CHRISTMAS OVER TIME
CHAPTER ONE | FIVE YEARS AGO
JAIMEE
Nakangiti ako habang nakatingin sa singsing na nakasuot sa daliri ko. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na may-asawa na ako. Everything happened so fast. I met Rhett last month in our company party that we celebrated in bar. We immediately hit it off. Rhett was handsome. Cool. Smart and I was immediately swept off my feet when he smiled at me. Tell me about love at first sight. That was what happened to me and he told me he felt the same. The next thing I knew, we were going out. The following week we were a couple and he wanted to move in with me. After another week, he proposed and now I was Mrs. Jaimee Chelsea Ardolini.
Marami ang nagsasabi na masyado daw mabilis ang pangyayari sa amin ni Rhett. Hindi ko pa daw masyadong kilala si Rhett. Weeks of being together then we were married, it really raised the eyebrow of many. But I didn't mind them. I knew Rhett was the perfect guy for me. We were both foreigners in San Francisco. We were both living away from our families and we were both trying to have our own lives in a foreign country. Siguro kasi pareho kami ng pinagdaaanan ni Rhett kaya kami nag-click. Pareho kaming galing sa hindi buong pamilya. He never knew his mom since he was a kid. His mom left and it was just his father who took care of him. Me, I grew up with both parents but when I was seven, my dad left us. I couldn't understand why my mother cried every night and tried so hard to explain to me that my father was not coming back. I was so young to understand what was going on. My father didn't look back. He didn't visit me. It was like he totally erased me and my mom and after a few months, my mother told me their marriage was already annulled and my father was marrying someone else which I later found out my mother's best friend.
I saw how my mother coped with her heartbreak for years. It was so hard for her and after her failed marriage, it was just us. She didn't entertain any other men who wanted to be with her. She said he didn't need any man in her life and the two of us could live without anyone else. And we were okay. I finished my studies, had my job and it was still us. Until I got an offer to work in San Francisco as a Brand Manager from a well-known pharmaceutical company. It was an offer that I cannot resist. The pay was high plus the benefits and I was going to be promoted and luckily my mom understands and totally gave me freedom to do whatever I wanted in my life. That was also the time she started to entertain suitors and eventually she started to count new boyfriends.
I was doing well and I couldn't ask for more. I was a newly grad and got a job from a good company. I was promoted and in just two years I got a good position. I was a boss at the age of twenty-three and now, I got a husband who loved me and supported me in everything. What more could I ask for?
"I still can't believe that you are married with Rhett Ardolini."
Maasim akong ngumiti at tinapunan ng tingin ang office mate kong si Korina. Naupo pa siya sa harap ng mesa ko. Pareho kami ng posisyon dito sa company. Kaka-promote lang niya as a brand manager din last month.
"Believe it now," kahit hindi ko feel ang vibes niya, hindi ko naman siya pinapakitaan ng hindi maganda. Alam ko naman kasi kung gaano niya kagusto si Rhett. Nang araw ng company party namin, alam ko kung paano siya nag-flirt kay Rhett. Sorry siya, ako ang napansin. Sa akin nabaliw, sa akin nagpakasal.
"But, hindi ba masyadong mabilis?" Ang asim din ng ngiti sa akin ni Korina. "Actually, iyan ang usap-usapan sa paligid. In just one-month nagpakasal na kayong dalawa? Gaano n'yo na kakilala ang isa't-isa?" Pumangalumbaba pa siya sa harap ko at talagang hinihintay ang sagot ko.
Inayos-ayos ko ang mga folders na nasa harap ko bago tumingin sa kanya. "If it's true love, there's no need to wait for so long. We both felt that we belong together and we intend to keep it that way for the rest our lives."
Pasimpleng napaikot ang mata niya at pilit na pilit ang ngiti sa akin. Wala akong pakialam kung cheesy para sa kanya ang sinabi ko. Basta alam ko, nagmamahalan kami ni Rhett at hinding-hindi kami magkakahiwalay.
