Becoming Mrs. Martin

The Sneaky Baboon

A.E's POV...

Each day was passing so fast that I can't even imagine the month of waiting was already over. Tomorrow, I will actually become “Mrs. Martin”.

Mrs. Anica Elaine Adams Martin

I smiled at the thought. This past month, I realized that my feelings for Austin have already deepened. The more I spent time with him, the more I admire him. The more I am drawn to who he is as a person. He’s still as cold as the Arctic but at least I can feel that he cares. So I still have this hope that he will eventually like me back. Would two years be enough for someone to fall in love? I sighed and shook my head.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Breathe, AE. Breathe

OMG!

I'm getting married!

I feel so excited. And scared. And nervous. And happy. I smiled widely and blushed slightly. What about him? Well, he seems to be not as excited as me. After that day, when we had the agreement, I visited him at his office. He was always busy and everything about the wedding was arranged by Anthony. Sometimes he goes with me throughout the preparation but it looks like he's just doing it for it to be done. He is surely bipolar. Sometimes, I felt like I was forcing him to marry me.

Am I making the biggest mistake of my life?

No, I like him. And maybe he'll learn to like me too. Right?

2 years can be long enough to develop feelings. Right?

Plus, happiness is a choice.

Me and Austin. We’ll be happy.

We’ll choose to be happy.

I sighed to myself and just smiled bitterly. I can't give up now.

***

Iza's POV...

I got up from my bed and went to the bathroom. I washed my face and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked at my reflection from the mirror but I see a different girl. I don't really see myself in her. What the hell happened to me? Why do I look so different? Why do I see a different person in the mirror? Oh, I know. It was because of me. It was really because of me. I was a coward. After our break up 10 years ago, I lost myself. I don't blame him. It's my fault, entirely my fault. Yes, that's it. After losing him, I eventually lost myself.

"ha-ha..." I laughed bitterly as bitter tears flowed from my cheeks. "Why are you still crying, Iza?"

Yes, I am still crying. Every single night for the last 10 years, I cried. And cried. I wiped my tears and brushed my teeth. I had my shower and fixed myself. I went downstairs and poured milk to a bowl of cereals. I just had my first spoonful when the doorbell rings. I looked at the time, it's 8 am. Who would visit me this early? I went to open the door of my apartment.

"Pop?!" I whispered. Shocked.

"How is my favorite granddaughter?" he said smilingly.

"Don't joke, Pop. I am your ONLY granddaughter. So you don't have a choice but make me your favorite." I commented and hugged him tightly.

"I missed you so much, darling." he said.

"I missed you, too." I said.

I let him enter and seated him on the living room before making him a cup of coffee. I brought my food in the living room and sat beside him.

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Why? Can't I visit you, darling?" he answered and kissed my forehead. "I said I missed you. You don't even visit me."

I sighed when I saw the hurt in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Pop. You know why I don't."

"Come home, darling." he said pleadingly

"No." I answered firmly. "I just can't, Pop."

"Let it go, Iza. Please." Pop whispered.

"Pop..." I said while shaking my head No.

"Okay. Then, I have a favor to ask you." Pop said in a very serious manner. "I want you to listen to me very carefully."

"What favor?" I asked.

"I want you to go and see Austin." he said.

"Why?" I asked, surprised. "Why do you suddenly bring him up? It’s been 10 years Pop – “

"Austin. He's getting married." he interrupted.

I was shocked. I have never expected this. I have never imagined Pop saying these things to me now. Why do I have to care if Austin marries someone else? Why does he want me to go to the man who still probably hates me?

"We've separated 10 years ago." I said firmly and tried to smile. "He can marry whoever he wants to marry now. I’m happy for him."

"Austin James Martin. I know you still love him." he said all knowingly. “Iza. In order for you to be truly happy, you have to do this.”

"Pop, am I insane? Love? What if I still love him? Will it matter? No! Why do I have to see him again? He hates me! He probably doesn’t want to see me anymore!! And who cares if I am not happy. I don’t even deserve to be happy. I’m a horrible person, Pop. I don’t deserve happiness." I reasoned out firmly. 

"I just don't want you to have your regrets for a lifetime." he whispered as he searched and looked at my eyes. "You deserve to be happy."

"Stop, please?!" I asked, my voice hoarse.

