DAHIL sa sinabi ng lalaki sa kaibigan niya, nanlamig ito kahit sobrang init ng paligid. Nerize gave her a dagger look. Mabilis niyang iniwas ang tingin sa kaibigan at nagpapanggap na kinakausap ang three years old na batang babae.
What the heck is he thinking? Gulong-gulo ang isip ni Jeva, why would her husband tell her friend like that, like it was just so easy for him to say so. To think na ito ang nagsabi sa kanya na 'wag sabihin sa iba maliban sa mga pamilya nila.
Gusto niyang kutusan ang lalaki. Hindi man lang na- inform na gagawin niya yun.
Buti nalang she was saved by Nerize's star-manager, tumawag kasi ito sa kaibigan
Before going into the car again Nerize stopped her by grabbing her left arm. "You owe as an explanation." - she whispered to her.
Nerize starts walking away when Champ shouts at her. "When my wife's ogling towards other men, call me!"
"Yeah, whatever!" - The woman shouted back.
Champ and Nerize already known each other for not quite long because they work together in an action movie called Soldier.
"What was that?" - She asked and confoundedly looked at him.
He shrugged. "Nothing much."
"Were you saying that I was flirting with other men?" - She raised her brow. Champ chuckled. Akala niya kasi na ang pagsabi niya kay Nerize tungkol sa kanilang relasyon ang pinuputok ng butsi nito.
"I didn't say that." - he said plainly.
"What was that supposed to mean? Me? Ogling other men?" Tinuro niya ang kanyang sarili. "Are you even serious? I don't even have an ex-boyfriend. Kung makaakusa ka naman." - She rolled her eyes on him.
Champ zonked-out. He can't believe that his wife doesn't have an ex-boyfriend. Dahil kung makaasta ito mukha marami na itong karanasan sa lalaki.
"Why did you tell her?" - okay, he's wrong. He thought his wife wouldn't ask her about that.
"Well, to get even?" - he pursed his lips.
"Why? Why even?" - Jeva looked dumb because she could not understand a single word that her husband was saying.
"Well..." - Nakadalawang well na tong lalaking to ha? "I ahm, somehow told Jaxxon about us."
"Somehow?!" - She yelled exasperatedly. "Wait, what? You told him?" - She was face palmed. "Why?"
"Well..." Three, well now. Kinamot niya ang kanyang batok dahil sa hiya. Namumula pa ito at ang kanyang tenga. "I slipped. I don't want to give him you cookies."
"Why?" - parang sirang plaka na rin ata siya dahil sa kaka-why nya.
"I don't want to share your cookies. Akin lang 'yon." - he looked away. Feeling so shy. Cute!
"Why?"
"The heck with your why's Leyn?! You gave those to me so, akin lang 'yon. That's it! No further explanation!" - because he himself doesn't know why the heck he became so greedy when it comes to Jeva's cookies.
While the latter stunned when he called her by her second name, not duck or duckling. Her second name sounds good when he's the one saying it.
"Why so grumpy? Hindi ko alam na madamot ka pala." - she smirked at him.
He tsked. "Only to your cookies. Only to you." - Jeva doesn't hear the last sentence he mumbled.
She chuckled. "Well, I guess we will not be even." â Champ gave her a questioning look. "Nerize will tell my other friends. I know that. Want me to stop her?" - mabilis na umiling ang lalaki.
"Let her."
Pabor 'yon sa kaniya. Dahil kung alam ng mga kaibigan nito na may asawa na siya ay hindi na sya hahayaan ng mga ito na lumapit sa ibang lalaki or vice versa. He also knew that his wife's friends are same as him. Standing or working on the limelight. They won't do anything that would harm her wife and one of those things is letting the media know about their relationship.
"Are we not going yet, Ate Eva?" - napakurap siya nang biglang magsalita ang bata na nakakandong sa kanyang hita. The little girl looked at her innocently.
"Hoy, kutong-lupa. Tara na. Hatid na natin tong si Eliz sa bahay ni Mari." - she gave him Mari's address and the latter drove immediately.
"Why kutong-lupa?" - he is asking her why she's calling him kutong-lupa or lamang-lupa.
"Kasi pangit ka." - agad namang sagot ang huli.
"What me? Ugly? Seriously, Eva?" - he mimicked the kid calling her Eva.
"He is not ugly ate Eva." - she rolled her eyes when he gave her a teasing smile. And confidently look towards the road.
"Don't be so full of yourself, Mr. Quiroz. The kid may say that you're not ugly but it doesn't you are handsome--"
"But he is handsome, ate." - she groaned in frustration while the man laughed his heart out.
