Kristine 12 - Rose Tattoo (UNEDITED)(COMPLETED)

16

HINUBAD niya ang sapatos at ibinagsak ang sarili sa kama. Hindi siya nakilala ni Lance. Ganoon ba kalaki ang changes niya sa nakalipas na tatlong taon at kalahati? But they had met years before their wedding at hindi rin siya nito nakilala bilang pinsan ni Nick. So it boils down na hindi interesado sa kanya si Lance. Ugly duckling or not.

She took a deep breath at naglaro sa isip ang anyo ni Lance. Ang lalaking pinakasalan niya at ang malimit makita sa mga magazine ay kakaiba sa nasulyapan niya ngayong gabi. The papers didn't do him justice. Dark and handsome and dangerous. Charming yet cruel when crossed. Humalili sa isip niya ang babaeng kasayaw nito.

Morena. Honeyed-skin. Iyon ang type ni Lance Navarro. Minsan ay dinala siya ni Nick sa bahay ng isang Mrs. Anna Fortalejo, that was two months after her wedding. Sa pretext na dumadalaw lang ang binata sa matandang babae bilang kaibigan at nangumusta. But Nick showed her a life-size photo of Jewel Fortalejo katabi ang isang mestisang babae na nalaman niyang kapatid nito.

"She was my brother's first frustration and heartache, Billie," wika nito. Upang marahil ay bigyan ng justification ang ginawang pagtalikod ni Lance sa kanya.

"She's beautiful!" bulalas niya at hinagod ng tingin ang life-size portrait ni Jewel.

"Oh, yes." Nick smiled faintly at nilinga siya. Hinawakan sa baba at itinaas. "And so are you, my pet. You're both beautiful in different ways..."

Umirap siya. "Don't make fun of me, Nick. You know I am not."

"Alam mo ba kung ano ang tawag ni Bernard sa kanya?" patuloy ni Nick na hindi pinansin ang sinabi niya. "Black diamond. She has long straight raven hair, mga matang kasingkulay ng gabi and a honey-colored skin," patuloy nitong tinitigan ang dalagita. "Your exact opposite."

Bumuntong-hininga siya. "I can understand his hatred for me, Nick..."

"Kilala ko ang kapatid ko, Billie. Sabay kaming lumaki at nagkaisip. And Lance didn't hate you... not personally. He hated the circumstances na inilagay sa kanya ni Franco Navarro and you happened to be the pawn in Franco's game. Idagdag pa ang katotohanang sariwa pa sa puso't isip ni Lance si Jewel.

"And for whatever it is worth, you are not an ugly duckling tulad ng iniisip mo sa sariii mo." she raised her head and smiled at him tenderly. Nagpatuloy si Nick. "Have you seen your new filly at the ranch?"

"What about that?" nagtatakang tanong niya. "Did you find that filly beautiful?"

She wrinkled her nose. "No..."

"Precisely," sang-ayon ni Nick. "You wouldn't be able to appreciate the beauty of that filly until it grew into a beautiful stunning mare. Now do you know what I mean?"

Lumapad ang ngiti niya. "Thank you, Nick, for giving me so much confidence. But I'm sure I won't be as exotic as that woman..." tiningala niya ang life-size portrait ni Jewel.

"Maraming uri ng mamahaling bato, Billie Rose," he said gently.

"Diamond is the most expensive and black diamond is very rare if there was any," natatawa niyang sagot.

"Perhaps," muling sang-ayon ni Nick na titig na titig sa mga mata niya. "But there are colored diamonds, Billie, priceless than the whites since they are rare. And you are the bluish one, my darling..."

Isang malakas na tawa ang pinakawalan ni Billie. Nick had always been there as her pillar of salt.Bumuntong-hininga si Nick. Hindi kailangang idagdag na kasalanan ni Luis ang pagkakaroon ng inferiority complex ni Billie pagdating sa sariling anyo.

"Isa kang Montaño, Billie Rose. You have a soft and forgiving heart like my mother and a fighter like our grandfather." huminga nang malalim sa bahaging iyon si Nick. It saddened him na naging mahina si Luis Montaño dahil lamang sa pagkawala ng material na pag-aari. He smiled faintly at nagpatuloy: "You have the combination of your mother's beauty and the Montaño's, I want you to put that in your head." masuyo nitong ginulo ang buhok niya. "Learn to appreciate yourself, pet."

"I love you, Nick..." inihilig niya ang ulo sa dibdib ng pinsan.