quite guilty that she can experience this kind of luxury while Matt doesn’t.
She is currently sitting in a sofa watching tv, practically killing time while waiting for the gathering at one of the pavilions of the resort, well, she’s hoping to have dinner soon.
She’s hungry but they have to wait for the special visitor they’ll have as what she heard.
“Hey!”
“what?” she then look at Yeng, whose sitting across her. They are the only occupants that stayed in the balai while their other two co-occupants are strolling out.
“Have you even heard anything that I just said?” Her friend asked her with twitched brow.
“Nope.” She simply said, refocusing her concentration on the television. They are currently watching Dyesebel and that Fredo simply catch her attention. He’s just simply angel looking.
“that’s rude, you know.” Yeng told her.
She looks at her friend and she laughs at her irritated look.
“Okay I’m sorry. I’m just not interested on what you’re saying.”
“Hey! That hurts.” Yeng pouts and she chuckles.
“No, I mean, I’m not interested on your topic.” She explained.
“Oh come on, that’s the truth. I mean, what I’m saying is what really happened.”
“That what?”
“That most guys ogled at you when you walk out there wearing a sleeveless and a short shorts.”
“Right.”
“And you have the most conservative outfit. But girl, your image just stood out.” The smirk on her friend’s face is now visible.
“That’s not really important. I’m not interested.”
“Haha. Right, you’re the very loyal wife of Mr. Matteo. He is so lucky!”
“He deserve it.” Then looks back at the t.v since the commercial gap has ended.
“Woo. He looks like a womanizer to me.”
As she heard it, she immediately look back at Yeng. “what?!” she exclaimed.
“Easy. It’s just about his aura. That’s all.”
“Hey, don’t say something like that. That’s not true.”
“Hahaha. You never know. Hahaha. Kidding aside, seriously I mean, I think both of you has a perfect relationship. Although, your husband is a little weird because of his possessiveness but still, you’re satisfied. Right?”
Perfect relationship?
“Hey!” her friend interrupts her.
“Hm?”
“I asked if you’re satisfied?”
“satisfied? With Matt? Of course I’am. He is the only one that I have.”
“Hm. Right. Right” her friend agreed. Nods then finally focus the attention on the television.
She frowns.
Perfect relationship, huh?
…
“Dad, I want to share a room with you.” Grace told him.
“Are you sure?”
“Why Dad? Don’t you wanna?” his daughter asked him back, pouting.
“Haha. Of course I want to.” He exclaimed and the little child beamed at him.
“um. Daddy, can I go outside?” his daughter cutely asked him.
“Baby, you do know that it’s already dark outside, right?” he asked back while walking towards their room.
Since the balai has two bedrooms and as what his daughter wants, they’ll share a room while the kid’s maid will occupy the other.
It’s not that bad.
He thought while assessing the room. It’s not that luxurious but it feels relaxing.
“Daddy, I know it’s dark. I just want a stroll.” His daughter asked back. She is now sitting on the bed, legs dangling on the side while trying to bounce herself.
She is just so cute that he agreed. “Just make sure your yaya is with you, okay?” He said while fixing their stuffs on the closet that facing the beds.
As soon as his is daughter is out of sight. Sadness reflects on his face while staring at the bed. He again remembered his wife.
“Babe” she whispered in his ear.
They are now laying on the bed, just finished their third round on their first night being married.
“Hmm?” He hummed in response when he felt his ear softly played by her.
He felt her lean to him then a warm breath brushed his ear. She whispered “I love you”
Those three words make the butterflies in his stomach gone wild again.
He smile, his eyes are still closed.
He felt her poke his cheek, he opened his eyes and as soon as he look down to her, she pressed her lips to his.
He smile and she snickers.
He lift his left hand to caress the back of her head and also to prevent her to stop what she started while his other hand hold the blanket that wrapped their body and pulled it over their heard, completely covering them. Moans and snickers were heard next.
He is already half lying on the bed; his lower half is flat lying on the bed while the other half was pushed back on the headboard. He closed his eyes and tears roll down on his cheek.
…
“Perfect relationship, eh?” she mumbles.
She is now outside their balai after her conversation with Yeng. At first, she has no interest on what her friend is talking about. But those two words that Yeng commented bother her. She doesn’t know why, it just did.
She is seated just on the pool’s edge, legs dangling on the pool; feet playing with the water while her upper body’s leaning backward supported by her two hands; arms stretched on her sides, head is up facing the sky and eyes twinkling as the star above does.
“That’s how they think my relationship with Matt is. Perfect. But they don’t know anything. They don’t know that I’m the worst wife a man can have. I admit, I have been unfair to Matt, big time. And that’s the reason why I’m here. Hoping that these five days will make me feel better. Oh how I wish I remembered the way I am to Matt before so that I’m not being unfair to him now. All I want is to remember my past; not for myself but for Matt.”
She tried to remember everything, she does remember her past but that would stop until that day. That day when she opened her eyes and the first thing that she noticed is the worried face of a man, well he’s the only one in the room though.
She sat up straight, and the man tensed up; the worried look in his face still present.
