Cameo ulit. No twins, okay?
--
There's a lot of damage that you could do in an hour. Fresia's room didn't stand a chance, even without her sledgehammer. Pawis-pawisan siya nang matapos. The sweat on her face practically dissolved all her makeup. Bullet should have told her to bring spare clothes. Amoy na siyang daing na ibinabad sa suka nang makalabas siya ng kwarto.
Bullet, on the other hand, makes sweat look good on him. If there is such a thing as a sweat model, he'd be it.
She quickly averted her gaze before she gets caught staring. Admiration is different from attraction, but he doesn't know that. He might get the wrong idea, and based on the two days that she has known him, he definitely would.
"Well... how was it?" she asked.
He removed his suit and made a face. "I don't know why you find it therapeutic. I feel horrible!"
"To each his own," she said with a shrug. "Is there a place where we could eat? I'm famished!"
"Wala silang kainan dito. People were told in advance na kailangan nilang magdala ng tubig at pagkain."
"Is that why you insist on buying burgers earlier?" She should have just let him. Hindi naman kasi nito sinabing wala pala silang kakainin dito. Magugutumin pa naman siya.
"Don't worry. They invited us for lunch. Marami silang dalang pagkain ngayon."
True enough, Lena and Keisha got out of the workroom with two big baskets. Bullet helped carry them outside. Siya ay hinubad ang protective suit at gears saka ibinalik doon sa lalaking nasa harapan ng building, kasama ng kay Bullet.
She headed to the side of the building where the family was setting up the picnic space for them. Iyong mga kasabay nila sa gallery kanina, nagpi-picnic na rin doon. The sun was up, but it wasn't as hot because of the trees, a perfect day for picnics.
"Where do you eat when it rains?" tanong niya habang tumutulong sa paglalatag ng pagkain sa picnic blanket.
"Kahit saan basta may bubong," sagot ni Cyrus.
Kenneth picked up a sandwich and called their dog. It's a big golden retriever with shiny brown fur. Naupo ito sa tabi ng bata at naghintay na pakainin. Keisha helped her little brother take off the plastic. Piniraso ng dalawang bata ang tinapay saka paunti-unting pinakain ang aso.
Nang maubos ay kumuha ng isa pang sandwich si Kenneth. Kinuha naman iyon ni Lena.
"Don't give everything to the dog, baby," masuyo nitong sabi sa anak.
"But Dumdum's hungwy!"
"We'll feed Dumdum later, okay?"
Tumango ang bata at pumwesto sa kandungan ni Lena.
Pumwesto naman siya sa tabi ni Bullet. He opened a can of soda and handed it to her.
"Your dog's name is Dumdum?" natatawang tanong niya sa bata. Even for a dog, it's a weird name.
"His name's Dumbledore, but it's a mouthful, so Kenneth settled for Dumdum," paliwanag ni Lena. "Do you like dogs?"
Umiling siya. "I'm not a pet person."
Mukhang na-disappoint ito sa sinabi niya. She admires dogs... from afar. Cute naman ang mga aso. Hindi lamang talaga niya kayang mag-alaga. She doesn't have a nurturing nature. That's why she couldn't take care of Richard. She lacks affection. Kawawa ang mga domestic animal sa kanya.
"Well, you wouldn't last a day in their house," Bullet said. "They have like... a hundred dogs there."
Cyrus laughed. "He's exaggerating. We just have twenty-two."
Napanganga siya. Twenty-two?! She couldn't even stand a single dog barking in the middle of the night. Paano pa kung dalawampu't dalawa?
"Fifteen of them are puppies," Lena told her. "We'll sell them eventually, but until they're bought, they stay at our house."
"They even have a dog sitter," dagdag ni Bullet. "And a dog house. I designed it."
She was speechless. Siguro nga ay kanya-kanya lamang ng trip. Personally, she would never, ever own a pet. They're messy. That's why when Richard gave her a puppy as gift, she gave it to Aika.
--
Roasted chicken at spinach ang dalang ulam ng mga ito. They each got a piece or two... even Dumdum.
"Hey, eat your spinach."
Nilagyan ni Cyrus ng gulay ang paper plate ng asawa. Sumimangot si Lena.
"Mommy doesn't like veggies," Keisha told her.The little girl had no problem finishing her serving of spinach.
Lena disproved her child's statement and ate her leafy greens.
Siya naman ay binalingan ang katabi na mukhang gutom na gutom. Matatapos na itong kumain.
"So, how did you meet them?" she asked Bullet.
