Chapter 9
There were only a few guests there. Some couples danced to the gentle song of the violin. Veronica’s forehead creased when she saw Elaiza at the bar. She looked totally confused and kept on taking shots of wine.
“I’ll talk to your sister.” She told Matt. He nodded and kissed her before walking towards a group of people talking to his dad.
Veronica still couldn’t believe what happened. She promised herself that she would never expect anything from Matt again. She couldn’t understand her feelings… She was happy... Very happy... But until when? Will Matt ever love her the way she loved him?
She sat down on the stool next to Elaiza when she got to the bar. Elaiza didn’t even notice her. She was just staring into the distance.
“That’s too much,” she commented, taking away the shot glass from her.
Elaiza looked startled. She looked at Veronica and gave her a weak smile. “Yeah… too much.”
“Are you okay? Drunk already?”
Elaiza looked at her. She bit her bottom lip.
“Oh I wish I was drunk.” She sighed. “Have you been in love, Veronica?” she asked, sounding sad.
“Of course. I’m in love with your brother,” she smiled. I love him so much…
“I mean, before him. First love, you know. Do you have any?”
“When I was sixteen,” she said like it just happened yesterday. “We all do, right?”
Veronica exhaled slowly. She had no idea where their conversation was going. But she knew something was bothering Elaiza.
“What happened then?” Elaiza asked her, tilting her head. She was playing with her hair.
Veronica looked down. “I had to give him up.” Her voice was sad.
“Why?”
“To keep him safe.”
“I don’t understand…” Elaiza wrinkled her forehead.
“I had to keep him away from Dad’s wrath.”
She nodded, acting like she understood what Veronica said. “Painful, right?”
“Very.” She replied. A sad sigh slipped through her lips.
“I also had mine when I was sixteen.” Elaiza told her. Veronica didn’t know if she was smiling or about to cry.
“Where is he now?” she asked.
“Here,” Elaiza responded, her finger pointing at her chest. “I can’t get him off here,” she was having a hard time talking. Tears trickled down her face.
Veronica took her hand and squeezed it. “I know the feeling, Elaiza.”
“Why does it have to hurt?” she whined. “Why does this stupid feeling never cease to end?”
Veronica wasn’t sure what to say because she didn’t know the answer either. Why does it have to hurt?
Elaiza looked up, taking rough wipes at her tears. “Do you still think of him? Your first love?” she asked.
“Yes.” Every moment of every single day, she wanted to add.
Elaiza wrinkled her nose. “You still love him?”
She sighed. “I guess there are just things that don’t change.”
Suddenly, a single tear streamed down Elaiza face and she covered it with her hands. “It’s so unfair…” Veronica leaned towards Elaiza and embraced her.
“It is.” She sounded stupid. But well, she is.
“If you weren’t engaged with Matt, would you marry your first love instead?” She looked up, her eyes soaked with tears.
Veronica had no clue what to say.
“Honestly?” she asked, looking at Elaiza straight in the eyes. “Yes.”
Tears blurred Veronica’s vision.
“Don’t get me wrong, Elaiza. I love your brother so much.”
“I know. I know… I can see it. But it’s just so unfair. Why do we have to feel something so strong for someone we can’t be together with?”
Again, she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to blurt out, why do we have to love someone who can’t love us in return?
“Just let it out, Elaiza…”
“I don’t want to love him anymore,” she sniffed, sobbing like a little child.
“Is that why you just kissed someone out of whim?” Veronica questioned her when she remembered seeing her kissing the waiter.
There was a long pause before she answered.
“That’s okay, Elaiza. I’ve done it before, too.” She admitted.
She took a slow, deep breath. “It was him, Veronica.”
Her eyebrows met. That waiter? How come?
Elaiza laughed. “I still can’t resist him.”
“You mean, the waiter?” she wrinkled her face even more, confused about what Elaiza was blabbing about.
She smiled. “Yes. He’s actually the chef. And he works at the hotel.”
“Why was he here?”
“I don’t know. He said they ran out of staff so he offered to come here. I didn’t want to see him. We’ve been over for a long time. I don’t know how it happened. I wasn’t even talking to him. But we ended up kissing. That was so stupid!–”
“Having fun, ladies?” a familiar voice said from behind.