She pouted and leaned towards the kid. "Don't you love me anymore, baby? Why are you defending him?"
The innocent kid furrowed her brows. "Of course, I still love you, ate Eva. But, I am not defending Mr. Quiroz, I am just telling the truth. Isn't he handsome for you?" - bulol-bulol na sabi ng bata.
Napakamot ng ulo si Jeva. She doesn't want to lie at the kid. "Of course. He..." - she glanced at Champ who's looking at her mouthed her 'what'. Tumigil kasi sila dahil sa sobrang traffic.
"He is okay." - ngumiwi ang lalaki dahil sa sagot niya.
"What do you mean by okay, wife?" - she was about to answer her when the kid started interrogating her.
"Why did he call you wife, ate? What do you mean by wife?" - such a lamb.
"Ah, eh?" - she scowled at Champ and mouthed him to help her. She doesn't know how to explain.
Champ snickered. "Baby..." - tawag niya rito at agad namang umikot patingin sa kanya ang bata. "Webster said..."- he didn't finished what he is about to say because the kid throw him a question.
"Who is Webster?"
"Webster is a dictionary." - her small lips formed into 'o' looking up.
"So, Webster is a thing?" - tumango naman siya rito. "What does that say about a wife?"
"Well, it says that wife is a female partner in a marriage." - nakita niyang kumunot ang noo ng bata who's trying to understand what he was saying. "It's ahm..." - he's trying to find another word to explain it thoroughly to the kid. Habang ang babae naman ay lihim na natatawa dahil nalipat sa lalaki ang atensyon ng bata.
Nakatangang naghihintay ang bata sa kanyang sasabihin. "It's a... marriage is an intimate union." - mas lalo atang lumalim ang sinasabi niya kaya mas lalong lumukot ang mukha ng bata. "Wedding... we are wedded."
Umaliwalas ang mukha ng bata. "Oh? Like the girl is walking on the aisle wearing a long white gown with a veil while the man is waiting at the altar?" - she clasped her hand while her eyes twinkled. Sabay namang napangiwi ang dalawa because they knew they didn't experience that kind of wedding.
That thought saddened Jeva's heart. Thinking if she could experience that kind of wedding. She's been dreaming to be wedded in the church with the love of her life but she feels like she will no longer experience that.
Champ could see Jeva's face became gloomy but he just shrugged it off and nodded at the kid.
"Great!" - the kid clapped her little hands. "I heard that after wedding the girl and the boy will have kids like me. Are you going to have a kid? Or do you already have a kid? Will you let him play with me?" - the kid is such a dewy who's pumping her butt up and down on Jeva's lap while the latter choked by her own spittle.
Dahil sa sinabi ng bata ay mabilis at madiing na naapakan ni Champ ang brake. Kaya muntik na napasubsob ang dalawa sa dashboard.
Mabuti nalang at mabilis si Jeva at hawak-hawak niya ang ulo ng bata dahilan para hindi ito tumama doon.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" - she angrily shouted at him.
"I'm sorry. I was just... are you okay?" â tanong niya sa babae.
"The heck! I am okay but you frightened the kid, dumbass!" - he immediately faced the kid and cupped her face.
"Are you okay, baby girl?" - he asked her with a very soft voice. The kid's eyes become red. Oh no.
"Yes." - she sniffed. "Are you two fighting because of me? Please don't fight, I will stop asking na." - a tear fell from the kid's eye. Jeva immediately wiped it off.
She smiled sweetly at the little girl. "It's okay. Don't cry." The kid nodded.
"I'm sorry, kiddo. I was just surprised." - the kid smiled at him. "Do you like to have some ice cream?" - agad namang nagningning ang namumulang mga mata ng bata and ecstatically said yes!
Iyon na nga binilhan nila ng ice cream ang bata sa malapit na convenience store. Of course, si Jeva ang lumabas para bumili ng ice cream kaysa naman dumugin itong kasama niyang lalaki.
Habang bumili siya nga ice cream ay nakasalubong niya si Jean. Jean Lander Lucena her army friend.
"Hey, what's up?" - agad na tanong nito sa kaniya.
"Nothing much. We'll be heading to Mari's house." - she informed him. "How about you?" - tanong niya habang sabay silang naglakad palabas ng store.
"Still the same." - He shrugged. "I have to go. I have something to do. Urgent." Urgent? Wala naman siyang naalalang pinagkakaabalahan nito maliban sa... Nanlaki ang mga mata niya giving him a questioning look.
"Yeah. Yeah. You're right." - natawa na lang siya sa lalaki. He gave her a peck on the cheeks while she tapped his back before waving goodbye.