"Work," sagot nito. He popped a soda can open and drank. Then he continued, "I'm an interior designer, so naturally, I cross paths with people who work in that industry... furniture designers, construction workers, engineers... Anyway, I had a client who likes rare things. The kind na hindi nakikita sa department store o home depot. Felix recommended this guy, Martin. And Martin recommended them. My client liked their furniture so I decided to keep in touch. Before I went to Canada, they were my go-to guys for unconventional stuff."
"He hit on my wife right after stepping in her gallery," natatawang dagdag ni Cyrus.
"Like I said, I didn't know that she was married. She was wearing gloves so I didn't see the ring," depensa ni Bullet. "Anyway, pagkatapos naming magpaliwanagan, we eventually became friends."
"Yep," Cyrus agreed. "He's the friend who didn't even bother telling us that he's leaving for Canada. Nalaman lang namin nang makausap namin si Felix."
"Biglaan kasi. I didn't get a chance to tell all my friends."
"Why did you go there, anyway? Career opportunity ba?"
Napansin niyang bigla itong nailang sa tanong. Kinuhit nito ang ilong gamit ang hinlalaki saka sumagot, "Yeah, something like that."
"Well, we're glad you're back. How long will you be staying?"
Nagkibit-balikat ito. "I haven't decided yet. Kung si Lola ang masusunod, she'd want me to settle down as soon as possible. But if I feel like leaving again, I'd leave again."
"You should listen to your grandma," Lena told him.
"It's easier said than done. I can't just settle down with anyone. She has to be really special."
Pansin niya ang kakaibang tingin ng mag-asawa sa kanya. Gano'n na ba kaagad? Porket siya ang kasama, sya na agad ang tinutukoy nito?
"You don't have to look far and wide for that someone special. Sometimes, you simply stumble upon them. Malay mo, nasa tabi mo lang pala sya."
Pinandilatan niya si Cyrus. Si Bullet naman ay tumingin sa kanya. "What? You mean her?" Humalakhak ito. "No way, bro. She's a handful."
Hinampas niya ang braso nito. "Hey! I'm right here!"
"I wanted you to hear it."
"Mommy, can I have a soda?" tanong ni Keisha sa ina.
Agad na kumuha si Lena ng soda at binuksan para ibigay sa anak.
"Just a sip," paalala ni Cyrus sa mga ito.
"Me too!"
Inagaw ng anak nilang lalaki ang soda mula sa kapatid. Keisha wasn't done drinking. Nakipaghilahan ito kay Kenneth hanggang sa matapon ang inumin.
"Okay. That's it. No more soda for you both."
"But dad!"
Those kids look so adorable. Gusto niyang mag-uwi ng isa, but that's probably not a good idea. She's not mother material.
Napansin niyang nakatingin din si Bullet sa mag-anak. He looked... sad. Ang lungkot ng mga mata nito. Pero bigla rin iyong nawala nang kausapin itong muli ng mag-asawa.
--
After their picnic, Lena gave her the table made from her old lamp and mirror. The mirror that she broke was given a new life. Nilagyan ni Lena ng iba't ibang kulay ang basag-basag na salamin. It became a beautiful rose mosaic.
Inilagay din nila sa sasakyan ni Bullet ang mga painting at maliliit na decorations at furniture. She convinced him not to replace her old couch. So what he did was he selected some new pieces to go with it.
Dumiretso sila sa apartment niya para ilagay ang mga gamit. She let him boss her around because he knows what will look good where. Halos isang oras din silang nag-ayos at naglinis. But it was worth it. Hindi na niya makilala ang apartment nang matapos sila.
"So.... how much?"
Pasalampak itong naupo sa couch. "Can we rest first?"
Hinayaan niya itong magpahinga sa sala. Siya naman ay nagpunta sa kusina para kumuha ng maiinom. Because she was feeling great about the renovation, she also poured water for him. Nang balikan niya ito sa sala ay nakahiga na ito sa couch. His arm was covering his eyes.
Tulog ba ito?
Inilapag niya ang baso. Gigisingin ba niya ito? He should go home and rest. Pero parang ang sarap-sarap na ng tulog nito. He told her that he's been having nightmares for five years. Maybe good sleep is hard to come by.
So she decided to just let him sleep. Maganda naman ang mood niya ngayon.
"Just this once," bulong niya.
--
When Bullet woke up, he was expecting Fresia's angry face hovering above him. He was just supposed to take a rest but he fell asleep. Kinusot niya ang mga mata. How long was he napping?
Nilinga niya ang paningin sa paligid. There's a strange light coming from outside. What is that? He got up to check it out. Nagulat siya nang makitang maliwanag na sa labas. Gaano ba katagal siyang tulog? He didn't even remember falling asleep.
And the weirdest part? No nightmare. Not a single one.