During taping…
Naka-tengga lang siya sa set at hindi muna siya isasalang ng dalawang oras. Sinamantala naman niya ang pagkakataon para makalaro ang anak na dinala na rin nila ni Gino sa set.
Mikay: Baby… Say mommy… mo—my… Come on, baby!
Pinipilit siyang gayahin ng anak. Pero hindi pa talaga nito kaya… At patuloy na lang siyang tinatawanan…
Mikay: Eto talagang anak ko! Napakabungisngis! Kiss na lang kita….
Pinugpog niya ito ng halik at lalo pang lumakas ang tawa ng anak… Natatawa na lang siya sa inaakto nito… Habang nakikipaglaro ay napasulyap siya kay Gino na nakaupo sa may di kalayuan lang. Kausap nito ang road manager niyang si Mike at ang manager din niya. They’re currently having an informal meeting.
Dahil sa sobrang pagka-busy na rin niya ay ibinigay na niya kay Gino ang responsibilidad na mag-decide para sa mga upcoming projects niya or any details about her career. At hindi nga siya nagkamali sa desisyon. He’s always professional. At iniisip nito ang kung ano nga ang mas makakabuti sa kanya…
Mikay: Baby… You play with yaya muna ha… Mommy needs to go to daddy…
Na-curious siya sa pinag-uusapan ng tatlo dahil mukhang seryoso ang mga ito… Lumapit agad siya at nagpakandong kay Gino… Kumapit lang ito sa bewang niya… Pero nagpatuloy pa rin sila sa usapan…
Manager: Gino, you can’t just always interfere even on small details like that…
Gino: Small detail? That’s not a small detail to me…
Mike: Pero Gino… Kelangan mo rin intindihin na may image si Mikay na dapat lagi niyang prino-project…
Mikay: Hey… Mukhang seryoso kayo ah… What’s going on here?
Mike: He’s questioning your outfit for your next cover on Rogue magazine…
Manager: He keeps on interfering eh tapos na ang usapan with the magazine…
Gino: Eh ano pang silbi ko at ng usapang ‘to kung final na pala lahat?
Mikay: Bakit? Ano ba ‘yung outfit?
Gino: Wala!… Wala kang outfit…
Mikay: Huh? Anong wala?
Mike: Mikay, ‘wag kang maniwala jan… Naalala mo ba ‘yung sinuot mo dati na nude body stocking with synthetic crystals pero hindi mo lang tinuloy ‘yung prod?
Mikay: Yeah…
Mike: Gusto ng Rogue na kunin ang concept na ‘yun at magpose ka with real crystals to be glued on your body…
Mikay: With the body stocking?
Mike: Wala ng body stocking… They’re gonna do something para dumikit siya sa balat mo…
Gino: Eh di tama nga ako! Outfit pa ba ang tawag mo dun?
Mikay: Guys, please stop this… Mike, Tito… I told you before that his decision is my decision, right? So if he doesn’t want what I’m going to wear, you just have to comply… Besides, ayoko rin ng ganon dahil para na rin akong nakahubad…
Gino: Thanks, babe… O, narinig niyo ‘yon ha… Ayaw kasing maniwala eh…
Naputol ang usapan nila nang may tumawag sa manager niya…
Manager: Really?!... Is this for sure?!... Wow!... Okay, I’ll go there now… Yeah, I’ll tell her to check her email… Okay, bye!
Nakatingin lang sila sa manager na halatang may itinatagong excitement…
Manager: Guess what… Mikay… You just got a nomination with the movie you made in New York…. Best Actress for Paris International Film Festival!
Napanganga siya sa sinabi nito…
Mikay: No Way!!!!
Pero patuloy lang itong tumango…
Mikay: You serious?!!!
Manager: Yes!!!!
Napaluha na siya.
Mikay: Oh my God!... Babe… Did you just hear that?!
