Fresia woke up before Bullet that morning. This rarely happens. Kapag nangyayari iyon ay hindi muna siya umaalis sa pagkakayakap nito. The warmth of his body is a striking contrast to the cold weather.
They may not be doing it, but this is every bit as intimate as that.
Tiningala niya ang katabi. Tulog na tulog pa rin ito. He looks better now. Simula nang magtabi sila sa pagtulog ay nawala na ang itim sa ilalim ng mga mata nito. He doesn't look tired anymore. Buong gabi itong nakayakap sa kanya. Kahit medyo malikot siyang matulog ay hindi pa rin siya nalalaglag dahil secure na secure siya ng mga braso nito. Who'd have thought that she'd find someone as sweet as him? Hindi ito nahihiyang magpakita ng nararamdaman kahit nasaan sila. Palaging yumayakap, umaakbay, o humahalik.
Hindi na nito kailangang manligaw sa kanya kung ganito naman ito araw-araw. Mas sweet pa sa asawa.
She planted a soft kiss on his jawline saka siya dahan-dahang kumawala sa pagkakayakap nito. Mabilisan siyang naghilamos at nagsuklay ng buhok, then she brewed coffee. He likes his dark and bitter. She likes hers creamy and sweet.
She wanted to make some pancakes but she doesn't know how. But she's willing to try. Kumuha siya ng mga ingredients na nasa cupboard at ginawa ang naaalala niyang steps mula sa demonstration ni Bullet sa Pampanga.
Dahil hindi naman siya mahilig mag-bake, wala siyang measuring tools. Kumuha na lamang siya ng maliit na tasa at doon tinakal ang harina. Inilagay niya iyon sa isang bowl at gumawa rin siya ng butas sa gitna. On a separate container, she put two whole eggs and fresh milk (she's not sure if it's the right kind of milk for pancake making). She mixed the two wet ingredients and set them aside. Hinaluan niya ng asukal ang harina saka niya pinaghalo-halo lahat.
She was trying to smoothen all the lumps when Bullet finally woke up.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm making pancakes."
Naghilamos muna ito sa banyo saka siya binalikan. He checked the batter. It still has a few lumps in it. Kinuha nito ang panghalo mula sa kanya. He whisked the lumps out of the pancake mixture.
Ito ang nagtimpla ng kape habang siya naman ay sumubok magluto ng isa. Nilagyan niya ng maliit na hiwa ng butter ang lutuan. Dalawang takal sa sandok ang inilagay niyang batter sa pan. And immediately, there's a problem. Parang kutsinta ang texture ng pancake nang tiningnan niya ito maya-maya. Nasunog din agad ang butter na inilagay niya para hindi dumikit ang mixture sa pan.
She turned the stove off and grunted. Padabog niyang ibinato ang sandok sa sink.
"Mag-fried rice ka na lang ulit," inis niyang sabi kay Bullet.
She was about to throw the mixture away when he stopped her.
"Kumalma ka nga," sabi nito. He put it back on the table and asked her about the ingredients she used in making the pancake mix. Siya naman ay inisa-isang sabihin ang mga inilagay niya roon.
"Did you put butter and baking powder?"
Nakanguso siyang umiling.
"I forgot the baking powder."
"Kailangan mo 'yon para paalsahin 'yong pancake," paliwanag nito.
Tumango siya. "Kailangan pa ng butter?"
"So that it won't stick to the pan. Para hindi mo na kailangang maglagay ng butter o oil sa lutuan."
"Oh... I didn't know that."
Idinagdag nito ang mga kulang na sangkap at muling hinalo ang mixture. Nang makuntento ay ito na ang nagluto.
His version of the pancake was perfect. It was fluffy and it smells really delicious.
Kumuha siya ng chocolate syrup at butter. "You can never have enough butter," she told him when he raised an eyebrow.
"God must favor you so much. Binigyan ka Niya ng katawang hindi tumataba kahit ano'ng kainin mo."
She beamed. "And I thank God every day for that."
Hiniwa-hiwa niya ang pancake at sinubuan ito habang nagluluto. "Dadaan ka ulit sa shop mamaya?"
He shrugged. "I don't know."
She put down the fork and knife and hugged him from the back. "Busy ka?"
"I have three clients today. May isa akong naka-schedule during lunch. That's her only vacant time, so I had to make adjustments on mine."
She leaned away. "Her?"
He chuckled, bent down, and gave her a quick kiss. "She's a 50-year old woman."
"Oh..." She had to make sure, though. "Is she attractive?"
Tumawa itong muli. He turned the stove off and lifted her up to the counter. She gasped when her butt hit the cold granite countertop.
"She's no way near your perfection," he answered. Hinawi nito ang nakaharang na buhok sa mukha niya at idinagdag, "You don't need to worry about a thing."
Ikinawit niya ang mga braso sa batok nito. "You're so sweet, do you know that?"
His grandmother raised him well. Kahit wala itong mga magulang, hindi ito lumaking may galit sa mundo. Pasensyoso, maalaga, at ubod nang sweet. She scratched his scruffy beard. "Don't shave this, okay? You look hotter with this."
"I'm never shaving again."
Ngumiti siya. "No shaving. Trim lang."
