A Chance Encounter

CHAPTER 13

WHEN EMERSON woke up the next morning, bahagya siyang natigilan nang makita niya ang asawa na nakayakap sa kaniya at mahimbing na natutulog. Dahan-dahan niyang tinanggal ang braso ni Audrey na nakayakap sa kaniya upang hindi ito magising.

Emerson successfully got out of his wife's hold without waking her up. Bumaba siya sa kama saka inayos ang kumot ni Audrey. Then he went to the bathroom, did his morning routine and brushed his teeth. Tulog pa rin si Audrey nang makalabas siya ng banyo kaya nagtungo siya sa kusina upang magluto ng agahan nilang dalawa.

Pagbukas niya ng ref, wala itong masyadong laman. He looked at the cupboard and he only saw instant noodles.

“My wife was really a thrifty person,” he said, sighing. “But being thrifty wasn’t good for her health,” he added, shaking his head while looking at the instant noodles.

There was no meat or fish in the fridge. Mabuti na lang at may frozen food. Iyon muna ang niluto niya para sa agahan nila. Then he made sandwiches for them and poured milk on the glass.

Napatingin siya sa may pintuan ng kusina nang marinig niya ang yabag ni Audrey. Ngintian niya ito. “Morning."

"M-morning..." Medyo nagulat na bati ni Audrey. Sa nakalipas na araw, mag-isa lamang siya sa malawak na penthouse at hindi siya sanay na may kasama kaya bahagya siyang natigilan nang makita niya sa kusina si Emerson.

“Kain na tayo.”

Tumango si Audrey. Parang hindi siya makapaniwala na isang Emerson Montenegro ang kaharap niya. Papalit-palit pa ang tingin niya sa agahan at kay Emerson. She couldn’t believe that he actually prepared their breakfast. Akala niya ang mga mayayamang tao katulad ng isang Emerson Montenegro ay hindi gagawa ng gawaing bahay. Rich people have their own servants to serve them.

“What’s the matter?” Emerson asked as he pulled the chair. “Sit.”

Umupo si Audrey saka umiling. “Wala.” Hindi lang ako makapaniwala na may gagawa nito para sa kaniya. She had never been cared for, so it was disbelief for her about what was happening right now.

Ngumiti si Emerson saka naglagay ng pagkain sa pinggan ng asawa. “Let’s eat. Let’s have groceries later. Nakita kong walang masyadong laman ang ref.”

“I haven’t gone to the grocery store since I moved here.”

“Then let’s go later.”

Tumango lamang si Audrey saka nagsimulang kumain.

Emerson looked at his wife. “You looked tense.”

Napatigil si Audrey saka napatingin kay Emerson. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. “Hindi lang ako sanay na may kasama rito.”

“Don’t worry. From now on, we will eat breakfast and dinner together,” Emerson said, putting a sandwich on his wife’s plate.

Napatitig si Audrey sa sandwich na inilagay ni Emerson sa pinggan niya. Emerson was the first person to put food on her plate, and it touched her.

“Kumain ka ng marami. Ang payat mo,” sabi ni Emerson habang nakangiti.

Napasimangot si Audrey. “My weight was normal.”

“But your BMI was not normal. It’s underweight.”

“Paano mo nalaman?” tanong ni Audrey at nagtaka.

“You’re my wife. Of course, I know.” Ani Emerson na para bang ‘yon na ang sagot sa lahat.

Napatitig na lamang si Audrey kay Emerson. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang tumatakbo sa isipan ng lalaki.

“What are you thinking?”

Umiling lamang si Audrey.

She was careful. Emerson thought. It looks like Audrey’s family has put pressure on her. That’s why she was being like this.

“Baby.”

Hindi pumansin si Audrey at patuloy lamang na kumakain.

“Audrey.”

Nag-angat ng tingin si Audrey. “Ano ‘yon?”

Ibinaba ni Emerson ang hawak na kutsara at tinidor saka hinarap ang asawa. “I’m your husband now. You can trust me. Like what I said last night, you can rely on me. Kapag hindi mo kaya, magsabi ka lang sa akin. I will help you.”

Tumango lamang si Audrey at nagpatuloy sa pagkain.

“Also, don’t go to your part-time job anymore. We’re not short of money.”

“Pero gusto kong magkaroon ng sarili kong pera,” sabi ni Audrey. “Are you going to control me too?”

Natigilan si Emerson. Mabilis siyang nakabawi. “Baby, I’m not trying to control you. It’s just that I don’t want you to be tired all day. Hindi ka ba napapagod? During the day, you go to school, and after school, you go to work. I feel bad if I see you tired. I’m your husband. I should be the one working to provide for the family, and as for you,” he gently pinched his wife’s cheek, “I want you to focus on your studies. Though I’m not pressuring you, I know you wanted to study.”

Nagbaba ng tingin si Audrey. “My grades are good.”

“Alam ko pero ayaw kong nakikita kitang napapagod at nahihirapan. You don’t have to worry about money. Katulad ng sabi ko kagabi, ang pera ko ay pera mo. You’re my wife now, and I have already handed you my salary card. So, you can control your money. You can spend it as much as you want.”