Agad naman siyang niyakap nito…
Gino: I’m so proud of you, babe…
Mike: Well, someone’s going to Paris…
Habang yakap-yakap siya ni Gino ay bumulong ito sa kanya…
Gino: I’m coming with you…
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Paris…
Masakit para sa kanilang dalawa na iwan ang anak sa Pilipinas. This will be the first time na mawawalay sila ng isang linggo dito. Iniwan na muna nila ito sa parents ni Gino. Pero kampante naman siyang hindi mapapabayaan ang anak dahil nasa tabi nito ang kanyang yaya. Her yaya has also been like her mother as she was growing up… She just knows her son is safe with her…
The moment they got to Paris ay dumiretso na agad sila sa isang 5-star hotel suite. They just rest for a few hours at lumabas na rin sila to see the beauty outside. They went shopping and ate on a fine dining restaurant. They even managed to go to some of the tourist spots especially the Eiffel Tower…
Gino: Babe, kuhanan mo ako ng ganito… Like I’m holding the tower on my hand…
They’re currently taking pictures with the tower as their background…
Mikay: Look, babe… Ang ganda ng kuha ko…
Lumapit naman ito sa kanya.
Gino: Mas maganda kung kasama ka…
He took the camera and they started doing wacky poses together… Natawa na siya sa mga kung anu-anong pinaggagawa nila… He’s also smiling nang makita ang mga kuha nila…
Gino: I think there’s something missing…
Mikay: What?
Muli itong lumapit sa kanya at hinalikan siya sa mga labi… Napapikit siya sa ginawa nito… But she still felt the flash of camera on them…
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It’s the day of the International Film Festival…
They’re still at the hotel. Pero pareho na silang nakahanda for the event. And there’s something that’s really bothering her. Napasulyap siya kay Gino na ayos na ayos sa suot nitong tuxedo… Maging ang ayos ng buhok nito ay sleek at neat tingnan…
Mikay: Babe, I already told you… Invited guests lang ang dapat pumunta sa event na ‘yon… And you’re not one of them… Ang buong akala ko, sasamahan mo lang ako during my one week stay here. Hindi ko naman akalain na magpupumilit ka palang pumunta sa event… Gino, ayoko namang mapahiya ka lang ‘pag pinigilan kang hindi makapasok…
Gino: I’m still going…
Mikay: I hope you’re not gonna make a scene there…
Gino: Mikay, will you stop worrying too much? I’m going and that’s final…
Hindi na lang siya umimik… Pero kinakabahan talaga siya. She just finds his action too foolish… Para itong bata sa balak gawin. Sino nga naman ang magbabakasakali na mapapasok sa isang napaka-prestigious event nang walang invitation… She’s just hoping na hindi na lumaki ang balita ‘pag nagkataon…
Habang sakay ng limousine ay wala pa rin siyang imik. She’s not nervous on the event itself. She’s nervous with what Gino is about to do… Kung alam lang niyang ganito, sana pinaiwan na lang niya ito sa Pilipinas.
Gino: Hey! You look so tense… Relax, okay…
Mikay: Please Gino… Whatever happens, do not make a scene there…
Gino: Just relax… And smile… Sayang naman yang napakagandang ayos mo kung ganyan ang mood mo… Try to loosen up, babe… Come here…
Hinawakan siya nito at nasa aktong yayakapin…Pero nagmatigas siya at inirapan na lang niya ito… And he seemed to be not affected at all ‘coz she even saw him smiling…
When the limousine stopped, nauna nang bumaba ito at inalalayan siya. Dumiretso na sila sa red carpet. She’s just really hoping na wala munang makakapansin na may isang uninvited guest. They began posing for the photographers and Gino seems too proud… Gosh, why does she have this feeling that he’s about to be humiliated by some of the authorities there…
Sa di kalayuan ay natanawan na niya ang mga kasamahang artista sa New York. Maging ang director at ilang producers ay naroon din pati na ang road manager niyang si Ryan… Tuwang-tuwa siyang lumapit sa mga ito at nagkamustahan…
Surprisingly, Gino had seemed to find his way with the producers and director. At mukhang masaya pang nakikipagkwentuhan. By the looks of it ay matagal na silang magkakakilala. Pero naalala niya na maaaring nagkakilala ang mga ito sa bar ni Gino sa New York kung saan nagheld ng party ang buong cast noon…
Ryan: I never thought na ikaw pala ang sinasabi ni Gino na ex-girlfriend niya before. Gosh! The conversations the three of us had at his bar must have been pretty awkward for both of you at wala akong kaalam-alam ha! And I didn’t even know you’re carrying his child back then…
Parang nahihiya siya sa sinabi nito.
