“SIGURADO ka na ba sa desisyon mo, Cris? Gusto mo ba talagang gawin ito?” tanong ni Kuya Indong na namumula pa ang mga mata. Sina Kuya Bruno at Kuya Borj ay nagsisimula na ring umiyak.
Gustong matawa ni Cris ngunit hindi rin niya mapigilan ang mga luha. Nasa airport sila ngayon at parang mga batang paslit na nag-iiyakan.
“Kuya naman, eh. Wag nga kayong umiyak,” ungot niya habang pinapahid ang mga luha. “Sa Cebu lang naman ako pupunta, hindi ako lalabas ng bansa. Hindi rin naman talaga ako mawawala, eh. Ang lapit lang kaya ng Cebu.”
“Eh, malayo ka na sa amin. Doon ka na titira. Wala na ang prinsesa namin.” Lalo pang humagulhol si Kuya Indong.
“Dadalaw rin naman ako. Pangako ko yan sa inyo. Sige na, wag na kayong umiyak. Masakit din sa akin ang umalis pero kailangan ko talaga, eh.” Napuno na naman ng luha ang kanyang mga mata. “Pagod na ako….. pagod na ako sa kakahintay. Hindi ko alam kung…. kung babalik ba siya o hindi. Palagi na lang akong naghihintay sa wala. Noon, ganito rin ako kina Mama’t Papa. Ngayon, ayoko na.” She broke into a sob and Kuya Bruno pulled her into his arms. Umiyak siya sa balikat nito, wanting to let it all out. Soon, she found herself in the center of a group hug. She honestly did not want to leave them, but she had to.
Mula sa itaas, isang eroplano ang dumaan. Kahit na maingay, dinig na dinig pa rin ni Cris ang pag-iyak ng mga kuya niya. Her heart was crushed but she knew leaving would be the best for her.
Kumalas siya mula sa pagkakayakap ng mga ito, saka ngumiti. “Huwag na kayong umiyak, please. Para naman akong mamamatay nito,” biro niya habang pinapahid ang mga luha.
“Basta kapag ayaw mo sa Cebu uwi ka agad, ha?” sabi ni Kuya Borj.
“Opo, Kuya. Tatandaan ko yan.”
“At kapag may nanakit sa iyo don, tawagan mo kami, ha? Pupunta kami agad sa Cebu,” sabi naman ni Kuya Bruno at hindi niya mapigilang tumawa sa sinabi nito.
“Ingat ka, okay? Wag mong pababayaan ang sarili mo. Pray ka kay God para sa ligtas na biyahe. Magpe-pray din kami sayo.”
“Opo, Kuya Indong. Maraming salamat sa inyo.”
For the last time, she hugged the three of them. Bago mag-iyakan na naman, lumakad na siya palayo. Hindi na siya lumingon pang muli dahil baka tumulo na naman ang kanyang mga luha at magdalawang-isip pa siya.
Habang hila ang maleta, nagpatuloy lang si Cris sa paglakad. The airport was a bit chaotic. Marami kasing tao. Someone in the crowd was also yelling. Soon, a few people started yelling, too. Hindi sana siya hihinto sa paglakad upang makialam kung hindi siya pinigilan ng isang batang babae. Napatingin siya rito at magtatanong na sana nang marinig kung ano ang isinisigaw ng mga tao roon.
“You! The girl in pink ombre dress, stop!”
Napatingin tuloy si Cris sa suot na damit ——— pink ombre dress. Siya ang tinutukoy ng mga ito! Lumingon siya at nakitang nakatingin din ang ibang tao sa kanya.
(May dumi ba ako sa mukha? Or….. Oh, my God. Baka may tagos ako!)
But then she saw that familiar face.
Rhodel.
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
CRIS felt her knees go weak that she had to grab her suitcase handle to keep herself from falling. Her heart was starting to beat really fast. Gusto niyang tumakbo patungo kay Rhodel pero natatakot siya na baka maglaho ang binata. Ngunit nang lumakad ito palapit sa kanya, gusto niyang matunaw dahil sa titig nito. Oh, he was so handsome! Lalo na sa suot na plaid shirt na naka-rolled up pa ang sleeves.
“Where the hell you think you’re going, Merry Cris?” tanong ni Rhodel.
Napalunok si Cris. Hindi pa rin siya sigurado kung totoo ito. She slowly reached out and gently poked his chest with her index finger. A throaty chuckle escaped his throat. Without any warning, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into an embrace. His familiar perfume hit her nose and she knew this was real ——- he was here and she was not dreaming.
“I’ve missed you so much, Merry Cris.”
“I’ve missed you too, Rhodel,” bulong niya. Pero nang may maalala ay bigla niya itong naitulak palayo. “Hindi ka pa naman kasal, diba?” tanong niya, sabay tingin sa daliri nito.
Nakangiting itinaas nito ang kaliwang kamay. “Nope, I’m not married.”
Napasinghap siya. “P-pero paano? I-I thought strict yong dad mo?”
