A Chance Encounter

CHAPTER 21

TAHIMIK na kumakain si Audrey sa cafeteria kasama si Mia nang may lumapit sa kaniya. Sumama agad ang mukha ni Mia nang makita niya ang nakakatandang kapatid ni Audrey. Ayaw niya talaga rito kahit anong mangyari.

“Mukhang maayos ka nitong mga nakaraang araw, Audrey,” ani Freya. Kasama nito ang dalawang alipores nito.

Hindi pinansin ni Audrey si Freya at nagpatuloy lamang siya sa pagkain.

Umismid si Freya. “So, hindi ka na mamansin dahil may asawa ka? Audrey, rich men will always find other women even if they are married. Do you think your husband was a good man? Sa tingin ko hindi lang ikaw ang babae sa buhay niya—” napatigil si Freya sa pagsasalita nang bigla siyang sinabuyan ni Audrey ng malamig na tubig.

“Magpasalamat ka at malamig ang isinaboy ko sa mukha mo.” Kalmadong saad ni Audrey.

“Bakit mo ako sinabuyan?!” malakas na saad ni Freya na kumuha ng atensiyon ng ibang estudyante na kumakain rin sa cafeteria.

Hindi lang si Freya ang nagulat, kundi maging si Mia. Napatutop pa siya ng sarili niyang labi dahil sa ginawa ni Audrey. She knew that Audrey was a timid girl and didn’t want to get involved in any fight, so Audrey always remained silent even if others were insulting and laughing at her, but Audrey’s expression right now was different. Audrey was upset.

“You can insult me, but you can’t insult my husband. Emerson was different from the man you mentioned, Ate,” sabi ni Audrey na diniinan ang huling salita na binitawan niya. “I hope this was the first and last time you will insult my husband otherwise,” Audrey looked at the glass, “next time, it won’t be cold water anymore.”

“Freya, kailangan mong magpalit,” sabi ng isang alipores ni Freya.

“Bitawan niyo nga ako!” Galit na sabi ni Freya sa alipores nito. Tinignan niya ng masama si Audrey. “Hindi pa tayo tapos!”

Pagkaalis ni Freya at ng mga alipores nito, Mia applauded. “Woah! That was cool, Audrey.”

Pabagsak na naupo si Audrey sa upuan saka napabuga ng hangin. “Don’t be too happy, Mia. I just made trouble for myself.”

“Well, you just defended your husband. It’s not trouble at all.”

Umiling si Audrey. “You don’t know about my parents. They will surely make a big fuss about what I did to Freya.”

Mia sighed. “That’s the point.”

“Hayaan mo na. Kumain na lang tayo.”

“Wala tayong klase mamayang hapon pero dahil seniors na tayo, kailangan nating pumunta ng gymnasium para sa meeting raw.”

Kumunot ang noo ni Audrey. “Bakit?”

“Acquaintance party.”

Mas lalong kumunot ang nuo ni Audrey. Uminom muna siya ng tubig bago nagsalita. “Akala ko ba sa February pa ‘yon? Wala pang Christmas.”

“Ito talaga.” Naiiling na wika ni Mia. “November na kaya. Christmas na.”

Nagkibit ng balikat si Audrey. “Pero bakit ang aga naman yata ngayon?”

“Kasi next sem OJT na natin. Baka hindi na tayo makadalo kaya naman pinaaga.”

“Oh.” Audrey reacted. Akala pa naman niya kung anong mayroon. Hindi naman siya interesado sa acquaintance party dahil wala naman siyang balak na pumunta.

“But it was different this time. We will be accompanied by one companion.”

“Outsider?”

Tumango si Mia. “Yeah, pwede. You can ask your husband to go with you.”

“Emerson was busy. At isa pa wala naman akong balak na pumunta.” Sabi ni Audrey.

Nagulat si Mia. “Hindi ka pupunta? Bakit?”

“Wala akong balak na pumunta. At isa pa alam mo naman na hindi ako uma-attend sa kahit anong party sa school.”

Mia sighed. “Pero graduating ka na. Alam kong hindi ka uma-attend dahil busy ka sa pagtatrabaho. It was different this time. Make it memorable naman ang last year mo sa college.”

Umiling si Audrey. “Even if I go, I doubt Emerson will go with me.”

“Ask him.”

“Bakit ka naman mahihiya? Asawa mo naman ‘yon.”

“It’s the reason why I was shy. Asawa ko siya, Mia. He’s very nice to me and I don’t want to ask too much.”

“Bakit?” tanong ni Mia. “You two are husband and wife.”

Audrey sighed. Nagbaba siya ng tingin. “We’re husband and wife, but as you know, my family’s situation, Mia. There was no free bread in this world. Lahat ng mga binibigay sa akin ng magulang ko, I have to work for it. And as for Emerson, though he hasn’t said anything, I am afraid.”

“Natatakot ka na baka isang araw magbago siya?” tanong ni Mia.

Tumango si Audrey. “For the first time in my life, I felt cared for. Emerson was the only person who made me feel cared for. Mabait siya. So, I was afraid of asking too much because…”

Alam ni Mia kung bakit ganito ang sinasabi ni Audrey. Audrey never felt loved by her family and she was never cared for. It was Emerson, the first person who showed care for Audrey. “Because you afraid you will annoy him, and he will change?”

