Chapter 13

To Support Her

"I talked with your Ate Alia, Gus."

Mommy asked to meet with me at nagkita nga kami rito sa office na lang ni Daddy. It's my short break from work kaya nag-usap na lang din kami ni Mommy over lunch. She also brought me food. And I thanked her for it.

"Is it true that Valerie is into Showbiz?" Kumunot ang noo ni Mommy.

Hindi pa ako makakain because I need to answer my mother's curious questions.

Pero sinagot din ni Mommy ang sarili niyang tanong. "She is, napanood ko nga rin iyong interview niya nitong bago lang with Alia on TV. Are you fine with it, Gus?" She asked me worriedly.

Unti-unti akong tumango kay Mommy. Although I haven't talked to Valerie again yet. Since her recent interviews were out, ilang araw na rin na hindi pa siya nakakauwi muli sa bahay namin. And the kids are already asking about her, too... "Yes, Mom." Tumango na lang ako kay Mommy. "Nakapag-usap na rin naman po kami ni Valerie about this..."

"Are your sure? Pero, paano ang mga bata? Hindi ba nila hahanapin ang Mommy nila?" Mom let out a heavy sigh. "Hindi basta-basta ang pag-aartista, Augustus. What are your plans? Busy ka na nga sa pagtatrabaho rito sa office, and then how about your wife? Hindi ba makakaapekto sa mga bata iyang pagpasok niya sa industriya ng show business?"

Umiling ako kay Mommy. "Don't worry about it, Mom..." I let out a small smile to reassure her.

Mommy sighed again. "I'm just worried for your family, Gus. I did not expect this."

Nagkatinginan kami ni Mommy. Alam kong nag-aalala lang siya. Pero ako na ang bahala sa pamilya ko... "I can take care of my family, Mom..." I gave her another reassuring smile.

She could only sigh.

Ganito rin ang concern kahit ng mga pinsan ko after news about Valerie and her showbiz career broke out.

"Are you really sure about this, Gus?" Ben asked me.

And I can only nod... almost mindlessly... Parang sinasanay ko na lang din ang sarili ko na tumango na lang sa mga ganitong tanong sa akin ng pamilya ko nitong mga nakaraang linggo...

"Showbiz is not easy, dude." Bray said. "And it can be dirty... I mean, paano kapag halungkatin pa ng media ang tungkol sa inyo ni Valerie? At paano kung lumabas sa public ang totoo? That it's a fraud? Paano sina Lola? They will be mad at us, Gus. At you." Bray reminded me.

But I can only sigh now thinking about it...

"What should I do..." Finally I asked this. At dapat ay nasa utak ko lang pero lumabas na pala sa bibig ko. Truth be told, parang medyo nahihirapan na rin ako sa sitwasyon ngayon...

Nand'yan pa ang mga bata na palaging nagtatanong sa akin tungkol kay Valerie kapag umuuwi ako sa bahay.

But the other night they were able to have a phone call with Valerie. Hindi na nga lang kami nakapag-usap dahil mukhang tinatawag pa siya ng Manager niya...

Now I ask myself... Did I really know what I was doing when I just agreed to everything Valerie wanted?

I sighed.

And then came Mommy's birthday. Kompleto kaming magkakapatid at si Dad as usual sa birthday ni Mommy na pinili niyang sa bahay lang ngayon i-celebrate with the family. Invited din ang relatives ni Mommy. Wala naman sina Lola because they were still resting, nasa bakasyon pa sila ni Lolo.

Sinabi ko na rin kay Valerie ang tungkol sa dinner celebration na ito for my Mom's birthday. Nang minsang makauwi rin siya sa bahay. At napangiti na lang ako watching her who obviously missed the kids as she hugged and talked to them.

"Birthday nga pala ni Mommy this weekend. Can you come over dinner? Uh, if not it's okay. I'll just explain to my family." I said, kasi baka may gagawin din siya sa trabaho niya...

Bumaling siya sa akin at nagtagal ang tingin niya. "Ayos lang, Gus. Gagawan ko ng paraan. Magpapaalam na ako agad sa Manager ko." She said and then she smiled at me.

Bahagya na rin akong ngumiti kay Valerie.

Kaya naman nakasama rin namin siya ng mga bata sa birthday ni Mommy.

"You're so beautiful, hija... Kaya siguro nakapasok ka sa showbiz." One of my tita said, kapatid ni Mommy.

Tumango lang naman si Valerie at ngumiti sa mga kamag-anak ko. She just politely smiled. And then she looked at me.

Tapos na kaming mag-dinner and just having dessert now. Mommy's beautiful cake na dala nina Ate Beverly was served. Mommy smiled and she looked happy blowing her birthday candles. Napangiti na rin kami ng pamilya habang pinagmamasdan siyang masaya. I'm glad that my Mom reached this age and still healthy, sila ni Dad. And I wish and pray that she'll have more birthdays to come.

