CHAPTER 53
"What are you smiling at?" Takang tanong nito nang tabihan ako sa kama.
"Secret." I playfully said.
"Tito! Food!" Sabi ni Andre kay Theo habang sumasabit ito sa likod nya. Hindi pa diretso ang pananalita ng dalawa. Bulol pa o kaya naman ay paputol putol.
"Andrea! Magusot damit ni dada mo. Come here baby." Tawag ko dito. Agad naman akong nilapitan nito.
"Mama, food." Naiiyak na sabi nito. Magsasalita pa sana ako nang biglang lumapit din si Luis sakin at yumakap sa leeg ko. "Food mama!" Sabi din nito.
"Magkambal nga talaga kayo." I laughed at them. "Okay, mama will cook na. Stand up na para makaluto na si mama ng food." I told them. Sumunod naman sila tapos ay bumalik sa paglalaro sa kama.
"Come, I'll cook." Nakangiting sabi ni Theo.
"Huh? No. Look at you! Nakabusiness attire ka na ang everything, that might get ruined. Papakainin na lang kita."
"Edi I'll change. Mamaya ko na ibabalik to. 10 am pa naman maguumpisa mga meetings ko." Pagpapaliwanag nito.
Tumango ako bilang sagot tapos ay tinawag si Aling Minda, yung kasambahay namin. "Aling Mindaaaa!" Malambing kong sabi kahit pasigaw.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Pakikuha naman po saglit mga bata dito oh."
Wala pang isang minuto ay kumatok na sa pintuan si Aling Minda tapos ay kinuha na ang mga bata. My kids cheerfully went with her.
"Ikaw ha, gusto mo ko masolo!" Natatawang asar ni Theo sakin.
I felt my cheeks turned red tapos at kinurot ko ito. "Feeling!" Kinakabahan ko pang sabi. Halos sampung buwan na mula nang nanghingi ito ng permiso sakin na manligaw, sampung buwan na rin itong nanliligaw sakin. And 10 months.. I'm 10 month happy now.
I won't deny that naiisip ko pa rin si Dylan and that kumikirot pa rin ang puso ko pero hindi na ganun kagrabe. Maybe all I need is closure between us para I could completely start a new life with Teddore.
I like Theo so much. And I'm on the verge of falling in love with him and giving him myself.
Well, ilang beses na nagkaroon ng attempts si Theo, hindi naman ako tumututol kaya lang every time na mag-uumpisa kami, laging may biglang mangyayari - if it weren't the kids, mga phone calls naman nya sa opisina.
Naramdaman ko ang pag-iinit sa pisngi ko nang maalala ko yung mga attempTed make out sessions namin. Ewan ko ba, kinikilig ako!
"Then why are you blushing?" Nangaasar pang sabi nito.
"Heh! Whatever. Take off your clothes now para mai-hanger ko. Baka magusot at madumihan pa yan habang nagluluto ka." Sabi ko sabay irap sakanya.
He obliged. Tumayo na rin ako para kunin ang extra t-shirt nya sa cabinet ko. Hindi naman nakapagtataka kung bakit may damit sya dito. Madalas kasi sya magovernight dito lalo na nung ilang buwan pa lamang yung kambal.
Humarap ako sakanya para ibigay yung shirt nya pero napanganga ako nang makita ko sya. He's half naked! Nasa harap ko na ngayon ang matipuno nyang katawan. He is damn sexy! Bahagyang nanuyo ang lalamunan ko dahil sa nakikita ko.
"Oh? Give me my shirt, Maxine." He said.
Napalunok ako ng ilang beses bago ko sya tuluyang tinignan sa mata. Why is it so hard for me to resist this temptation?
I handed him his shirt pero bago pa nya iyon mahawakan, kinabig na nya ako at hinalikan.
"THEO!" Napatili ako dahil sa pagkabigla.
"You are damn beautiful." sabi pa nya bago tuluyang angkinin muli ang labi ko. I didn't know how it happened pero nakahiga na ako sa kama and he is making me happy. "You are perfect, baby." I kind of froze because of the endearment he said.