They both turned their heads. Matt was standing a few feet away from them, his eyes filled with question.
“Cry baby, eh?”
She mouthed him ‘girl-talk’.
Matt came over to where they were seated and hugged his sister.
“You drank too much, lil sis.”
“Let’s go home, Matt.” She whined like a little kid.
Elaiza was asleep when they came home. Matt carried her into her room and dressed her into her pajamas.
I wish I could help you, Elaiza… she whispered to herself, looking through the small gap in the doorway. I wish I knew the answers to your questions. Because I’ve been searching for it for so long.
Veronica tucked Elaiza in, kissing her forehead before turning off the light.
When she closed the door, she saw Matt talking on the phone. She made her way to their room and quickly got ready for bed. Who was Matt talking to at this hour? Was it really that important? No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t fall asleep. The door suddenly opened and she pretended to be asleep. His phone abruptly rang. She heard him swearing before answering the call.
“Yes, yes.” He whispered as he walked to the bathroom. “I understand, Bianca. I’ll fix this.”
Veronica felt her emotions gather in her throat. So it was Bianca… Calling him at 2:30 in the morning? What was so important that she couldn’t wait till tomorrow? Was she jealous that he spent his night with his wife and not his mistress? Couldn’t Bianca just give her this night?
She felt a single tear sliding down her cheeks but she kept her eyes firmly closed. Matt lay down beside her. He kissed her forehead and then wrapped his arm around her waist.
Veronica wanted to push him away. She wanted to prove to him that she was okay without him. But she found herself squeezing into his body. Wanting to taste just a bit of love.
I love you, Matt… I love you so so much… her heart whispered before she finally fell asleep.
●●●
Veronica woke up to a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was already ten in the morning. She quickly got up, finding a bundle of roses beside her.
She found herself smiling. I hate you Matt! Her mind yelled.
Last night, she was angry at her husband. But after seeing the roses, she felt like she was on cloud nine. Where was her consistency about her emotions?
Veronica got ready to greet her husband in the kitchen. She took the flowers with her.
The table was ready when she got there. But Elaiza was the only one there.
“Good morning!” her tone was lively, despite her clear disappointment
Elaiza smiled. But there was sadness in her eyes.
“Hang-over?” she asked as she set the flowers down on the chair next to her.
“I wish. But don’t worry, Veronica. I’ll figure this out soon.”
“I’m just here. You know that, right?” she put her hands on Elaiza’s shoulders and gave them a strong squeeze.
Elaiza nodded and then smiled. Her face lit up when she saw that roses on the chair.
“Oh, that’s lovely!” she clapped.
“Yeah, very.” She took a vase and put the roses in it. “Where’s your brother? I just woke up with these.”
“Matt could be really sweet. Did you know that he’s never sent anyone flowers? Except you.. Oh well, you’re his wife. Silly me,” she rolled her eyes and grinned. “But knowing my brother, he lost his romantic side already, but I see it coming back now. How did you do it Veronica?”
Suddenly, she remembered about what happened the night before. The very intimate moment she shared with Matt. She felt her cheeks redden. Maybe that was what the flowers were for.
Veronica saw Elaiza’s meaningful smile. “You don’t have to tell me in details.” She winked.
“Do you want coffee?” she asked trying to hide her blushing face.
“Sure,”
Later in the afternoon, Elaiza packed her things. And by nighttime, after they had dinner together, she said her goodbye. Elaiza was going to move into her new unit. Matt called to tell her that he was going to be home late because he had to talk to a client.
Veronica felt sad as she watched Elaiza’s car drive away. She felt empty when she came into the quiet house. Where was Matt? What was going to happen to them now?
She glanced at the flowers that she woke up next to. Now she knew what they were for…The first time she received flowers from him was after that fateful night when he made love to her and he shouted Bianca’s name. He knew that she was hurting. It was a peace offering. And now, he was with Bianca again. He just made sure he had peace offering ready.
Oh, shut up, Veronica. Who are you to be jealous?
Something intimate happened between them. Something that normally happens between husband and wife. But it doesn’t assure her anything. Matt doesn’t even love her. He might be attracted to her but he doesn’t love her. Because if he did, he would be beside her right now. He would be hugging her. He would be talking about their future. If he loved her, he wouldn’t let her be alone in the house worrying where he might be.