Nang makabalik siya sa kotse. She picks up the kid before sitting in the passenger seat and places the kid back on her lap. She gave the ice cream to the kid.
She glanced at her husband, her brows crinkled when he saw him sulked as he drove the car again. What the heck is wrong with him, again?
"Hey, are you okay?" - the man rolled his eyes on her. Ew! So gay.
"Asked that to the man who kissed you a while ago." Fuck it! Jeva bit her tongue. Is he jealous?
Champ felt so depressed. Gusto niyang bumaba kanina at suntukin ang pangahas na humalik sa pisngi nga asawa niya but seeing her wife giggled at the man stopped him. Ayaw niya ring lumabas ng padalos-dalos dahil baka sumunod sa kaniya ang bata at baka may makakilala pa sa kaniya.
The reason why he wanted to use Jeva's car is because he doesn't want to capture the paparazzi's eyes. He wanted to go out with his wife with no pressure but being a celebrity, that would be so impossible.
"Are you jealous?"
His jaw dropped. "Why would I be jealous?"
"You're my husband. You do have the right to get jealous." - she teased him.
He rolled his eyes. Aba, ang suplado! "Hindi ako nagseselos 'don. He's not even handsome as me at ang haba pa ng baba niya." - pfft! Natawa sa kaniya si Jeva. He said that he is not jealous but he sounded like one.
"Yeah, whatever." - she doesn't want to argue anymore.
She helped the kid eats the ice cream. She hold the small cup at kinuha rin nito ang maliit na kutsara saka sinubuan ang bata.
"Ate, I want that." - itinuro nito sa isang stall sa gilid ng kalsada na nagbebenta ng mga street foods.
"Sorry, baby but that's not good for your health." - the little girl pouted.
Fudge! You're not the only one who wants to eat that, baby. Now, she's craving for street foods which is one of her favorite foods but she can't be a bad example to the kid. She knew it wasn't good for the health pero totoo yata ang kasabihang lahat ng bawal ay masarap.
Ilang saglit pa lang ay nakarating na sila sa bahay ni Mari.
"Ihahatid ko lang sa loob ang bata." â paalam niya sa lalaki. Tumango naman ito.
She carried the baby girl and went directly to the house door and pushed the door bell. Ibinaba niya ang bata at pinatago sa gilid ng bahay malapit sa isang halaman. She pushed the door bell again.
Later on, Kyza opened the door. She raised her brow at her. "Nandito ka pala bat hindi na lang ikaw ang sumundo sa bata?" - she gestured her hand to call the kid she hide in the bush. Agad naman itong sumunod sa kanya.
"Did you just hide the kid in the bush, bitch?!" - hindi makapaniwalang pasigaw na tanong ng kanyang kaibigan. Oh, it's not sigaw it's really her voice. Normal na 'yan sa kanya.
"Language please. There's a kid right here." - turo niya sa bata. Gusto niyang matawa sa sarili nya. Sinusuway i ang kanyang kaibigan sa pananalita nito pero ganun rin naman siya kanina at narinig 'yon ng bata.
Kyza just rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So?" - pertaining to what she did to the kid.
"I was going to prank on Mari. Ako pala ang naprank dito dahil ikaw ang lumabas. What are you doing here? And where is she?" - she placed her hand on the shoulders of the kid.
"I moved here, just now." - she shrugged. "So I wasn't able to get the kid and she's still not here. Siguro naglalakwatsa pa para makahanap ng maisusulat." - Yeah right! She's a writer after all.
"Why did you moved here?" - wala kasi siyang naalala na may sinabi si Mari na lilipat itong si Kyza sa bahay niya.
"Same old problem." - she said plainly. Jeva could see pain in her eyes. She knew that Kyza wouldn't like to talk about it. Kaya naman hindi na siya nagtanong pa tungkol dito.
She kneeled down to level with the kid. "You're ate Mari is still not here. I'll leave you to ate Kyza. Okay?" - tumango naman ang bata. The kid is close to them and she knew that Kyza wouldn't hurt her kahit may pagkabrutal ang babaeng 'yon, hindi nito magagawang manakit ng bata.
"Dito ka rin susunduin ng mama mo." - Jeva said to the kid. Tumango naman ito.
Tumayo siya ng matuwid at hinarap ang kaibigan. "I'll leave you to her. We'll see each other later." - the latter rolled her eyes on her.
Kyza watched her walked away. Kumunot ang noo nito ng hindi pumasok sa kaibigan sa driver seat. Who's driving her car?
When Jeva's already inside the car Champ immediately drove the car away.
