Chapter III

 

Marty Mart is the nearest one from the stylish home of a cute couple who may sometimes be mistaken or jocularly taken as a cool uncle-and-niece tandem. Rachel’s not a shopaholic in the strictest sense. But when it’s about buying groceries, she has a tendency to be overexcited. Hugh would marvel looking at her carefully checking what the small words written in a canned corned beef or a hotcake mix say. His job is to push the cart as his wife put in items until it’s full enough to spill over when she’s being careless.

“Do you really need to have that many garlic and onions?” he asked, smiling at his pretty wife who seemed to be enjoying being babied.

The woman who’d play naughty with him even in the kitchen on evenings after having wine and steaks asked back, “Why do you think you like anything I cook? It’s because I put in lots of these!”

That may be the logic behind it. But in truth Rachel tended to buy things in bulk even if it’s not necessary. Thus, more often than not there would be withered fruits and vegetables on the table.

Hugh’s a meat-eater so that part of lining up at the meat section he finds quite satisfying especially when he starts to imagine the end result of pork chops or adobo cuts.

For the home run, she picked several bottles of pickles which Hugh doesn’t eat and she herself often just put in for extra taste when she’s making burger or salad. She had to throw a large bottle half-filled with it because it had been in the fridge for quite some time.

At the queue to the counter, Hugh noticed that the old woman in front of them was turning her head somewhere and he felt she was trying to get his attention. It turned out she wanted to ask if they could look over her cart for a while as she needed to go back to the dog food section; she forgot to buy her puppies some food stock. They gestured no problem and thought the granny was bubbly. She was hopping to her target spot.

Hugh looked at his wife and took the waiting game as an opportunity to collect points from Rachel who usually counts the number of times that he would organically say she’s beautiful. “You are beautiful,” he said with a calmness that didn’t mind the busy sound of people shopping around.

Rachel was caught off guard in a delightful way. She felt flattered by the sincerity. The lucky man who won his heart wanted to savor the moment as long as possible or at least until the woman who went to the pet food section got back to say she appreciates them.

But something caught his attention. The third woman on the line after them was staring at them, at him. For a second, he thought she looked familiar, and then it shook him realizing he really knew her. He wondered what could have brought her in the store.

Tess was gazing at him, in a stare-down mode, emotionless. Hugh looked back quickly at Rachel and kept his composure before she could notice something. He put himself in a position where Tess would only see his back and not even Rachel as he covered her with his body widened by the fabric-heavy jacket he was wearing.

It took just two minutes of trying to ignore Tess when suddenly he realized she’s already in front of them getting their attention. “Hi Hugh, it’s me,” she said, “Your classmate back in high school, don’t you remember?”

He tried his best to pretend like he’d never seen her for a long time. “Tess? Is that you?”

The next minute was an amusing sight for Rachel being witnessed to former classmates who supposedly bumped unexpectedly on each other. Tess was acting believably and so did Hugh. If only Rachel was more observant, there was an obvious crack in the voice of Hugh trying to hold on to his sense of fear.

It was over quick and Tess excused herself. The couple went to the parking lot with Rachel never noticing that her husband was still scuffling to gather himself after what he thought was a close call. 

 

***

 

The Androva Empowerment Center (AEC) is a prestigious place located just outside the peninsula’s capital Ciudad Pablito. It is among the major pride of Chairman Laude’s regime, being home to select people bound for greatness, comprising mostly of youth, the young professionals, and an even carefully picked handful of middle-aged people. It is being run by highly trained officials handpicked and molded by the government, all for the primary purpose of developing a state of highly intelligent citizens whose love for country is second to none.

Tess Mondragon had always been a target of Laude’s henchmen from the start, with her aura of authority and mestiza looks proving advantageous to the cause. The Chairman himself personally made an effort to convince her to join the resistance formed to overthrow the previous government deemed incompetent by majority of the people. During Laude’s campaign in the one-on-one election pitting the incumbent and the challenger, Tess was among the few faces, and perhaps the prettiest among them, that won the trust of the public. Her series of calculated public speaking to inculcate the beliefs and plans of Laude were loud and inspiring, thanks to her years of training from street protests where she normally held the megaphone on a platform.

