Pursue Her Heart

CHAPTER 5

PAGPASOK pa lang ni Austin sa kanilang living room, ang kaniyang ina agad ang sumalubong sa kaniya. Nakangiti pa ito ng malapad. His mother was expecting something.

“How’s the blind date, anak?” Katrina asked excitedly.

Ngumiti si Austin. “It was fine, Mom.” Umupo siya sa sofa saka kinuha ang isang baso ng juice na naroon na hindi pa nagagalaw. He knew that his mother had prepared it for him.

“That’s great, anak.” Natutuwang saad ng ina ni Austin.

Austin nodded. He looked away, so his mother wouldn’t know he was keeping something.

“To tell you honestly, her mother had agreed to the arranged marriage between you and Mia.” Pagsiwalat ni Katrina.

Muntik na maibuga ni Austin ang iniinom na juice dahil sa sinabi ng kaniyang ina. Gulat siyang napatingin sa kaniyang ina. “Arrange marriage? Mom, akala ko blind date lang.”

Tumawa si Katrina. Tuwang-tuwa siya sa reaksiyon ni Austin. “Don’t worry, cultivate your feelings first with Mia. Hindi naman kami nagmamadali. To tell you honestly, son, I like Mia for you.”

Austin frowned. “Have you met her before?”

Tumabi si Katrina sa anak. “Of course. Hindi ko naman siya ipapa-blind date sa ‘yo kung hindi ko siya kilala.”

Indeed, Austin’s mother doesn’t get along well with strangers.

“How did you meet her, Mom?” Austin asked.

“Oh. I went to visit Mia’s mother one day in the hospital, and I saw her. She’s a nice girl. Though hindi siya talaga anak ni Johan pero it doesn’t matter as long as she is a good kid.” Sabi ni Katrina na halatang natutuwa.

Napakamot naman ng batok si Austin.

“You’re my only son, so I have to find you a good wife, and you won’t be cheated in the future. Otherwise, tatanda ka ng binata, anak. Malapit ka ng magpaalam sa kalendaryo.” Natatawang sabi ni Katrina.

Napatango si Austin sa sinabi ng ina at hindi na lang niya pinansin ang pagbanggit nito sa edad niya. He agreed, but the arranged marriage their mother made for them, Mia would make a fuss about it. After all, at this moment, they need to pretend to date.

Austin sighed and went to his room.

MIA COOKED dinner after she got home. Katatapos niya lamang na magluto nang tumawag sa kaniya ang ina.

“Ma?”

“Anak, how’s your date?” excited na tanong ni Camila.

“Maayos naman po.” Tugon ni Mia saka napatikhim. Sana maging maayos ng talaga. Ayaw na niyang mapagsabihan ng ina tungkol sa bagay na ito kaya naman pumayag siya sa suhestiyon ni Austin na magpanggap silang dalawa.

It was a good thing, so her mother stopped nagging about her love life. But as for health, it was not good, especially since she had feelings for Austin. Pero kaya naman niya siguro itong pigilan ito ‘no?

“Ate!”

Nagulat si Mia nang biglang may humila sa laylayan ng damit niya. “Ano?” tanong niya sa kapatid.

“Si Mama ba ‘yan, Ate?”

Mia didn’t answer, but she gave her phone to Charles.

Habang nag-uusap si Charles at ng kanilang ina, hinanda ni Mia ang lamesa saka niya sinenyasan ang kapatid na kumain na.

Mia took the phone from Charles and put it on the loudspeaker.

“Ma, we’re eating dinner.”

“Katatapos lang namin, ‘nak.” Wika ni Camila. “So, kumusta ang date mo? Do you like him?”

I have a crush on him, but I will never tell anyone about it. “Let’s see, Mom.”

“You will date him, anak?” gulat na tanong ni Camila.

“Yeah. Para tigilan niyo na ako.” Sabi ni Mia at nilagyan ng pagkain ang pinggan ni Charles.

“Thank you, Ate.”

