Chapter 12: Moving in with him
Three days before the wedding... Ten o'clock on a Thursday morning, Craig and I were lying leisurely on the couch with my head on his lap, while watching some random series on the tv. He kept throwing jokes and funny pick up lines to ease my stress of thinking about the wedding.
Because our voices were so loud, along with the sound of the TV, we both didn't notice the car that stopped in front of our apartment. We were both oblivious of the man who was constantly knocking on the other side of the door. And it was too late to get up and open it as it suddenly opened and the furious face of my fiancé came to our view.
He banged the door behind him that almost knock me off Craig's lap. I got up immediately when Daniel has started approaching us with his raging eyes.
"What the fuck is happening here, Sophia?" his booming voice echoed throughout the living room as his eyebrows almost formed in one line.
He was asking me but his eyes were focused and throwing daggers at Craig beside me. But instead of explaining what he had seen, I asked him back in a calm voice without being affected. "What are you doing here?"
"Don't you dare answer me with another question! What's going on here? Who is he and why are you lying on his lap?"
I raised my eyebrow before rolling my eyes.
"It's none of your business, Mr Kelley! And let me just remind you that you're not in your own place to shout or even raise your voice."
The kind of look he threw at me sent shivers down to my spine, but I never back down and held my stand. I also didn't miss the way he clenched his jaws as he walked over to me.
"Yes it's none of my business but since we're getting married, you're not allowed to flirt with anyone especially you're going to use my name for a year!" He said through gritted teeth. "I wasn't flirting with him!" I tried to defend myself.
"Really? Then why are you lying on his lap?" he asked me but his eyes weren't on me but Craig. He formed his fists into a ball, so I decided to stand between them.
"He's my best friend, my assistant and my flatmate! Now that you know, can you stop glaring at my best friend and just tell me what you are doing here! What do you want?" Then he looked at me, changing his expression back to cold and serious.
"Get your things ready, you're now going to live with me."
"What?" my voice came a bit louder.
"You heard me, right? I said pack your things and we're now leaving."
"But can we just wait after the wedding?"
"No! Are you going to pack your things now or you're going to leave empty-handed?" I gasped and narrowed my eyes on him.
"Fine! Come on, Craig, help me pack my things!"
I grabbed his arm and was about to go upstairs when Daniel suddenly snatched my hand from holding Craig's.
"No! Stay here man, I'll help her."
"What?" another loud voice escaped from my throat. And knowing the small smile on Craig's lips, I know something is going on in his mind. "You don't need to, Mr Kelley. Craig and I know what to do----" but he didn't give me time to finish my sentence as he pulled me towards the stairs.
"We don't have enough time Sophia, so better hurry!"
"I can do it on my own, and I told you Craig will help me!"
"I said no!" he turned to me with a glare.
"Argh!"
When we finally put my suitcase in the compartment of Daniel's car, I turned my heels back inside the house but not before hearing his question. "Where are you going?"
"I'll just say goodbye to Craig!" I shouted with my back facing him and walked my way towards the front door.
-'Jeez! Cold, arrogant, rude and bipolar! Argh!'-
I balled my fists as I gritted my teeth.
"Why did you come back?" asked the grinning Craig when I pushed the door open. I scrunched my face and pouted at him.
"Do you know what I just realized? He's also bipolar!"
But his grin turned into a humorous laugh. "He's just jealous, you know."
"Oh come on, Craig. You know it's not true and it's impossible."
"Okay, as you say so." he shrugged but couldn't suppress his laugh.
"Anyway, can you please take care of my pussy? I promise to get her after the wedding."
"Ohh, but it's your husband who should be taking care of your pussy, my dear."
"Craig!" my face turned horrified.
"Just kidding. Of course, I'll take care of her even if you don't tell me."
"Thanks, Craig." I hugged him. "Don't be late on my wedding day, you have to take me to the altar."
"Of course." and we hugged each other again before he walked with me towards the front door.
And since I didn't know where to sit, I opened the door at the back. Daniel was already seated in the driver's seat and watching me in the rearview mirror until I finally settled behind him. "What the hell are you doing?" he frowned as he turned his head on me.
"Sitting." I simply replied.
"Oh, God! I know that!"
"Then why are you still asking?" I rolled my eyes. -'What a silly question!'-
"Jeez, woman!" he brushed his hair with his fingers in a frustrated manner.
-'What's the matter with him?'-
"I'm not your driver, so you better get your ass up here!"
I watched him as his handsome face scrunched in frustration, then I chuckled, shaking my head.
"What difference would it make if I sit in the backseat or the passenger seat? You are still the driver!"