Days after Laude’s inauguration, she was immediately given the position of head directress of the Center. She quickly set up the institution and her face gave the place its reputation.

Hugh never thought he’d be able to step in such a place. He’d been hearing it at public showcases of his art, being talked about by esteemed guests in murmurings. It had a mythic kind of existence, with most people knowing it but few were able to attest it’s true.

The artist was ushered into a room by a couple of guards whom he found stiff and unsmiling. “Nice place, brothers!” The guards didn’t respond as if they’re not hearing him.

Hugh found that weird. Guards are pleasers and often striking small talks. He suddenly felt like he did something wrong and he’s being escorted towards an interrogation room. He didn’t speak another word and kept himself moving at the same pace as the two. They entered what looked like a conference room and he was asked to sit on a fine-looking chair and then the guards left without saying anything.

The visitor was quite stupefied but relieved that his escorts already left his side and he’s settled comfortably in a well-furnished room. After 10 minutes the door on the left side opened. She appeared in a total black outfit contrasting her pretty pale skin. The Center's queen bee smiled at him.

Hugh broke the ice with a joke, “You have serious men around here.”

“I’d rather have them that way. To run this place, you should have staff who do their job in a serious manner. I also always believe that less talk is less mistake,” she said.

“That’s pretty interesting considering that you were never the silent-type,”

“I haven’t finished my sentence, mister artist,” Tess interrupted to boast, “I am exempted of that rule because I always know what to say and my words matter.”

Hugh got no answer for that one. He just had to move his head and eyebrows upward, like he does when he’s speechless but trying to gesture something.

It’s the fourth time Hugh and Tess met after that reunion night. The man quickly felt his former crush had something on him from the time they talked till midnight when the last few of the attendees decided to part ways. In fact, both of them joined a smaller pool of former batchmates and drank more beers at a joint whose owner was acting over excitedly in the presence of the feared Tess Mondragon.

“What’s our agenda for today, directress?” Hugh asked in a racy tone.

“I want to test you. I want to know if you are interested in knowing me more. What did you tell your wife?”

Hugh took a glass of water from a pitcher placed near him before answering. “I told her I have a meeting here. What’s wrong with that?”

He took the cue, “Since you asked me an uncomfortable question, I may as well ask you one. “So why are you still single? You were my crush and had I know that you’d end up single, I would have chased you.”

“Shouldn’t it be good news that I am still available?”

“Yes. But I want to know why. Are you a lesbian? Tell me.”

“No. Would I spend time with you for two evenings if I am?”

Tess seemed to switch from her serious stance to a more relaxed posture. “I have hated men since I was cheated on by a past boyfriend right after college. From that point on I concentrated on furthering my career. I was primed to spend the rest of my days single and serving our beloved peninsula.”

She had to state her real revelation. “But then I saw you again on that reunion night.”

 

***

 

Weak people are a force to reckon with if they’re as many as 70 percent of the population. Tess would sometimes describe them as stupid off hand when she had taken too much vodka. She once joked to a fellow that if the Chairman asked his supporters to bark like a dog, they would. Years of too much corruption and a streak of failed promises from past governments turned the people into a bunch of desperate souls clinging to someone who could give them hope. It didn’t really matter if a prophet is true or false, as one oppositionist licking his wound from his party’s loss commented. Androva needed a sort of messiah.

Chairman Laude, semi-white-haired in his early 60s, but still in shape being the mobile, jungle-exposed person that made endurance his friend, was seemingly the perfect figure to lead a country aching for a leader to galvanize the nation. Tess was an ideal supporter, too, having spent years as a leader of the strongest militant group in Androva and looked up to him for his anti-traditional politics side. Laude was the one with an easily understandable platform, without going to rhetoric, and with goals geared towards pressing social issues never really addressed by the previous administrations.

