Chapter Thirty-Five
TILA inilutang ang pakiramdam ni Vengeance nang mainit na tugunin ni Meredith ang kanyang halik. Her hands coiled around his nape as she eagerly welcomed his questing tongue. She moaned sexily when she met his tongue and play with it for a little tongue hockey. The kiss became heated and all-consuming. At kung pagbibigyan ang kanilang mga sarili ay batid niyang walang makapipigil sa kanila.
They were both panting nang maglayo ang kanilang mga labi. Pagkatapos ay muling naglapat na para bang ayaw pang matapos ang sandaling iyon. They kissed and parted and then kissed again like they couldn't get enough.
"We should go," ani Meredith ngunit tila hindi napaglabanan ang sariling inilapat ang mga labi sa mga labi niya.
"Yes, we should," his reply and gave her a peck on her lips.
"No, really," she was smiling and gave him another quick, light kiss on the lips.
"Sure?" he was smiling, too, and he gave her a chaste kiss.
"V, we should stop," natatawang sabi nito.
Ngunit sa bawat pagdidikit ng mga labi nila ay tumutugon din naman agad ito nang may init at kapusukan. In the end, they compromised.
"Let's fill our stomach first. And from there let's see where this quest for the best goto or pares will lead us," she proposed. "I'm hoping it's not in a memorial park again."
He laughed so hard after hearing that. It brought back old memories, sweet memories. He remembered the night he took her innocence. It was a very unfortunate event--them ending in a memorial park because he lost control of the steering wheel. Nevertheless it was a moment that he will cherish for as long as he's still breathing. At nang saglit niyang lingunin si Meredith ay may munting ngiti rin na nakaguhit sa mga labi nito. He'd like to think that it was a pleasant memory to her as it was to him.
"There, goto pares," itinuro ni Meredith ang isang parang kubol sa gilid ng daan.
May nakalagay na goto/pares sign doon. Naisip ni Vengeance, daig pa ng asawa niya ang naglilihi. O siguro ay nami-miss din nito iyong panahon nila noong nag-aaral pa silang dalawa at yayayain niya itong kumain sa Parekoy's Lugawan o di kaya ay ibibili niya ito ng pares. Those were the days that he thought didn't matter to her at all. But judging her reaction, looking excited and almost salivating at the prospect of eating the food they used to eat, masasabi niyang nagkaroon ng timbang sa alaala nito ang bahaging iyon sa kanilang nakaraan.
Tulad kanina ay nauna pa ito sa kanyang bumaba ng sasakyan. Kaagad itong lumapit sa tinderang nagtitinda ng lugaw. Parang hindi nito pansin ang nakatangang hitsura ng ilang kumakain doon na animo'y mga nakakita ng artista. Oo, may ganoong impact ang kagandahan ni Meredith kahit madalas ay nakaka-intimidate ang personalidad nito sa karamihan. Maging ang tindera ay saglit na napatitig sa kanyang asawa bago iyon ngumiti at sumagot nang may paggalang.
"Mainit na mainit pa po, Ma'am. At garantisadong hindi maalat."
"Thank God. Hindi na baleng matabang, huwag lang maalat."
"Masarap ho ang pares at goto nila rito, Ma'am," sabat ng isang lalaking kustomer. "Kaya nga ho kahit malayo itong puwesto nila Asyang dinadayo namin."
"Totoo ho 'yon, Maam," pabibong susog naman noong isa na ipinagsalubong ng kilay ni Vengeance.
The air around him reminds him of Scythe.
"Kapag natikman niyo ang goto at pares ni Asyang ay babalik at babalik din kayo," dagdag pang saad ng lalaki.
"Tumigil ka na, RJ," nakangiting saway rito noong tindera na hula ni Vengeance ay ang tinukoy na Asyang. "Saglit lang po, Ma'am, at ipaghahanda ko kayo ng mesa."
Noon lang napansin ni Vengeance kung anong klaseng mesa ang tinutukoy ng tindera. Iyon ay ang foldable na mesang pandalawahan. Ipinuwesto nito iyon sa may gilid ng kubol. Na nang mapagmasdan niyang mabuti ay isa palang van na customized ang yari.
"Very ingenious," komento ni Meredith na nakatingin din sa van.
Nagkangitian silang mag-asawa.
