"THANK YOU, because you helped me clean the house. At least I finished early."
That's what Mia happily said later that afternoon.
After taking care of everything that needed to be done in preparation for their marriage they went home immediately. That was when Mia told Erik that she would be at her house for a while cleaning. She noticed earlier when she had taken her documents that the house was a bit dusty.
"That’s nothing, don’t mention it okay? You know I am more than willing to do anything for you,” replied the young man who took her hand. "Do you want us to ride a tricycle? Maybe you're tired?"
That’s what Erik asked when he continued to speak because she just remained silent.
Since it wasn't very far, Mia decided to ask Erik to walk to her house. They only live in one village so there is no need to use a car.
"I'm fine. It's better like this, walking is good exercise," she said, shrugging her shoulders even though a sweet smile seemed to have formed on her lips. "Wait, what do you want for dinner tonight? Do you want us to walk to the market?” she even suggested.
At that point, Erik let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders. When the young man did that, Mia couldn't stop smiling.
The eyes of the people following the two of them were not hidden from the young lady's sight and attention. Yes, every time they pass, they are followed by a disgusting look. And she knew what those looks were for.
She is aware that the people in their village know what her life story is. From then until now. So, it's no wonder she's receiving judgment now.
Actually, she knows that they are not judging her now. Erik as well. Because he hit a woman like her.
When she thought that, Mia felt a pain in her chest. She tried not to pay attention to that pain, but she failed.
If she was the only one involved, she would be able to ignore everyone. But with Erik. The man she loves. And that's something she can't ignore.
She is not a quarrelsome person. She can keep quiet as long as necessary. She can endure. Even to the point where she was being laughed at too much.
But what if Erik is the one who is being laughed at and ridiculed by others? Can she remain silent?
"Ignore them, okay?"
That's what she heard Erik whisper to her which made her barely move.
"Huh?"
She looked up at the young man and stared at him with questions in her eyes.
"I know I think you are affected by the people you see looking at us. That's why you suddenly became silent," said Erik, who followed what he said with a soft laugh.
Mia sighed first then looked away from the two women she saw whispering when they passed them.
"Because it's too obvious that they're talking about us," she answered in a weak tone of voice.
Erik let out a soft laugh again before placing a simple kiss on her head.
Just like what happened earlier at the fast food restaurant, Mia once again felt a strange touch of happiness in her heart. And that was because of what Erik did.
"The important thing is that we are both happy. It doesn't matter what others say. Okay?” Erik said to her.
That's when Mia looked up at her boyfriend again and then nodded. While Erik just smiled and kissed her again. And this time it was on her lips.
Mia knew that what the young man had done had completely ended any possible question that was playing in the minds of the people who were looking at them.
She didn't know if Erik meant to do that. But just in case, she doesn't have an issue with that. Because as he said earlier. The important thing is that they are both happy. In that way, what others can say becomes meaningless.
They were in front of the gate of Erik's house when she saw the young man waving to a lady. That's Dolores. The lady who at that moment was in the shop of Mrs. Ramos.
"That’s Dolores, isn't it?" she asked Erik who at that moment was opening the gate.
The young man nodded then pushed the gate and let her in first. "She used to be our caretaker in this house," her boyfriend informed her.
When the young man said that, Mia looked at the woman as if out of her normal sanity. That's when she saw that she was still following them with a gaze. And where the sudden heaving of her chest came from in the way the woman was staring at her, she couldn't tell. And she wasn't sure either.
"Are you okay?" Erik asked her as she was unable to notice he was staring at her.
Mia nodded quickly because of that. She didn't know if she should admit to Erik the nervousness she was feeling at that moment. But in the end, she decided to just let it all go.
"I feel like I want my favorite dish for dinner."
That's what Erik said soothingly as he sat down on the long sofa in the living room and then pulled her hand. Because of that, she ended up sitting on the young man's lap.
She didn't expect Erik to do that. That's why her chest was quickly pounded by intense nervousness again. And that feeling swallowed up the unpleasant emotions that Dolores's disturbing gazes sent her.
"Favorite dish, meaning Sinigang na Bangus?" Mia asked her boyfriend clarifyingly as he started to play with her fingers.
The young man nodded one after the other.
"Okay. We have to go shopping at the market," she said as she tried to stand up but Erik stopped her.
"Wait a minute, you stay here first," he stopped her.
Mia immediately laughed at what she thought was the reason why Erik didn't want to let her out of his lap again.
"Don't say you want anything again?" she said meaningfully then laughed softly again.
At that point, Erik's thick eyebrows immediately rose. She saw the amusement in his eyes that made them more attractive in her sight.
"No," the young man refused.
Mia growled. That type of whining that clearly doesn't believe what he said.
"Really?" she said she couldn't stop the unconvinced tone mixing in her speech.
Erik shook his head one after the other. "Of course. I just really want to ask you something," he insisted.
"But why do you have to hold me like this if you just have to ask something?" she said to the young man.
The tone of her speech still did not change. Like Erik, she said those words with amusement.
The truth is, I really just want to ask you why you reacted like that when we saw Dolores?" Erik asked as he gently tucked a few strands of her hair into her ear.
Mia didn't immediately respond to that question.
The truth is that she was surprised. She didn't expect Erik to notice her reaction earlier. While on the other hand, she couldn't stop feeling happy because of the obvious fact that the man she was going to marry could read her.
