XXVI.
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Nagmamadaling binagtas ni Jaimie ang corridor papunta sa unit ng kaibigan. Dala dala ang isang supot na may lamang bigas, manok at iba pang pangsahog at ang mga gamot na binili sa botika sa may kanto, maingat nyang pinihit ang doorknob. Natuwa naman syang hindi naka-lock ito.
'Tehgurl?' Tawag nya habang mas lalong pinalalawak ang siwang ng pintuan.
Walang nadatnang ategurl si Jaimie sa living room kaya pumasok na sya hanggang sa loob. Laking gulat na lamang nya nang may nakitang isang lalaki sa loob ng kusina ni Zoey.
'Sino sya?'
'Sya ba si Cheeseboy?'
'Sya na ba ang nagdidilig ng tigang na kalupaan ni tehgurl?'
Those questions echoed inside Jaimie's brain. However, it was only one question that made its loud resonance.
'Sino ka?' Jaimie asked, high pitched.
Natigilan sa paggalaw ang tinanong. Karaka'y binitawan ang hawak na isang mangkok na pinagsasandukan ng mainit na sabaw.
'Mr. Padilla?' Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Jaimie nang humarap na ang tinanong. 'Ikaw si Cheeseboy?'
*********
Magkaharap na nakaupo si Jaimie at Stanley sa mesa sa dining area. Katatapos lamang kumain ng una dahil nag-request sya na ipagluto sya ng huli ng kahit anong pwede nyang kainin bilang di pa sya nakakapananghalian. Nakain naman na ni Zoey ang inihanda ni Stanley na mainit na Chicken Noodle Soup at nakainom na rin ito ng gamot.
'So ikaw ang jowa ni tehgurl ko?' Tanong ni Jaimie habang tinatapik na parang tiklado ng piano ang mesa gamit ang kanyang daliri.
'Hindi nam---'
'Pero ikakasal ka na.'
'Yun na ng---'
'So anong balak mo? Ganito lang? Pagsasabayin mo yung pagpaplano ng kasal mo at ng jerjeran nyo ng boss ko?'
'Jaimie..' It was Zoey who just emerged from her room. She walked to them and Stanley quickly assisted her to sit down. 'Thank you.' She mouthed then smiled to him once she's settled.
'So ayos lang sayo yung ganitong set up?' Hindi na naman makapaniwalang tanong ni Jaimie sa kaibigan. 'He's planning his wedding while sleeping with you!'
'Ako naman ang may gusto rin na ganito muna.' Zoey said. 'We'll wait for the right time until okay na ang lahat.'
'Paanong magiging ok?' Tila naeeskandalo na si Jaimie sa nangyayari. 'Pag kinasal na sya at naging kabit ka, ok ba yon? Stress ha!' And he wiped his forehead from his imaginary bangs.
'Masaya naman ako Jaimie. Can we just leave it as it is? I have never been so happy until him.'
'Manggaling ka ba naman sa nuno ni Satanas na si Travis, malamang sasabihin mo talaga na mas masaya ka dito.' He pointed at Stanley who was just sitting there, quietly.
'Wag mo nga ako dinuduro.' He brushed away Jaimie's finger, obviously annoyed.
'Oh, sinasaktan ako tehgurl!' Jaimie whined, holding his hand.
'Diba sabi mo, you wanted to meet Cheeseboy? Eto na sya o.'
'E malay ko ba namang may sabit yang si Boy Keso.' Kamot ni Jaimie sa kanyang ulo. 'Tehgurl naman..' He reached for Zoey's hand, worry is evident upon his face. 'Wala bang iba? Yung single. Yung di pa kakasalin. Yung di natin kliyente.'
'When I had no one, Stanley became my somebody. I'm so grateful of him.'
'Yan na naman yung grateful na yan!' Padyak ni Jaimie sa sahig.
'Jaimie.' It was Stanley.
He turned to look at the one who called him.
'You don't have to worry. Mahal ko si tehgurl mo.'
'Mahal mo ba sya?' Jaimie asked Zoey.
'He makes me happy.'
There was like a tough blow on the pit of Stanley's stomach when he heard that.
'Baby steps, Stanley. Baby steps.'
He reminded himself.
'At least you make her happy. Her happiness matters.'
'Eee...' Nag-aalangan pa rin si Jaimie. 'Pano pag magkahulihan? Tehgurl naman e.'
'We'll cross the bridge when we get there.' She brushed the top of Jaimie's hand with her finger and gently looked at her friend. 'Please? For your ategurl?'
Jaimie rolled his eyes, heaving a very deep breath after.
'Support na nga lang.'
Zoey finally smiled. Parang nabunutan din naman ng tinik sa dibdib si Stanley sa narinig. As far as he knows, Jaimie is the only friend Zoey has. At big deal sa kanya na approve sya sa kanya.
'Pero ikaw.' Jaimie turned to him again. 'Pag ikaw, pinaiyak mo 'tong ategurl ko, magtago ka na sa sinapupunan ng nanay mo. Magiging lalaki uli ako para saktan ka habangbuhay.' He threatened him.
'Noted.' Tango ni Stanley with a small smile.