Naglabas ng dalawang upuan ang tindera, led light bulb na rechargeable, at condiments na ipinatong nito sa gitna ng mesa.
"Ano po ang order niyo, Sir, Ma'am?" magiliw na tanong ng babae. Tulad kay Meredith ay sandali rin itong napatulala kay Vengeance nang may paghanga.
"Let's see," tumingin silang mag-asawa sa menu na nakadikit sa taas ng pinakaharapang estante ng kubol slash van. "Beef pares mami at distilled water."
"Sa akin goto, lumpiang toge, at distilled water na rin."
"Beef pares mami, goto, lumpiang toge, at dalawang mineral water."
"Got it."
Tumalikod na ang babae para ihanda ang kanilang order.
"Sit," ipinaghila ng upuan ni Vengeance ang asawa. "Ako na ang kukuha ng order natin."
"Oki dokes. Ikaw ang may wallet," she grinned.
Pumalatak lang siya. He was about to turn his back when she pulled him by grabbing his hand. Sa pag-aakalang may sasabihin pa ito o may idadagdag na ipabili ay lumingon siya. He had the best shock in his life when she pressed her lips to his.
"Go," pagdaka'y sabi nito na para lamang itong nagtaboy ng errand boy.
He felt as though he was literally walking on cloud nine. It was the very first time she did that to him. Kissed him in public like she's showing everyone her ownership--that he belongs to her. He was probably wearing a stupid grin while paying for their meal because the man who took his payment was giving him a strange look. He's probably giving him the creeps. He schooled his features and wore his regular poker face. Pagbalik niya sa asawa dala ang tray ng kanilang pagkain ay tila may pagtataka sa ekspresyon ng mukha nito.
"What happened to your face?"
"I'm wearing the same old face."
"Ayoko ng ganyang mukha," nakasimangot na sabi nito.
"Papapalitan ko bukas na bukas din," sagot niya na poker face pa rin.
Parang mas lalong sumimangot ito. Kunwari'y walang napansin na inilagay niya sa harapan nito ang bowl ng umusok pang goto. May naka-topping doon na five strips ng beef tripes at spring onions. Pinunasan nito ng tissue ang mga kubyertos na gagamitin nila bago ibinigay sa kanya. Normal na nitong ginagawa iyon dati pa. And it was a gesture that warms his heart. Nang magkalayo sila pagkatapos nitong pakasalan si Ramil Zamora ay napaisip siya kung ginagawa rin nito ang mga ganoong bagay sa asawa. It was pure hell thinking all the things she might be doing and giving to the man she loves with all her heart. Ngunit kung bakit naman alam na nga niyang isa iyong torture ay hindi pa rin niya mapigilan ang sariling parating isipin ito.
Tumayo si Meredith at iniusog ang mainit na bowl ng goto nito sa bandang kanan niya. Ang dati'y magkaharap nilang puwesto ngayon ay magkatabi na. May pagtataka man ay hindi na lang niya iyon pinansin.
"Ang bango," komento nito habang hinahalo ang umuusok pang lugaw.
Siya naman ay kaagad na humigop ng sabaw ng beef pares mami. Mabango nga at nakakagana sa amoy pa lang. Masarap. Tama lang ang timpla para sa kanyang panlasa.
"Masarap?" tanong ni Meredith.
"Yes. Tamang-tama lang ang tim--" hindi niya natapos ang sinasabi dahil mabilis nitong inilapat ang mga labi sa kanyang bibig.
He was dumbfounded. And he realized that was the second time she kissed him in public. Hindi man ganoon ka-crowded ang paligid nila ay may ibang tao pa rin doon. Nasa labindalawa rin marahil iyon kasama na ang dalawang tao sa lugawan.
"I think, masarap nga," nakangising sabi nito.
"You're making me blush," aniya.
"Aw, virgin?"
"Is blushing an exclusive right for virgins?" he asked, curious.
"Who knows? Maaga kasing na-corrupt ang utak ko ng isang manong d'yan sa tabi-tabi kaya hindi ko naranasang maging vir--" mabilis niyang inilapat ang bibig sa mga labi nito.
"Let's discuss this matter at some suitable place."
"How quaint, Liu," she teased.
"Let's wait until we're both behind closed doors, Mrs. Liu," he whispered. "Eat up and fill your stomach to the brim. Baka mamaya ay magreklamo ka sa akin na nanlalambot ang mga binti mo."
