Touched

Fifty Seven

Thea Elise

Our second to the last stop is..New York.

Nakakatawa nga eh, Nicky and I are city girls at alam namin ni Nicky ang pasikot sikot sa Harlem at Broadway, but we never got the chance to explore the Big Apple. Most of our vacant time were spent either painting, frat parties, eating brownies and smoking weed.

Okay, sige na nga we were both pretty wild back then, but duh scholars kami--galing no? So we really never got the chance to explore the city. Sure, we go to Manhattan or Brooklyn to attend art shows, pero yun lang. Ni hindi pa nga kami naka punta sa Empire State building!

Talk about being a foreigner in your own land..yeah same as the Philippines I guess. Kaya nga naisip ko din na after this long honeymoon vacation, I will see to it na Pilipinas muna ang lilibutin namin nina Gray, nakikita ko na kasi na we'll always go on trips.

"Baby, daan muna tayo sa head office ng Spectrum, I want to see how Zach is doing. Bukas pa daw kasi dating ni Selene from Paris." Gray said pakatapos ibaba ang phone niya.

Kakalapag lang ng Spectrum king jet sa tarmac ng LaGuardia, and kinailangan muna naming maghintay sa loob nito. Kuya Theo is making sure na paparrazi free ang dadaanan namin, okay lang naman sakin, kaso gusto daw niya ng break sa training niya kay Victor, at habang wala pang nakakaalam ng identity niya, he wants to move around kaya hinayaan ko na lang.

"How about kuya? Will he meet us there?" Nahulog kasi yung phone ko kaka selfie habang nakasakay sa safari jeep, kaya I had no means to contact kuya directly. Si Gray na lang sinasabihan ko, tutal mas kabisado niya yung phone niya..uggghh I am really not techie.

"Yes po, sa Maxwell house na lang tayo stay, Cecile's insisting." He gave me an apologetic look. Plano kasi namin na sa bahay niya na lang sa upper east side kami tutuloy.

Speaking of.

"Hmmnn, okay..saka naisip ko ngayon, yung bahay mo sa upper east side is the one that you bought for you and Stella?" tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"Oh fuck. I did not think of that. Sorry." He frowned.

"Lame. Ipabili mo na yun. Not to sound bitter, but the thought of her excess energy while boning your pool boy lingering there? Yuck. Ayoko dalhin doon si Greer baka masapian pa siya ng kahalayan ng ex fiancee mo na yun." Umiling ako.

He cupped my cheeks and kissed me chastely.

"Done. Hindi matatapos ang araw na ito ng hindi yun nabibili."

I pouted then thought of something.

"Uhhh wait, wag na pala. Why don't we make it as a halfway house? For sure madami tayong matutulungan."

He beamed at me and kissed me again.

"Baby, you should be crowned as a saint."

"Baka declared? May korona ba ang santo Gray? Ewan ko sayo."

"Whatever baby," His phone buzzed. "The coast is clear, finally. Nasa labas si Theo."

Na excite tuloy ako, kaya pati seatbelt nakalimutan kong tangggalin.

"Crap. Wait lang!" Para akong batang iiwan eh.

Na excite kasi akong makita si kuya.

Dali dali akong tumayo at naglakad palabas ng jet, excitement flowing in my veins. Unang nahagip ng mata ko ay yung makulit na bata na naka angkas sa balikat ng kapatid ko--he's in Alpha mode dahil naka black uniform ulit siya.

"Mum!!! Pop!!! Piggy miss you!!! Down ako! Down Piggy!" My baby girl was squealing, at kung pwede ko lang talunin yung hagdan, kahit nga si Gray pansin ko ang excitement.