Napagdesisyunan namin ni Precious na mag-out of town gaya ng napagusapan namin no'ng una. Kaya narito ako ngayon sa ospital para kausapin si Dr. Ablaza.
"Excuse me?" Tanong ko sa front desk.
"Yes ma'am?"
"May I know Dr. Eonji Ablaza's office? I mean," Damn, I'm not really sure if he has an office here or what! Ang tanga ko lang para hindi muna nagtanong kay Daddy, though I'm still not sure if he'd talk to me.
"Do you have an appointment, ma'am?" Napataas ako ng kilay sa tanong ng Nurse kaya dinagdagan niya. "May protocol po kasi kaming sinusunod, ma'am."
"Can't I talk to him? It's really imprtant! My dad's his patient!" Giit ko rito, medyo naiirita na 'ko.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Si Dr. Ablaza po mismo ang nagsabi na bawal kung walang appointment." Mahinahong sahit ng nurse. "Should I call his apprentice to make an appointment for you?"
What the hell! What is this? A company? Damn! Ang arte niya!
And his apprentice? Oh well, of course! He must be really good if he handles an apprentice.
You're leaving me no choice, Nurse.
"Then tell him his girlfriend is waiting outside! And if he doesn't show up until my temper is out of control, tell him I am breaking up with him!" Gigil kong wika.
Nataranta naman ang nurse kaya mabilis na may pinindot sa kung saan. The other nurses were eyeing me curiously and I couldn't care more!
Halos isang minuto rin akonh naghintay bago magkagulo ang mga nurse sa malapit.
"Good morning, doc!"
"Hi doc!"
"Good morning, Dr. Ablaza!" Lumingon ako sa kabilang side kung saan nanggagaling ang mga pagbati.
Tumatango lang ang ang seryosong mukha ni Dr. Ablaza sa mga bumabati sa kaniya, malayong malayo sa Eonji Ablaza na nakilala ko sa labas ng ospital. He's different here, huh?
"Doc!" Napatayo ang nurse na kausap ko kanina.
"I came because my 'girlfriend' is looking for me?" Pinagdiinan niya pa talaga ang salitang girlfriend.
"I-I'm sorry, doc. Hindi ko alam na.." Pinutol ni Dr. Ablaza ang anumang sasabihin pa ng nurse.
"It's okay. I don't really accept visitors during my rounds." Medyo napahiya ako doon. He sounds really professional. Nakitaan ko ng relief ang nurse. Tss!
Pinagtaasan ko na lang siya ng kilay nang sa akin siya bumaling.
"I told you if you miss me, just text me right away. You don't have to go in here." Aniya na nagpalaglag ng panga ko.
May narinig pa akong paimpit na tili mula sa ibang nurse na naroon. Damn him!
Hinapit niya ako sa beywang at bumulong, "Nabitin ka kagabi, 'no?"
Naginit ang lahat ng pwedeng maginit sa akin! Pakiramdam ko ay pulang pula ako ngayon.
"A-ano'ng sinasabi mo diyan?!" Pilit kong tinatanggal ang kamay niya sa baywang ko ngunit hinahapit niya ito lalo.
"Halika na. Let's go home." At hindi ko alam kung bakit mas lalong uminit ang pisngi ko.
Halos malimutan ko na ang tunay kong pakay kung bakit ako narito ngayon.
Nang nasa parking lot na kami ng ospital ay huminto ako. Napatingin siya sa akin.
"What's wrong?" Kunot noo niyang tanong.
I can't help but notice his thick brows. It's making his eyes look more dangerous. Parang kay sarap haplusin ng makapal niyang kilay.
"W-wala." Palihim kong pinilig ang ulo ko. "I-I came here because I, uhm, I want you to look after my dad."
Napataas siya ng kilay. Na para bang he's urging me to tell more.
I continued, "Well, I decided to, uh no, my friend decided to treat me. You know, out-of-town. So I really need someone to look after my dad. I..."
"Why do you think I'll say yes?" Napakagat ako ng labi. Would he say no then? Damn!
"You see, Ms. Gabourey Ysabelle Honrada Klein," Bawat baggit niya ng pangalan ko ay mariin at dahan dahan. Napanganga ako nang bahagya.
"I'm a busy person. Nakita mo naman kanina diba? I'm a doctor and often on duty. Hence, I can't look after your father like how you want me to. I'm sorry."
Bakit kahit nag-sorry siya ay pakiramdamko hindi naman talaga siya sorry sa pagre-reject sa pabor na hinihingi ko?
"I-I see." Cat probably got my tongue. Hindi ko na alam ang idudugtong ko. Feeljng ko sobrang napahiya ako sa paglapit sa kaniya. I even made a scene! Damn it!
