I Love You, My Handsome Prof!

Chapter 35 Shall We Talk?

"We don't talk anymore like we used to do.
We don't love anymore, what was all of it for?"    - Charlie Puth

"Are we good?" ang concerned na tanong ni Wilber. "You're so quiet."

Tinignan siya ni Nuelle na may lungkot sa kanyang mga mata. "Mom said not to talk to you anymore because you won't believe I am your daughter."

Hindi ko napigilan ang tinuran ng anak namin. "Here you go again, baby. Sabi ko sa iyo hindi ba huwag mo nang kukulitin si Atty. Laureano. He's a busy man." Pinaalalahanan ko si Nuelle.

"But mom..." Hihirit pa sana siya pero pinandilatan ko na siya kaya biglang tikom ang bibig.

Nagulat ako kay Wilber, hinawakan niya ang kamay ni Nuelle sabay sabi, "It's alright, baby. You can always call me dad."

"But you're my real dad.." Humihirit pa din ang bata.

"Pagod ka na siguro, anak. What with all the excitement. Let's go home." Dali-dali ko siyang inexcuse kay Wilber.

"Dad, are you coming with us?" hindi talaga siya sumusuko. Tinignan ko si Wilber na sana maunawaan niyang sitwasyon.

"Little girl, go with your mom now. I'll go next time. I still have some things to attend to." Ang lambing niya kay Nuelle.

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

"Pinky swear?" Kinuha ni Wilber ang mga daliri ni Nuelle at sila ay nagpinky swear.

"Pinky swear!" Sabay turan niya dito.

Pagtalikod ng anak ko bumulong si Wilber, "I think we need to talk?"

Nagtama ang aming mga mata. It took all of my strength para huwag siyang yakapin. How I missed the man? "I'm sorry," ang tanging nasabi ko. At tuluyan na kaming lumakad papalayo sa kanya. Ramdam kong mga mata niyang mataman kaming inoobserbahan.

Alam ni Nuelle na hindi ko nagustuhan ang naging eksena kaya, "Mom, I'm sorry when he talked to me I forgot." At sinong ina ang makukuhang magalit pag nagpafunny face na siya. It melted my heart.

"It's alright, but you have to control yourself around him. Hindi natin gustong ma-confuse ang daddy mo, right?"

Pagdating naming sa bahay, bago siya umakyat sa kwarto niya, "I'm sorry again, mom! I'll behave properly next time."

"I understand you, sweetheart. Gusto mo ng makasama ang daddy mo. Ibang situation. It's not what we expected. Hindi natin pwedeng madaliin. Patience, anak." Ang kaya ko na lang sabihin kay Nuelle.

Alam kong mabigat ang loob niya but she understood.

Came Monday, maaga kong hinatid si Nuelle sa class niya. Iniwan ko na siya kay Ms. Lagos. Confident akong kaya niya on her own ang study program.

Papasok ako ng office ko ng may tumawag sa akin. "Ms. Labrador?. Err, Good morning!"

"Yes, good morning, Sir!" ang malumanay kong sagot sabay ngiti. Para siyang biglang
natulala at biglang may malalim na iniisip.
"Are you alright?"

"Did we have an affair?" Seryoso niyang tanong. Hindi niya hinihiwalayan ng tingin ang mga mata ko.

Kahit nabigla ako, without batting an eyelash, siya naman ang tinanong ko. "Why do you ask?"

"You called me sir,"  and before niya napagpatuloy, sumingit ako, "Of course, I'll call you sir. You had been my professor."

"No, no, no. The way you said it, it's not merely out of respect, it's more like an endearment directed only at me," patuloy niya.

Nabigla man ako sa observation niya, Girl's Scout ako kaya laging handa. "I'm sorry if you misinterpret how I say things. I assure you, normal lang sa akin iyan. And you'll hear more of it from me."

"I see. But since, we are now colleagues, you can call me Wilber. Shall I call you Maria?"

"Arya is fine. I'll go inside now. I have a meeting." Iniwan ko siyang nag iisip pa din.

"There's one thing more, please don't stop your daughter calling me dad. Huwag natin iconfuse ang young mind niya. I don't mind anyway. I like her a lot, very smart and cute."

"Thank you for your understanding," ang mahinang sagot ko. Pinipigilan kong lumuha, malaking problema yun. Still, my only love is very considerate.

Busy first day, wala akong time isipin any mga bagay-bagay kahit dingding lang ang pagitan namin ni Wilber and somewhere nearby ay si Nuelle, ang anak namin.

Ang bilis ng oras. Kailangan ko ng sunduin si Nuelle. Pag labas ko, papasok si Wilber sa office ko. May ready smile na.

"Anything I can do for you, sir?" Biglang tanong ko.

"There you go again. Is that deliberate? Or kailangan ko na lang mag-adjust at masanay? Because it's how you are," Hindi ko alam kung sarcastic ba siya, or inosenteng question lang at ako lang ang napapraning.

Dinaan ko na lang sa pagtawa. "Slip of the tongue. So, is there anything I can do for you?"

"I'm heading for lunch. Invite ko sana kayong dalawa ni Nuelle. If that's okay with you?"

"We don't like to spoil your lunch. Makulit ang anak ko."

"Whether you believe it or not, I like your girl. She reminds me of somebody but I can't remember who exactly." Ako kaya yung somebody na iyon? Naku, Arya don't let your hopes up. Humahaba na naman hair mo.

"Alright! Sure akong matutuwa si Nuelle. Are you sure about this kasi you know her very insistent sa kung anong naisip niya," ang sinagot ko without the eagerness na nararamdaman ko deep inside.

Tumawa siya. "Very sure. She is a fresh change. So, shall we?"

"If you insist. Sino ba naman kaming tatanggi pa sa grasyang lumalapit," sabay ngiti sa kanya. Nagtama ang aming mga mata. Nangingilatis ang mga tingin niya kaya umiwas na ko. "Shall we?" Himok ko.