"At kailan naman ako nagreklamo?"
"Do I have to remind you?"
"Tss."
Kumain na sila. Nang malasahan ang kinakain ay nanahimik bigla si Meredith. Kita niya sa sunud-sunod na subo nito na nagustuhan ang lasa ng kinakain.
"Wow, ngayon na lang ulit ako nakatikim ng ganito kasarap na goto."
"We should visit Parekoy's one of these days."
"Buhay pa 'yong lugawan?"
"Buhay pa 'yong lugawan but Uncle Mao is already dead."
"Oh," tinusok nito ang lumpiang toge ng gamit na tinidor atsaka isinawsak sa sweet and spicy vinegar sauce. "Yum. Pati 'yong sawsawan, masarap at kumakagat."
"You used to hate spicy food."
"Not hate naman. I'm just not used to eating spicy food or spicy dippings. But now, 'can't eat without 'em."
You used to say you hate me, too, back then, gusto niya sanang sabihin dito. Did it change, too, over the years?
Pero sa halip na sabihin iyon ay ipinagpatuloy na lang niya ang pagkain.
"I have some questions, by the way," mayamaya ay seryosong sabi ni Meredith.
"Fire away, I'm all ears."
"All your life you thought Gertrude was your mother, right? It was probably the reason why it was easy for her to abused you. Didn't you even wonder why?"
"She didn't know that I'm not her biological son. No one knows besides my father, his solicitor, me, and the doctor who was there when she gave birth. She abused me regardless if I am her son or not. She was a very selfish woman who thinks the world was made for her sole existence."
"What about her child? She gave birth, right?"
"Like I told you before, my father was a horrible man. He knew since day one that the child Gertrude was carrying was not his. He devised a plan that will make Gertrude pay dearly. He switched her child with me at pinalabas nilang ako ang kanyang anak. Even her prenatal record was tampered."
"Oh."
"She thought she manipulated my father into marrying her just because she got herself pregnant. Unbeknownst to her, my father used her as a smokescreen to hide the truth about his personal affairs. Considering the nature of his work, he didn't want to put my real mother in danger. Aside from the fact that she was very young when she had me--which was, seventeen, by the way. Her religious upbringing and very strict family will never accept her relationship with my Dad, or my father himself."
"The manipulator was manipulated."
"Yes."
"But what about the baby? What happened to it? Kanino siya napunta? I'm sure hindi siya puwedeng alagaan ng Mommy mo dahil ikaw man ay hindi niya puwedeng ilantad dahil sabi mo nga, istrikto ang kanyang pamilya at pinalaki siyang relihiyosa."
"Ipinaubaya ni Mommy ang lahat kay Dad. Sa unang apat na buwan ng kanyang pagbubuntis ay naitago niya ang kanyang pagdadalantao dahil napakaliit niya lamang magbuntis. Ngunit pagdating ng second trimester hanggang full term ay gumawa ng paraan si Dad para palabasing nasa isang six-month special course training si Mommy sa ibang bansa. After she gave birth ay pansamantalang naputol ang kanilang ugnayan ni Dad. And the baby... he gave it away to a childless couple."
"That's tragic. Gusto kong maawa kay Gertrude pero parang mas naaawa ako sa batang iniluwal niya na hindi man lang nakilala ang tunay na mga magulang."
Iyon din ang naisip niya noong una. But all things considered, ang kapalaran ng isang tao ay hindi dapat na nakabase kung ano ang kapaligirang kinalakhan mo o kung saan ka pa nagmula. Every one was given the free will to become the master of their own fate. Kahit nga iyong mga taong walang dalawang paa at dalawang kamay ay nagagawang magpursige upang mas mapabuti ang buhay, iyon pa kayang mga tao na walang kapansanan? There will always be ups and down. Ngunit ang tanong ay hahayaan mo na lang ba na parati kang nakalugmok sa ibaba?
"What were you thinking?" tanong ni Meredith na pumukaw ng pansin ni Vengeance mula sa malalim na pag-iisip.
"Hm, I'm reviewing Kama Sutra inside my head."
Akala niya ay mabibigla ito o mapipipilan sa sinabi niya. But he's wrong.
"I'm looking forward to it..."
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