And because of that endearment, one face flashed in my mind. Dylan. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng guilt. I felt like I was cheating. Na para bang I'm a cheap woman dahil nakakaramdam ako ng kasiyahan and satisfaction with another man gayon mang may anak na ako sa isang lalaki.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Naibalik ako sa sarili ko nang narinig ko ang boses ni Theo. That warm voice once again starTed to embrace me. "Hey, don't cry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sweetheart." Muling sabi nya
Dun ko lang narealize na umiiyak na nga pala ako. Damn this tears. Iniiyakan ko pa rin si Dylan. Kelan ba nya ako tatantatanan?! I wanTed to cry and shout at that moment but when I felt Theo's hand on my cheeks to wipe my tears away, that familiar warmth that always makes me calm, that warmth that makes puts me at peace.
I cried even more because of the overwhelming feeling. How could I ever think of Dylan while this man makes love to me? Hindi ako nagccheat kay Dylan, kay Theo ako nagccheat.
Seeing how Theo cares for me makes my heart beat fast faster. I really want to let Dylan go and to accept Theo completely.
He planTed a long soft kiss on my lips. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam na nakalapat lang ang labi nya sa labi ko. It was as if everything's fine. This is what Theo makes me feel. He makes me feel loved in every way. "I love you." He whispered after leaving my lips just to kiss my forehead.
I smiled. I'm totally smitten.
Magkahawak kami ng kamay na bumaba.
"Food!" The kids shouTed.
"Oh, heto na babies. Dada will cook now. Okay?" He kissed my lips tapos ay tumakbo papalapit sa mga batang nanonood ng Barney sa sala and he planTed kisses on their heads.
I can't help but smile. He loves my kids and my kids love them back. Oh, diba? What's not to love? Kaya nga hindi na ako nagtataka kung bakit ko sya gusto eh.
Sinundan ko si Theo sa kusina, naabutan ko syang nagmimix ng ingredients para sa pancake. Paborito kasi ng mga anak ko ang pancakes tapos may eggs, hotdogs and bacons. Oo na, sila na matakaw.
Inilabas ko ang isang tray ng itlog mula sa ref. "How do you like these eggs today? The kids already had it fried last week." I said as I was remembering our 'family day' last sunday.
"Beaten. Hardly beaten." He said while laughing. My cheeks automatically turned red. "Go on, sweetheart, bate my eggs." Aniya habang nagaabot sakin ng dalawang itlog.
Oh my gosh! Nararamdaman ko ang pamumula ng pisngi ko!
"Heh! Magtigil ka Theo ha!" Sabi ko sakanya habang binabatukan sya.
Tumatawa tawa lamang sya tapos ay bigla nya akong hinapit papalapit sakanya. "You're blushing."
"I am not." Sabi ko tsaka pinulupot ang dalawa kong kamay sa leeg nya.
"Really?" Paghahamon na tanong nito habang nilalapit ang mukha nya sa mukha ko.
"Hmm hmm." I mumbled tapos ako na mismo ang nagkusang paglapitin ang mga labi namin.
We were there at the kitchen, kissing very passionately when a little voice broke our kiss.
"Mama" Little Luis and Andrea both called.
I automatically pushed Theo away. Nang narinig ko ang mga boses na iyon, naalala ko bigla si Dylan. Pakiramdam ko ay binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig. It was like as if I was caught cheating. Nanghihina ang tuhod kong nilapitan ang dalawa.
Confusion was drawn all over their face. I felt really guilty. Pakiramdam ko lahat ng nangyari samin ni Theo ay mali.
"A-ano yun babies ko?” I asked them. Hindi sila sumagot. They were just staring at me.
I felt Theo walked towards us. Umupo sya upang mapantayan kami tapos ay inakbayan ako at hinalikan sa ulo. There he goes again, washing away all my worries. I sighed in contentment.
"Gusto nyo na foods babies?" He cheerfully asked the kids.
Nagbago bigla ang aura ng mukha nila. Biglang napalitan ng excitement. Theo really knows how to handle my kids.
They both nodded and then I saw spark in their eyes. Those eyes. I washed away the thoughts of Dylan.
"Go and watch Barney, behave ha! If you guys don't behave, I won't give you yumyums!" Sabi pa ni Theo.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ng kambal sa sinabi ni Theo tapos ay agad agad silang tumakbo pabalik ng sala. Natawa kaming dalawa ni Theo.
"Thank you." I sincerely said.
He just smiled and stood and offered his hand. At tulad ng ginagawa ko noon, tinanggap ko iyon.
We ate happily na para bang isa kaming masayang pamilya. The kids were very much contenTed and seeing them happy makes me happy too. I awe it all to Theo.