They're Playing Our Song

I Could Make You Tocino

It was hot, so hot still, and she didn't know why the heat almost felt suffocating, when Leo emerged from the bathroom, looked at a switch next to the door and twisted a knob. The ceiling fan came to life. How had she forgotten to turn on the ceiling fan?

"It's raining," Leo announced as he walked back into the room, still without clothes, with zero hint of shyness as he collapsed on the bed next to her, turning so they were both looking up at the ceiling and trying to catch their breaths. "But why is it still so hot?"

She said nothing in response, just a weak kind of laugh, but she wasn't quite ready to sleep yet, listening to the rain outside their door. Leo wrapped his arms around her, and nuzzled her. She felt so content and warm like this. Whatever being out there that brought her here—God, destiny, whatever, she thanked them all.

"What are you thinking of?" she asked, lazily brushing her hand across his arm, tracing the veins on his hands.

"Breakfast," he sighed. "My life in the Philippines so far is a constant quest to find the next thing I want to eat. I had that chocolate rice pudding thing with dried fish on top almost every morning I was in La Union."

"Mmm, champorado does sound good right about now," Nora stretched, just imagining the warm, sweet breakfast with just a little bit of crispy dried fish on top. "Damn it. Now I want breakfast, too. I could make you tocino! Celie always has suman and latik, so we'll have that tomorrow."

"And sinangag?" He asked hopefully, making Nora laugh.

"Sure, that too."

There was silence for a while, and Nora was about to look over her shoulder to see if Leo was asleep, but he had started humming. It took Nora a second, but she realized that he was humming Bawat Daan. So, as it turned out, it really became their song.

"Leo," she said gently, not breaking his singing. "What's waiting for you in New York?"

She didn't know where that question came from, or why she had the sudden urge to ask it. But now that he was here, so close to her, she needed a reminder that this couldn't last. His life couldn't be here, this was just a temporary stop for him. And all of this heart glowing happiness was a temporary thing for her too.

"Work, sort of," he said with the enthusiasm of a five year old kid in faced with a bowl of ampalaya. "Swan Song is closing, and usually, I would be there with David, closing contracts, talking about if we should extend the run or move on to the next thing, and if we do move on, decide on what we want."

There was an odd tone to his voice Nora couldn't place. Was it wistfulness or bitterness? She couldn't tell.

"Then there's this whole Post Eden thing."

"Post Eden?"

"Mia sent me a message before I hopped in the shower. That's the title she wants, and I like it too. Admitting your problem has a title is the first step in solving it."

Nora laughed at that, expecting him to tell her more, to share more. To her surprise, though, Leo stopped talking. She frowned and shifted around in bed, using her elbows as leverage so she was looking straight into his eyes.

"What?" He asked, blinking at her.

"What do you mean what?" She countered, sitting up and pulling the sheets up to her chest, suddenly very conscious of her breasts. "I feel like you're talking, but you're not really saying anything. Confidant, remember?"

"Okay," he sat up as well, his hair completely out of the bun now, and standing in every direction known to man. It reminded Nora of the day they met, and it made her smile, and how on earth did she manage to meet the one person in the world who could distract her and make her so embarrassingly giddy? He pulled the sheet up over his chest too. "Ask me anything. I'm your oyster. Suck me up."