Glainese's shadows never stepped again in the shade of her restaurant. Weeks to months that she was hadn't set foot on her own establishment. Her staff has been wondering. Problems started to surface as cheques were not signed to pay their suppliers, as well as her employees salaries. Glainese do this kind of things personally. Benjamin already at lost of what to tell their suppliers.
"Boss, nauubusan na tayo ng stocks. Yung beef natin will last until tomorrow morning na lang. Yun pa naman ang best seller natin," it was Paul talking to his manager as they close the resto.
"Call on everyone for a brief meeting," he answered his kitchen employee and let go of a sigh.
A few minutes later, everyone was seated. Including Rhiza.
"Alright guys, right now we are low on supplies. Alam ko na 2 months na rin delayed ang sweldo nyo. Honestly, di ko alam kung anong nangyayari kay Glainese. Been giving her a call for the past weeks pero di sya sumasagot. Hindi ko kayo masisisi if you want to resign but I will assure you that I will get a hold of our boss para maayos natin ang problema," all eyes are on him. Every day he over heard some of their waiters and waitresses about money problems and some already looking for another job.
"Sir Ben, ako na lang po pupunta kay Ms. Ramos, kung okay lang sa inyo," Rhiza raised her hand that made all eyes shifted on her.
"Alam mo ba ang condo nya? Because right now am busy talking to our suppliers hasi binobombard na nila tayo for late payments,"
"Yes po," that was all she can say.
"You are an angel. Ikaw na bahala makipagusap sa kanya. Bring with you yung mga cheques na kailangan nyang pirmahan,"
Rhiza felt a relief. She was also suprised bringing herself to talk to their lady boss. She can sense some of her co-workers' stare of wondering how'd she know where their boss' condo.
"We'll close muna na resto for the meantime. Maraming wala na sa supplies natin and some of our suppliers denied us of restocking. Alangan namang puro sabaw ang ioffer natin sa kanila,"
"One day lang ba tayo magsasara, sir" Sheena asked.
"Depends kung makakausap ni Rhiza si Glai at kung ano kahihinatnan ng paguusap nila,"
Then there was silence.
"Rhiza, keep me posted," he face Rhiza who was deep in thoughts.
"Rhiza," Ben called again.
"O-opo,"
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Glainese, slumped on her bed naked, Katrina beside her that only the blanket that covers her birth-suit. All those days that she was absent in her own business, she and Kat had been in and out of the city. Partying. Spending. Spoiling. All that what matters most is way behind her mind. Almost to a blur that any moment, they will become a memory. That will soon can be forgotten.
Little by little she submerged herself from temptation, and the one responsible was not satisfied until she is totally under its powers. Dark powers.
***ring... ring...***
***ring... ring...***
***ring... ring...***
***ring... ring...***
Katrina moved due to the sound of her own mobile phone. Her dangling right arm moved in search of her gadget.
***ring... ring...***
***ring... ring...***
***ring... ring...***
Finally she was able to grab the noisy vibrating phone on the floor.
"Yeah..." she answered with only one eye open.
"Right now? Ang aga naman. Can't it wait for a few more hours? Am still in bed..... Alright, alright. I'm going... Give me an hour...." she ended the conversation.
She stretched her body, hitting Glainese still slumbering beside her without anything that covers her body. Katrina turn to face the woman who's laying on her front. Her face covered with her hair. She move 'em to see the face.
"You will always be mine. Sa akin ka rin babagsak. Only death can keep us apart. Literally," she kissed her closed lips. Whatever the conversation she had on her phone made her dash and rush. Not a moment to soon, she left the sleeping Glainese.
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Rhiza has been purposely avoiding Jay. She knows the time and day he visits. Even her questioning mother, she avoids. Miggy seldom feel her presence. Somehow she felt a bit alienated now that she is fully awake of who she really is and her purpose. There maybe no time frame given to them but as time passes by, she feels that her Althea is being pulled by sin and being human makes her weak from all the temptations surrounding her.
While walking towards where Glainese's condo is, the scene from the other night kept replaying in her head. No matter how much she shook her head to remove them, it grabs a part of her brain tighter. As it keeps recapping, her heart aches. Slowly being sliced deeper as the memory goes. There's nothing more painful than seeing the person you love in the arms of another, even if that person is at lost or not.
***am I not enough for her to wake up? Doesn't she remember who I am? I have shown her my real form and yet, she can't remember*** Rhiza thought. Unknowingly, a thread of tears fell from her eyes, blurring her vision that she quickly wiped with the back of her hand.