Tess had a meeting with Laude before her immersion into the fold. “You have so much potential, Tess. I can see you developing into one of my trusted followers who can implement major tasks in the name of the party, of the new age Androva.”

He made himself clear, “Be with me and you will enjoy immense power. That should be quite a deal, isn’t it? Those years of protesting in the streets were manifestations of your craving for power in disguise. You can never spend an entire life on the streets. The earlier you realize there’s need to end your run there and channel your strength to places wherein you can do more apart from shouting your grievances, the quicker you can exercise fuller authority and with a direction that will lead you up there.”

Only a couple of years after that meeting, Tess had become part of the core group that had taken the peninsula to where it wishes to go. She became friends with Lovelace Umera who was highly responsible for Laude’s rousing electoral victory and transformation from a rebel hiding in the mountains to a beloved rock star figure loved by millions.

It’s all about image-building and determining the desire of a struggling populace. For Laude’s camp, the goal was like finding a woman’s clitoris and tickling it. They damn took Androva to multiple orgasms.

“How’s the Center, Tess?” Laude asked after taking his latest shot glass.

“I could say we’ve achieved our objective faster than we thought. It really helped that you’re so beloved, Chairman.”

Tess looked less intimidating in the presence of her big boss, though she’s keeping up her aura of invincibility.

“That’s really good to hear. I knew I was right, you were more than just a physical asset to the cause. You have the will and the brain.”

“Keep up the good work with the Center and remember to check Camp Andrea from time to time,” he reminded.

Tess raised her eyebrow with a meaningful smile upon hearing Camp Andrea. It was a gesture that assured her boss.  

While the Androva Empowerment Center is known to the public and purposely advertised as proof of how the Laude regime was making headway in harnessing the nationalistic ideals all over the peninsula, Camp Andrea was a secret camp where, in the bible of Laude’s circle, the waste of the land is deposited by news blackout transport. One of the reasons Tess had no time to do other things than serve the government she’s serving to a tee was the fact she had to juggle her time between running the Center and checking on the Camp.

Laude gave her such a power blanket both as promised and for her proven competence. Also, she’s among the few Laude ladies you’d not expect to be swept away by some dashing debonair in uniform and lose the plot.    

“One more thing,” Laude asked like he almost forgot, “Is there anyone from our group trying to make a pass at you?”

“Of course, none Chairman.”

“Don’t you ever give in to any advances from my generals. That won’t help you. Romance will make you weak. I can’t afford you to be weak.”

Tess felt uneasy with the Chairman’s last statement. At the back of her head the question led her not to any of the generals eyeing her from a distance. But to her former classmate whom she turned away. It was just days since the reunion party that had her and Hugh crossed paths.  

 

***

 

Rachel and Sarah easily hit it off from the time they met at the publicity company that hired and let them grow as independent women. Sarah was ahead by two years and sort of became Rachel’s mentor when she was a newbie. They have similar tastes in fashion and in men.

For some reason they’re not attracted to stereotypical handsome guys who make women cry and not primed for long relationships. Not that they would settle with unattractive men who got money, but they want partners with more purpose apart from bedding them and boasting to buddies about their conquests.

Sarah met her ex-pat boyfriend at one of the events she handled with Rachel. By the time that encounter happened, the officemates already developed a connection that would make them look like college girls; in more ways than one partners in crimes. On that occasion, the ex-pat had a compatriot-friend who obviously liked Rachel. But she quickly made it clear she was not into him.

Rachel was looking for someone with a kind of depth and not too forward. When she met Hugh, the man was on his best foot forward discussing his art and how he wanted the media to reflect on him. In one of their sweet nights, she revealed to Hugh that she felt nervous talking to him on their first meeting. He admitted feeling shy, too. There was immediate spark between them but they couldn’t jump on it at once considering the apparent age discrepancy.

