Sarah and Melissa decided to meet up at Cibo Restaurant in Glorietta Four; Sarah was with her bodyguard, Don. The restaurant was situated in an open place so she instructed Don to discretely watch her from a far as she waited for Melissa. She ordered herself an Iced Tea as she reviewed the Restaurant’s Menu. Melissa arrived fifteen minutes after her.
“Sars, sorry got caught up in the parking. Did you order already?” Her friend asked her as she sat at the chair across her. Sarah smiled at her friend. “Ok lang Mel, no worries. Not yet I am waiting for you. What do you want?” She asked her, still smiling at her.
“I am on a light lunch, Sars alam mo na diet ako.” Melissa told her, her expression was somewhat telling her that dieting sucks. Sarah laughed at her friend. “Hindi mo naman kasi kailangan magdiet. Sexy ka na.” She teasingly told her. Melissa rolled her eyes at her and let out a disgusted sigh. “You are really a good friend, Sars pero minsan you’re too good to be true.” She retorted back at her and laughed. Sarah joined her friend’s laughter and signaled for the waiter.
Melissa ordered herself an Insalata Di Mare (A seafood salad with shrimps, squid, crab, greens, basil pesto with a lemon vinaigrette.) and a glass of fresh lemonade for her beverage. After Melissa placed her order, Sarah proceeded with hers.
“One single order of Penne Il’ Magnifico (Penne Pasta with gorgonzola and porcini mushrooms in a cream sauce) and an order of Porchetta Pizza (a pizza topped with Mozzarella, Roast Pig, Spinach, Onion and Crackling). She told the waiter. The waiter repeated her and Melissa’s order and was about to leave their table when Sarah called his attention.
“Another glass of Limone Iced tea (Lemon Iced tea with fresh mint leaves.), please.” She added. The waiter nodded his head and went back to the kitchen to place their orders.
After the waiter left their table, Melissa raised an eyebrow at her. “Ang dami mong order ha, hindi ka ba pinakakain ng asawa mo?” She joked. She was about to answer her when Melissa suddenly interrupted her. “Oh I am sorry, dalawa nga pala kayong kumakain.” She said to Sarah as she took back her joke.
Sarah laughed lightly at her friend’s joke and said. “Correction, three.” She corrected. Her friend's jaw dropped instantly upon hearing what she just said and was speechless for a while.
“You mean your having.” Melissa said to her, unable to complete her sentence as she was still taken aback.
“Twins.” Sarah completed her friend’s sentence and winked.
“My gosh, that “Mr. Anderson”, is really something. Huh!” Melissa lightly teased her. She shook her head at her and laughed.
“Believe me, Mel, he is.” She lightly countered to her friend. Melissa giggled at what she said. She then looked at her a serious expression on her face.
“So what was Mr. Anderson’s reaction when you told him? By the way does he know already?” Her friend asked her curiously.
“Yap told him three nights ago and as per his reaction, he was speechless for a while and to my amazement, “my big man of a husband” actually cried.” She lightly rehashed to her friend her husband’s reaction upon hearing that they are expecting and a twin at that and laughed.
Melissa laughed with her as she covered her mouth to control it. “I can’t imagine the Anderson heir, crying. What a moment.” Melissa laughingly told her, her eyes a mixture of amazement and disbelief.
Sarah nodded her head to prove her friend that it was true and it was not a joke. “He did Mel, he cried. I don’t know if I will be disgusted or I will be touched by his reaction.” She joked.
“I took the latter.” She added. Melissa smiled at her and touched her hand which was resting at the table. “I am happy for you guys; amidst everything your love for each other is truly inspiring.” Her friend seriously and sincerely uttered to her.
She smiled at her friend, touched by what she just said and mouthed her heartfelt thank you. Melissa smiled and easily moved on to another topic which was her newest boy toy.
Sarah was laughing at her friend’s story regarding her newest conquest when Melissa suddenly stop talking.
“Hey, what happened to you? Bakit huminto ka sa kakadaldal?” She asked Melissa curiously. Melissa was speechless for a nick of time. “Sars don’t turn your back. The resto have new arrivals and I am sure you wouldn’t like who they are.” She cautiously and mysteriously exclaimed to her.
Sarah was tempted to turn her head to see the new arrivals as her back was facing the restaurant’s open entrance and decided against it.
“Why who are they?” She curiously asked Melissa, her eyes a bit wary. Melissa leaned forward to her and whispered. “Iza and Jake are seated at the far end of the resto, they are with the one and only Ricky Lo.” She whispered to her as she referred to the Philippines most respected Entertainment and Society journalist.
Sarah gasped for air and tried to lower head in an act to avoid to be notice by the said group. “Don’t worry I don’t think they have notice you yet. They were highly engrossed in their chat as they entered earlier.” Melissa added upon seeing her uneasiness.
Sarah was busy trying not to be notice when their orders arrive. Melissa was obviously fidgeting at her seat and somewhat anticipating a scene when Sarah’s bodyguard discreetly approached them. He kneeled beside Sarah for him not to be noticed.
“Mam, I saw the group coming and informed Mr. Anderson of the detail. He is on his way to fetch you mam. He instructed me to tell you not to leave the restaurant until he arrives. Try niyo na lang daw po na huwag makita ng grupo na kakarating lang.” Her bodyguard whispered to them. She nodded at him to indicate that she understood his and her husband’s instruction. He then bowed at them and discreetly exited the restaurant.
