Tensiyonado si Samantha habang nasa entertainment room sila. Aaron was still holding Charlie in his arms, her daughter not wanting to let go no matter how hard she tries. Kaya wala siyang choice kundi hintayin na makatulog nang tuluyan si Charlie. And with her daughter’s favorite movie playing, she’s sure kaunting oras lang ang ipaghihintay niya at makakatulog na ang anak niya.
“When did she hurt her arm?” pabulong na tanong ni Aaron sa kanya maya-maya.
She turned to him and willed her heart to not go into overdrive. Magkatabi lang kasi ang inuupuan nilang lazy boy and napakalapit nito sa kanya. His natural manly scent and presence enveloping her again, pushing her to the edge.
“N-noong dinala mo ‘ko sa Tagaytay,” sagot niya, alanganin.
Hindi ito sumagot. Ibinalik lang nito ang tingin sa malaking projector screen na nasa harap nila bago marahang hinagod ang likod ni Charlie. The caress he did to Charlie was
“That’s it! You can now play with both of your hands, Charlie,” masayang balita ni Dr. Tejada, and pedia-ortho ng anak ni Samantha.Lumuwas sila ng Maynila ni Charlie dahil kailangan nang alisin ang cast sa braso nito. They would have been earlier there kung hindi lang sila na-traffic na mag-ina. Ang gusto ng Daddy niya, mag-chopper na lang sila papunta ng Maynila at pabalik sa San Gabriel. Subalit tumanggi siya. Kaya naman niyang mag-drive. Besides, she wanted to talk to Mandy personally today for updates on their projects. She and her daughter would need to sleep in their house in Quezon City today for a day or two.Charlie buried her weight on her as the doctor tried to stretch her daughter’s injured arm. “No!It will hurt,” natatakot na sabi nito, lumabi.“Trust me, sweetpea, it won’t,” paniniguro ng doktor bago muli ay marahang inunat ang braso ng anak niya. Makailang beses iyong ginaw
Hapon na subalit hindi pa rin umuuwi si Aaron. Abala pa rin ito sa pakikipaglaro kay Charlie. At kanina kahit na nap time na ng anak niya, gising na gising pa rin ito at ayaw nitong matulog. Magagalit sana siya kaya lang she had never seen her daughter so happy while she’s playing with Aaron. At si Aaron naman ganoon din. Tila walang kapaguran sa pakikipaglaro sa anak niya at sa pagsagot sa hindi maubos-ubos na mga tanong nito.Funny how could Aaron and Charlie bond like that even without knowing their real connection with each other.Nang humapon, nag-aya si Charlie na maligo ulit sa pool. Inutusan niya ang isa sa mga katulong nila na samahan ang anak niya sa pagligo.“She’s a ball of sunshine,” ani Aaron maya-maya, ang mga mata nasa pool—na’kay CharlieThey were having a late afternoon snack beside the pool under the patio umbrella. Iyon ang unang pagkakataon na nagkasarilinan sila ni A
Tahimik si Samantha habang pinagmamasdan niya si Charlie na natutulog sa kama nilang mag-ina. It was a long day and she’s supposed to be tired.But tired isn’t exactly what she feels right now. She’s worried and afraid not just for herself but for her daughter—for her family.Kanina, habang tulala siya, Aaron quickly went on top of everything. Ito ang nagtawag sa mga kakilala nitong puwedeng tumulong sa sitwasyon niya. She would’ve done that herself if she wasn’t too shock to even move. Within an hour, their house was filled with authorities talking to her and taking her statements. Si Maj. Javellana mismo ang kumuha ng statement niya. At kahit na iniinterview na siya nito, kalat-kalat pa rin ang lohika niya.Kung hindi pa siguro umiyak si Charlie, she wouldn’t have snapped out of her shocked state.Nakiusap siya kay Aaron na ito na muna ang bahala sa mga pulis na nasa bahay nila because