Muling tumango si Audrey.

Hindi masisisi ni Mia kung bakit ganito mag-isip si Audrey. Audrey has been in the dark all her life. She was like she was living in hell. Ngayon pa lang na unti-unting lumalabas si Audrey mula sa mundo kung saan ito naikulong. Being with the family that Audrey had was suffocating.

“Well, you might try trusting your husband first. I can see that you were happy. You had a small smile when you mentioned him.”

Audrey blushes. “Well, he’s nice. So, I’m starting to trust him now.”

Napatango si Mia. “That’s good to know. Hindi naman sa nakikialam ko pero ang masasabi ko lang bilang kaibigan mo. Don’t let the past ruin your present. Anong magagawa ng nakaraan kung masaya ka naman sa kasalukuyan, hindi ba?”

Napangiti si Audrey. “Salamat sa paalala.”

“Small matter,” Mia said.

Nang matapos silang kumain, pumunta sila ng gym. Wala talagang balak si Audrey na pumunta pero hindi niya alam na palihim na isinulat ni Mia ang pangalan niya sa papel nang hindi niya napansin. Nalaman na lamang niya na kasali siya sa mga aattend sa acquaintance party nang itawag ang pangalan niya.

Mia smiled innocently and peace signed.

Napailing na lamang si Audrey at napagdesisyunan na lang na umattend. Tama naman si Mia. Hindi siya umaattend noong mga nakaraang taon dahil abala siya sa pagta-trabaho. Isa pa hindi rin siya papayagan ng magulang niya. Gasto lang daw ‘yon. Pero iba na ngayon dahil hindi na siya nakatira sa bahay ng magulang niya.

Ang problema niya ngayon, paano niya sasabihin kay Emerson?

AT EXACTLY THREE IN THE AFTERNOON, Audrey was picked up by Emerson.

“Matagal ka bang naghintay?” tanong ni Audrey nang makapasok siya sa passenger seat.

Pupunta kasi sila sa wedding anniversary ng isang business colleagues ni Emerson. At mamayang alas sais ang simula ng program na ‘yon.

Ngumiti si Emerson. “Kakarating ko lang din,” sagot niya saka pinaharurot ang kotse. Though he had been waiting for his wife for more than thirty minutes. He was fine with it. Basta hindi ang asawa niya ang naghihintay sa kaniya.

“May meeting kasi kami kanina sa gym.” Sabi ni Audrey.

“Meeting? What meeting?” Emerson asked while his eyes were focused on the road.

Audrey looked at her husband. “Acquaintance party.”

Napatango si Emerson. “Pupunta ka ba?”

“Gusto mo ba akong pumunta?” tanong ni Audrey.

Natawa naman ng mahina si Emerson. “Kung gusto mong pumunta, you can go, Baby. It’s your free will. Kung masaya ka, then go. Have fun. The acquaintance party was actually pretty good. It’s part of socializing.”

“But I don’t want to go.”

Emerson looked at his wife. “Hesitating?”

Audrey nodded. “I don’t know if I should go or just sleep. I think sleep sounds better.”

Napailing si Emerson. “Baby, socializing is one of the medicines to overcome your anxiety. I can tell that you were not confident, and you are also self-anxious. Sorry for my words.”

“It’s harsh,” sabi ni Audrey.

“I’m sorry.”

Pero totoo naman ang sinabi ni Emerson patungkol sa kaniya kaya hinayaan na lamang niya at iniba ang usapan nilang dalawa. “It’s true though.”

“Will you accompany me then?”

Natigilan si Emerson saka napasulyap sa asawa. “Isasama mo ako?” tanong niya ng may pagkabigla.

“Of course. I need a date. Alangan namanng magtawag pa ako ng iba, eh, nandiyan ka naman na.”

Hindi inilihim ni Emerson ang ngiti na sumilay sa kaniyang labi. “Since you were asking me to go with you, okay, I’ll go with you. I’ll accompany you.”

Napangiti si Audrey. Finally, her problem was solved.

AUDREY AND EMERSON went home first to change their outfits before going to the party. Emerson changed his business attire to a dark-colored suit. After putting some makeup on her face — thankfully, Mia taught her about makeup because she was a rookie. She could paint, but she didn’t know how to put makeup on her face — she wore a knee-length maroon off-shoulder dress. She also wore jewelry, a pair of small earrings that matched her dress, a necklace, and a band bracelet. Tinignan niya ang hitsura sa salamin at napangiti na lang. Ngayon niya lang naramdaman ang Kalayaan na gawin ang gusto niya na dating hindi niya nagagawa noon.

“Beautiful.”

Mula sa salamin, tinignan ni Audrey ang asawa niya. Ngumiti siya. Ang gwapo ni Emerson sa suot nitong suit. Pero kahit ano naman yatang isuot nito, gwapo pa rin ito. Yeah, a handsome man who dreamed of many women.

Sumama ang mukha ni Audrey nang maisip niya na maraming naghahabol kay Emerson. She wonders how many of those women whom Emerson fooled? Pero mukha namang hindi manloloko ang napangasawa niya.

Well, looks can be deceiving.