"Did you hear what my son said, Valentin?" said Don Rufino. "Your only child has to marry our child if you don't want trouble."
"Let's talk about it properly first," Doña Estefania calmly promised. "It's better if it's another day. We'll invite you to dinner and then we'll continue this conversation. As for now, we need to talk to Nicholas first."
WHEN THE FAMILIA FONTEJON LEFT Don Valentin and Doña Estefania immediately went to Nicholas's room. No one answered from inside when they knocked so they decided to open the unlocked door. It was quiet and empty inside.
"Nicholas," called Don Valentin in a stern voice. "Talk to us, Son," said Doña Estefania. "Where are you?"
There was a bang from inside the closet.
When the lady opened it, it fell apart seeing the son hiding there sweating. "What are you doing there?" "Get out of here!" the old man ordered with a frown.
The voice was loud and the father looked angry so Nicholas was forced to come out. "Have they left yet, Mama?" he asked still nervously.
"So, you saw the Fontejons coming and your tail went back?" Don Valentin shook his head. "You owe us an explanation, Nicholas. What are they saying you got Priscilla pregnant?
It's not true," he quickly denied. "We only got together with that girl once. "And who are you fooling?" It pointed to the young man. It has long been appreciated by him.
So much so that almost all of his hair turned white because of consumption of the only child who gave him nothing but trouble. His forehead is full of wrinkles. However, its stance is still elegant and its knees are strong.
"She told us that you were the first man in her life," paliwanag ni Doña Estefania.
"And you believed her? She goes to bed with every man she meets. Anyone, as long as she types. Hah! I'm not stupid enough to be responsible for a child that's not mine. Besides, I'm your only child. I'm just twenty- seven and too young to get married. Will you allow that to happen? Who else can you trust to manage your businesses?"
"Now you can say that because you are stuck in trouble," said the father angrily. "You want to escape Priscilla, so you're using managing our business as an excuse. When did you take an interest in our livelihoods, huh? You don't even set foot in our office and hacienda, you're lazy. You've done nothing but womanizing and barbarading. Now you got what you were looking for. The Fontejons are demanding that you marry Priscilla or else we will all be in trouble. We don't have a choice, therefore, but to give in to them."
"No!" He hugged his mother with fright. "Mom, I don't want to get married yet. I don't love Priscilla. I don't even like her