Samantha was delirious. She was torn between reality and dreams as Aaron continued to kiss her with so much urgency and need. A part of her mind was telling her to muster all her strength and move away from him, but she can’t. She won’t.His kisses were drugging her, melting her resolve to let him go and do the right thing.She wanted him. Every fiber of her being wanted him. Wanted him so much that it hurts to know he belongs to somebody else.Maya-maya pa, bahagya siyang binitiwan ni Aaron. Confused, she gazed up at him and met his dark eyes as she lean her back on the door to support her weight. They were both breathless at halos sabay sila sa paghahabol ng hininga. Afterwards, his jaw clenched, as if trying to restrain himself from the many emotions coursing through him and were evident in his eyes. He lifted one of his hand and ever so gently brushed his thumb on her lips like she’s a wonder.“I want you, Sam. So
Malakas sa tainga ni Samantha ang pagtiktak ng orasan sa bedside table. But she’s not bothered by it anymore. She has been listening to it for more than an hour now while she stares blanky at the ceiling.She glanced at the window and saw that it’s still dark outside. She’s sure however that few more minutes, the sun will rise to start a new day.A new day.A wave of hurt rose on her chest as she repearted the words in her mind. Tapos na ang nagdaang gabi at magsisimula na ang bagong umaga. Ibig sabihin, si Aaron, pag-aari ulit ng iba at hindi na kanya.Bumaling siya kay Aaron na payapa pa ring natutulog sa tabi niya.She blushed when she recalled every single time they’ve made love last night. Pagod siya at halos walang tulog. The only sleep she got through the night where the small in between moments when she’d doze off to sleep because of exhaustion. But then again, once one of them should shift
Ilang minutong natahimik sina Sam at Carlo sa loob ng Range Rover. Honestly, kinakabahan siya sa kung saan siya nito dadalhin. But she trusts him. If her brother trusts Carlo, she knows she can trust him too.“Yes. Have it ready for us. We’ll probably be there in a few minutes,” she heard him talk to someone using his smart watch. “Yes. Dax will be coming. No, we’ll fly back from San Gabriel probably before lunch.”San Gabriel?Agad na dumiretso ang upo niya sa backseat ng Range Rover. Tama ba ang dinig niya, dadalhin siya nito sa San Gabriel?“You’re taking me to San Gabriel?” mabilis na tanong niya nang tapusin nito ang tawag sa kausap nito. Sumulyap ito sa kanya mula sa rearview mirror bago tumango. “But you can’t, Carlo! You can’t!” tarantang protesta niya.“You are safer there, Sam,” sagot nito, kalmado.“You don’
Agad na napabangon si Kristine sa kanyang kama nang marinig niya ang malakas na pagkatok sa pinto ng kanyang kuwarto. Singkit ang mga matang bumaling siya sa bedside table at tinignan ang oras.She instantly cursed under her breath when she realized it’s just 7 o’clock in the morning! She angrily raked her fingers through her hair and went out of her bed and marched to her door with a hateful look on her face.Pagbukas na pagbukas niya ng pinto, nagmamadaling pumasok ng kuwarto niya ang Daddy niya. Imbes na singhal ang isalubong niya rito dahil inistorbo nito ang tulog niya, napatanong siya.“Bakit pawis na pawis ka,Dad? S-Sa’n ka galing?” naguguluhang tanong niya, kunot ang noo habang pinapasada ang tingin sa ama na basang-basang sa pawis ang gusot nitong polo. He looked like he just got home.Imbes na sumagot, nagmamadaling humakbang ang Daddy niya patungo sa bintana ng kanyang kuwarto at tarantang sumil
It’s just a few minutes past 10 in the morning but he’s already pouring himself a glass of brandy. He was never one to admit fear or worry, subalit sa mga nangyayari ngayon, hindi maikakaila sa kanya ang makaramandan ng kaunting panic patungkol sa mga plano niya.He sat on the bar stool and looked at the glass he was holding.Bumalik sa isip niya ang lahat ng mga pinagdaanan niya. All the rejection and shame he had to put up with while growing up without a father. Not that he doesn’t know his father. He knew his father. His mother had repeatedly told him who his father was. But…Kumuyom ang kamay niya nang maalala kung paano siya tinaboy ng mismong ama niya nang maglakas-loob siyang puntahan ito sa opisina nito noong high school siya. He was desperate then. He wanted to have a parent. But he dismissed him like he’s some lost dog! Sinabihan pa siya nito na h’wag na h’wag nang babalik doon o magpapakita man lang dahil ipa