Loving a Believer

Chapter 21: Doubt Not

"Are you going to buy this, Sir?"

Nailipat ko ang tingin ko sa sales lady na kanina pa 'ata naghihintay sa akin. I was carried away I didn't notice her.

"Yeah, of course," I replied as I gave her my card.

***

It was already evening when I arrived home. I found Fara and Manang Linda in the kitchen. I stared at them for a moment as Manang Linda was instructing my Fara on how to chop the onion. I couldn't help but smirk because I remembered the time that she cooked a chicken that the other part was burnt.

"Tama po ba ang hiwa?" she asked Manang Linda.

"Tama naman."

"Bakit ang sakit po sa mata?" she asked.

I let out a chuckle when I saw innocence in her facial expression. She was far from Demi. Demi was a good cook and she cooked for me when we were still together—but the time had changed. I should be the one now who would cook for my lovely wife. Not bad. Cooking was one of my hobbies.

"Aw!" Fara groaned, which alarmed me.

Manang Linda was busy cooking, so I was the one who approached her. I snatched her hand and checked it. She had accidentally cut the tip of her index finger and it was now bleeding. Halata ang pagkagulat niya sa biglaan kong pagsulpot dahil suminghap siya at sinubukan pang i-retract ang kamay niya pero hinigpitan ko ang pagkakahawak sa kaniya.

I didn't have to ask her if she was okay because it was obvious that she was hurt. "Let's wash it." I gently pulled her away.

"Storm, anak," pagbaling ni Manang Linda sa akin. "Nandiyan ka na pala. Naku! Pasensiya ka na, wala pang nakaluto. Ma-traffic kasi kaya natagalan ako sa pamimili."

"Okay lang, Nang," I replied before I turned my eyes back at Fara who was now staring at me as if she couldn't believe that I was home.

I dragged her into the comfort room. I opened the faucet of the sink and let the water flow on her finger.

"Hindi kasama ang kamay mo sa ingredients ng iluluto ni Manang," pabirong sabi ko at sinulyapan siya.

"I know," tipid lang na saad niya at hindi makatingin sa akin nang diretso.

I closed the faucet and looked around to find the cabinet to get the first aid kit. After I found it, I made her sit on the toilet's closed bowl.

"Please, don't put alcohol," she pleaded.

"Why would I put alcohol on it?"

"That's what others usually do with their wounds."

Kinuha ko ang alcohol sa first aid box at tinapat sa kaniya ang likuran ng alcohol kung saan nakalagay ang direction at usage nito.

"Can you read that?" I asked. She just stared at it blankly. "For external use only," I said. "Alcohol is not for the open wound; It's antiseptic."

I put down the alcohol and brought it back inside the box. I began to do the work with her wound. After putting some treatments, I put a band-aid around her wounded finger.

"Thank you," she said as she stood up.

She was about to walk away when I caught her hand. "Wait."

She faced me. "Y-yes?" she stammered.

It made me smirk a bit. Until now she wasn't comfortable with me.

"We're leaving tomorrow. Ready your things, okay?"

She seemed thrown off but she nodded. She was about to walk away again but I didn't let go of her hand, so she stopped again. No, Fara. Don't be distant from me again.