He closed his eyes tightly. "Sweetheart, if you don't get up there, I swear I'm gonna lift your ass and drag you here."
I gasped and blinked repeatedly. "Fine!" I huffed before opening the door and moved to the passenger seat.
We had been on the road for almost twenty minutes, but neither of us uttered even a single word. The only sound I could hear inside the car was my frequent sighs and the wind blowing through the car's windshield. We're driving on an open road with only a few cars passing by, so the silence was so deafening.
"Can I turn on the radio?" The first question I asked after the overwhelming silence between us.
He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows but didn't answer my question. He just turned his eyes back on the road.
"Thank you for the wonderful answer! I really appreciate it!" I said and smiled full of sarcasm.
I just took my phone out of my pants pocket and open YouTube to scan some romantic songs. Then suddenly I remembered that I don't have headphones, it's in my bag and that bag was in the compartment of his car. So I have no choice but to open the speaker. I leaned on my seat and put my phone on my lap as I started humming the sweet melody of the song 'On the wings of love.' I closed my eyes and never tried to glance at him, thinking he might stop me.
But after a few minutes, I didn't even notice that I had already fallen asleep. And when I opened my eyes, we're in front of a big house but not as big as that of his parents' mansion.
"Get your stuff from the car compartment."
I turned to him frowning.
"Aren't you going to help me?" I asked when I noticed that he had no intention of getting off the car.
"Just call someone inside to help you, I still have a meeting to attend to."
"Wow! What a gentleman you are! Thank you, 'Sweetheart'." I slammed the door behind me when I finally step outside.
-'Huh! If one day comes that you need my help, I swear I will never help you and I'll just gonna laugh on your ass!'- I muttered to myself as I took my stuff from the compartment.
And as soon as I finished, I counted from one to three before I slammed it in full force causing it to create a very loud noise.
"Alright." I smiled feeling proud of what I did.
But before I could pull my suitcase, he came into my sight.
"What did you do?" he asked as if I had committed a serious crime.
I bit my bottom lip to hold back my smile.
"Nothing." I shrugged.
"You slammed it so hard!"
"Oops! Did I?" I faked my shock reaction. "Ohh... I'm sorry 'sweetheart.""
I walked towards the entrance, humming the last song I had played in the car. But upon entering, I was immediately approached by a woman in her fifties. Her smile was so warm and genuine that you can instantly feel at home.
"Finally, you're here! Good morning 'anak'." she said and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back but was confused by the name she called me.
"I'm sorry, but may I know what you called me?"
"Anak. She called you anak." and I was surprised when Daniel spoke behind me.
"That means daughter if you're a girl and son if you're a boy."
"Hmm.." I nodded. "Why are you still here, I thought you had a business meeting?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I just forgot some documents from the study room." then he left us at the entrance.
"Hi, I'm Emily, Daniel's nanny?"
My head snapped automatically to her face.
"Nanny? But, isn't he old enough to have a nanny?"
She chuckled at me. "Yeah, he's old enough for that but what I meant to say is that I was their nanny since they were kids," she said waving me in. "Ohh..." I nodded as I gave her an awkward smile.
"You can call me Nanay Emily or Nanay Ems for short." and when she noticed my confusion, she smiled and explained it to me. "Nanay means mother." "Ahh.." I said nodding. "Nanay Ems."
"I'm sorry if you got confused."
"No, it's okay. I like it."
She smiled "I'm a pure Filipina, how about you, are you a pure American?"
"No, Nanay Ems. I'm half Italian and half American."
"Wow! I'm sure your children will be beautiful and good looking because of your mixed genes," she exclaimed excitedly.
"Huh?" my mouth suddenly hung in mid-air.
"Just kidding, Anak." she patted my arm. "Don't worry, I know it's an arranged marriage, so you can be free to move inside the house. You can also share everything with me."
"Thank you, Nanay." I smiled as relief washed over me. At least I don't have to be an actress inside the house for the whole year.
"Let's go upstairs, I'll show you your room."
I nodded but then I remember my suitcase.
"It's okay Anak, Berto will put them in your room later."
"Berto? Who is he?"
Her smile turned wide as she took my hand. "He's my husband."
"Wow really? That's so cute, I mean you're both here and working for Daniel."
"Yeah, we don't have children of our own, so Daniel and his sister Rian, we considered them as our own children."
"They were so lucky for having you and your husband."
"Yeah, but we're also lucky for having them. At least we've experienced on how to be parents."
We shared a smile after that. Truly, the siblings were indeed lucky for having second parents like them. Well, unlike me. Yeah, I have my parents but they were separated and we have our own story, own lives and own way of living.