She was about to reach her destination when she saw a familiar face coming out of the building. Wearing a black fitted dress that runs down above her knee, waving her hand to call the attention of a cab park outside the building. It was Katrina who seems to be in a hurry. Hiding herself from one of the posts quickly when the woman looked around as if checking if someone is eyeing on her, then she rode the cab.
As soon as the cab left, Rhiza dashed inside the building.
"San po sila mam?" a woman asked at the lobby, stopping her before she reached the elevator.
"Ah eh, kay Ms. Glainese Ramos," she answered.
"Alam po ba nya na darating kayo?"
"O-oo. Alam nya. Tumawag siya kagabi sa manager ng resto nya and asked na magpapunta ng tao nya. Ako yung pinapunta,"
"Tawagan ko lang po muna sya to inform,"
Rhiza wanted to stop the woman. The truth, Glainese didn't call.
***I'm sorry po Father. Nagsinungaling ako. Patawarin Nyo po ako...*** she prayed in her mind.
"Wala pong sumasagot," the woman again said.
"Kasi sinabi nya sa manager namin na katukin na lang sya. Lumabas kasi yan kagabi," again Rhiza lied and ask forgiveness for her lies.
"Paiwan na lang po ng ID at pa log in sa log book," Rhiza did as she was told as quickly as possible, thinking that Katrina might come back.
Rushing to the elevator, Rhiza tries to remember what floor Glainese' unit is the first time she was there.
***Father, lead me to my destination to save one of your creations from sin...*** she thought pushing a button.
As she passed on every floor, she counts in her mind to calm herself down.
***ding*** the elevator stopped, opening its doors.
Rhiza peeked before having her whole body out of the elevator. She looked on both ways. All doors are identical and it is hard to determine which door is the one she's looking for. She let her faith guide her. And like a magnet, she herself was drawn to where her other half is until she reach the last door on the hallway.
***knock knock knock...***
no answer....
***knock knock knock...***
Still no answer. Rhiza held on to the door knob and slowly twisting it, finding it was unlocked. Maybe Katrina forgot to have it locked. She gently pushed the door and peeked. The whole living room was quiet, though throw pillows were on the floor. A few bottle of beers stumbled on the center table. Plates on the carpet, greasing. Putting it into words, the place is messy. She knew that it is the place she is searching when her eyes directed on the sofa where Glainese was about to take her the second time.
"MS. Ramos..." she called.
"Ms. Ramos, si Rhiza po ito..." she called again but no one was coming. With that she entered the room and shut the door behind her.
Slowly, she assessed what could have happened. The reason that made this place looked like a tornado berserked. Tossing everything in its path.
On her peripheral vision, a door that leads to her lady boss' room was ajar. Her mind and heart was debating to peek or not. Her boss might be in some predicament and might need help if she don't check, her heart says. However her mind disagreed because its an invasion of privacy.
***heck with the invasion of privacy. andito na ako sa loob...*** she ended the inner-self debate.
She walked towards the slightly opened door and peeked. On the floor she saw tossed clothes and shoes. Blanket deformed as if someone just had a fight with it. Then she heard a slight sound of moaning, she had her body slightly slid more inside the bedroom. There she saw the drunk, slumbering Glainese laid on her front with all of her naked glory with her face facing the other side of the room. She allowed herself to be swallowed inside the bedroom. Picked up the blanket and covered the sleeping woman's nakedness. However there's a pang in her chest making connection to this woman's nudeness and the rushing Katrina. There's no question about it knowing how vulnerable Glainese in her human form. She can easily be tempted, enticed... Seduced...
After carefully placing the cover, she leaned closer to the stilled body, running her fingers to the strands of hair.
"Aalagaan kita. You'll wake up soon, mahal ko," she whispered and left.
Carefully not creating a sound as she closed the door, Rhiza stood with her hands on her waist, looking around to search for her starting point to fix everything. She picked up all that was laying on the floor. Bottles, potato chips packs, cigarette butts, glasses on the floor, throw pillows and such.
Rhiza arranged, fixed, cleaned and manage everything that needs to be done. She even cooked if ever Glainese wake up for she will really be hungry. Despite of everything Rhiza did, she never felt fatigued. Instead, she felt happy doing it for her better-half. An excited wife doing things for her lover when she gets home. Good thing that Glainese's ice box was full that she don't need to go out and do grocery.
After doing chores, she visited her lady boss who was still, surprisingly asleep. She must be really drunk last night. If ever a robber came, everything will be ransacked. With a basin half-way full of water, she took a small towel from her bag. Carefully as she can, she rolled her to lay on her back to clean the sleeping beauty on the bed. She had seen Glainese naked when she first came but seeing her again in her birth suit still have an enormous effect on her. Like a pan on the stove, Rhiza felt heat from her sole up to her scalp. Running the wet towel on the woman's skin gives her shivers that raises her body hair. Its so smooth like silk.
