AOMI
"Always remember your duty sweetie. What are you going to do again?" He fixed the collar of his green polo before adjusting his hat. He looked at me while his eyebrows are raised waiting for my answer so I tried to reminisce his exact words before uttering.
"I will only stay here near the door to watch and if Hilda gets crazy again, you will give your signal so I can simply walk out and wait for you to follow." Talagang sinaulo ko pa ito word per word para maipakitang atentibo akong nakikinig sa kaniya.
He started nodding slowly while giving me a bright smile before bending down to give me a quick kiss, "That's my girl. Watch me while I tame the king of this forest."
I giggled at his boastfulness before giving him a sly smile and crossing my arms, "Go get him tiger! Show him who's the real boss!" I cheered before giving a wink that made him smile naughtily before walking forward to get into the forest environment inside the cage.
Inilibot ko ang tingin para makitang muli ang bawat detalye ng pintuan. Triton said that the door is made of a very strong metal (I forgot what it's called because I don't really mind a lot) so that not even any smashing could break this door apart so the only way to re-open the door if a person got stuck is the huge button beside the metal door displayed outside. It looks like the huge buzzers I see in game shows and its emitting a red light.
After scanning the door, my eyes are now looking inside the cage which I bet is wider than the size of the mansion without it. The transparent glass walls are surrounding the edge of the cage so I can still see the mansion's school corridor-like path. I can still see the kitchen and the laboratory but not the living room since its kilometers away from the cage. Now I can conclude that this damn mansion is way bigger than the White House.
"Kailangan ko talaga ng mapa rito." I uttered then I let out a heavy breath before looking for my husband who's now mimicking a gorilla's noise. Although he really sounds like a cow being choked, I just waited for what is going to happen next after his call.
After a second, I heard a very fast and heavy step on where my husband is standing and it is more like, the animal is approaching to him and it scared me. I tried not to scream or panic and waited for Triton to do something but to no avail, he was just standing.
It only took a minute before the huge gorilla come out from the trees. His feet and long arms are on the grassy ground while looking at my husband with the same face he had when he attacked him. Parang tumagos sa akin ang nagngangalit niyang titig kaya't hindi ako makagalaw nang maayos.
I am only looking at the both of them then Triton started making gestures that I don't even understand. It looks like he's doing sign language since tulad ng sabi niya, marunong din ang mga gorillas mag-sign (those who are trained like Koko the gorilla).
"Oh boy." Hilda is not responding. He was just looking at Triton like he feels a bit annoyed. I can hear my husband saying word but I can't understand it because he's way too far from me.
After a minute of gesturing and talking to the grumpy Hilda, the gorilla just turns around and left Triton like a woman who got dumped by a suitor. Now I'm finally seeing the Hilda side of this male giant. Kung tao yan ay nasuntok ko na siya sa mukha dahil sa attitude nito. Daig pa may regla eh!
Wala nang nagawa ang asawa ko kundi ang lumingon at dismayadong naglakad pabalik sa akin. Habang lumalapit ang bulto nito ay lalong lumilinaw ang pagkadismaya sa mukha niya.
His eyes are full of sadness and great disappointment but then when he saw me looking at him worriedly, he gave an assuring half smile. He straightened his body then he started jogging to reach me.
"Hilda knows me now sweety. But sadly, I think he didn't miss me." He grabbed me by the waist before guiding me out of the cage. He clicked the button beside the door for it to automatically open before I walk out feeling relieved because Hilda did not go crazy and him feeling bad about the gorilla ignoring him.
***
"Still heartbroken?" Although he sits on the couch comfortably while the tv is on, I know that he's really not watching because his eyes look so still like how people just stop and stare deeply.
I sat beside him and place my head on his hard chest before letting out a heavy breath and look at the television playing an animal documentary. Looks like I'll be watching a lot of it from now on.
"Maybe. The fact that I love him so much and I became attached to him before breaks my heart a little babe." I pouted at him then I reached for his head and run my fingers on his hair to soothe him. I really like doing this because his hair feels really good.
"I see. Should I be jealous at a gorilla now?" He slowly shook his head as he looks at me with typical warm eyes.
"Nah. You're my wife. I can't cheat with a male gorilla love."
"Then find a female gorilla and date her."
We both started laughing at each other knowing that the topic is too bad to be true. My husband loves animals but he's not that insane to have a gorilla mistress for pete's sake!
"Sadly, my wife is a gorilla. So moody and so grumpy." Now the tease is on me. My happy mood immediately switched on a pissed one and I looked at my husband with my eyes as sharp as a tiger's deadly glare.