'Yung cellphone mo, nagv-vibrate o.' Turo ni Jaimie sa telepono ni Stanley na nakapatong sa may kitchen counter. 'Yung fiancee' mo siguro, tumatawag.'
He smiled nervously before he stood up. Sure enough, it was Larissa calling.
'Larissa.' He answered with some hesitations.
Umirap lamang si Jaimie as he mouthed, 'Sabi ko na.'
Marahang hinampas naman ni Zoey ang kamay nito.
'Uhm.. I have to go.' Sabi ni Stanley nang lumapit kay Zoey matapos makipag-usap kay Larissa.
'San punta?' Niyakap nito ang bewang ni Stanley as she pressed the side of her face on his hip.
'Dinner with Larissa's parents.' He said with some trepidation but with honesty, nonetheless.
Lalong umirap si Jaimie sa narinig.
'Take care ok?' She looked up as Stanleycaresses her chin.
Tumayo si Zoey at niyakap ng tuluyan si Stanley.
'Gusto sana kita i-kiss kaso baka mahawa ka sa akin.' She whispered on his shoulder.
He smiled before he cradled her face with his hands. Jaimie didn't look away as the two shared a liplock.
'Alis na kung aalis.' Pagtataboy ni Jaimie. 'Issponge bath ko pa tong si ategurl at nangangamoy na.'
'Grabe ka naman.' She giggled as Jaimie carried her bridal style.
Natigilan naman si Stanley sa nakita at agad nitong nilapitan ang dalawa.
'Ako na.' Masungit na sabi nito at ipinababa si Zoey mula sa pagkakabuhat sa kanya ni Jaimie.
'Eh?' Nagtatakang tanong ni Jaimie.
'Ako na ang mag-ssponge bath.'
'Selos ka boy?'
'Lalaki ka pa rin kahit mahilig ka sa lalaki.'
'E ikaw? Babae ka ba? Wala ka namang vajayjay a.'
'Girlfriend ko sya. Alis ka dyan.' Si Stanley naman ang nagtataboy ngayon kay Jaimie at iginiya na si Zoey sa banyo.
'Pag yan lalong nabinat ha.' Jaimie followed the two but Stanley had already closed the door shut in front of Jaimie.
*********
Stanley was sitting in front of Larissa's parents, his mind obviously wandering off. Saka lamang nya napansin na kinakausap na pala sya ng ama ng nobya.
'Stanley.' Tawag ni Mr. Vergara.
And Stanley had to literally shook his thoughts away.
'How's the plan na magtayo ng coffeeshop sa Cebu?'
Larissa had to roll her eyes as she mouthed 'Business, of course.'
'Pinag-aaralan pa rin po namin Tito.' Magalang na sagot naman ni Stanley. 'Pero by now, mga 45% sure na.'
'Kaso baka i-shelve nya muna yung project within the next months dahil sa wedding namin, Pa.' Larissa butted in. 'Right babe?'
He looked at her and smiled.
'Ano na nga pala yung sa wedding?' Larissa's mom joined, clapping her hands together.
'Nagpa-measure na si Lee ng suit. Tayo Ma, tomorrow naman. Yung entourage, early next week. Si Papa, ico-confirm ko pa kay Zoey.'
'Zoey?' Nakakunot noong tanong ng ama ni Larissa.
'Yung wedding coordinator namin Pa. Zoey Bernardo. Kilala mo? Sya rin yung coordinator ni Samantha.' Larissa explained.
'Nope. Not familiar.' Iling ni Mr. Vergara before sipping his water.
Stanley nonchalantly delved from his pocket and retrieve his phone to carefully check on Twitter. No tweets from Zoey or Jaimie.
'Okay naman na siguro sya.' He thought. 'Basta after nitong dinner, uuwi na lang ako agad.'
But his plan wasn't able to push thru. He found himself spending the night in Vergara's mansion due to heavy floods along his route because of nonstop raining.
Paulit-ulit na nyang tinatawagan si Zoey pero walang sumasagot kaya ang no. naman ni Jaimie ang kinontact nya pero wala pa rin. That was when he fished for his phone again, expecting some news from Jaimie.
Agad namang nag-tweet si Daniel sa kaibigan ng karelasyon.
'Umiikot na pwet ng jowa mo o.' Jaimie showed Zoey his phone. She was sitting beside him, joggers and shirt with cardigan. Napagdesisyunan na lamang dalhin ni Jaimie ang kaibigan sa ospital matapos nyang mapansin ang panginginig nito habang natutulog.
Ngumuso si Zoey.
'Mahirap diba?' Tanong ni Jaimie. 'Inisip mo ba talaga bago mo pinasok 'to?'
'When you love, you don't think.' Saad ni Zoey. 'You feel it, get carried away. Pag nasaktan ka, dun mo pa lang sisimulan mag-isip kung bakit.'
Napabuntong hininga na lamang si Jaimie. Saka nya nakita ang doctor na sumilip mula sa pintuan saka tinawag si Zoey. Pangusong itinuro ito ni Jaimie. Tumayo sya saka inalalayan papasok si Zoey.
*********