My Only Exception

Chapter 10

They were silently having dinner that night. He came in on time like what he had been doing since she moved in to his place.

"Ethan," she took his attention.

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath. "I heard Seff's leaving for the US for good to work."

"I know," he said. He didn't show any reaction. "That's good for him. He wants that and we need his absence too."

"What does it have to do with us?"

"If Seff's away from us, there wouldn't be any reason for us to argue. There wouldn't be any reason for you to leave me," he said and it made her startled. Until now, despite the major adjustments she made for him, he never believed her.

She stood up to leave. "Excuse me."

"We're not done eating yet," he said.

"Nawalan na ako ng gana," she said and closed the door behind her.

••

"Hi Ma'am," someone knocked on her office. She was busy finishing an article on her laptop that time.

"Yes Charlie? What can I do for you?" she asked her writer.

"Ma'am, someone sent you a postcard," she said and handed it to her.

"Thanks Charlie," she smiled at her and left her room. Raffy was left wondering where it came from. She decided to open it and saw a postcard from Arizona.

It's nice in here. Just saw Grand Canyon. Awesome view.

-Seff

She smiled knowing Seff remembered her even if she did not have the chance to see him before he left. She kept the card on her table and continued what she was doing.

A few days later, she received a letter from an international magazine inviting her for three days for a conference to be held in Arizona. She was very excited to take the opportunity and told Ethan right away as soon as she got home.

"What for Love? You're doing good on your job," he said.

"It's not enough. I could learn more if I join that conference. Isa pa, it would widen my horizon and let me expand my connections," she explained. "Please... I really want to go."

"I'll think about it."

The invite got turned down. And another. And another. She lost three chances of travelling just because he didn't want her to go. What she could have learned on those times would have increased her earnings, given her better career opportunities, and be internationally known. She followed when he stopped her and didn't say anything.

She was having coffee with Sandra, another head from a different department. She had on her hand an offer to work abroad for a company. If she was alone, she knows she would have confirmed it the moment she saw it. But she needed to consider Ethan. They weren't married yet but almost good as one since they live under the same roof.

"Don't tell me you'll decline this again? How many chances have you given up? Two? Three? And what was his reason? Because it's in the US? For heaven's sake Raffy, if his brother really likes you, even if Ethan hides you on his pockets, he would find a way to see you," she lectured her friend.

"Magulo na yung situation namin. Hindi naman yun lang ang iniisip ko. I am thinking of their relationship as brothers. Kapag pumunta ako dun, he would think I would be seeing Seff and that would put more damage between them," Raffy explained.