Faded Photographs

Why is it Almost Maybe? (1)

Pops POV

She's still sitting on the pavemement when a car stops in front of her, thinking it's just a passerby she didn't look up. She just focused her eyes on her shoes as if there is something special about it.

"Kanina pa kita hinahanap, andito ka lang pala."

She look up and found Martin standing in front of her.

"Mart." She whispered, the rain already stopped pouring.

Martin sat beside her.

"I allowed you to do all the talking kanina, can you do the same for me now?" He asked and she nodded.

"Suzanne. There's nothing going on between us Pipay."

"Bu-but the——"

"I thought you will let me do the talking?" Awat ni Martin sa mga sasabihin pa niya.

"Sorry. Go on." She replied shyly.

"Suzanne is my therapist in the US. When I got there and when I found out the truth about you I got so mad at myself that I became an alcoholic. Suzanne became my therapist that is why she knew everything that happened between us. She helped me cope with my situation kaya ang tagal bago ako naka balik. Ayaw kong umuwi dito na hindi pa ako okay." He paused for a while. She can't help but to shed tears upon knowing what happened to Mart.

"Now I understand why you fell in-love with her Mart. She's the one who's there for you when I wasn't. I'm sorry I didn't know your pain Mart." She said crying then Martin cupped her face.

"You're wrong Pipay because Suzanne was the only one who fell in-love with me, I didn't because it's always you that I love Pipay. Suzanne framed me up, she kissed me on the day that she asked me to see her but believe it or not that's the only day that we saw each other. I was in La Union the whole time." He said but Pops didn't reply, she believed him though, she's just so ashamed of herself because she easily jumped into conclusions.

"Pipay maniwala ka naman sana sa akin. Ikaw lang ang mahal ko. Ikaw lang." Martin assumed that Pops didn't believe him.

"I believe you Mart. I'm sorry I didn't let you explain earlier. Suzanne really knew how to make stories though. I'm sorry I almost believed her." She said while caressing Martin's face.

"It's okay and thank you for still having faith in me. I'm sorry I didn't do the same for you months ago. I feel like I don't deserve you Pipay."

"Hey, you love me naman diba?"

"So much that I went to La Union for this." He said and showed her an engagement ring. "I wanted to ask you to marry me again Pipay. I went to La Union to ask my family to help me out in preparing our wedding that's why I was busy." Martin said while crying.

"Then ask me now Mart." She replied while wiping Martin's tears. Mart then kneeled in front of her.

"This year has been rough to the both of us Pipay, we even came to a point where we gave up to each other. Being apart from you just made me realized how lucky I am that you married me. Will you make me the luckiest man again and marry me again Pipay?"

As Martin proposes both of them are tearing up again.

"I will Mart, I'll marry you." She answered and kissed him.

She laughed after their lips parted.

"Why are you laughing Pipay?" Takang tanong naman nito.

"Wala lang, I just realized you have a habit pf proposing to me sa gilid ng kalsada and it's always after us having a fight." Nagtatawa pa ding sabi niya but Martin's face became serious.

"I can't promise that there will be no fights between us Pipay but I want us to make a promise to each other that no matter how small or big the fight is, hindi tayo kaagad bibitaw okay?"

"I promise Mart. I promise I won't let go. I love you babe."

"I love you too."

————
-Two Months Later-

"By the power vested on me, I now pronounced you husband and wife again and Mr. Ocampo you may kiss the bride." the priest who officiated their first wedding is the same one who officiated their wedding right now. People laughed upon hearing what the priest have said.

Martin kissed her and she kissed him back. Everyone applauded as they walked down the aisle hand in hand.

She looked at baby Austin who is being taken care of by Dawn and Lea who are included in her entourage as her bridesmaids.

Richard is also one of Martin's groomsmen, they invited Aga as well but he's still not showing up. She glanced at her friends once more and wished that they will also find the happiness that she felt right now.

"Aren't we bringing Austin with us Pipay?" Her husband asked.

"Lea and Dawn will bring him love, we will have him later." Naka ngiti naman niyang sagot.

The wedding reception will be held at the cafè. They are going to have an intimate wedding party at the cafè's parking lot.

"Babe?" She called his attention while they are on their way to the cafè.

"Yes babe?" Martin replied.

"Diba you said you already bought a house for us in La Union?"

"Oo, I was thinking if we need a break we can go there."

"Babe, what if we open a branch of "Faded Photographs cafè there?"

"We can naman babe, but who will manage it?"

"Us. Me and you."

"What do you mean? I don't get it babe are you suggesting na lumipat na tayo sa La Union?"

"Yes babe. I realized I wanted to be a full time wife and a mother na and since we are starting over why not do it in a new environment diba? We can just hire Kathryn to manage the cafè and your brother Daniel to oversee the operations tapos tayong tatlo ni Austin can settle in La Union. Afterall you have businesses there diba?" Mahaba niyang paliwanag ngunit tahimik lang si Martin. "Ayaw mo ba?" She added.

"Of course I want that, i want to be able to start over with you but I also know how much you love being a lawyer babe, and I can't let you sacrifice that for us."

"But I love you and Austin more than my career babe. I'm not sacrificing anything at all. I can still take few cases naman even I don't work in any firm like kung may gustong kumuha sa akin I still can but I won't do it full time. I'm all for you and our family."

"Thank you babe! I love you!"

"I love you too!"

They kissed and Martin whispered something in her ears that made her giggles.

AN: Kung ano man ang ibinulong ni Martin kay Pops, we'll never know. Hahahaha