The blackout curtains that cover the huge glass window wall of the room brings darkness that doesn't fail to keep it like it's always midnight regardless of whatever time of day. It was already six in the morning, but RJ and Maine are dead tired from making love just four hours ago.
RJ has just got back from a month-long tour in the United States. It is an understatement to say that they've missed each other. No, they longed and craved for each other the whole time they were apart. Maine, too, busied herself with work and used it as a distraction. They only got to see each other through Facetime, and the different time zones didn't actually help to ease their longing. She was grumpy, almost always crying at how mad she was for not having RJ around. Other times she would try to at least feel excited while counting down the days til he gets back. Things are going to be a bit different now, and she wanted him beside her--badly needed him to be there.
So the moment RJ landed back in Manila, Maine made sure to be there to welcome him. She and RJ's father and sister picked him up from the airport. They enjoyed a good dinner and catch up at Sofitel where Maine has booked a table for them. A good number of laughs were shared as RJ told his family the experiences he had while doing the series of shows abroad. It was already midnight when Riza and their father parted ways from Maine and RJ to go back to Laguna.
A few minutes after six, RJ's phone started ringing the alarm. He snoozed, knowing that the noise will probably wake Maine as well and he didn't want that. But it was too late. Maine moved closer and wrapped her arms around him. She didn't speak, and like RJ, tried to get back to sleep. RJ gently ran his hand up and down her arms to help her.
Nine minutes later, the alarm started ringing again. This time, RJ gave in. He tried his best to slip out of Maine's embrace without waking her. But failed.
"Hey," Maine whispered as she felt RJ slowly getting up from the bed. "Where do you think you're going?"
RJ smiled at her. It was dark, only the lamp on the night stand gives a dim light to the room, but the glow in Maine's eyes shine as bright as day. He doesn't know why, but the way she looks after sex always does something to him. Each and every time. Maybe it's her lips that swell after he's kissed and bitten it soft and hard countless times. Or the crazy, messy, sexy hair that screams "just had sex" above her head. Maybe it's just everything about her, and whatever it is makes him want to do everything with her all over again.
He walked around to Maine's side of the bed. "Shower lang," he said after planting a kiss on Maine's forehead. "Join me?"
And though her face was shadowed with RJ's body, he could tell how much she blushed.
"Che. Go na." He shooed him away and that he did. Well, it could have been better if he stayed in bed; but it was also a sight for her to see his behind all bare. She couldn't help but bite her lip and have a deep breath as she devoured every single bit of him, top to bottom, from afar. He's got a skin so fair that it glows even in the complete darkness; it's the sky that holds the moles on his back which she traces with her fingers as if they were constellations in a starry night. The scratches she made stand out like they were meteors and falling stars. She did that, she smiled at the thought. RJ knew she was checking him out, she always does, so he's learned the perfect timing of when to glance back and catch her. "For your eyes only," he'd always say. "And oh, don't bite your lip. That's my job." He added and winked at her before finally getting in the bathroom.
She couldn't hold her giggles any longer she had to let them go. RJ is the cutest and sexiest man alive. Well, maybe next to Adam Levine. When she heard the shower running, Maine got up herself and picked up RJ's white polo to cover her naked body. She was trying to button it up when she noticed that only four of the buttons remain on the shirt. She smiled to herself as she looked at the floor, wondering where the hell the other buttons could've been. She smiled even bigger when the memory of ripping RJ's shirt open last night flashed back on her mind.
She drew the curtains open to reveal the early morning sun shining outside. The view from the 16th floor of the condominium is indeed stunning. She looked down on the quietly busy streets of Alabang, then up on the heavens which she always thanks for everything that she's got especially the man that she vowed to share this everything in her life with.
Maine walked to the kitchen to prepare their breakfast. She fired up the coffee maker and started going through the fridge and pantry to see what she could make. She resorted to doing their favorite pancakes, bacon, and eggs, with of course a special touch of her cooking skills. She grabbed her phone and plugged the earphones in her ears as she did her craft.