Sarah was killing time in the kitchen of her newlywed best friend, watching Rachel cook a variety of her husband’s favorite dish. 

“Have you really dug into the truth of Hugh’s past romances?”

Rachel replied while keeping her eye on the sizzling pan, “Well, there’s nothing to squeeze. He was too busy with his art and business-as-usual friendships he forgot he needed to settle down with someone who can consistently sleep beside him.”

“Should we conclude he’s into one-night stands?”

Rachel poured water into the spices she dipped in smokin’ oil. 

“He admitted he had some flings in the past. But in his thirties, his urge for sex-capades seemed to have subsided.”

The visitor looked at her friend like she was buying it. “And then he met you?”

“He said he couldn’t sleep on the day he met me and was annoyed by the feeling. For long he’d not been attracted to anyone. He must have seen an angel that day, didn’t he?”

Sarah, liking what she was hearing, shot back to crack a joke, “Didn’t you tell him you snore at night?”

The two girl-friends habitually put a particular topic to an end with a harmless insult.

They then had dinner and as always Sarah gave her friend a compliment for her inborn talent in cooking. Since she moved into her boyfriend’s place, her lack of such skill put her in embarrassing situations her boyfriend would try to cover up by pretending he’s enjoying the food.

Moments before leaving, Rachel’s phone rang and it was Hugh on the other line. He said he’d be coming home real late and if she feels sleepy, she could hit off the bed ahead. “I’d wake you up once I’m home dear,”

“Okay Hugh, I’ll have your word and your dinner’s waiting,” the wife replied.  

Sarah saw a little change in Rachel’s facial expression after Hugh’s call. She seldom sees Rachel expressed being upset especially at work. But it’s her home and she was expecting her husband to arrive early for dinner. As always, she knew how to lighten up the mood if it concerned Rachel. Quickly she asked if she had stock enough red wine in her little bar in the living room. 

 

***

 

There was a long road ahead, with Hugh on the steering wheel and Tess on the passenger seat. The latter asked her two bodyguards to stay far on their trail. But she didn’t tell Hugh about that.

The one-time classmates began talking as Hugh’s SUV moved forward fast. Hugh was more relaxed than when he was at AEC’s chilling conference room. He made sure to ask the first question. “What really brought about your transformation? You were a cheerleader and I was this pathetic boy who had a plan, only badly executed.”

“I’m glad you’re admitting it was bad execution,” Tess noted. “To answer your question, the men who changed me had plans and they put those into action effectively. I mean, I had never been romantically attracted to these men but they were able to convince me with their plans and became their Girl Friday I should say.”

Hugh knew she’s talkin’ about the dude who took her to the streets after high school and the military man who turned him into a powerful woman of the current system. He saw the irony to it – the protester becoming part of the establishment.

“People carrying placards will never step in the President’s palace. Can you explain how that happened on the contrary? I mean, no offense,” he queried.

Tess, beautiful and brainy in her peculiar way, had long figured out the answer to such a question. “Well, some people are born to live in the streets and be the voice of the masses. I have nothing against that. I just thought there’s more to blaming it all to those in power. If you really want to make a change, be the one in power.”

Hugh nodded, somewhat satisfied with her answer. It, though, sounded to him like words coming from a blinded follower.

He had a follow-up: “So why do you think Chairman Laude has become so beloved? What’s in his plan that convinced you to devote your life to his cause?”

Tess glanced at the back of the car, perhaps making sure that her bodyguards were not closing in to them. She’s always ready to answer: “If you think about it, he’s a lot different from our previous leaders. For one, he has the charisma and a plan that’s doable because you have enough people to implement them. As you can see, life in this peninsula is a lot better near than in the past years. Our savior has long arrived!”

Hugh had nothing to say after that and the silent seconds that followed gave Tess the opportunity to break the tone of the conversation. “Hey, wait a minute. Should we stop talking about politics? To be honest I’m consumed by politics and serving the regime almost 24/7. This is a much-needed respite for me.”