She then immediately holds her head, feeling a mild strike in it from the sudden movement. As soon as he saw her like that, the man immediately ran towards her, sit beside the bed.
“Hey, are you alright?” the man asked her.
She nods, then..
“who?.. where?” she asked while tilting her head left and right, not able to complete her questions. The throbbing inside her head worsen, she then hold her head again. A little bit frustrated since it seems that her mind is not functioning. It’s all black.
“Um. You don’t remember me? Do you?” the man asked her, brows knitted.
She bit her lower lip. “Do I supposed to know you?” she asked back.
The man breathe heavily, she can’t pinpoint if he’s frustrated or relieved.
“Look Sarah, it’s..”
“What did you just say?” she cut him.
The man frowned. “what did I say, you asked?”
“yes, what did you just called me?”
“Your name of course, Sarah.” The man told her matter-of-factly.
“Sarah?” she asked back, like she wanted to dig in her disabled mind.
“Sarah.” She repeated, not focusing to him anymore.
Then after a while, she looked at the man, he seems to be in a deep thought as well.
Suddenly, the man asked him the question that she too asking herself.
“You don’t remember anything, do you?” he accusingly told her.
Then that’s when she panicked, because he is right. She can’t think about anything. She tried to recall but all she got is the time when she opened her eyes and saw this stranger. She can’t even remember her own name!
With that, the throbs strike her head again, this time, it’s worse. She panicky grabs her head with both of her hands and hysterically claims the pain inside.
“Hey, hey, it’s fine, it’s fine.” The man soothes her. She flinched a little from the warm he gave once his hand touched her back. “Don’t force yourself, it’s fine.”
She looked at the man sitting beside her, the man who is almost hugging her.
“who are you?” she weakly asked.
The man hesitated a bit before he can answered, “I’m Matteo.”
“and you are.. my?” she slowly asked.
“Um.” She saw how little his brows knitted. “I.. um. You’re my wife.”
She froze, then after some seconds; her eyes widen and dropped her jaw from that confession. At first, of course, she just can’t believe it but then, from his patience and well, after some days, he showed her some proofs that he is indeed her husband. Like their pictures together before, one of those is their picture while both of them are wearing a wedding dress, he even have their marriage certificate.
“Twinkle, twinkle little star..” a small voice brought her back to present time. She looked back and saw a little girl singing. The kid is holding a teddy bear, walking towards who knows where since the kid is looking at the sky.
Because she’s worried that the little child will fall, she get up and started walking towards the child.
But then as soon as she had her first step, the child fell; tripped by the small rock peacefully rested on the ground. She ran towards the child and saw another woman in uniform approach her too.
Nevertheless, she ignored the woman because the woman stopped her tracks as soon as she saw her. She ignored the weird action of the woman.
The child’s yaya. She thought.
She kneeled down to aid the little child. She is surprise that the kid isn’t crying but aiding her own wound she got on the knee. At that moment, she felt proud for the kid.
“Are you alright?” she asked the child after a moment.
The child looked up to her and stared at her for how many minutes. She witnessed every change of reactions in the child’s face; surprised, confused, questioning. She smiled because she looks cute but feels weird at the same time. The little child looks familiar to her but she just can’t say where she saw the child.
The frown in the little child’s face didn’t change though. She just thought that it is because of her wound. But when she is about to asked the child if there’s something wrong, the kid leaps to her and hug her as tight as her little arms can give.
She then heard the little child’s cute voice “mommy?”
…
He snapped his eyes opened as soon as he heard a knock on the door. He stood up and walked towards the front door to open it for the ‘intruder’.
He is a bit irritated because his reminiscing about his wife interrupted.
“It has to be good. It has to be.” He mumbles under his breath. He hold the door knob firmly then twisted to open the door.
There stood his Grace beaming at him like she found a treasure; a woman standing just beside her.
He paled as soon as his eyes lay on the woman’s beautiful face. He saw her looks at him confused since her brows are knitted, mimicking his brows.
He step backwards weakly when it sinks in him, he just can’t believe what he is seeing right now.
After some seconds…
“Yes, a dream. It’s just.. I always think of her. Yes, that’s it. Gerald, that’s it” He mumbles, trying to convince his own self that what he is seeing is the fruit of his daydreaming of her.
“are you alright, dad?” his little child asked him
His brows knitted more. “no, I mean .. um..yes, um.. I’m just seeing things..” he said while looking at the woman standing in front of him.
Oh boy, how much he wanted to hug her right now. But he just can’t, he doesn’t want Grace see him like that, that he is insane hugging no one.
The woman spoke which made his heart skip some beats. He thought his heart even jump out of his chest. “I’m not a thing, mister” she sarcastically told him.
There, his heart stops beating. He thought he’ll die any minute now. He missed her badly that it hurts.
He lifts both of his hands hesitatingly reached her. Then when he can’t control anymore, he grab her towards him. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face just above her shoulder.
“Babe, I missed you so much that it hurts” he whispered.
He is very happy to feel her in his arms again like this, even though it’s just a dream. Well, that is what he believes.