"Bakit ba kasi ayaw mong magising. Bakit hindi mo ako maalala. Ano pa ba ang dapat kong gawin,?" she said softly to her self.
"Althea, gumising ka na. I beg you please. Habang tumatagal, lalo kang napapalayo sa akin. How can we win this kung ako lang mag-isa?"
"Sinong kausap mo? Sinong Althea?"
Rhiza was surprised hearing a bed room sound voice that she drop the wet towel on the floor. Looking straight at her was Glainese with her deep, black, round eyes.
"Ha? Ah, eh..." she lost words.
"How did you get here? Who opened the door for you?" Glainese asked continuously.
Rhiza can't look her in the eyes. Confused on what to say. All the things that she was forming in her head, the plans to make Althea wake up, all vanished into thin air.
"Am I alone? Hey, am talking to you, Rhiza," she said as she pushed herself up.
"Inutusan po kasi ako ni Sir Ben to check on you. Ilang buwan na po kasi kayong hindi pumupunta sa Matsuri. Yung mga cheques po hindi mairelease kasi di nyo po napipirmahan. Yung mga suppliers po nagatrasan na and ayaw na nila tayo bigyan ng supplies. Sabi po nila, even you pay them, hindi na raw po sila magdedeliver. Some of our employees naghihintay na lang po ng paychecks nila. Magreresign na raw sila," she informed without looking at her boss.
However, Glainese did not wholly listened to everything Rhiza said. She focused her eyes on that pulpy lips of the person infront of her. Those cheeks that slowly turned rosy. She felt a sudden lust.
***no one is stopping you*** the voice in her head said. Pushing her to do something of what her inner self was feeling.
***she's vulnerable. look at her. doesn't she look alluring to you? her lips are inviting you. look at the way she speaks. she is seducing you***
In just a snap, Glainese pushed Rhiza, pinning her on the bed, placing herself on top of her.
"You shouldn't have come here. You don't know how much you affect me even in the slightest way you move,"
Rhiza was shocked on how the events turned. She looked on both her sides. Glainese's hands holding her wrists tightly, sitting on her stomach.
"Ms. Ramos...." she called but she can see in the woman's hunger for flesh. She tried to wiggle her body to push the woman on top of her but there was an unimaginable strength that she cannot take her off of her.
Glainese started to descend. Her lips landing on Rhiza's neck, nipping a little of her skin. She shifted her right leg between Rhiza's, forcing her to distance each of her legs from each other, rubbing her knee on the woman beneath her.
Rhiza just closed her eyes. She loves her even if from an angel, her Althea turned into a sinner. She just thought of how her love was before. How she was so gentle when she brought her in the isle of San Vanganza. The time when she lost her memory, but Jade never took advantage of her. When she visited her in her room for the first time when she still in Orange County, her voice was soothing and soft even for a devil. But now, it was all to different. Tears came flowing from her eyes as Glainese continued to bury herself from sin of lust.
"Is this how you want it, Althea?" the voice made Glainese stop moving.
"Tell me if this is what you desire and I will give myself to you. Do you want this?"
She didn't move her body, but she raised her face to level her eyes to the woman under her.
Almond brown eyes glitter from tears. Pleading. Suffering. Begging.
Glainese tried to process if the woman she is with is still the same woman she pinned on the bed. Everything was the same except for the eyes that now expresses more emotions. She was expecting fear because she is fully aware that she's taking the woman by force. Instead, her eyes expresses kindness, understanding.... Love..
She felt confused. Rhiza should have loathed her for doing such a thing. Slapping her. Pounding her chest was what she was waiting, but those things will just turn her on more.
Rhiza's tears blurred her vision. No words can be spoken more to send her willingness to submit what her beloved wants if that's what she wished. But Glainese removed herself on top of the woman as if she was burned. She stood away from the bed, Rhiza pushing her body up by her elbows eyeing the confused Glainese backing away until she hits the wall.
"Glai, please let me help you," Rhiza pushed herself up further But Glainese only raised her hand to top the woman from approaching her.
Rhiza didn't heed her signal but kept walking near heruntil their toes touched. She placed both of her hand on th cheeks of the woman infront of her. She raised her head to level those black orbs with her hazel brown eyes.
"Let me show you who you really are," Rhiza whispered under her breath.
She slowly close their distance until her soft bud lips landed on Glainese's lips Letting her own light devour both of them. Glainese shuts her eyes, shielding her sight from the blinding light that surrounds them. She felt her whole body being lift up, feeling light as a feather.
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