Again

40 - Thinking Out Loud

Ready?

Y....yes.

Love, relax! Si mommy lang yun!

K....kinakabahan pa rin ako.

Dennise removed her seatbelt and leaned to Alyssa to give her a kiss. Nasa basement parking sila ng hospital building, about to meet her mother.

It was the day after and they both decided huwag nang patagalin pa ang makipagkita sa mommy niya. The earlier they talk to her, the better for her Clark to be at ease with the situation. Hindi man sinasabi ng nobya, ramdam ni Dennise na hindi pa rin kumbinsido si Alyssa na okay na sila sa mommy niya. All those things that passed in those long years, mahirap talagang paniwalaan na darating pa ang araw na tatanggapin pa ng magulang niya ang relasyon nila.

Clark, love, relax na, okay? she tried to calm her down with her kiss. Her right hand was planted on Ysay's chest kung saan halos lumundag ang palad niya sa lakas ng tibok ng puso nito.

I can't love! We're about to meet your mother in this place! In this place!! ulit pa nito. You know how I hate hospitals!

Ssshhh! Ssshhh! It's okay! she pacified her in between kisses. Andito naman ako eh! I won't leave you alone! At saka, you own this place, natatakot ka pa rin?

Maski na! The smells are giving me creeps! And I can't bear looking at people being carried in a stretcher! Even in a wheelchair! Deny, love, can we cancel the meeting? Saka na lang, please!

Clark, eh di ba ikaw ang may gusto ma-meet si mommy kaagad? Eh kelan mo siya imi-meet? When she's discharged? Eh ikaw ang may bilin na she can stay here until she's fully recovered. At saka magtatanong yun kapag ipinagpaliban mo. I already told her earlier na I'm coming to work today with you.

G....ganun ba?

Opo, at saka dapat masanay ka na. Ikaw ang may-ari nito, wala kang balak puntahan man lang ito kahit minsan?

Wala. I never attended any meeting here, si papa na lang representative ko. If I have to sign, they just bring the papers in the other office.

Eh kung wala ka palang interest dito, bakit mo tinanggap? I mean, you could say no to your lolo na ipamana sa'yo ito di ba? And sabi ng mommy mo, you're the major stockholder. Paano yan?

Ikaw.

Ako? Anong ako?

Because of you that's why I accepted this inheritance.

Huh???

I....I was....ahm....kinda thinking....ahm....t....to give you this as....ahm....my wedding gift l...later on?

C....clark, what are you saying?

Shoot! I'm not supposed to tell you about this so early!! Deny naman eh!

C....clark....

I'm sorry if my thoughts were too far-fetched! I know getting married is not in your next five or ten - year plan, or maybe not part of it all, and I understand that naman kasi nga yung pa...... uuuummmppppphhhhh!!!

Hindi na pinatapos ni Dennise si Alyssa at sinunggaban niya ito ng halik. Hindi nakuntento, umalis siya ng upuan niya at kumandong pa dito para mahalikan niya nang mas maigi ang nobya. Hindi naman pumalag pa si Alyssa sa ginawa niya, bagkus, mas hinapit pa siya nito papunta dito.

They kissed and kissed, hanggang sabay na silang bumitaw nang maubusan ng hininga. When Ysay looked at her, kumunot bigla ang noo nito.

Deny, you're crying!!!