Bedroom Negotiations - Gold (Self-published)

18

Dustin started bringing his things to my condominium without being too obvious about it.

Noong una, akala ko ay naiiwan n'ya lang ang mga gamit n'ya. Hindi ko naman kasi masyadong napapansin dahil minsan t-shirt, boxers, panyo, sapatos, o kaya ay pantalon lang. Parang paisa-isa.

"This shirt just came back from the laundry, gusto mo na bang iuwi?"

"Hindi na, Babe, para kapag nandito ako ay meron akong gagamitin. Bumili nga pala ako ng tsinelas ko at towel, nakakahiya kasing makigamit sa'yo palagi."

"Okay..."

Hanggang sa nag-ayos ako ng walk-in closet ko isang araw at nagulat ako sa dami ng gamit n'yang nakita ko sa loob.

"Aba, akala ko ba makikitulog lang 'yun, bakit parang nandito na buong bahay n'ya?" I murmured to myself as I started rearranging his things.

I pulled my underwear drawer open and arched my brow when I saw some of Dustin's boxer shorts neatly folded beside my t-backs.

At talagang may boxer shorts pa s'ya rito sa lagayan ko ng undies? Ano bang balak n'ya? I-invade itong bahay ko?

Hindi ko alam kung para saan ba 'yung mga damit n'ya kasi kapag nasa bahay naman kami ay hindi kami nagdadamit at halos hindi kami umaalis ng kama.

"Hindi pa ba tayo kakain?" I had asked him one weekend while we were lounging in my bed.

"Order ba ako ng delivery?"

"Gusto mo bang lumabas para kumain tayo?"

"Gusto mo bang lumabas?"

I had pouted at him and watched him naughtily put a nipple into his mouth. "Busog na ako rito..."

"Kakadede mo d'yan mamaya talagang may lumabas na gatas, ha."

He had laughed.

He had agreed to using rubber but it felt weird and we mutually decided not to use it again.

"Mag-rhythm method na lang tayo..." I had suggested.

"Okay, rhythm method it is..." he had replied.

But I should have known that the rhythm method wasn't going to work because it was so hard for him to pull out once he's in. And there were times when I did not want him to pull out, too.

"Shit talaga, hindi naman siguro ako mabubuntis, 'di ba? Last na 'yun, ha, hindi na pwede nang walang contraceptive."

"Dapat ba hinugot ko?"

"Oo."

"Paano ko 'yung gagawin when your legs are around my hips?"

"Hindi ko napansin, eh, you should have told me."

"How can I tell you when I love to have you clinging on to me? Dali, isa pa, hugutin ko na this time..."

But of course it never happened and for the first time in twenty-six years I became prayerful.

"Juskolord, pramis po, mag-iingat na po talaga ako. Sana naman po h'wag naman po akong mabuntis kasi hindi talaga bagay sa akin, Lord, ang magdalang-tao. Hindi ko po talaga bet ang magmukhang balyena 'tsaka I have the maternal instinct of a walis-tambo, maawa naman po kayo sa magiging anak ko kung sakali..."

When I had my period two days later, I started believing in miracles although I started getting worried again when my period was more of a trickle than an actual menstruation.

Jusme, Lia, magpa-check-up ka kaya? Baka naman dahil sa kaka-jugjugan n'yo ni Montemayor ay napano na 'yang pempem mo? Baka naman nalamog na ang matres mo?