"LENA”

"What does Sam look like, Aunt Lourdes?" Lena asked her aunt that night as they sat together in the living room, watching TV.

"She's beautiful. Very beautiful. She resembles her brother," Aunt Lourdes replied.

Lena let out a deep sigh, as if seeking clarification from her aunt. "She looks like Andrew Scott?" she asked, her tone indicating a need for clarification.

"That's right. And she's kind. I'm sure you'll get along well," Aunt Lourdes answered with a smile.

Lena released another gentle sigh. She hoped to get along with Sam. That was her plan—to befriend the girl for Marius. But even before meeting her in person, intense jealousy was already consuming her heart.

Since she and Marius were kids, she had harbored feelings for him. However, no one knew about it. Even her aunt, Lourdes, was unaware of this.

Many people complimented her for her beauty. Even she was aware of her own qualities. But who, like Marius, would be interested in someone like her?

She wasn't ashamed of her job as a secretary in the barangay. She also knew that the son of the barangay captain in their area had feelings for her. Celso, like Marius, was her childhood friend. The only difference was that she was closer to the latter.

Marius and Celso weren't particularly close, but Lena could say that they weren't enemies either.

"When will you visit your friend? It's been a long time since you last saw each other. I'm sure he misses your Ginataang Munggo specialty," her aunt remarked.

Even without her aunt explicitly saying it, Lena knew what she meant. Her aunt wanted her to cook for Marius since she was confident that he would enjoy her friend's favorite dish.

"I want you to be friends with Sam, dear. She'll be a good friend to you."

Her aunt's suggestion felt like a broken record playing repeatedly in her ears. And she didn't like it. How could she convey to her aunt that she wanted Marius to be hers? That she had loved no one else but Marius since childhood?

By the way, when her aunt was talking, Lena could tell that Marius was about to get married. That piece of news hit her unexpectedly. Thankfully, she managed to control her emotions.

"Oh, by the way, dear, do you have any plans to get married? You're not getting any younger. Look at your childhood friend, who is about to tie the knot!"

Her aunt was referring to Marius again. Lena took a deep breath. Her chest tightened at the mention of Marius.

"Is Marius getting married?"

She didn't know about it and was genuinely surprised by the news. It was fortunate that she could manage her emotions.

"He's getting married because Sam is pregnant," her aunt replied.

Lena remained silent, prompting Lourdes to speak again.

“Sam is going through a difficult time right now. It's a good thing Marius is by her side to support her,” she added.

Lena immediately felt irritation at her aunt's words. She was utterly annoyed, but her aunt seemed determined to keep talking about Sam. Yes, that annoying girl was all she talked about, and it was clear that her aunt was overly fond of her.

“Is Marius even sure he's the father of the child? It isn't very easy! He might end up being fooled by someone else! He should make sure first that the child is his before marrying that Sam!” Lena blurted out, unable to contain her frustration. Try as she might to take back her words, it was too late. She could see the shock registered on her aunt's face, clearly unable to believe the words that had just come out of her mouth.

“I just meant,” she began, trying to explain in a calm tone.

Well, she had spoken calmly earlier too. But she wasn't sure if she had managed to conceal her irritation in her voice.

“All I meant to say is, of course, Marius is my friend. I want him to be okay. Maybe that woman is just using her pregnancy to get what she wants!”

“Ah! That's where I disagree with you, dear. From what I see, your friend really loves Sam. He won't let her go because he knows that if he loses that woman from his life, he won't be able to replace her!”

Lena couldn't stand Aunt Lourdes's confident tone, asserting her certainty in everything she said. Lena found it hard to express to her aunt how fed up she was with all the praise and glorification of that woman.

“I don't know, Aunt. We need to get to know her first,” Lena replied, furrowing her brows and directing her gaze back to the TV even though her attention wasn't really there.

“Well, for me, I don't see any problem. Honestly, they're a perfect match—a beautiful woman and a handsome man. Oh, I'm sure their children will be gorgeous if ever!” Aunt Lourdes exclaimed with a tone that carried both excitement and certainty. It wasn't surprising at all. Lena understood how much her aunt loved her friend.

What she couldn't comprehend was whether she was so skilled at hiding her feelings that her aunt hadn't noticed anything about her for a long time. Or maybe her feelings were noticed but ignored?

In her final thoughts, Lena seemed to want to feel a sense of resentment. Wasn't she loved by Aunt Lourdes enough for her aunt not to notice her feelings and always see Marius?

A bitter smile played on Lena's lips. Afterward, she carefully let out a sigh. Like earlier, it was gentle. She deliberately made it so that her aunt wouldn't notice or hear her.

“I'm going to bed, Lena," Aunt Lourdes said after a few moments.

Lena nodded. "Alright. I'll follow up shortly. I'm not sleepy yet," she replied.

Aunt Lourdes didn't leave her with any further words. Lena guessed she was really very sleepy.

The truth was that Lena felt the same way earlier. But her sleepiness vanished due to the unfavorable impact of everything her aunt had been saying.

No!

Marius couldn't be with someone else. She wouldn't allow it.