Chapter 14

My work was great, a little hectic, but I was able to get on by so quickly.

I was able to pack five-day clothes for me papuntang Chennai sa a-attendan naming leadership summit doon. I asked Raj kung sapat na ba ang mga damit na dadalhin ko. When he saw most of my stuff ay very casual lang ay sinamahan niya kagabi na bumili ng damit na maisusuot for the event. Most of them were formal clothes—coat, skirt, blouses, and other stuff that I didn't have to pay for because he paid for all the expenses.

What happened the other night at his parents' dinner still filled my mind with a lot of questions. Hindi naman ako nagtanong sa kanya. Kung wala naman siyang balak sabihin sa akin ay hindi ko rin itatanong sa kanya. I would let him say it in the right time.

"We're going together, right?" I asked Raj.

"Of course! Why would we go separately when we're going to the same airport? We have the same flight, remember?"

Napatango naman ako. "Ah, yes, we do. . ."

Ilang saglit lang din naman ay naghanda na kami umalis ni Raj. Siya na naman ang nagdala ng maleta ko palabas ng bahay. Tinulungan naman siya ng driver ng sasakyan na mailagay sa trunk ang mga maleta namin. Since his car was still in repair, we had to book a ride to go to the airport. Pagkabalik namin muli Chennai ay inaasahan naman niyang maayos na ang sasakyan niya. Nagsabi pa siya sa akin na once makita niya si Pavan ay uupukan niya 'yon matapos niyang pagdiskitahan nang malala ang sasakyan niya.

Tahimik lang naman ako sa biyahe namin papuntang airport. At this time, wala naman akong dapat ipag-alala maliban sa kailangan kong mapanindigan na mag-asawa kaming dalawa. My boss found out about it yesterday. Nagulat siya nang makita niya ang singsingna suot ko. I was wearing on the finger where the marriage ring would be in so he was so curioused and asked me right away. Nang sabihin ko sa kanya na married na ako at si Rajendra ang asawa ko ay nagulat siya. As in, he was completely shocked. Hindi niya inaasahan 'yon. He even told me Raj would told him about it, pero hindi na lang ako nagbigay ng komento dahil ayoko namang may masabi pa ako na mali. Malalagot pa ako kay Raj sa huli.

Nang marating namin ang airport, Raj and I had to meet the others who would be going on the same flight as ours. I was lucky to be put on a Business Class seat as I was only expecting to be seated sa economy. That was requested by Kartik and I'm so grateful for him.

Pagkapasok namin sa airport ay hindi nagtagal ay natanaw na namin ang mga kasamahan namin. All were leaders so I was kind of intimidated by them. Hinayaan ko na lamang si Raj ang lumapit at bumati sa kanila. Binati ko pa rin naman sila, but I stepped aside dahil ang lalaki nilang tao. Hindi rin ako maka-relate sa mga pinag-uusapan namin kaya hindi ko kailangang ipasok ang sarili ko sa usapan.

Kami na lang din ang hinihintay nila kaya nag-check in na rin kami ng mga gamit namin. Nang matapos ang lahat ay dumiretsyo kami sa exclusive lounge para maghintay ng flight namin. I haven't been in an airport lounge before kaya pagkapasok ko pa lang ay gusto ko nang lumabas dahil feeling ko hindi naman ako belong.

Everyone had their own thing to do. Hindi ako humilay kay Raj dahil siya lang naman ang close ko. Even though I came here with Kartik, alam naman niya kung sino ang sasamahan ko.

"Kinakabahan ako. . ."

"Huh? What did you say?" tanong ni Raj sa akin. Na-realize kong hindi niya pala ako naintindihan.

"I said I was nervous," sagot ko pa.

"Why?"

I looked around. "The leaders seemed so suspicious of why I was here."

"So?"

"They might say that I'm just another expense for the company."

"Nah, don't worry about it," he said, shaking his head. "They don't care about it. As long as you're with us to learn and immerse yourself, you don't have to be nervous about anything. I can assure you that."

"Oh, okay. . ." aniko.

"You should get some food or drinks for yourself. They're all free unless stated," Raj said.