"D-Did you notice that?" she asked him.
"Mia, I notice everything about you because my eyes always see you," answered Erik.
As soon as the man said that, Mia couldn't stop giggling because of the sudden thrill she felt.
"You're so sweet," she said without hiding the thrill she was feeling.
Whether it was because of what she said or her reaction that made Erik smile again, she wasn't sure. But she knew it was only one of those reasons. It can be both as well.
"Come on now, tell me. I don't want you to worry and also I don’t want those worries to be kept from my knowledge. That's why you're with me. That's why I'm here in your life because you are to share everything you feel with me whether it’s good or bad," the young man continued to convince her.
Because of what she heard, the aura on Mia's face quickly became serious. The thrill is still in her heart. But she knew that at that moment, the fear and nervousness that was in her chest earlier were more dominant.
"I-I was just worried, I know Dolores might say something that is not good because you choose to be with someone like me.”
"So I was right then," said Erik whom she heard even click his tongue after the last thing he said.
Mia bowed her head because of what she heard. "I can't blame her just in case. They know me here as someone who has worked in a nightclub since I left college. Then suddenly I am about to marry a man like you. They really won't accept that," she explained in a tone that was filled with sadness.
Erik didn't waste any more time after that. He immediately hugged her tightly.
"I love you, Mia. So much. If I lose you, I don't know if I can continue my life. Or maybe I can continue. But I will surely live in great sadness. Because I can only be completely happy when I am with you."
Mia can feel that the young man was so true to every word he said. And that causes the corners of her eyes to warm up. But despite the fact that she wanted to be carried away by her emotions. Mia tried to control herself from doing so.
That was when she released herself from the young man’s tight embrace. She then cupped his perfectly handsome face with her hands. After that, she bent down and planted a soft kiss on his mouth.
“I know that. But you cannot blame me for having that kind of feeling, right? Maybe a time will come that I may be able to overcome all of my insecurities,” she said as the tone of her voice was laced with a deep longing for what she said.
“I understand. You know that I’m just here to help you overcome all those insecurities you are talking about, right?”
Once again it seems like a warm ang gentle hand touched Mia’s hand because of what her boyfriend uttered.
“Yes, of course, I know that,” that was her short yet meaningful response.
Erik once again took her in his arms with a sweet smile on his face. They remained in that kind of position for a while before Mia decided to free herself from the young man’s tight embrace.
“Let’s buy something for dinner?” she asked the young man.
Erik stares at her for a while. After that, he nodded.
“Sure, but I just thought that my craving for Sinigang na Bangus can actually wait until tomorrow. I know you are tired. So I think it would be much better if we will have dinner somewhere?” the young man who’s asking for her approval.
“If you think that is the best thing to do there is no problem with me,” she replied agreeing with his suggestion.
The truth is even if she doesn’t admit it, she is happy that Erik cares so much about her. And most of the time he was right about what is really happening to her. On what she truly feels.
“Let’s take a shower together?”
Those words from Erik were what took her attention again.
She stared at the young man and just like before, she saw the familiar and small blazing fires in his eyes that seems to be playing there.
“Forget about it. We might not finish early if we do,” she said standing.
Erik quickly protested what she responded. And along with that protest was the action that he did when he lifted and gave her a lover’s carry that shocked her.
“Hey, Erik, put me down!”
The young man’s full and loud laughter engulfed the whole living room.
“Sure, I will put you down later when we entered the bathroom already.”
After saying those words, he managed to take her mouth for a hungry and real kiss.
As often happens, that kiss quickly drowned out all her resistance. If there is any. And in the end, Mia just found herself willing to do whatever the young man wanted to do and happen.
*****
“YOU mean to say they have been living together for so long? Is that right, Mrs. Ramos?”
That was the question that Dolores asked Mrs. Ramos who at that moment was inside the store.
"All I know is that Mia does laundry and cleans in that house. Because neither of them is telling me stories. And one more thing, I don't ask about personal things in their lives either."
Although the tone of Mrs. Ramos' speech was gentle when she answered her question. It was still obvious to her that she was not happy with her curiosity.
She is not really gossiping. But she just couldn't believe what she saw.
As a former caretaker at the Agrantes' house, she treats and sees Erik like a son. That's why if she is to be asked, she really doesn't agree with Mia being the one to have a relationship with Erik.
"Oh, it's obvious that the two of them have an understanding. I saw with my two eyes. Erik kissed that girl on the lips!”
Dolores could no longer hide the annoyance that mixed with her tone.
"Dolores, there's nothing wrong with that just in case. Erik and Mia are both single. Let them be happy.”
The tone she used still did not change. But despite that, it was still not able to relieve the annoyance she felt.
“Isn’t it that Mia slept with a different man already? I don’t understand what Erik saw in her. He could have been with a better one if she only knew how to raise his standard. There is plenty of beautiful woman in the country where he has been. It was like he came back here to the Philippines only to be with that prostitute and adoptive daughter of Miss Sanchez. Oh may her soul rest in peace,” her long litany then shook her head afterward.
Dolores did not hear any word of response from Mrs. Ramos after all the things she said. The reason why she decided to leave was as soon as the store owner manage to give her all the stuff she bought.
Erik's mother, Aurora, is her friend on her social media account. She didn't know if she had an idea about everything that was happening, but she had to make sure. Because it's not good for Erik to stay with someone like Mia.