"You take that back!" Instead of saying sorry or obeying, he started laughing really hard and it made me feel more pissed. I am not moody! How dare him!
"See? You really are my gorilla wife." I did not say anything but I hit him in his abdomen. He groaned but not too much loud since I did not hit him that really hard.
This is how I act everyday with him. I'm fond of hitting my husband but not that much hard. Just a teasing hit to show him that I'm pissed. I am not one of those few women who brutally hurts their husband.
"Now you're more proving it sweety! You're as brutal as a gorilla!" Bigla niyang ipinulupot ang mga braso niya sa akin at pinanggigilan nang husto. He's cuddling me so tight before rubbing his nose on my neck.
"Stop that! I'm not a gorilla!"
"Yes, you are love! You even smell like a gorilla too!"
He continued teasing me and now he started tickling my waist up to my rib but then he immediately stopped when we heard his phone ringing. I moved away from him then he bend near the table to reach for his phone then he put it in his ear after confirming the call.
"Yes?" He straightened himself to sit right before clearing his throat then he turned his head to face me. H mouthed the word gorilla so stick my tongue out as a response. He's teasing me even he's damn busy!
"What?" His bright and mocking face immediately changed into a shocked one. His eyes are widened while both of his eyebrows are raised. He even shakes his head like he cannot believe the news.
"But I'm still on my vacation!" After his complain, he stands up from the couch and started walking away while I still hear him saying that he can't come.
What could that be? But he said he prepared a 1-month vacation with me. Why are they bothering him now?
"Bad news sweetie." Kahit pa may kalayuan ay dinig ko ang bagsak na boses ni Triton. His heavy steps are way heavier than the elephant's step. I can already feel the floor is cracking because of it.
"I can tell." He disappointedly sits beside me on the couch then he took my right hand before sighing.
"Something came up at work. Some of my papers and reports about my bear analysis are missing and other important reports of a study I did in some animals at Africa." Although I don't really care about what are those reports or whatever he's talking about, I feel bad because I know what he's trying to say.
"So, you're going to leave me for bear reports?" I sounded like a kid talking to her father not to go to work. I just feel bad because he promised that we will be enjoying our island stay together. And besides, I still have Gorilla Care lessons.
"Sadly, yes love. I really have to go and find those. I need to get all the papers back and that means I need to fly back in Canada and Africa." All he need are papers and reports yet he still needs to get to other countries for that. What the hell is this kind of work?
"That's insane! Can't you just ask some people if they can find it for you? You can't just fly there just to look for some stupid papers!" His work is too much! I have never seen a person doing such great effort just because of missing papers! Oh well, there are really golden papers that are so important but we don't fly on another country for that right?
"Sweetie, you know my work---"
"Okay! Okay! Your work is a great pain in the ass! I get it!" I can already feel my lungs trying to come out because of feeling so pissed. I'm really mad but it melted away when I saw how sad his eyes are. It is like he's feeling so pressured right now and I don't want that to happen. I promised to be an understanding wife.
"Aomi..."
"I'm sorry. I'm just upset because I thought we will be spending our time together as a newly married couple. I'm looking forward for this. I already made some plans and I'm also on the verge of enjoying your gorilla lessons."
Everything is now so screwed. I want to strangle the person who called him and burn his flesh on fire. That person ruined our moment! I can kill for that!
"Aomi I'm really, really sorry. I'm also upset and pissed because I'm also looking forward for our time here. I planned everything to be perfect but I did not plan for the emergency coming." He raised my hand and kissed it tenderly before staring at me with these gloomy eyes that warm my heart. How can I say no to him if he's an angel to me? "I really don't want to go wife but I have no choice. All I can do right now is re-sched our 1-month honeymoon."
Now my heart is broken. Darn those papers! I hate papers now!
"Do I have a choice too? I don't want you to lose your job because it's what you loved first. I don't want to make the situation worse just because of my need. I know it's hard and I'm really disappointed but I promised to be understanding. I don't want to burden you more." He already showed too much patience and understanding when we are still in a relationship. I want to show him that I can payback all his sacrifices for me.
"Aww~ you will never be a burden for me Aomi. I married you because you are the one who gives me strength and happiness. The real burden are the problems we will encounter as a married couple so we should be ready to face it. Together." He is right. We need to be more understanding with one another. After marriage is a road to forever and there should be no backing up. We are sealed as one so we face the obstacles with our hands holding together.
***