"I want your sperm."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa narinig mula kay Bree. Muntik ko nang maibuga ang iniinom kong kape sa kanya. Inabot ko ang tissue na nasa table at pinunasan ang bibig ko.
"What did you say?" Tanong kong muli kahit dinig na dinig ko naman ang sinabi niya.
"I want your sperm, Gab." she repeated without even blinking. She just sat there casually, smiling like what she said wasn't anything surprising. "I want an offspring. Gusto kong maranasang maging ina. But I can't do that alone. I need someone who would donate his sperm to me," she looked directly to my eyes. "And I think you are the perfect choice."
Nand'yan nanaman kami sa word na perfect. Lagi 'yan ang bukambibig niya mula mga bata kami. Gabrielle Nevaeh Rioja the perfectionist. And I really hate that side of her. Sobrang kabaliktaran ko. Kaya kahit nagagandahan ako sa kanya hinding-hindi ko siya pinormahan dahil siguradong magaaway lang kami.
Pero ano itong naririnig ko sa kanya? Gusto niya akong maging sperm donor? Maging tatay ng anak niya?
"Seryoso ka ba?"
She gave me a stoic look. "Of course, I am."
Umiling ako. "No."
Bree sighed. She took a sip of coffee before looking at me again. "I knew you'd say that. Don't worry hindi ko naman balak guluhin ang buhay mo. I know your lifestyle kaya nga ikaw agad ang naisip ko when I thought of artificial insemination."
"Alam mo naman pala---"
"Hindi ko ipapaako sa 'yo ang magiging anak ko. Kailangan ko lang talaga ng sperm para mabuo ang bata. The child will not be your responsibility. Hindi ka rin niya kailangang makikilala bilang ama." Putol niya sa 'kin. That hurt me a little. "No commitments."
She looked at me with pleading eyes. But I won't be swayed. Hindi ito ang tamang pamamaraan upang bumuo ng pamilya. If she really wanted a child, then she should go look for a boyfriend, marry him and make babies. Hindi itong artificial insemination. Tapos kung makahingi siya ng sperm parang candy lang ang hinihingi niya.
Bumuntong hininga ako at saka umiling. "Hindi parin ako papayag. Bree, parenting is not easy. Hindi ito gaya ng luxury bags mo na pag nagustuhan mo, bibilhin mo. Buhay ang pinaguusapan dito. I'm not saying this because I hate responsibilities---I do... but I'm saying this because I want you to think really carefully before you decide."
Tumayo ako at naglakad na palayo. Iniwan ko siya sa coffee shop upang makapagisip-isip siya. Sana lang mapagtanto niya na di madali ang sinasabi niya. Buhay ng isang inosenteng nilalang ang nakasalalay dito.
Nawala na ako sa concentration when I went home to finish my painting. Tinigilan ko na bago ko pa tuluyang masira yung artwork. Damn it, Bree. Why did you have to ask me that?
Sabi niya hindi niya guguluhin ang buhay ko pero ngayon pa lang ginulo niya na.
"What's bothering you?" Amelia asked as she lay still on the couch, naked.
"Nothing." I sighed as I fetch a can of beer from the small fridge inside my studio. "Want one?"
She smiled and nodded. Umayos siya ng upo nang lumapit ako sa kanya at inabot ang beer. I sat beside her. Amelia didn't bother to cover herself with the robe I prepared for her. Kung sabagay, wala naman siyang dapat ikahiya. She's hailed as the sexiest asian alive. The fantasy of men is sitting beside me. I'm a one lucky bastard.
"We've been friends for many years, Gab. Alam ko kapag problemado ka." Tiningnan niya ako gamit ang mapupungay niyang mga mata.
"It's nothing. Pagod lang siguro ako," dahilan ko. "Art block?" I shrugged.
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Beautiful Things
रोमांसShe's unbreakable. She's strong. The fairest of them all. She's the epitome of perfection. A woman of distinction. But the people around her has forgotten, that a star's light shines the brightest when its starting to collapse. ...
