Today is my ugly day. I decided to wear a pair of my black leggings, over-sized white shirt and I let my hair fall freely over my shoulder. I didn't take a bath that Sunday morning. I just want to be lazy and be ugly even for once in my life. I stayed at my pent house the whole day. I turned my phone off and told my maid to take the day off.
I just wanted to be alone. I don't know why. Maybe it has to something to do about my sister who's in love with my ex – boyfriend, my ex – boyfriend who seemed to have moved on and who's looking better every fucking time I see him and maybe it's also because of the fact that I miss my little Chuchay. I sighed again.
Milky barked beside me. He jumped to my lap and licked my arm. He looked at me with those puppy dog eyes and barked again.
"What's wrong, babe? Are you hungry?" Tanong ko pa. Kinarga ko siya at saka hinalikan. "Hmp! Ang baho na naman ng breath mo. Kaka-tooth brush mo lang naman kanina." Ngumuso pa ako na para bang naiintindihan niya ako talaga. He barked again.
"O, siya, wala tayong food ngayon kaya mamimili na lang si Mommy ng food mo sa labas. Ayoko ng food dito sa hotel. Gusto ko lang ng Jollibee. Gusto mo ng chicken joy? Or iyong buto lang ng chicken joy?"
Tumayo ako para soutin ang flip lops ko. I took my everyday Parada bag and my Versace sunglasses. Ibinuhol ko ang buhok ko at saka lumabas na ng pent house. Habang nasa elevator ay nakasalubong ko ang mga bellboy. Hindi nila ako pinapansin – which is fine by the way – kaya lang nakakatawa kasi naisip ko nab aka nga hindi nila ako nakikilala dahil sa ayos ko.
Nagtatatahol si Milky habang nasa elevator kaming dalawa. Hindi pa siguro siya sanay sa pagsakay doon. Masasanay rin naman siya tulad ni Chuchay. I sighed again. I missed Chuchay. It's been a week since she died. I missed my baby girl. Buti nga at binigyan ako ni Ignacio ng husky. Kahit paano ay nalilibang ako.
After getting out of the elevator, I went to the parking lot to get my car. I made sure that Milky was safe at the back seat. I don't want my baby to be hurt or something. Kailangan ko nga rin pala siyang dalhin sa vet. Kailangan kong itanong kung kalian siya pwedeng bigyan ng shots.
Pagpasok ko sa loob ay agad kong tinawagan ang secretary ko para magpa-appointment si Milky. I looked at him.
"Anong surname mo? Consunji o Roothe?" Napangiwi ako. "Milky Consunji na lang. Hindi naman kami kasal ng tatay mo, as if naman magpapakasal pa kami, hindi naman ako naniniwala doon." I smirked again. "Isa pa, baby, hindi naman kami in a relationship. I know for a fuck that he had fucked half of the women in Dubai. Sure ako, ¼ doon, may putok at hindi naliligo. Kaya yuck lang!"
I went to the mall that afternoon. Ibibili ko si Milky ng mga gamit. Naghanap kasi ako kahapon pero wala na pala iyong mga feeding bottles ni Chuchay. Naitapon na yata ng maid o baka naman napagkamalan ni Yael na kay Yohan kaya iniuwi niya sa kanila.
I went to the department store. Karga ko pa rin si Milky. Tinitingnan ako ng mga tao pero wala akong pakialam. Minsan lang naman nila akong makitang pangit at walang ayos, damahin na nila.
Nagpunta ako sa toddler's section. I picked up three feeding bottles all for my baby boy. I also made a mental note na tanungin sa doctor kung anong gatas ang dapat para sa kanya. Ang alam ko kasi ay hindi pa siya pwedeng pakainin. Baka maimpacho ang baby ko.
Nang makapili na ako ay agad akong nagpunta sa cashier para magbayad. Suot ko pa rin ang sunglasses ko tapos ay nakasukbit sa balikat ko ang malaki kong Prada bag.
