Amelia's face lit up nang makita ang message sa kanya ni Christian. It's been so long since he messaged her. Ang last na chat nito sa kanya ay galit ito. But now he's tone had change.
I love you. Miss na kita, wifey.
But was it the truth? Or he was playing her again? There's a part of her that is still hoping. At the moment, she didn't know what she should feel. Pero masaya siya at naalala siya nitong i-message. He wasn't even saying that he wanted to go home.
Amelia's fingers trembled habang nag c-compose ng message para dito. Despite what he did. She must admit that she still loves him.
I love you, and I miss you too.
Smiley emoji lang ang senend nito sa kanya. Then Christian sends her another picture of him working in the office.
Amelia couldn't help but smile. Is he finally changing?
She should confirm it with her assistant there just in case. Agad niyang denial sa social media niya ang profile ng assistant niya. Kumunot ang noo niya nang hindi agad nito sinagot ang tawag niya kahit naka-online ito. But when she was about to end the call button. Sinagot na nito iyon.
Amelia let out a breath.
"H-Hello, Mam?"
"Cindy. I have to ask you something."
Hinihingal pa ito sa kabilang linya. "Y-Yes po?"
"Ano bang ginawa mo at hinihingal ka?" May irritasyon na sa boses ni Amelia. She really hated waiting.
"M-May bitbit po kasi ako kaninang mga mabibigat na papel. Pasensiya na po Mam."
Namewang siya at tumingin sa dagat. "Alright. Nambababae pa ba si Christian diyan?"
"N-No Mam."
"Really? Wala kang nakitang aali-aligid sa kanya?" Amelia couldn't help the surge of happiness in her heart sa narinig mula dito. "Thank you, Cindy. Keep an eye on him. Alright?"
"O-Opo mam." Pagkatapos nun ay in-end na nito ang call.
"Who was that?"
Sam said it near her ear, and it made Amelia jump.
"What the hell, Samantha?!"
Tatawa tawa namang umalog ang balikat nito. Napasimangot si Amelia. But she still couldn't take her eyes off of Samantha. Ang ganda kasi ng mga ngiti at tawa nito sa kanya. Those brown eyes sparkles and it made Amelia's heart thump in a slow beating. Hanggang sa unti unting lumakas ang tibok ng puso niya.
She put a hand to it to stop it from beating hard. Baka may sakit na talaga siya sa puso o baka nagulat lang siya sa ginawa ni Sam?
"T-Tapos mo na bang tingnan ang mga kailangang ayusin?"
"Yes, and I already told them what to do. Maybe we could go back to the main office."
"Oh..." Amelia's mouth formed into a circle. Then she winced. Is it time to go back to the real world? What should she say to Sam? Should they continue what they are doing? Until when? Hanggang sa makabalik si Christian?
She closed her eyes tightly. Siya ang naglagay sa sarili niya sa sitwasyong ito. She should take responsibilities for what would happen.
"S-Sam....I—"
Before Amelia could finish what she was about to say. Biglang nag ring ang cellphone ni Sam. Sam raised a hand and turned around to answer it.
Ilang minuto lang sa pakikipag usap ay bigla itong bumaling sa kanya. Amelia's heart ached nang makita ang luhang nag lalandas sa mga mata nito. Then before she could go to where Sam is. Niyakap na siya nito ng mahigpit.
Amelia was almost knocked off sa lakas ng impact ng yakap nito. But she held Sam and caressed her back.
"What happened, Sam?"
"It's my father. H-He was in a hospital. Sinugod siya sa ospital." Sam looked at her eyes. "Amelia... anong gagawin ko?"
Umiwas ng tingin si Amelia dito. She can't look directly at Sam's eyes because despite what they did together. A part of her feels like she shouldn't barge in on Sam's personal life. She did it to seek revenge and get rid of Sam for good. Pero hindi din naman niya kayang iwanan itong nasasaktan ngayon.
"L-Let's go to the hospital."
Sam nodded her head. Nakayuko pa din ito kahit iginagaya niya na patungo sa reception ng hotel. She spotted the receptionist.
"Call Vincent. I need him to get me a van and a plane out of this island. May emergency. We need to get back to Manila as soon as possible."
"Hi. Madam!" Vincent stopped from walking to them further nang makita nito si Sam na nakasandal lang sa balikat niya at hindi kumikibo. "M-May nangyari ba Madam?"
"We need a van and a plane. ASAP. Vince."
"Oh gosh. Did she pass out because you two are humping---"
Pinandilatan niya ito ng mga mata niya. There were employees around pero di nito napigil ang bibig nito. The receptionist had her mouth opened the entire time.
"Shut up, Vince. Just call the plane. We need to go back. Sam's father is hospitalized."
Vincent put a hand to his mouth. "O-Ok. I'll call the plane and the van."
He turned his back on them and dialed a number. Mayamaya pa ay iginagaya niya na si Sam sa van. Sam had a far away look in her eyes habang nasa biyahe sila. Sam also calls from time to time tungkol sa update sa dad nito.
Hindi din ito natutulog habang nasa biyahe sila. Nagigising siyang nakatulala lang ito sa labas ng bintana.
Amelia looked at Sam's hands. The same hands that held her all night long. The same hands that worshipped her. Ngayon ay nanginginig iyon. She reached her hand out para hawakan ang kamay nito but stopped midway. She closes and opens her hands.
Should she be furthering their relationship? Hindi ba't katawan lang nito ang gusto niya? And the revenge she was planning? But she wasn't that cold hearted. Kahit pa yung ang gusto niyang isipin sa kanya ng ibang tao.
But Sam wasn't a stranger to her.
She touched Sam's hands and squeezed them.
Napatingin tuloy ito sa kanya. Sam's looked at her like she was searching Amelia's eyes. But she didn't take her eyes off of Sam. Gusto niyang iparating dito, na andito lang siya para dito.
"It will be ok, Sam. I'm here."
Sam didn't say a word. Dinala nito ang mga kamay niya sa bibig nito at hinalikan iyon. Then Sam leaned on it.
Amelia's heart started beating again; this time, it was louder and louder. Tila tambol sa tenga niya na hindi mawala wala. Or maybe it was the pressure inside the plane that was making her ears and her heart pound.
Pinagmasdan niya ang buong mukha ni Sam. Gusto niyang titigan ang mga mata at ang mga labi nito. She wants to commit it to her memory. What if it will be the last time she gets to see Sam's pretty face?
Lumamlam ang mga mata niya at sinandal din ang ulo sa ulo nito.
But when her phone pinged. Napabangon siya at tinitigan iyon.
'Amelia. I will work hard here for the last remaining 3 months. I'll go home and be a changed man for you. I love you.'
Then Christian sends her another picture. He was happily munching on a burger with a paper in his other hand.
'And maybe we could try for another child.'
Amelia's mouth hung open, and she immediately closed her phone's screen nang tumingin si Sam doon.
"You should take some sleep Sam. Baka ikaw ang mag collapse at hindi mo makita ang Dad mo."
She tapped Sam's head. Hindi ito kumibo at ipinikit na lang ang mga mata.
Amelia exhaled a breath she was holding and took several deep breaths. Her heart had been beating erratically because of Sam. At ngayon natatakot siyang malaman ni Sam na nag m-message pa rin sa kanya si Christian? Ang sarili niyang asawa?
She muddled the line now, is she?
Naipikit niya ang mga mata at napahilot sa sentido niya. Sumasakit ang ulo niya sa mga nangyayari.