Sinunod ko naman ang sinabi niya. I started looking around and I found myself getting a plate put snacks on it. Hindi ko na inintindi kung makita man nila ako na maraming kinukuhang pagkain. Free naman. Who am I to reject the blessings I have? E, pinatulan ko na nga 'tong ideya ni Raj sa akin na maging mag-asawa kaming dalawa, ang pagkain pa kaya?

I went back to our table and started eating. Kape lang din naman ang ininom ni Raj. Inalok ko pa siya na kainin ang brownie na kinuha ko, pero tinanggihan niya.

"Your bosses are looking at us," halos pabulong kong sagot sa kanya. "You will eat this piece so they will believe we were so in love with each other."

Hindi na nakailag si Raj sa akin. It was on his agreement na when on public ay aakto kami na mag-girlfriend or boyfriend and him declining it won't make senses for me. Kinain niya ang isinusubo kong brownie sa kanya. He washed it down ith a coffee and took a deep breath. Hindi ko alam kung anong tumatakbo sa isipan ni Raj ngayon. Gusto kong tanungin sa kanya ang naging usapan nila ng father nito, pero ayoko rin naman sirain ang mood niya. I knew talking about it would make him feel bad kaya hinayaan ko na lang na lumipas iyon sa isipan ko.

It took us an hour waiting sa loob ng airport lounge hangga't sa tawagin na ang flight namin for boarding. All of us who were on the same flight went out and lined up at the boarding gate. When we got inside the aircraft, we were assisted to get us onto our seats. Nakakapanibago sa akin ang lahat dahil naman normal sa akin na umupo sa business class. Raj even mentioned na minsan ginagawa pa nilang first class ang seats kapag malaki-laki ang budget. Kung hindi nga lang daw kay Kartik ay hindi ako mapupunta sa business class dahil kapag below the managerial ang role ay economy seat lang daw talaga ito.

The flight wouldn't take more than a couple of hours so we would reach Chennai before we knew it.

Hindi kami magkatabi ni Raj at medyo malayo siya sa kinauupuan ko. Ang kalapit ko ay si Kartik kaya siya ang nangangamusta sa akin. I told him I was fine and all. Wala naman na dapat ika-worry. I was only surprised by all the flight attendants coming at me like I was a very special person.

"Hey, Kash. I was just curious, when did you and Raj get married?" tanong pa ni Kartik sa akin.

At that moment, nanlamig ang buong katawan ko. Naghanap kaagad ako nang maidadahilan sa kanya kaya naman dali-dali kong binasa ang sarili ko ng tubig. I was trying to put his attention away. Naparami rin ang tapon ko ng tubig kaya dali-dali akong nag-excuse papuntang lavatory.

Huminga ako nang malalim habang pinapatuyo ko gamit ang tissue ang pantalon ko. Hindi naman halata dahil nakasuot ako ng itim na pants, pero ramdam ko ang lamig sa legs ko.

It took me a while before I went back to my seat. Hinintay ko lang talaga na mawala sa isipan iyon ni Kartik. Hindi namin napag-usapan ni Raj iyon at nag-panic ako. Pagbalik ko sa kinauupuan ko ay tinanong niya naman ako kung okay lang ako. I was hoping he wouldn't ask me more about my marriage Raj. Nakahinga rin naman ako nang maluwag dahil hindi na siya nag-follow up pa ng tanong.

I fell asleep throughout the flight and the next thing I knew, they were waking me up as we finally reached our destination. Dali-dali ko rin namang inayos ang sarili ko. Nang pababa na kami ay muli kong nakita si Raj at nagsabay na muli kami palabas. When he told me he saw me rushing to the lavatory earlier and thought something bad happened, and when I told him about what Kartik asked, he tried not to laugh about it but told me we had been married for a month now.

We went down to the luggage conveyor to pick up our stuff. I tried not to act weird beside Kartik dahil alam kong hindi naman niya makakalimutan ang tinanong niya sa akin kanina, but hopefully, he would set it aside for now. I know they were all curious as to how happened it all fast. 

As soon as we got all our luggage, we went out of the airport and got on the ride waiting for us to the hotel we were all staying. Raj and I wouldn't be staying in one room kahit na mag-asawa kaming dalawa in their eyes, but it was a good thing for me so I could still have some privacy and space for myself.

I'm not sure how long I would be able to carry this secret between me and Raj, but I hope I won't be able to break my character because I would be doomed. So doomed.

***