Umiling si Audrey. Nakakatakot kayang gumasto ng perang hindi mo pinaghirapan. “Anong kapalit?”

“Kapalit? What do you mean?”

Audrey sighed. “I know there is no free bread in this world. You’re letting me spend the money you have given me. Anong kapalit no’n?”

She doesn’t trust me. Emerson concluded after hearing what his wife had said. Ngumiti siya. “There is.”

Sabi ko na nga ba. “Ano?”

“Smile.”

Audrey was stunned. “A-ano?”

“I just want you to smile genuinely.”

That was unexpected for Audrey. Hindi niya akalain na ganun ang hihilingin ni Emerson.

“During our wedding, I saw you smiling, but your smile didn’t reach your eyes. And you were forcing your smile. Audrey, I don’t want my wife to be suppressed by anyone or anything. I told you, you can do anything you want now, except go for part-time work. I won’t allow that. If you want to work, then study, and after you graduate, you can do whatever you want.”

“Magagawa ko talaga lahat ng gusto ko? Hindi mo ako pipigilan?”

Ngumiti si Emerson. “Bakit naman kita pipigilan kung doon ka masaya? As long as you are happy and safe, I won’t interfere. I will give you your freedom.”

Napatitig si Audrey kay Emerson. Isang totoong ngiti ang ipinakita niya. “Thank you,” saad niya.

“Also, don’t be so restrained in front of me. I’m your husband, not an outsider.”

Audrey looked down as she nodded her head.

Nagpatuloy silang dalawa sa pagkain. At nang matapos silang kumain, Audrey was about to wash the dishes, but Emerson stopped her.

“Ako na.”

“Pero…”

“Ako na,” sabi ni Emerson. “Just write the things we needed to buy.”

Tumango si Audrey saka inilabas ang cellphone. Tinignan niya ang mga bagay na wala sa kusina at inilista niya ang mga ito. Then Emerson added some things and personal hygiene kits.

Then they got dressed and left the house.

“Maayos ba ang driver mo?” tanong ni Emerson kay Audrey habang nasa biyahe sila patungo sa supermarket.

Tumango si Audrey.

“That’s good.”

Naging tahimik na sila pareho hanggang sa makarating sila sa supermarket.

Tahimik na inoobserbahan ni Audrey si Emerson. He seemed to be the type of person who knew about house stuff. Emerson took her phone and kept on picking up the groceries she had listed without mistake. Mukhang talagang alam nito ang gumalaw sa kusina. Well, he made their breakfast this morning.

“Baby, why are you staring at me?”

Mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin si Audrey. “Hindi, ah.”

The corner of Emerson’s lips curled up. “Really? But I saw in the corner of my eyes that you were staring at me.”

Hindi nagsalita si Audrey.

“It’s alright. You can stare at me anytime you want. I don’t have any objections,” Emerson said, smiling, and pushed the cart.

Sumunod naman si Audrey kay Emerson.

Kapagkuwan biglang tumigil si Emerson. Nakasunod si Audrey sa likuran ni Emerson at nakayuko kaya naman hindi agad nakita ni Audrey ang pagtigil ni Emerson sa paglalakad kaya nabangga niya ang likod nito.

"Do you want snacks?” Emerson asked, pointing to the snacks on the shelves.

Napatingin si Audrey sa mga pagkain na naka-display. Gusto niya pero nag-aalangan naman siyang magsabi. There was doubt in the back of her mind.

Hindi pa man sumasagot si Audrey, kumuha na si Emerson ng mga naka-display na pagkain. Kumuha siya ng biscuits, fudge, caramel, chocolates, chips, cookies, and a pack of desserts and drinks as well.

“Is that for me?” Tanong ni Audrey. Itinuro pa niya ang sarili.

Tumango si Emerson. “Yeah, it’s for you, Baby.”

“Salamat.”

“Baby, don’t say that word again. It’s not needed for both of us.” Then Emerson continued pushing the cart.

Hindi alam ni Audrey kung bakit maraming kinuha si Emerson na groceries, eh dadalawa lang naman sila. But getting some stocks was good actually, para hindi na bili ng bili. Ang hassle pa no’n. Hindi naman madaling masira ang mga binili ni Emerson dahil may fridge naman lalo na ang mga prutas na kinuha nito.

Audrey took a basket and went to get some personal care products and met Emerson at the cashier.

Habang nasa cashier sila, hindi nakaligtas kay Audrey ang nagpapacute na tingin ng cashier kay Emerson pero parang wala naman ito kay Emerson. His face remained indifferent.

Natawa naman ng mahina si Audrey dahil halatang napahiya ang cashier nang hindi ito pansinin ni Emerson.

Pagkatapos magbayad, magbubuhat sana siya para ipunta sa sasakyan pero pinigilan siya ni Emerson.

“Baby, ako na. Mabigat ang mga ‘yan. Just wait for me in the car.”

Hindi na nakipag-argumento si Audrey at sinunod na lamang si Emerson. Binuhat na lamang niya ang isang cellophane na magaan lang naman at lumabas na ng supermarket. Hinintay pa niya si Emerson na maipasok ang lahat ng pinamili nila sa back compartment ng kotse saka sila umalis at umuwi na.

Audrey thought while they were on their way home, it was good to have a companion like Emerson.