Ten Is Tin

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I've mentioned that it was Elmer and my tenth anniversary on August 28, and that I would tell you more about it. Well, that's it. There's nothing more about it, seriously. Null. Zero. Nada. Zilch. There was no celebration at all. Not even greeting each other "Happy anniversary, Mahal." Kasi nga 'di ba I've also mentioned na may pinagdadaanan ako.

Ganito kasi 'yun.

Months ago, my friends at work found a super cheap fare to Palawan. That was in March. Travel period was, from that time, in a couple of months for a couple of months. They invited me to go with them and asked me to bring Elmer with me. They were two pairs of couple, so Elmer and I would make the group three pairs of couple heading to Palawan in September. To cut the story short, Elmer and I agreed. We booked for a flight to Palawan. That was in March. Yes, we are heading to Palawan on September 3 and staying there until September 7.

You must know by now that Elmer is now with a new company that also works for Texas Instruments. He switched companies in July. You know what that means. New company. Tenure back to zero. No leave credits. Heavy workload. Limited number of people. So again, to cut the story short, his boss didn't let him go on this trip. He couldn't join us.

I found out about this sad news from him on Friday last week, after all the hotel bookings had been made and the UR permit had been acquired. Perfect...not! And what's so irritating about him is how he doesn't filter his words and and his lack of empathy. He broke the bad news to me flat-out, "Hindi ako makakasama. Hindi ako pinayagan ni boss." He could have broken it to me more gently. I don't know how. Basta. Feeling ko, hindi siya nag-effort talaga na magpaalam. He explained more when I interrogated him how it went with his boss. I couldn't understand.

So I've been cold-shouldering him since that day, even before my kids and I went down to Nueva Ecija, until today. Well I've warmed up a bit now. I now answer some of his questions. Actually, I understand his situation well. But I refuse to understand. What will I look like in Palawan with my friends and their own partners with them while I'm there alone in my hotel room during the night? Do I even want to still go?

Review Paragraph 1. ^_^ That explains why there was no celebration at all. Because that trip to Palawan was supposed to be it.

On that day, he left for work without greeting me. He would not expect to greet him just the same. Quits lang. Oo mga friends, ganyan ako ka-immature at ka-proud minsan. But I knew (confident na confident lang talaga ako) na hindi niya ako matitiis. When he came home, he came home with a roasted chicken and a bottle of softdrinks. I was still not talking to him. Good thing, he was to me. So 'yun na 'yun. 'Yun na ang handa namin for our tenth anniversary. Sweet 'no? Still, he didn't greet me. Pero before sleeping he said, "Antagal na natin, Mahal." I tried not to respond pero sabi niya ulit, "Mahal?". Kaya sabi ko na lang, "Oo." I don't even know what he meant by that. Pero alam na 'yan.

I'm talking to him more now, almost back to normal, after he said that he would pay for all the expenses for our Cebu trip in December although I told him that I was no longer interested in going. Or if not daw, he would plan a trip to Ilocos na lang at sagot niya lahat PLUS he encouraged me to still go even without him. Sayang daw ang ibinayad niya, sayang naman daw kung pati ang ibinayad ko at 'wag daw ako mag-alala sa mga bata dahil andito naman siya (confident ako sa bagay na 'yan) PLUS he would buy me a new bag of my choosing once I came back from Palawan. Aarte pa ba ako? Kaya ngayon, gets na gets ko na talaga kung bakit hindi siya makakasama sa Palawan. Uy, hindi ako materialistic na tao ha. Madali lang talaga ako kausap. ^_^

Ten years of partnership is something. We've come this far because neither of us is giving up. It's not a walk in the park, you know. It's a milestone for Elmer and me. And I'm proud. 'Yung ganitong eksena sa pagsasama namin, this is nothing. Even Nikki and Calli know us so well. Well, they should kasi we're their parents. Also, Nikki and Calli are the best part of those ten years.

So to you Elmer, "Happy Tin Anniversary! I look forward to our Golden Anniversary (and to my new bag!)"

Sorry if I bored you, guys. If you're still reading this, thank you for bearing with me. ^_^ 

Palawan, here we come! (Sa Monday pa, excited lang)

Ciao! ♥