Hugh was surprised by her sudden mood change and broke out with a sweet smile himself. “Do I look like a good reason for respite?”

A minute later, Tess asked Hugh to turn right to a seemingly secluded area where a pub house is located. She told Hugh that it’s the right spot to have a pint of beer.      

The place was cozy and few patrons were in there. They all seemed to know Tess but none dared to speak to her. A waitress came rushing to accommodate them.

A couple of pints after, the subject being discussed had geared into a personal lot. Hugh’s amused by the pub’s slick, cowboy interior design and its cute name The Good The Bad and The Pretty. “I’ve never heard of this place. Do I hear that classic old west score anytime?”

“It’s a place only the good and the pretty would find,” Tess said in a nearly tipsy tone.

“How about the bad?” Hugh asked in his natural wit.

“Who’s bad?”

He sang off tune, “He laughed.”

Tess thought he earned it to give him a laugh. Then she excused herself to go to the restroom. It took her quite a while and Hugh followed her up and waited for her to come out. The door opened and Tess, newly retouched, found Hugh right at the door.

“Why are you here?”

“Because I’m bad.”

Hugh slammed his face into Tess’s pinky red face and smooched her lips. Tess thought of pushing him away but it was too late. She didn’t move and reciprocated by sucking into the lips of the boy he turned down in high school.      

 

***

 

Age is just a number for love affairs. Rachel and Hugh had filled in the age gap between them by basically embracing each other’s preferences. It’s non-issue that Hugh’s into classic rock and she likes modern dance music. It never became an argument that one loves to watch teenage vampires or even younger wizards while the other munches on gangster movies. Otherwise the differences in taste could have turned into a gaping hole that should need a lot of sealant to fix.

Even on their date nights there are compromises like they would have dinner at Rachel’s favorite restaurant serving seafood and then eat lunch at a fine dining restaurant offering the best roast beef two days later. Both of them understood the complexity of having grown up at different periods with unsimilar pop culture trends.  

It’s a fundamental requirement for any couple to accept each other’s differences. When you are married to your grade school classmate, it lessens the burden of adjusting to your partner’s view of the world which is based on the stuff he or she’d been exposed to. The same could not apply for a couple like Hugh and Rachel.

From day one, both parties' understanding meter had to be on full measure or disagreements would come from all corners. It’s a blessing that from the onset, sexual tension between them could be felt in the air when they’re together or near each other.

It’s movie night at home for the lovebirds, with fish and chips on the table. The movie is a classic thriller involving a serial killer and a surgeon who eats raw flesh. 

“You really are a good cook, babe,” Hugh told the woman wrapped around him.

“It’s all that matters, when you appreciate what I do,” she acknowledged.

Often, they would discuss the film they just watched, pretending they were film critics. They would start at key gateways and then critique the performances of the actors. Even the way they look at movies reflected the differing personalities they possess, with Rachel being more emotional in her approach, and Hugh more pragmatic.

“I can so relate in this movie for how the main character was mistreated both for health stigma and sexual orientation,” Rachel shared, “I have a gay friend demoted because he was seen at a gay bar by one of his boss’s relatives. He had to resign because he felt his boss’s confidence in him slip away after that.”

“Why did he have to hide in the closet,” Hugh asked.

“It’s the culture in their office. You can’t see gay people punching in.”

“Gay being punched perhaps,” he joked.

Before the couple called it a night, Rachel asked something she’d been meaning to ask.

“Mr. Guevarra, are you still joining your classmates in that reunion this weekend?”

Hugh was a bit surprised that she asked, “Do you have any problem with that, my queen?”

“No,” she assured.

Hugh expressed he’s compelled to come over at the event because he already begged off in their batch’s 20th anniversary. He also envisioned connecting with some old friends for possible business ventures. He needed more patrons to his artworks and attending the gathering would more or less beef up his clientele.