The kids were in the care of the nannies. At kami na lang na mga adults ang natira rito sa mesa.

"Kailan mo pa naisipan na pumasok sa pag-aartista, hija? Isn't this too late to do that? I mean you and our nephew already have three kids."

Bumalik din kay Valerie ang usapan...

I felt her pressure because everyone's eyes on the table were directed at her. Kaya sumagot na rin ako. "I told my wife that she can do what she wants, tita..." I said and smiled to my family.

"Awww, hijo. I can tell just by the looks in you eyes that you're in love!" Ang isa ko pang tita na pinsan naman ni Mommy at best friend din ang nagsabi nito.

Naramdaman ko rin ang pagbaling sa akin ni Valerie, pero ngumiti lang ako sa tita ko.

"But don't you think na baka mas'yado ka na sigurong nagiging maluwag sa asawa mo, hijo. Making her think that she can do whatever she wants, can be a little too dangerous..." Ang nakatatandang kapatid nina Mommy.

Tumingin kami kay tita sa sinabi niya.

"What do you mean, ate?" Mommy asked her sister.

Si Valerie naman sa tabi ko ay tahimik na... I was about to speak nang maunahan pa ako ni tita.

"I just mean, Geneva, that your son is being too considerate of his wife's desires... At paano naman siya? Paano ang mga bata? Augustus is working, right? Whole day at the office. Tapos may tatlong mga bata pa na nag-aaral na rin. And who manages everything? Only your son? Dahil ang asawa niya ay abala sa pag-aartista..." Ngumiwi si tita na parang hindi niya nagugustuhan ito...

Sumunod na akong nagsalita pagkatapos ng sinabi niya. "It's all right, tita. I can manage, po." I smiled to my mother's older sister. I remember na mula pagkabata ay palagi ko pang nakukuha ang mga kamag-anak ko sa pagngiti ko. I was already charming as a kid.

"I don't know, hijo..." sagot naman ni tita, hindi na yata nadala sa pagpapa-cute ko. Tumingin din siya kay Valerie before she looked away and looking kind of disappointed...

Nakilala na rin ng iba ko pang relatives si Valerie noong nagpakasal kami. Although nagulat nga rin sila dahil biglaan din daw ang pagpapakasal ko.

"I'm sorry about my relatives..." I said to Valerie when we went home.

My family, parents and relatives were not quite okay with Valerie entering showbiz... But I did promised Valerie that I will take care of everything since she married me. At tutuparin ko ang pangakong iyon... Isa pa ay hindi ko rin naman talaga siya totoong asawa... Kaya wala talaga siyang responsibility sa akin o sa gawa-gawa lang naman namin na pamilyang ito...

But my family doesn't know about our deal...

Bumaling sa akin si Valerie at bahagya lang ngumiti. Umiling din siya. "Ayos lang, Gus... At, uh, sorry din..." she said.

My eyes widened a fraction. "Why..." Umiling ako. "No, don't say that... I'm sorry that you have to deal with my family..." I apologized.

Tumango lang siya at muling ngumiti.

And then we went upstairs to our bedrooms after. Pero hindi agad ako nakatulog kaya naisipang bumaba sa kitchen at naghanap pa ng midnight snacks... Pero naabutan ko rin si Valerie na nauna na roon at naghahanap din siguro ng makakain sa ref...

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at natigilan din sa ginagawa. "Uh," She awkwardly smiled at me.

"You're not yet asleep?" I asked.

Umiling naman siya. "Hindi pa ako makatulog... At parang nagkecrave din yata ako ng ice cream." She smiled shyly.

Ngumiti na rin ako. "It's all right. I think may ice cream naman tayo rito. Parang gusto ko rin after you mentioned it." I smiled at her.

Nakangiti lang din si Valerie nang tinabihan ko siya sa may kitchen countertop at umupo kami sa high stools doon para kumain ng ice cream.

"Bawal yata ito sa akin, uh, pinag-d-diet din ako ng Manager ko..." she said.

I looked at Valerie. "You're still on a diet? But you're already petite..." I worriedly looked at her. Okay naman na ang katawan niya para sa akin... I don't think she still needs to lose more weight... I would think that it would be unhealthy for her... I'm really worried.

Umiling siya sa akin. "Ayos lang... I'll do it for my career..." she said and became quiet...

"You're loving your job?" I smiled to her when I asked.

Ngumiti rin si Valerie sa akin. Pagkatapos ay tumango siya...

And then I thought that who am I to stop her from reaching her dreams? When I only dragged her here with me...

It's the only thing I can do for her... To support her. After all that she's done and enduring for me, too.

Author's note: hi! Until Chapter 25 was already posted and ready to read in Patreon and my Facebook VIP group! To join VIP kindly message me on Facebook Rej Martinez—my account is temporarily private/locked but anyone can send me a message and I have the same profile picture as the one I use here in my Wattpad profile. Thank you so much for your support!