Mikay: Well, weird love stories do exist, you know…
Natawa naman ito…
Ryan: Anyway, congratulations, Mikaela… You really deserve this nomination… It’s a good thing na pinagpilitan ka ni talaga ni Gino to be one of the casts…
Napakunot siya sa sinabi nito.
Mikay: Excuse me? What do you mean?
Ryan: He specifically chose you for the role. But you know, he has every right to demand since the movie wouldn’t even exist in the first place if it weren’t for him…
Lalo na siyang naguguluhan sa sinasabi nito…
Mikay: Naguguluhan pa rin ako…. Ryan, what exactly are you talking about?
Ryan: Mikaela, you really don’t know? He’s the executive producer of the movie. He financed 80% of the budget. Oh, I’m sorry. Hindi ko ba nasabi sa ‘yo before? Oh my! I’m so sorry…
During the whole conversation ay lumilipad na ang utak niya at nakatulala na lang siya kay Gino na nakikipagkwentuhan pa rin sa grupo. Kahit nang makabalik na ito sa tabi niya ay tahimik na lang siya.
Gino: Hey, okay ka lang?
Mikay: Why you didn’t you tell me?
Mahinahon niyang tanong at mukhang nahulaan na agad nito ang ibig niyang sabihin.
Gino: Can we just talk about this later?
Mikay: No… I want explanations now… Follow me…
Nauna na siyang naglakad papasok ng building. Agad naman itong sumunod sa kanya. Nang makita niya ang restroom ay dumiretso na siya roon. Then, he closed the door and locked it…
Mikay: Explain…
Kalmado pero matigas ang pagkakasabi niya.
Gino: I told you that I’m going to win you back, right? That’s what I did! ‘Yun lang ang paraang naisip ko so we could start over!
Mikay: By producing a movie and casting me on it?!
Gino: That’s just an alibi! Paraan ko lang ‘yun para makapunta ka ng New York at masolo kita dun… Dahil kung andito ka sa Pilipinas, alam kong madali mo lang akong maiiwasan!
Mikay: Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi?! Ang tagal na nating nagkaayos and you didn’t even bother telling me!
Gino: I just don’t think it’s that important! Wala akong ibang nasa isip nun kundi ikaw lang! And besides, I just don’t want to bring that up anymore lalo na at okay na nga tayo… But when you have this nomination, I just knew it’s inevitable na malalaman mo rin kaya sumama na ako... so I can defend myself just in case you'll make such a big deal out of it!…
Mikay: How could I’ve not seen the signs… You have the control of everything… Seth was the one who pushed me to audition for the movie… Then, the welcome party was held at your bar… Then, we became neighbors… All of those couldn’t be just too coincidental… And I asked you before how the hell did you get inside my apartment… That’s because you have a duplicate key, right?... I should have noticed that much sooner…
Gino: Hindi mo napansin kasi hindi na importante ang bagay na ‘yon… We have us and the baby!… And that’s just what matters!
Hindi niya pinansin ang sinabi nito.
Mikay: All I thought was I really passed the auditon… All this time, planado na pala ang lahat… Now, I’m even questioning myself if I really deserve to be here…
Gino: Oo, Mikay… You were in that movie because it’s all planned… But you being nominated here… is something that you earned all by yourself… You’re here because they noticed how great you are as an actress… So, the answer is Yes… You deserve to be here… Kaya itigil na natin ang pagtatalo… I’ll just wait for you outside…
Pero bago ito tuluyang lumabas ay muli itong nagsalita…
Gino: I just want you to know that I have good intentions kaya ko ‘yun ginawa… Sana hindi maging problema sa atin ‘to, Mikay…
Nang makalabas na ito ng restroom ay pinilit niyang ibalik ang composure sa sarili. Nagulat lang talaga siya sa nalaman.
But she’s not really mad at him. She can’t be mad at him… How can she be mad at the man who’d do just about anything to win her back…
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