"Maine?" RJ called when he didn't see her in the bedroom. His eyes were searching worriedly. A small bit of panic rushed through him.
"Maine." He said, and finally smiled when he saw her dancing to some music while beating eggs in a bowl. Her hair was down and golden; it flowed from her shoulders to her back effortlessly. God damn sexy as hell.
RJ sat on the bar stool and watched her do her thing. And though he couldn't really tell it to himself, RJ blushed at the sight of her butt cheeks peaking out of his shirt. Boy, she's naked underneath. Well, why not just casually be naked underneath your shirt while making breakfast, yeah? That's like... So normal. Damn, what is this woman doing to me? He thought to himself.
Maine turned around and jerked in surprise when she saw him staring. He was resting his head on his hand.
"You scared me." She said, taking out the earphones from her ears as she continued preparing the pancake batter.
"You're wearing my shirt."
"And we have a problem with that?" She teased.
"I think we do." RJ stood up from his seat and walked towards her. He took her hands and placed them on his shoulders as he held her waist to pull her close and kiss her.
"Too sexy." RJ said, after pulling apart. He kissed her again.
"You're distracting me." Maine told him.
"And we have a problem with that?" RJ raised his brows and smirked, proud to have used her line against her.
"RJ!" She hit him on the arm hard enough to make him let go. "Ikaw ah!"
He couldn't help but giggle at her cuteness. They've been together for years and years and she still doesn't fail to take his breath away in the little things she does.
"Akala ko umalis ka na eh. Didn't think you'd make breakfast." RJ said. He remembers Maine telling him the night before that she had a seven a.m. call time that day. "I'll do that," he said as he took the bacon and eggs to fry.
"Well, I'm still here. Anong akala mo sakin, eat and run?" She set up her own pan to cook the pancakes.
"We haven't eaten." RJ eyed her.
"Breakfast, no. But I was given a really good meal last night. Sarap." She smiled and bit her lip. RJ blushed at her teasing.
"Sarap?" He teased back. They tossed their pancakes, bacon, and eggs in their own pans.
"Sarap, sobra." Maine called back, winning that round of their banter.
"Can we just have that again? Wag na 'to."
"Sira! Gutom na 'ko no!"
"Bakit, napagod ba kita? Tsaka diba sabi mo masarap naman ako? Oh, sarap nito diba?" He flexed and showed off his biceps.
"RJ!!!!!" She laughed so hard she had to hit him. She tried to end the topic by plating the pancakes and setting up the table. RJ did the same and trailed behind her.
"Alam mo mahal, you really have to stop hitting me. Pag nakita yan ng mga magiging anak natin, baka gayahin ka pa."
"Pero love, the more you hit the more you love diba? I missed you! A lot! Sobra! And by the way, why would you think na aalis ako without telling you?" She sat down and started taking a sip of her freshly-brewed coffee. "Ano to, one night stand? Booty call mo 'ko ganon?"
RJ chuckled. He knew she was kidding.
"Wow ah, to hear that coming from MY WIFE." He put the emphasis upon the end of his sentence. "Don't forget you married me."
"I'm actually starting to have regrets..." Maine joked causing RJ to fake a pout. He even dropped his fork and pretended to be really hurt.
"Joke lang, mahal! Joke lang!" Maine was laughing and though her laughs were RJ's undoing, he tried his hardest to keep pretending hurt to earn her lambing. "Mahal... Joke lang talaga."
Not working.
She stood up from her seat and sat on RJ's lap. She showered his face with kisses all over. "Love..."
Not working.
"Sige ka, if you don't stop that inarte and eat your breakfast, you won't have dessert. Ayaw mo?"
Working.
"Eto na nga oh kakain na! Sarap ng luto mo love!" Maine giggled at her husband and they shared their breakfast in one plate.
"Shower na ko, I have to go to work." Maine said, standing up from RJ's lap.
"You have work? I thought wala na yung seven a.m.?"
"Yes, but there's still the 9 o'clock." She said, tidying up the kitchen.