I've never felt so low when I get rejected from a favor. But this? Damn! Ba't kasi siya pa ang nilapitan ko.
"Well, I could ask Dr. Leo Ablaza to-"
"My brother?" He interrupted. Nakita ko ang pagigting ng kaniyang bagang. Why?
"Yes. Well, after all he's my dad's former doctor and it's not new to him. I'd probably ask him if-"
Once again he interrupted, "He's as busy as I am, Gabourey. We're from the same field."
Napatunganga ako sa pagtawag niya ng pangalan ko. Parang kay sarap pakinggan kapag siya ang bumabanggit niyon.
Damn Ablaza!
"Well, mabait naman siya..." I tried to reason out.
"And I'm not?" He retortes back.
Gusto ko sanang sabihing hindi pero naiintindihan kong may trabaho talaga siya. Doctors are really busy.
Muli akong napakagat ng labi. "Well..."
"Will you stop biting you lip while we talk? Do you know what that makes a man feel, huh?" Nilakad niya ang distansiya naming dalawa at ngayon ay parang tambol sa pagkabog ang dibdib ko.
"Do you do that to other men, hm? You bite your lip when you talk to them?" He inquired dangerously.
Tumikhim ako upang makapag-concentrate. "No." I murmured.
"Good. You'll only bite that when you're with me. You get that?" He whispered that sent shivers down my spine.
Tumango ako dala na rin ng kaba.
"I see. You're a different person when I'm out of your house." Aniya kaya't napatingala ako sa kaniya.
"Because you are a different person right now." Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling iyon pero lumabas iyon sa bibig ko na bulong lamang. Enough for him to hear.
He looks at me with amusement. "Why? Do I intimadate you in my unifrom?"
Hindi ako nakasagot kaagad. I look a damn submissive to him! What the hell!
Hindi ko alam na may ganito pa lang pagkatao ang walang hiyang ito!
"I came to you to ask a favor. Since I've alreasy got your answer, I think it's time for me to go." Inayos ko ang strap ng aking shoulder bag sa aking balikat. "Thank you for your time, doctor."
This is what I should do! Dapat kanina ko pa ito ginawa! Dapat pinigilan kong magpaapekto sa lalaking ito.
Fine, he may be handsome and really hot, ano naman gayon 'diba? I've seen better bodies than his! I've tasted better! Tss. Akala niya ha!
Naiinis ako dahil hindi ko alam kung sino ang kaaway ko dito. Siya ba o ang sarili ko? Kasi pakiramdam ko nababaliw na 'ko.
"Not so fast, Gabourey." Harang niya nang saktong bubuksan ko na ang aking BMW.
"What?"
He has that amused look on his face na gustung gusto kong burahin. He's back to the Eonji 'jerk-ass' Ablaza I know.
"What 'what'? After you introduced yourself as my girlfriend and had me out early on my duty, you'll just leave? Really, woman?" Sarkastiko niyang wika.
As if namang ginusto ko 'yun.
"For your information, I didn't ask you to undertime. And, you could've just told them I ain't your girl back in there! Tss!" Pinatunog ko na ang sasakyan ko at akmang bubuksan iyon nang hinila niya ang aking palapulsuhan.
"Where are you going? Damn it, we're still talking!" Asik niya.
"I am going home, alright! Magre-ready na 'ko dahil aalis kami ng kaibigan ko!" Pilit kong tinatanggal ang mahigpit niyang hawak sa aking palapulsuhan.
"You're not going anywhere, Gabourey! Hindi sabi ako pwedeng magbantay sa daddy mo!"
"I don't care! Gagawan ko 'yun ng paraan! You're not the only person I could ask for a favor!" Pinanlisikan ko siya ng mata.
Hindi ko kayang tagalan ang kaniyang titig. It screams authority. Hindi ko alam na may lalaki pa lang kayang maging pilyo at seryoso at the same time.
He's cocky. Masyado siyang pa-cool. Siguro kaya ayoko sa kaniya. The first time I met him, he looks like the biggest fuck boy in town. Pero ngayon?
Hindi ko alam.
When I saw him in his uniform, parang nagiba ang tingin ko sa kaniya. He looks like a mysterious protagonist in a drama.
And damn, he's professional!
"You're not going anywhere, Gabourey. Your dad needs you." Aniya.
And as I stare on his eyes, I am slowly drowning. No, this is lust. I feel it. The attraction and everything. It's lust.
"You have no say..." Hindi ko natapos ang aking sasabihin. He leans on me, he's so near to me that I just want to close my eyes and feel his heat.
I silently curse myself as I feel the urge to be touch by him.
"You don't want me mad now, woman. Or I'm gonna fuck you right here, right now." He whispers on my ear dangerously.