Yumuko siyang muli para hagkan ito. She just couldn't get enough of his lips. They were so soft and smooth. It was supposed to be just a peck, but then, he responded... and things got a little heated. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer.
"We're both going to be late."
"Yeah. We should probably stop," he said in agreement.
Pinugpog nito ng halik ang leeg niya.
"We're seriously going to be late," natatawa niyang sabi. But she has no intention of letting go.
"Your fault. You started this."
"You put me up here."
He smirked. "But you kissed me first."
"Gano'n? Porket ako ang nauna, wala ka nang kasalanan?"
Tumawa lamang ito at saka siya ibinaba. "Go take a bath and lock the bathroom door," bulong nito sa kanya.
--
Happiness is a huge understatement. This is really new to her. This is something that she doesn't normally feel. Mona's right. She shouldn't make Richard the basis because what she had with him was nothing compared to what she's having with Bullet.
She's not just happy when she's with him. Masaya rin siya kahit hindi sila magkasama, basta naiisip niya ito.
Nawiwirduhan na sa kanya ang mga empleyado dahil para siyang wala sa sariling ngumingiting mag-isa. She was so cheery at work, but she didn't want to stay there for long. Mas gusto niyang umuwi ng bahay. The period after seven in the evening until before nine in the morning is the best because she's with Bullet.
Kaya naman pagpatak na pagpatak ng alas siete ay nakaayos na ang mga gamit niya. Pagkaparada ni Bullet ng sasakyan sa labas ng shop ay nasa may reception area na siya, naghihintay.
"What's for dinner?" tanong niya pagkapasok ng sasakyan.
"'Yon agad? Walang man lang hello?"
She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "Hello. Now what's for dinner?"
Naiiling itong tumawa. "Whatever you want."
That translated to tinola. Like everything he cooked before, the tinola was yummy. They washed the dishes together and then they spent the rest of the night watching sappy movies.
Bullet didn't like the movies but he endured for her. That doesn't mean that he pretended to like them.
"Why did she agree to be the bridesmaid to her 27 friends? That's kind of pathetic."
"She wants to have her own happy ending. Naniniwala kasi syang mararanasan nya rin 'yong wedding na pinapangarap nya," paliwanag niya.
"Does she need to keep the dresses?"
She slapped his chest. "Kailangan kasi sa story. If she doesn't have that obsession, then the guy won't have something to write about."
Bullet raised his hands. "I don't really get these romantic movies."
But that's not the best part. He has a very decorative vocabulary in describing the heroine in this one Pinoy movie. Tuwing nagmumura 'yong bida, nagmumura rin ito. Masyado raw bitter 'yong babae.
"Syempre, ikaw ba naman ang iwan after eight years."
He rolled his eyes. "Her cursing made me hungry. Order tayo ng pizza?"
On cue, her stomach grumbled. Tumawag siya sa isang pizza place at nag-order ng isang box ng pizza.
--
Nang dumating ang pizza, saktong nasa banyo si Bullet. He left his wallet on the table and told her that he'll be paying for the pizza. Kaya doon siya kumuha ng pera. May nakita siya roong litrato ng isang babae. The woman's probably about her age. Bilugan ang mukha nito, mapupungay ang mga mata at perky ang ilong.
Is this Leila, his ex? But why does he still have her picture in his wallet?
She heard someone clear his throat. Ah, right. The pizza is here. Humugot siya ng pera sa wallet at ibinigay rito. She told the guy to keep the excess. Wala siyang panahong maghanap ng barya.
"Oh, the pizza's here!"
Binuksan ni Bullet ang box na kalalapag niya sa coffee table. Kinalabit siya nito nang mapansing hindi siya kumakain.
"Akala ko gusto mo ng pizza?"
She pulled the picture out of his wallet. "Is this Leila?"
Napatigil ito sa pagkain. "Yes," mahina nitong sagot.
Huminga siya nang malalim, ipinaalala sa sariling hindi siya dapat magalit dito.
"You still have her picture here."
Kinuha nito iyon sa kanya. He didn't put the picture back inside the wallet. Ibinulsa lang nito iyon.
"It's not what it looks like."
"What does it look like?"
"I don't love her anymore, Fresia," diretso nitong sagot.
"Then why do you still have that? I don't mean to sound like an obnoxious girlfriend, okay? It's just... kung rebound lang ako, let me know and I'll try to understand."
He smiled affectrionately. "You're not a rebound. I was keeping her picture for a different reason."
"What?"
Umiling ito. "You wouldn't want to know."
"Tell me," she said indignantly.
Bumuntong-hininga ito. "All right." He paused for a moment, mukhang inihahanda ang sarili. Kung anuman ang nangyari dati, nakaraan na 'yon. Matatanggap niya iyon. They can't move forward with this relationship if he's not being honest with her.
Alam naman niyang hindi pa niya ito lubusang kilala. This is her, trying to get to know him better.
"I kept her picture because I was feeling guilty about what I did to her five years ago. I still feel guilty about it today and until I can get rid of that guilt, I cannot get rid of her picture."
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. "What are you feeling guilty about?"
He couldn't even look her in the eye when he said, "I cheated on her."