"Paano yung dessert ko?" He followed her, helping.
"Mahal, malelate na ako. Malayo pa yung location ko today." She had a serious tone in her voice, expressing a bit of her dismay as well. "Tonight, I promise. I know you missed me." She smirked.
"True. I missed you so much. So... baka pwedeng served in the car?" He gave her a wink.
Maine faced RJ and pinched his nose. "Alam mo ikaw... masyado mo talaga akong mahal no?"
RJ leaned on her forehead. "Yes. Always. I can never get enough of you."
"I love you." She kissed him on the lips.
"I love you. More. Always." RJ replied in between his kisses. "Sige na, I'll do the dishes. Go get yourself ready. I'll drive you to work."
"Thank you. What are you doing today?"
"Not much. They gave me a few days off since overworked naman daw ako abroad. Maybe I'll just go to the gym after dropping you off. Then I'll pick you up. Okay?"
"Okay but... yun lang ba gagawin mo? Gym lang?"
"Maybe. I'll get ready for tonight. May utang ka pa sakin na dessert, remember?"
Maine cringed her nose and pulled away from RJ. "Grabe siya!!!" She screamed as she stormed out to their bedroom, leaving RJ chuckling at her reaction.
"By the way, love?" Maine returned in a quick second.
"Yes mahal?" RJ turned to her.
"Uhm..." She looked down on her fingers and hesitated for a while. "Sulitin mo na yung desserts ha? Saglit mo nalang ako masosolo." She smiled and was gone in a flash.
RJ was dumbfounded. He was left standing and staring into space, trying to figure out what she meant. His mouth was open, brows furrowed, clueless.
Quickly he followed suit to find his wife standing by the bedside table.
"Mahal." He called her attention. "What's going on?"
Maine was all serious and sincere at the same time. "Catch."
RJ was too nervous he wasn't able to catch the small thing in his hands. It fell on the floor and he fumbled as he picked it up. Maine found herself sitting on the foot of the bed, holding RJ's hands which held the small thing that which also held the good news.
"It's positive." Maine whispered, tears slowly pooling in her eyes.
"Positive?" RJ felt like he was dreaming.
"Yes, mahal. Positive."
"Sure?"
"Five tries. Sure."
And that was it. RJ fell on his knees, resting his head on Maine's lap. He was crying--the usual RJ that he is. Both RJ and Maine were crying, overwhelmed by the emotions they were feeling. Maine held her husband really tight, thankful that he was the man God chose to be with her. She cried with him, knowing that this was a blessing to him as it is to her. And she just knows how emotional her husband can get.
"Love..." Maine cupped RJ's face and wiped his tears. "Stop crying na. Baka maging iyakin din baby natin."
"Baby natin." RJ smiled at the thought. "When did you know?" He asked.
"You were abroad." She replied.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there." RJ held her hand and kissed it really hard. Maine felt the pain and guilt in his voice.
"Mahal, you're here now. I'm sorry I didn't wait for you when I checked... hindi tuloy natin nalaman nang sabay. Sobrang excited nga ako to tell you. I'm sorry I just--"
RJ cut her off. "Meng... That doesn't matter anymore. Thank you for this blessing. Thank you. So much. You made me really happy." RJ's voice cracked from crying while he said it as if it were a prayer. "Mahal, thank you. I promise to be at my best and be with you all the way. I love you. Sobra kitang mahal."
"I know that mahal. Thank you. I love you." She leaned down to give RJ a kiss.
RJ sniffed as he wiped his own tears. Slowly he reached to touch his wife's belly and rub his palm over it, trying to feel the little bump.
"Oh my God." RJ said, almost breathless.
"We're a family now." Maine commented, smiling at RJ's gesture.
"Juskolord!" RJ looked up and screamed as he embraced Maine really, really, tight. "My pemily... My pemily... Hohmygahd." RJ laughed at his own reference and Maine joined his laughter when she realized how happy their family is going to be.
And yes, that morning was the most unexpected morning in Richard Faulkerson Jr.'s life.