"Miss, para sa anak mo? Hindi ka nagpapa-breast feed?" Tanong ng cashier. Tumaas ang kilay ko. Alam kong malaki ang hinaharap ko pero walang lamang gatas iyon. Sa hitsura ko bang ito mukha akong may anak? Mag-re-react na sana ako nang tumalon si Milky mula sa braso ko pababa sa sahig. Nagtatatahol siya.
"Milky!" I called him to get back but he kept on running. Kinuha ko na lang ang pinamili ko at saka hinabol na siya. "Milky!"
I stopped running when I saw my baby being held by Igancio Roothe. May mga nakapaligid sa kanyang – probably – mga business investors or board members ng company nila. They all looked at me and as I stood there, feeling so bared, I asked myself why I didn't take a bath this morning.
"Good afternoon, Hyacinth." Binati niya ako. I smiled back. Inalis ko ang sunglasses ko at nagsalita na rin.
"Good afternoon to you too, Mr. Roothe."
"Everyone this is Miss Hyacith Consunji of the Consunji Empires. And this is our dog, Milky—"
"Yeah, Milky Consunji." Binuo ko ang pangalan ng aso ko. Tumingin si Ignacio sa akin.
"Then it should be Milky Roothe because I'm his father."
Tumaas lalo ang kilay ko. Then he smiled.
"Gentlemen, we are dismissed for today. See you next month in Dubai. Thank you. My secretary will lead you to your lunch."
He watched the investors as they leave the department store. Nang hindi na niya matanaw ang mga ito ay humarap siya sa akin.
"What are you doing today, Hya?" He suddenly asked me. Napapalatak ako.
"I'm buying supplies for Milky. Tapos I'm gonna eat out and then, I'm taking him to the vet for his shots. So, if you don't mind, aalis na kami ng anak ko."
"Natin." He gave emphasize to the word natin. I rolled my eyes and took Milky away from his arms.
"Shut up and let us be." Natatawang sabi ko.
"Sasama ako. Wala naman akong gagawin. Marita can take care of the investors. It's Sunday and I need a day off."
"It's Sunday and it's my ugly me day so just fuck off!"
Sinusundan niya pa rin ako habang naglalakad ako palabas ng departments store. Nagulat pa ako nang kunin ni Ignacio ang mga pinamili ko at saka umagapay sa akin. I sighed. Mukhang hindi ko naman na siya mapapaalis sa ngayon kaya hahayaan ko na lang siya.
I went back to the parking lot to look for my car. Muli na naman akong nagulat nang kunin niya ang susi ng kotse ko at siya na mismo ang nag-drive.
I was like, okay fine...
"Saan ang next?" He asked me.
"Sa Vet. Milky has to have shots. Anyway, what happened to you and Ica back at the bar last week? She was crying and all when she came home to me." I asked out of nowhere. Pinagalitan ko pa ang sarili ko dahil hindi ko napigilang magtanong. Nakita kong nakuyom ni Ignacio ang kamay niya habang nakakapit sa manibela.
"You should ask her."
"Oh yeah, she said she kissed you." Tumawa ako nang pagak. Nakita kon namula ang buong mukha ni Ignacio tapos ay hindi na siya nagsalita. Itinanong na lang niya sa akin kung saan ang Vet ni Milky but other than that wala na siyang sinabi pang iba.
Dalawa kami sa loob ng clinic pero nakaupo lang siya sa isang tabi. He was just watching me and the Vet as we interact with each other.
"Sa March 31 pwede na siyang kumain ng soft foods ha. Pero kaunti lang. Pwede mashed potato. Don't forget bawal sa kanila ang sweets."
"I know that already. Thank you, Doc. Kailan ko siya ibabalik?"
"Next month na siguro. Basta iyong mga bilin ko."
"Okay. Thank you again."
Kinuha ko si Milky at hinarap si Ignacio. Nakasimangot pa rin siya.
"Hoy, 'lika na. Hatid mo na ako sa hotel ko tapos pahatid ka na lang sa company driver namin." Sabi ko sa kanya. Hindi pa rin siya nagsasalita. I have no idea what was going inside his head but probably, it has something to do with Ica.
