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XXIV. My Refuge
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Startled, agad niyang itinulak ang pinto. Naisip niyang gumamit ng bagay ang mga magnanakaw upang itulak ito ngunit narinig niya ang tila mga suntok at sipa at mga ungol sa labas ng kanyang kwarto.
“Trish?” sabay ng malakas na katok sa pinto niya.
“Mars?!” Hindi siya makapaniwalang ito ang kumakatok. Pero hindi siya maaring magkamali. Boses ito ng kaibigan.
“Are you okay?” nag-aalala nitong tanong at itinigil na ang pagkatok.
Inalis niya ang upuan at binuksan ang pinto. Agad siyang yumakap dito at umiyak ng umiyak. Walang tigil na tumutulo ang mga luhang kanina pa niya pinipigilan. Nang makita ang kaibigan, para siyang nahulog sa napakadilim na bangin nang biglang may sumilaw na liwanag…lahat ng takot at desperasyon ay nawala at napalitan ng kaligtasan at kaluwagan. She took refuge in his embrace.
He hugged her tight and slowly caressed her back and head for comfort. “Everything is fine…they’re gone.”
Agad niyang itinaas ang mukha na kanina ay nakalapat sa dibdib nito. “Ayos ka lang ba?” sabay hawak sa pisngi nito, sa mga balikat, kamay at dibdib to check if he was injured.
“Okay lang ako, may dala akong mga pulis.”
Ngayon lang napansin ni Trisha ang tatlong naka-unipormeng lalaki na nasa sala. Nakita niya ang dalawang lalaking hawak-hawak ng dalawang pulis. Nakaposas ang mga ito. Hindi niya maiwasang magalit ng maalala ang plano ng dalawa. Nakapikit na ang mata ng isa dahil sa pamamaga at Duguan naman ang ilong at bibig ng isa, may hiwa ito sa bibig. Dinala na ito ng mga pulis palabas.
“P-paano mo nalaman na pinasok ako?” naguguluhan niyang tanong dito nang ituon ang paningin sa kaibigan.
“You called me. Sinabi mong may magnanakaw kaya agad akong tumawag ng pulis at nagmamadaling pumunta dito.” Hinila siya nito at niyakap. “When I heard it…God Trisha! I was so worried.”
Akala niya si Chloe ang tinawagan kanina. Magkatabi nga naman ito sa kanyang phone contacts.
“Thank you! Kung hindi ka pa dumating hindi ko alam kung ano pang gagawin nila. T-they wanted to rape me and I was so afraid. I h-heard them talk and–“ aniyang hindi parin nawawala ang nginig.
“Shhhh…it’s okay now. Nasa custody na sila ng mga pulis. They can’t hurt you anymore. I’ll make sure they can’t,” galit na saad ng kaibigan.
Dinala siya ni Marsden sa condo nito pagkatapos kausapin ang mga pulis at ipinangakong magbibigay siya ng testimony bukas.
Tahimik lamang sila hanggang makapasok sa condo ni Marsden. Maganda ang interior ng condo nito. Sumasakit ang kanyang ulo kaya naman hindi niya masyadong napansin ang palibot.
Pinaupo siya nito sa supa at nang makabalik ay may dala na itong baso ng tubig. Umupo ito sa center table in front of her at ibinigay sa kanya ang tubig. Bigla siyang nakaramdam ng uhaw at diridiretsong uminom. Nang matapos ay ibinalik niya ang baso dito.
“Feeling better?”
She nodded. She was so exhausted to talk.
Nakita niyang tumingin ito sa wristwatch.
“It’s already one in the morning, you should sleep.”
Kinuha nito ang kamay niya and guide her papunta sa isang kwarto. When she saw the white bed, it was bidding her to lie down and relax. Umalis si Marsden at pumasok sa kwartong kaharap ng pinasukan niya. Nang bumalik ito ay may dala ng white t-shirt at boxers.
“Change and take a rest, okay?!” while gently caressing her cheek. “You’re one brave woman.”
Aalis na sana ito ng pigilan ni Trisha ang kamay nito. She bit her lower lip and didn’t look into his eyes. “Ahmm…Mars…don’t leave me? Please?” pakiusap niya dito. She now looked into his eyes. Ayaw niyang mag-isa ngayon. Hindi niya alam kung makakatulog siya. The fright she felt a while ago still lingered.
After a while, naramdaman niya ang pagpisil nito sa kamay niya. “Okay, magbibihis lang ako.” At umalis na ito.
Nang bumalik si Marsden ay nakahiga na si Trisha sa kama. She’s so beautiful lying there at the center of the bed waiting for him. Just like an angel amidst the clouds.
Mabuti na lamang at gising pa siya nang tumawag ito. For the first time he was thankful for the nightmare that woke him up.
Nginitian siya nito. “I’m so sorry to bother you.”
“Don’t say that! We’re friends, you can always count on me.”
Lumapit siya at umupo sa tabi nito. Resting his head against the head board. He can’t lay down yet. The truth was he was actually nervous–him! A certified charmer. His friends will laugh if they can see him now. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na magkatabi silang matulog. Lounging in the sofa together while they talked shoulder to shoulder was different from sleeping with her in bed. His body was responding in a way that was disturbing him. She’s a friend and she was now looking at him like a lost child.
He saw her frowned. “What are you doing there?” Nagtataka ito dahil hindi pa siya humihiga.
“Hm?” sagot niya. Inayos niya ang kumot sa baba nito. “You should sleep, I’ll just stay here.”
Tiningnan siya nito ng maigi. “Don’t worry I won’t pounce on you,” she teasingly said.
Natawa si Marsden, she wouldn’t but how about him? Questionable! Reluctantly, humiga siya sa tabi nito. They lay facing each other.
“Thank you, goodnight!” ani Trisha na inaantok na. Tuluyan na itong pinapatulog ng pagod.
“Sweet dreams!” aniya.
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