"Just go and talk to him before it's too late, darling." Pop said firmly. “Live life with no regrets.”

"Why?" I asked with a breaking voice. I then noticed that a tear fell from my eyes.

"Because you're still hurting. And if you both talk things out and turns out that you still love each other, then rekindle your relationship, darling..." Pop said firmly, looking at me. "But if he decides otherwise, then both of you needed a proper closure. For both of you to move on. And be happy."

"I can't believe I'm hearing these." I cried.

"I just want you to be happy, darling…" Pop said and he approached me. "You’ve never been yourself for the last 10 years and I am hurting as I see you living like that. Please, Iza, darling. I just want you to go and see him."

"No!" I refused and moved away. "You can't expect me to do this, Pop! I don't even have a face to show him! I can't even imagine facing the man that I have once wounded!"

"Please, darling. Do this as a favor. I am asking you this favor, before I die...go and meet him." he pleaded. “Once and for all.”

"You still have a lot of years ahead of you, Pop. Don't make me do this..." I said.

"No. I am dying, my darling." he said with a lonely face.

"W-what?!" I said which almost sounded like a whisper.

"I have Pancreatic Cancer. And it's the end stage. I am dying." he answered and looked at me intently. "My body won't accept the treatment, Iza. And besides, I'm old...so before I go, I want you to be happy. I want to see you happy."

"No-" I sobbed and went to hug my grandfather. I embraced him tightly with overflowing tears. "Pop..."

***

I can't believe I'm doing this. But then, I realized that maybe Pop was right. Both of us can't move on without a proper closure. I just needed to talk to him and explain my side. I nervously walk out of the elevator going to his office.

"Is this Mr. Martin's office?" I nervously ask the girl.

"Yes. Do you have an appointment?" she asked.

"Oh. No, I don't. Can you just ask him if he can speak with me for a while?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"For a while, Ma'am." she said and pressed the intercom. "Sir, someone here wanted to see if she can speak with you for a while."

"Who?" a familiar voice asked which sent chills to my very bones.

It’s really him.

"Your name, Miss?" she asked.

"Tell him it's Iza..." I say.

She nodded and press the intercom again. "She says her name is 'Iza'."

***

Austin's POV...

I was talking to A.E. over my cellphone about my preference of her hairstyle. She was bothering over these small things for the past few days.

"What Austin, would you like me to have my hair on a full bun or half bun tomorrow?" she asked excitedly.

"I don't even know what full or half bun means...it all depends on you." I said coldly, pouting.

Why does she need to call me for this?

"C'mon…I wanted to be the loveliest bride for you." she said. "Please just choose...please…"

I smiled at her positivity. She's really so straightforward. She's weird, witty and carefree. I can't believe I even agreed to marry her.

"Fine, half bun maybe?" I say, not really knowing what half bun is.

"I knew it!" she said and she hung up.

Why does she keep hanging up on me?

After I give her answers to her random questions, she always ends the call abruptly. I must be crazy for marrying her. I shook my head and concentrated on my work. But I can't focus now. Every now and then, I keep looking back at my phone. 'Coz anytime soon, she'll either send me a picture of what she's currently doing, or call me and annoy me with nonsense questions, or worst pop out of my office door. I chuckled just thinking about her. She's like a natural clown. And then I heard Sara's voice through the intercom.

"Sir, someone here wanted to see if she can speak with you for a while." she said.

"Who?" I asked.

She? I am not expecting anyone but A.E. popping out at my office.

Who could be visiting me at this hour?

Then I heard Sara asking the woman’s name.

"She says her name is 'Iza'." she said.

My heart pounded wildly upon hearing her name. My body stiffened for a while.

Did I hear the name right?

Why would she be here?

After 10 long years?

I calmed myself and pressed the intercom again. "Let her in."

And the door opened. Then I saw the eyes that I have been longing to see for the past 10 years of my life. There stands the woman who broke my heart into millions of pieces. There stands the woman I once promised to love forever. There stands the only woman I had dreamed to marry.

"Iza." I whispered as I stare at her.

I can't believe she's standing in front of me right now. I see that tears started to pour out of her eyes. She's still as beautiful as before.

"Austin." she says softly as she closed the door.