"Ignacio, I don't mind if you kissed my sister or if she had kissed you. Wala naman na tayo. So, if you date another girl, even if it's my sister, I'm okay. At least now, we're okay. No hard feelings." Malumanay na wika ko sa kanya. I was just playing with Milky's fur.
Hanggang ssa dumating kami sa pent house ay ganoon pa rin ang reaksyon ng mukha niya. Pumasok kami sa bahay. Buti na lang at naglinis ang personal maid ko kundi kasama ang bahay ko sa ugly day ko.
"Thank you, Ignacio." I smiled at him. Kumunot ang noo ko nang nakasimangot pa rin siya. "Ano bang problema mo?" Tanong ko sa kanya.
"What if I kissed Ica, what are you gonna do about it."
"Nothing." Wika ko. "What do you expect me to do? Wala naman na tayo. You have your own life, I have mine. What's there to do?"
"So if I fuck your sister, wala kang mararamdaman?" Tanong niya pa ulit.
I took in a sharp breath. "What's the point of this? Why are we even having this conversation?" I asked him again.
"Panay kang sabi na wala na tayo, wala na tayo, bakit Hyacinth, given a chance, babalikan mo ba ako?"
"Hindi, kasi kung oo, sa huli aayain mo lang akong magpakasal, aayaw ako, mauulit na naman ang nangyari five years ago. Kung sasabihin mo sa akin na tanggap mo ang desisyon ko, na ayokong matali dahil masisira lang tayo, na siya naming nangyayari dahil nga sa thought na gusto mo akong pakasalan, then maybe I will give it another try, but as long as you have that wedding in your mind, then I'm sorry, we're off."
Nakita kong lalong sumama ang hitsura ni Ignacio.
"Hanggang ngayon iyong katigasan pa rin ng ulo mo ang pinapairal mo! Didn't you learn anything for the past five years, Hyacinth? Nasayang ang limang taon---"
"You fucked a lot of women for the last five years, bakit masasayang ang panahon?"
He looked at me.
"I didn't fuck any women for the last five years, Hyacinth. I tried but all I could think about was that last night we'd spent together in bed making love."
Kulang na lang ay atakihin ako sa puso dahil sa mga sinabi niya sa akin. Niloloko niya ba ako? Why would he say that to me? Was he only acting like this because he wants to get inside my pants? But why? I hate it! And yet...
He seemed so sincere and truthful. I bit my lower lip.
"Sinasabi mo lang---"
"For the last five years, wala akong hiniling kundi ang mabuntis ka at tawagan mo ako o ni Ica para may dahilan ako para pakasalanan ka. Ang daming babae sa Dubai—"
"Oo, iyong iba hindi naliligo." I smirked.
"Pero kahit isa sa kanila wala akong ginusto dahil kahit nasaktan mo ako at ang pagkalalaki ko, mahal na mahal pa rin kita. And could you just imagine what I felt when I saw you on that pastry shop after five years, Hyacinth? I was overwhelmed. You were just so beautiful..." He sighed again. Galit ako sa'yo bago kita makita but when I saw you, everything melted. Basta ang alam ko, mahal lang kita. Kahit na ilang beses mo akong ayawan, mahal lang kita... Iyon kasi iyon, Hya. Mahal lang kita."
My tears fell.
"How could you say that after kissing my sister?"
He shook his head.
"I didn't kiss her."
"She's in love with you."
Humakbang siya papunta sa akin.
"Believe me, Hya. Your sister might be in love with someone else but it isn't me."
"But she said he's in love with Roothe..." Nababaghan ako.
"I am not the only Roothe in the world."
Nang muli kong tingnan si Ignacio ay nakaluhod na naman siya sa harapan ko. My heart boomed.
"Ignacio!"
"I'm not asking you to marry me, Hyacinth. I'm just asking you if you want to get back together with me, in this way, so you'll get used to me kneeling in front of you every time, I have a chance because that's how it's gonna be if you accept me again. I will not leave, I will be patient. Hinayang na hinayang ako sa limang taon, so please, let's just get back together, if you're still in love with me."
I stood there... with my tears falling down and my love for him overflowing. I'm in love with Ignacio so, I said...
"Yes, let's get back together. I love you too."
FbcG۹