After watching tv, Veronica decided to go to bed. It was 12:30 in the morning. She hugged her pillow and let the tears stream down her face.
●●●
Veronica woke up to the blare of her alarm clock. She quickly turned around the see if he was there.
He didn’t come home…
She weakly took a bath and got dressed. She didn’t bother eating breakfast and went straight to work. She didn’t know how many times she stared at her phone. Her hands were itching to call her husband because she couldn’t bring her nerves to calm down.
Veronica took her phone and dialed his number. She quickly pressed the end button before it had a chance to ring. Her heartbeat accelerated.
She was startled when her phone suddenly rang. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was Matt. Her hands shook as she picked up her phone and answered it.
“Are you okay?” she asked right away, sounding genuinely worried. Well, she was.
Veronica felt so relieved after hearing her husband’s voice. She wanted to tell him that she was missing him so much.
“Y-Yes. I’m alright. I’m–” she exhaled slowly. “I’m just a bit worried because you didn’t come home last night.”
“Oh, don’t be. I’m fine. I just have to do something really important.”
“Oh.. okay.”
There was a long pause.
“Veronica?”
“Yes?”
“I won’t be home for a couple of days. It’s something important.”
She tightened her grip on her cell phone.
“It’s nothing serious, right?” she asked.
Again, it was quiet for a few seconds. Finally, Matt spoke.
“I’ll tell you about it when I come home.”
“O-okay.” She wasn’t okay. There were a lot of questions in her mind but she was way too worried to even ask. “Just be safe,” she murmured, almost whispering. How was she going to tell him that she was going insane from missing him?
“I will be.” She responded. She was lying.
After a long pause, Matt replied.
“We will talk when I come home,” he told her.
Veronica nodded, even if he couldn’t see it.
“If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call, okay?”
“Yeah.”
“And–”
“Matt, I need you here,” It was a woman’s voice.
Veronica felt pain in her chest when she realized who it was.
“I’ll call you later.”
She didn’t answer. The line went dead.
Disappointment came over her. She just heard Bianca’s voice. He’s with Bianca… Bianca needs him… What was happening? Was it something serious? Something Matt doesn’t want to talk over the phone. Something that has to do with him and Bianca. What if… What if… She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it a little. Tears trickled down her face.
What if Bianca was pregnant?
●●●
It was the third day that Matt hasn’t come home. He hated to admit it but hell, he missed his wife. There were too many things on his mind right now. And it wouldn’t do him any good to be thinking about his wife all day. He just needed to stay focused.
He dialed his secretary’s number.
“Hello, Sir!”
“Lorrie, can you send flowers to my wife?”
“Sure, Sir. Consider it done.”
“Good. And put some sweet note.” He heard her chuckle. But her voice was formal again.
“No problem, Sir. Would that be all?”
“And tell my Dad to call me.”
“He told me to pass this message, Sir. He said no.”
Matt sighed.
“And also, Mr. Sandoval called and asked for the papers he should sign.”
He took a deep breath. There was so much work left to do at the office. And one of them was the papers for his father-in-law. Mr. Sandoval would surely get angry with him if he didn’t work on it.
“It’s in the left side drawer of my table. The one in the gray folder. Can you send it to him?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Thanks, Lorrie,” he said before pressing the end button. He will deal with business later. But right now he had to focus on more important things.
●●●
Veronica tried to occupy herself, trying to forget about everything that was bothering her.
She received a dozen white roses in the afternoon. Somehow it made her feel a lot better. And also because it was from Matt.
I’m missing you, honey. I’ll be home soon… Love, Matt
She took the card and kissed it gently. She knew his secretary had written it… But she wished he did. She always pretended that he did.
The night came slowly, and once again she was alone in their room. She tightly hugged Matt’s pillow and buried her face in it, trying to stop herself from crying. How could she control her feelings? How can she make herself feel better even just a tiny bit?
The phone suddenly rang. Immediately, she got up and answered it. “Hello, Dad?”
“Ma’am! Ma’am Veronica!” the voice in the other line was frantic and there was a sound blaring which sounded like an ambulance siren.
“Nelly?” she was feeling scared now.
“Ma’am, Sir had a cardiac arrest! We’re in the ambulance right now!”