“Oh gosh, this is not happening.” Melissa nervously hissed at her. “Bakit pa siya pupunta dito, sigurado makikita siya and that would be a scene.” Melissa tensely told her.
“You know my husband Mel, he is overly protective pag bigla kasi tayong umalis at tumayo siguradong makikita tayo at least pag nandito siya, he can protect us.” She calmly explained to her friend as she pulled out her sunglasses from her purse and discretely wore it to cover her eyes.
“It will help me not to be notice.” She whispered to her as she pointed to her sunglass. Melissa nodded and started with her salad.
They were at the middle of their meal when her bodyguard discreetly approached them again. He again kneeled beside her and whispered.
“Mam, I think the group noticed you already, some reporters are on their way here. Mr. Anderson is already in the vicinity with his security team to fetch you. I think the group is waiting for his arrival before they'll make a scene. I already informed your husband of my analysis and he instructed me to look after you from here until he arrives.” Don explained to her.
Sarah nodded at him and lowered her head even more. She noticed, her friend put her fork down to her plate as she nervously covered one side of her face. “Gosh, I did not expect this.” She whispered to her as she tried to sip on her lemonade with her other hand.
“Mel, keep calm. Ge, will be here in a minute.” She encouraged her as she herself tried to calm down.
“Ge, make it fast, please.” She whispered silently as she tried to finish her meal.
Sarah and Melissa were trying to finish their meal when Sarah’s mobile phone beeped. “It must be Ge.” She whispered to her as she pulled out her phone from her purse. Melissa apprehensively nodded at her and kept her silence.
From: Unknown Number
Fancy seeing you here, Mrs. Anderson, have you received my note? Btw I know your loving husband is on his way to save his Lois Lane and so as a ton of reporters. I can’t wait!!! – F. D.
Sarah paled on what she just read. Melissa noticed her discomfort and held on her hand immediately. “What is it Sars?” She asked her with an alarmed voice.
Sarah just shook her head and inserted her phone back to her purse. “Nothing, Mel. “ She whispered. She then turned her head towards Iza and Jake’s direction and saw Iza evily smiling at her, her water glass was raised as if asking her for a toast. She ignored Iza, and gave her a blank expression. Sarah then turned her head and looked at Melissa who obviously saw the scene.
“What was that all about?” Melissa asked her curiously. Sarah sighed hard. “I guess she was asking for a toast.” She sarcastically pointed out to her friend.
“Let’s just ignore her, Mel.” She added.
Melissa rolled her eyes sarcastically. “That woman is surely asking for trouble, Sars.” She disgustingly told her.
She gave Melissa a sad smile. “Let us just ignore her, Mel. Let’s just pray that Ge will arrive soon before they made a scene." She calmly told her friend as she sipped her iced tea.
Melissa used her hand and fanned herself to calm her nerves. “Ang tagal ni Ge, feeling ko any moment gagawa ng eksena ang dalawa nay an.” Her friend warily warned her. She was about to answer Melissa when they were interrupted by a commotion outside the restaurant. She and Melissa simultaneously turned their heads towards the noise and there they saw a flock of reporters moving their way, camera flashing in their faces. Don immediately moved towards her to protect her from the flash of the cameras. She was nervously shifting in her seat as she tried her hardest to avoid the reporters and their cameras.
Reporter 1: Ms. Geronimo is it true that you and Mr. Anderson married secretely. One reporter shouted at her.
Reporter 2: Mam how does it feel that your former fiancée and the first daughter are also here. Did you greeted each other, mam? Another reporter asked her.
Reporter 3: Is Mr. Anderson coming, Mam? Another one shouted. Sarah tried her best to ignore the glaring lights and the relentless questioning of the press. Don tried his hardest to blocked the reporters away from her when the reporters suddenly moved their attention to the man who was about to enter the restaurant. They hurriedly moved away from her and approached her obviously wary husband.
Gerald instantly threw a concerned look at her and purposely moved towards her as he tried to block the reporters and their questions. His personal security team led by Kiefer in his tow, they were busy blocking the reporters when Gerald took his opportunity and strides towards her and Melissa.
Gerald gently lifted her out her seat. “Don’t worry Babe, I am here. Just follow my lead.” He whispered to her as he guided her out of the throng of reporters. The security team including Don helping them to get away, Melissa following them. They were about to exit the restaurant when Jake suddenly approached Gerald from his back.
“Getting away Anderson, you are such a loser!” Jake shouted at her husband as reporters flashed their cameras on them. She heard Melissa gasped from behind her. Gerald tightened his hold on her waist and inched her closer to him as his security team battling their way to block Jake and his own security details. Sarah was trying to be calm under her husband’s hold but the stress of the event got into her. She suddenly felt nauseous as she slowly fainted in her husband’s arms.
“Sarah!!” She faintly heard her husband scream as he lifted her in his arms.
Gerald worried and shocked that her wife fainted in his arms. “Keifer, Don, follow us please, hurry!” He roughly shouted to his head securities. Melissa, call the driver and asked him to wait for us at the mall’s entrance. We need to bring my wife at the hospital.” He hurriedly and worriedly instructed his friend as he briskly wrestled himself and his wife out from the throng of reporters who were busy flashing their cameras at them. He heard his security team busily blocking Jake and the reporters as they move away from them. Melissa, Keifer and Don in his tow.
“Babe, don’t worry. We are on our way to the hospital.” He whispered to her ears as he carried her out of the mall’s entrance.
“I love you, Babe. Hang on.” He added as he keep his calm.
-End of Chapter-