Ngumiti lang naman si Mia. Kahit naman para silang aso at pusa minsan na magkapatid, they were still polite to each other.

“Anak, I just want to help you. Hindi naman pare-pareho ang mga lalaki. Look at your Papa Johan. Hindi naman siya katulad ng tatay mo.”

Mia sighed. “Mom, when Papa Johan was pursuing you, you were scared too.”

Natahimik ang ina ni Mia sa kabilang linya. May gusto pa sana siyang sabihin sa anak niya pero hindi na niya masabi dahil baka hindi sila magkaintindihan ni Mia.

Nagpaalam na lang si Camila.

Malalim namang napabuntong hininga si Mia.

“Ate, okay ka lang?”

Mia looked at her brother. Tumango siya saka ngumiti. “Kumain na tayo.”

“Ate, wala si Daddy. Are you going to send me to school tomorrow?”

Agad na tumango si Mia. “Oo pero tinatamad akong magmaneho kaya mag-commute tayo.”

Charles pouted.

“Kung ayaw mo, bahala ka.” Sabi ni Mia.

“Do I have another choice, Ate?” sabi ni Charles.

Mia smiled sweetly. “Wala kaya kumain ka na at matulog ka na. Maaga ka pang gigising bukas.”

Nagpatuloy ang magkapatid sa pagkain. Nang matapos sila, umalis na si Charles sa kusina at naiwan naman si Mia. Hinugasan niya ang mga nagamit niya sa kusina at ang pinagkainan nilang magkapatid. After tiding up the kitchen, Mia switched off the lights in the kitchen and in the living room before she went to her room to sleep.

Habang nakahiga siya sa kama, hindi mawala sa isipan niya si Austin. They have agreed to pretend to date to stop their mothers, not to urge them anymore to go on a blind date or get married. It’s not a disadvantage for her because she will also benefit from this fake relationship.

But her heart won’t get any benefit.

Mia sighed. Bahala na diyan kung anong mangyayari sa mga susunod na araw. Basta matigil lang ang pangungulit sa kaniya ng ina tungkol sa love life niya. Ang bata pa niya pero kung mag-aalala ang ina na baka hindi na siya makapag-asawa raw, parang daig na niya ang tatlumpung taong gulang na babae.

Her mother was really something. O ayaw lang ng kaniyang ina na matulad siya rito. After her father’s death, a lot of things happened to their family.

Mia closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep. Wala ng silbi na alalahanin pa niya ang nakaraan. Nakaraan na ‘yon at dapat na niya itong kalimutan. But even if she wanted to forget about everything, as long as she saw her mother, she would remember the past.

MEANWHILE, Austin, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep. Kaya naman bumangon siya at nagtungo sa minibar ng mansyon nila. He poured wine into the wine glass and took a sip.

Hindi maintindihan ni Austin ang sarili.

Hindi mawala si Mia sa kaniyang isipan.

Una niyang nakita si Mia noon sa kasal ni Emerson at Audrey. Unang pagkakita niya pa lang rito ay nagandahan na siya. Hindi ito nawala sa kaniyang isipan. Gusto niya itong hanapin pero naging busy siya sa kumpanya dahil sa dami ng project na kailangan niyang pagtuunan ng pansin.

Things got out of hand.

Later, after several months, muli silang nagkita. And he was happy that Mia became his blind date. Hindi niya alam na bago ang blind date nakapagdesisyon na pala ang kanilang ina na ipakasal silang dalawa.

Hindi alam ni Austin kung ano ang desisyon ni Mia tungkol sa bagay na ‘yon.

Marriage is not a joke. It was a long-term investment if it were a business. And in marriage, you have a lot of things to consider. Mas mabigat pa ito kaysa sa pagmamahala niya ng Esquivel Royal Real Estate.

Austin took a sip of his wine. Forget it. Might as well, he will talk about this to Mia tomorrow to hear her opinion. Mukha kasing desidido ang kaniyang ina na maging daughter-in-law nito si Mia.

At siya ang susi para matupad ang kagustuhan ng kaniyang ina.