"Gaano mo na siya kakilala? How can you be so sure that you are the only one? Did you already meet his family? His friends. Pareho kayong walang pamilya dito sa San Francisco." Lumabi pa siya pero alam kong hindi naman siya masaya sa sagot na naririnig sa akin.
"We are discussing about that. Next month after the holidays, we plan to surprise our families. We are going to visit them and we are going to get married in the Philippines. Iba pa rin siyempre ang Filipino traditional wedding with our families and friends." Napahinga ako ng malalim. "I trust Rhett. Actually, that is the foundation of our marriage. We trust each other."
Napatango-tango si Korina at hindi nawawala ang nakakaasar na ngiti sa labi tapos ay tumayo na.
"Tapos ka nang mag-interview sa akin?" Nakangiti ako sa kanya pero sarcastic ang tono ko. Alam ko naman na inaalam lang ng babaeng ito ang tungkol sa amin ng asawa ko.
"I am just happy for you. For you and Rhett and I wish to find a man like him too. Good day, Jaimee. Pupunta pa ako sa AMPH Advertising Agency. Baka may ipapadala ka? I'll be having a meeting with Bobby and Rhett with the new ad campaign for the relaunching of MedRite paracetamol."
"Bukas pa ang meeting namin sa kanila, but thanks for the offer. Magkikita naman kami ni Rhett mamaya." Pilit an pilit ang ngiti ko sa kanya.
Kumaway pa sa akin si Korina at napaikot ako ng mata nang tuluyan na siyang mawala. Naipagpasalamat kong umalis na rin siya. Tumunog ang telepono ko at nakita kong si Rhett ang tumatawag sa akin. Agad ko iyong sinagot nang may ngiti sa labi.
"Hi, Love. You're going to pick me up now?" Agad kong sabi nang sagutin ang tawag niya.
"Love, I miss you so much." Ang lambing-lambing ng boses ni Rhett kaya lalo lang akong kinikilig.
Pinapanginig pa ang tuhod ko at pinapabilis ang tibok ng puso ko. That was his effect to me. If he was head over heels to me, I was totally in love with him too.
"I miss you more. I wanted to see you na. Papunta ka na dito?" sagot ko sa kanya.
Napatikhim si Rhett. "That's the problem. I still need to attend an emergency meeting with the boss and Bobby." Dama ko ang disappointment sa tono niya. "Is it okay if you come here? Dito ka na lang maghintay sa office para sabay na tayong aalis and mamimili ng mga Christmas gifts and sabay na tayong pupunta sa dinner reservation natin."
"Is that the meeting with Korine?" Paniniguro ko.
"Papunta diyan si Korina sabi niya kasi may meeting daw kay Bobby saka sa'yo."
"That's the meeting about. May sabit si Bobby sa ad campaign na inilabas last week. 'Yong kay Korina. We need to fix it. Ang laki ng penalty ng agency namin. The meeting will be quick I promise. Deretso ka na sa office ko, huh? Doon mo ako hintayin."
"Okay, Love. May tapusin lang din ako dito tapos deretso na ako diyan. I love you."
"I love you more. I can't wait to see you."
Napangiti na lang ako sa sobrang kilig nang matapos ang pag-uusap namin. Pakiramdam ko ay nasa cloud nine ako. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagmamahal sa boses ni Rhett. Magmula ng makilala ko siya hanggang ngayon ay ganoon pa rin siya sa akin. Hindi nagbabago.
Ngiting-ngiti pa ako nang matapos ang usapan namin at punong-puno ng energy na binalikan ang trabaho ko. Inabala ko ang sarili sa trabaho at tinapos ang lahat ng dapat kong tapusin. From time to time ay sinusubukan kong tawagan si Rhett para tanungin kung start na ng meeting nila pero hindi siya sumasagot sa tawag ko. Nag-text din ako pero walang reply. Naisip kong baka umpisa na nga ng meeting at hindi na puwedeng maabala. Iniligpit ko na ang mga gamit ko at naghanda na para puntahan siya sa office niya.