Her voice is still the same. Her face, still angelic as ever. However, her features look more matured now, but still stunning as ever.

"What can I do for you?" I ask first, breaking the long silence. I am now trying my best to take control of my voice.

"Can…can we...talk?" she asked nervously.

"What do we have to talk about?" I asked coldly, raising my brows.

"I'm sorry." she said before more tears poured out from her eyes.

I felt butterflies in my stomach. Even though I felt mad or furious of what she did to me back then, part of me, still, wanted to run to her, embrace her, comfort her and make her stop crying.

***

A.E's POV...

I wiped my tears as I didn’t realize I was actually crying. I sighed and stared at the night sky.

Why am I crying?

He never denied the fact that he didn't like me.

I'm the one who wanted this!

I'm the one who wants to get married!

It's all my fault. I shouldn't be crying now. I solely did this to myself.

I sighed again and just let the wind blew on my curly hair.

"I'm sorry..." the girl said while she sobbed her heart out. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt you, Austin. Believe me."

Then I looked at Austin. He didn't even notice that I was standing at his office door. He just stared at that woman, deeply. And I saw it with my own eyes. The way he looks at her like she's his most prized possession. The look that I have always wanted to see from him when he looks at me.

He still loves her.

***

Austin's POV...

I am now sitting at a chair in my terrace, looking at my phone. I checked the time and its almost midnight.

Why is she not calling me now?

A.E. used to call me every night from the time we agreed to get married. And now she's not even calling me. I feel a little bit pissed. She always tells me she likes me but would always do things to annoy me. I received her last call this afternoon when she was asking me about her hairstyle for tomorrow. Now she doesn’t even bother to text me or send me a picture of what she's doing. I usually get a ton of photos from her before I sleep.

This girl is really annoying!

So childish!

I let out a deep breath. Tomorrow, I'll be a married man. I sighed. I needed this, to move on. Then, my phone rang. I grinned from ear to ear when I saw the caller ID namely, 'my annoying bee'.

"I knew you would call." I said, sounding cold to piss her. "Why call me? It's almost midnight! Shouldn't you be having your beauty rest by now? Remember, tomorrow-"

"Tomorrow…lets cancel the wedding!" she hurriedly said interrupting me. Then I heard her controlled sobs.

"WHAT?!" I hissed, surprised. Then I panicked. "Are you crying?! Why?! Did something bad happen?! Are you alright?!”

"I don't want to force you into marrying me that’s why!" she yelled over the phone, voice cracking. "Just be happy and marry her!"

"What do you-" I wanted to asked but I was cut off by her voice once again.

"Just forgive her and be happy!" she said firmly in between her sobs and hang up.

I stood up and kicked the chair when she hang up.

What the –

What's wrong with her?

She was just so excited about our marriage and now she wants to back out?!

And what is she talking about?

Just forgive her? Her?

Then it all sank in. She saw me and Iza earlier at the office. That's why she didn't call me all night nor text me. That's why she's cancelling the wedding. That's why she's crying.

Oh, hell!

***

AE's POV...

"Hey, wake up..." a familiar voice whispered to my ear. "Wake up..."

I ignored it and turned on my other side. I was so exhausted and my eyes hurt from crying for how many hours. I don't want to wake up!

Then I felt someone tickling my feet. My feet!

"Stop!" I hissed finally waking up.

Then I kick on the thing that tickled my feet and slowly opened my eyes.

"Aah- " I yelled but my mouth was automatically covered.

And so I used my teeth and bit on the hand the covered my mouth.

"Ouch!" the voice hissed and removed his hand from my mouth. "It's me!"

I automatically paused and turned around to see Austin staring back at me, wiggling his bitten hand. He glared at me as he pointed at his hand.

"What are you doing here?!" I asked loudly.

"You bit me!" he complained, checking his hand.

"You deserve it! But that doesn't answer my question!" I hissed. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Visiting..." he said and smirked.

"How did you-" I paused when I saw the open window. "You sneaky b...bas...BABOON!"

"Baboon? You can't even curse!" he said, chuckling softly.

"What to do you want?!" I ask crossing my arms to my chest.

"Come with me." he said and held out his hand.

What do I do? What do I do?

I looked at him questioningly and he nodded reassuringly. I must be dreaming. But then, well, I accepted it.

***