"Champ..." - she just took his breath away by calling him with his second name. But the woman doesn't care about him being stunned. Akala niya kasi itinigil lang nito ang pagda-drive para makausap at marinig siya ng maayos.
"I want to eat something." - she told him but the man was dazed.
"Champ..." - he held breath when she called his name again.
Naiinis na naman ang babae dahil mukhang naging bato na ang lalaki.
"Hoy kutong-lupa lupa na umahon mula sa kailaliman ng planetang Earth, napadpad ka na ba sa Pluto?!" - binatukan niya ang lalaki para maibalik ito sa wisyo. Agad namang napahawak ang lalaki sa parteng binatukan niya.
"What the heck, Leyn?!" So now, they're calling each other's second name. She smirked.
"Eh, parang naging pluto ka na, eh. Nawala na sa universe." - she scowled at him which makes him smile widely.
"I just love how you call me by my second name. No one calls me that." Napangiti naman ang babae sa kanyang narinig.
She licks her lower lip and bit it slightly. "Well..." - the man turned his gaze away from her. "Just like how I love the way you call me by my second name." - agad siyang napabaling sa babae, who's grinning at him.
"Anyways, I want to take you somewhere." - tinanggal nito ang suot na seatbelt. "I'll drive." - naguguluhan namang tumingin ang lalaki sa kaniya.
Nakita niyang hindi gumalaw ang lalaki. "Move!" - napakurap naman ang lalaki dahil sa pagsigaw nito. "Don't worry. I know how to drive. My dad won't give a car if I can't." -
"Okay." - agad namang tinanggal nito ang kanyang seatbelt at nagpalit sila ng upuan.
After exchanging seats they put their seatbelts on when Jeva saw that they're both ready, she drifted the car.
"Woah! Easy there, babe." - but the woman seems to not care. Pinaharurot nito ang kaniyang sasakyan habang ang lalaki naman ay mahigpit na napakapit sa upuan.
"WHAT THE HECK, JEVA LEYN?! ARE TRYING TO KILL ME?!" - she just laughed at him at mas binilisan pa ang pagpapatakbo ng sasakyan.
"WHAT THE FUCK?! SLOW DOWN, WOMAN! I'M NOT YET READY TO DIE! WALA PA AKONG ANAK!" - Jeva slow down a bit habang sapo-sapo ang kanyang tiyan sa kakatawa.
"Oh my God! The oh-so-cool Mr. Quiroz just freaked out." - she teased him at hindi pa rin ito tumigil sa kakatawa.
Champ is catching his breath thanking God because no police man running after them.
"So, you wanted to have kids?" - she grinned at him. "I can give one, two, three or as many as you want. Just tell me. My body is always ready for you." - she laughed again. She might be kidding him right now but some jokes are half meant at isa ito dun.
Champ coughed because of what she said. Tawa naman ng tawa ang babae. He glared at her but she still didn't stop laughing until she was choked by her own saliva.
"Good for you." - Champ rolled his eyes on her. Kahit na nabilaukan siya ay hindi pa rin niya mapigilang ngumiti. The man is just so adorable.
"Don't worry, Mr. Quiroz. You'll be fine if I was the one driving. I was a drag racer." - his jaw dropped. His wife is really a badass. Kaya pala ganito ito magpatakbo ng sasakyan but it's still not safe.
"You're not driving again." - nanlaki ang mata ni Jeva dahil sa sinabi ng asawa.
"I'll be hiring a driver for you. You can't drive again. I'm not letting you. It's dangerous."
Hindi siya makapagsalita dahil sa sinabi ng lalaki. Her father supported her in her race before, he was always there during her race tapos pagbabawalan lang siya ng asawa niya.
"B-but..."
"No buts, Jeva Leyn. No are not driving again. Ayokong may mangyaring masama sayo. I want a child, yes. But I can't have that if you are practicing how to die." -hindi niya alam kung kikiligin ba siya o maiinis dahil sa biglaang paghihigpit ng lalaki sa kanya.
Pero tumahimik na lang siya at nagdrive patungo sa dating tambayan nila ng kanyang mga kaibigan, of course, with minimum speed.
"We're here." â That's five barangays away from where they're living. The place is not so remote. Hindi rin ito city-like, just in the middle. "Most of the people here don't have television so, don't worry. Walang makakakilala sayo."
"I doubt that." - taas noong sabi nito.
"So cocky." - sabay silang napatawa lumabas sila sa kotse matapos itong maipark ni Jeva.
Champ wears his hood and sunglasses ayaw niyang magpakampante. He look around, he saw variety of street foods and kakainin.
"I thought you said street foods are bad for the health?"
She shrugged and also looked around. "Well, they're one of my favorites." - now, she's salivating.