“Yeah, but I finally managed to convince him to stop the arrangement because I’m in love with you.”
“And he just ——– wait, what?”
Ginagap ni Rhodel ng dalawang kamay ang kanyang mukha at tinignan siya nang deretso sa mga mata. “You heard me. I am in love with you. I’m so completely, utterly and exclusively in love with you,...

Merry Cris.”
She could not stop herself from gasping. The way he was looking intently at her proved that he meant those words that just came out of his lips. Parang may kumikiliti sa kanyang puso. Her heart was definitely jumping for joy.
“Do you…. do you feel the same way about me, too?”
His eyes obviously looked hopeful and she wanted to melt in his arms. She placed both of her hands on his chest, got up on tiptoe, and kissed him on the lips. She ignored the faint ‘aww’ from the onlookers. The last thing she wanted to do right now was to hide in a corner. Ang ibang tao ay nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad pero may iba pa ring nakatingin sa kanila.
“You stole my heart, Rhodel, and I don’t want to be shy in admitting this to you….” Saglit siyang tumigil at tumitig sa mga Mata nito. “…….I’m totally crazy in love with you.”
His eyes sparkled and his lips curved into a heart-stopping and blinding smile. He cupped her face once more and kissed her fully on the lips. She kissed him back, ignoring their audience.
“Oh, wait! Paano ang dad mo? Okay lang ba talaga sa kanya?” tanong niya na may bahid ng pag-aalala.
“He was very reluctant at first and he even threatened to disown me but I didn’t stop convincing him. The Barbie’s parents called the wedding off themselves. May boyfriend kasi si Barbie and it pains them to see their daughter crying almost every night. Dad was mad at me but I convinced him that the one who owns my heart is here in Cagayan de Oro. Mom also helped me in making him understand. And so, here I am ——– wait, why are you here, by the way? Anong ginagawa mo dito sa airport?”
“Uhm….. Papunta kasi ako sa Cebu. I decided na doon na lang tumira kasama ni Tita Lina. Akala ko kasi, hindi ka na babalik.”
“What? Buti na lang nakita kita. Well, at first I thought namalikmata lang ako, but then it’s really you. I called out your name but you didn’t hear me. Patuloy ka lang sa paglalakad na para bang nagmamadali. You scared me for a moment there. Buti na lang at tinulungan ako ng mga tao na pigilan ka.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m here now. Please don’t go, Cris.”
Napahagikgik iya. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Ngumiti si Rhodel. “Good. Then come with me to Manila. My parents want to meet you.”
She shivered at the thought of meeting his parents, especially his dad. “Pero? P-pero ang dad mo?”
“He’ll like you, I promise.”
“B-But how can you be so sure?”
He smiled. “Trust me, okay?”
“R-Rhodel ———-”
“He let me use his private plane just to get here.”
“He what?” tanong niya sa nanlalaking mga mata.
“Fully booked na kasi ang biyahe patungo rito so he offered his private plane,” paliwanag ni Rhodel.
“Oh, my….” Nanghina ang mga tuhod ni Cris, mabuti na lang at nakapulupot pa rin ang mga braso ng binata sa kanyang baywang.
“Cris? What’s wrong?”
“May private plane kayo?”
“It’s my dad’s.”
“Hindi ka lang basta mayaman, kundi……”
“Cris, you’re scaring me,” he said and his eyes were full of concern, indeed. “Please, wala nang bawian. Sinabi mo nang mahal mo ako, Cris. I won’t let you take it back.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head. “Listen to me, Cris. I love you, okay? I don’t care kung ano ang iisipin ng ibang tao. I love you and that’s all that matters.”
“Rhode….” Tumingin siya sa mga mata nito and she teared up. She kissed him once again. When she pulled back to meet his eyes, she was wearing a smile on her face. She brushed her nose against his and whispered. “I’m yours. Completely. And yes, you’re right. We love each other, and that’s all that matters.”
WAKAS 💖💖
———
Abangan ……
👰 Mahal ko o Mahal ako 👸
So Kath, 👸 babaeng nagmahal ng totoo.
Pinaglaban ang pagmamahal hanggang maging wakas.
Si Lira, 👰 gagawin ang lahat makuha lamang ang lalaking pinakaiibig.
Si Vince, 🤵 mabubuhay sa isang kasinungalingan.
Sa mundong mapaglaro, may puwang pa ba ang isang kabit?
Bilang asawa, ano ang handa mong isugal para sa pamilyang pinapahalagahan?
At bilang isang lalaki, handa mo bang itaya ang iyong pamilya sa ngalan ng tawag ng laman?
Tapatan ng dalawang babaeng nagmahal at may pinag-lalaban. Kanino ka kakampi sa asawa o sa kabit?
Paano kung ang iyong inaakala ay mali pala sa tunay na kwento. Ang kwentong iikot sa inyong imahinasyon.
Handa ka bang manindigan sa dalawang babaeng naging parte ng iyong buhay? Sino ang pipiliin mo? Real wife or Legal wife?