10
DOMINIQUE
"Dominique?" Narinig ni Dominque ang nag-aalalang boses ni Pris.
And Dominique was back in present time. Nasa loob pa rin sya ng sasakyan at katabi pa rin nya si Pris pero nakasuot ito ng black denim jacket at nasa mukha nito ang pag-aalala habang nakatitig sa kanya.
"Dom, are you okay?" Tanong nitong muli.
"Yes, I am. Sorry," sambit ni Dominique. Was that a memory? "I saw a house like this. Made of glass and wood. But it's bigger. I also saw a labyrinth garden. I think it was a memory and you were there too. We were in the back seat."
Unti-unting nawala ang pag-aalala sa mukha ni Pris. Napangiti ito. "Bahay namin yun sa Ilocos. You stayed there the entire summer last year."
Nabuhayan ng pag-asa ang puso ni Dominique. Unti-unting bumabalik ang ala-ala nya. Ito rin ang pinakaunang memory nya about Pris.
Bumaba sila sa sasakyan at sinalubong sila ng isang babaing sa tingin ni Dominique ay nasa early forties. Medyo mataba ito, katamtaman ang tangkad at may masayahing mukha.
"Si Ate Gladys. Caretaker ng bahay," bulong ni Pris sa kanya bago tuluyang makalapit ang babae sa kanila.
"Welcome back!" Masayang bati ng babae sa kanilang dalawa.
"Welcome back?" Tanong ni Dominique sa sarili at napatingin kay Pris na bumebeso kay Ate Gladys. "So, I was here before."
"Hi Ma'am Dominique. Kumusta ka na? Ang ganda-ganda mo pa rin." Binigyan sya ng isang matamis na ngiti ng babae nang bumaling ito sa kanya at bumeso. "Buti at natuloy na kayong pumunta rito. Hinihintay ko kayo nung April 8 pero hindi kayo nakarating."
April 8? Dominique thought. She was still in the hospital at that time. They were supposed to go here?
"Naging busy lang sa trabaho. Ngayon lang ulit nakatakas," pagdadahilan ni Pris. Binuksan nito ang compartment ng kotse at inilabas ang bag nilang dalawa ni Dominique. Good thing she brought extra clothes. Mag-o-overnight daw sila dito sabi ni Pris.
"Mabuti naman. O sya, pumasok na kayo. Magpahinga muna kayo saglit habang hinahanda ko ang hapunan nyo."
Made of mahogany and narra ang karamihan sa mga furniture ng bahay. Cozy at very homey ang ambiance. According to Pris, the house was owned by a couple who was always out of the country, at kung narito ang mga ito, sa Maynila din nananatili dahil sa business. Para maging profitable, pinaparentahan nila ito sa mga nais magrelax at magbakasyon.
Hinatid sya ni Pris sa master bedroom. "You can have this room." Aalis na sana ito nang pigilan ito ni Dominique.
"Wait, why don't we share? Malaki naman yung bed," suhestiyon ni Dominique. Nakitang nyang nag-aalinlangan ito. "Huwag kang mag-alala. Hindi naman kita gagasahin," biro nya na ikinangiti nito.
"Paano kung ako pala ang gagahasa sayo?" Pris gave her a naughty wink.
"You wouldn't dare," kunwari banta nya rito at pinameywangan ito.
"Are you sure?" Pris whispered, her voice turned serious.
Lumapit si Pris sa kanya at titig na titig ito sa mga mata nya. Napaatras si Dominique pero patuloy pa rin ang paglapit nito sa kanya hanggang sa marating nila ang gilid ng kama. Wala na syang aatrasan pa. "What is she doing?" Dominique mentally panicked but she couldn't get her eyes away from Pris'. Amoy na amoy nya ang mabangong pabango nito. Pris' face was only an inch away from hers. Her gaze dropped on Dominique's lips. "Is she going to kiss me?" Dominique's heart started beating fast. "She's going to kiss me!" Dominique closed her eyes and waited.
"Do you want me to kiss you?" Pris asked, her tone amused. Dominique opened her eyes and Pris was smiling at her slyly. She felt herself blushed. Tinulak na lang ito ni Dominique. Tumawa si Pris.
"Why would I want you to kiss me?!" Inis na sabi ni Dominique rito. Kinuha nya ang twalya sa bag nya saka mabilis na pumasok sa banyo para magshower. Lalo itong tumawa. Gusto nyang pagalitan ang sarili dahil may naramdaman syang pagkadismaya. Pagkadismaya saan? Kasi hindi sya nito hinalikan? That's absurd!
Pris did a double take when she saw Dominique came out of the bathroom. Nakatapis lamang sya ng tuwalya. She felt Pris' eyes checked her out. Biglang na-concious si Dominique.
"My turn." Inalis ni Pris ang tingin sa kanya. Bumangon ito mula sa pagkakahiga sa kama saka pumasok sa banyo dala ang buong bag nito.
They felt the temperature dropped more and both put on their sweaters before going down for dinner. Nakahanda na ang pagkain sa mesa pagdating nila sa dining room. Ipinagluto sila ni Ate Gladys ng bulalo, fried lapu-lapu and grilled scallops. Nakipagkwentuhan lang ito sa kanila saglit bago magpaalam dahil may gagawin pa raw ito sa kusina. Tumanggi itong saluhan sila dahil tapos na raw itong kumain bago sila dumating.
Walang kibuan silang kumain. Parehong gutom. They savored and finished every dish. Naglabas ng Mango cake si Gladys for dessert. It was delicious. It wasn't too sweet. Dominique loved how it melted in her mouth.
Nabasag ang katahimikan nang may tumawag sa cellphone ni Pris, na agad nitong sinagot. "Babe."
"Who's babe?" Nacurious na tanong sa sarili ni Dominique. Probably her boyfriend. "But who is he?" Sinikap ni Dominique na huwag tumingin rito at baka isipin nitong tsismosa sya.
"It's inevitable. I can't avoid it forever, Babe." Pris voice was full of sadness. "I'll just talk to you tomorrow. Pupuntahan na lang kita sa office mo. Okay, Bye. Love you." She ended the call with a heavy heart.
"May problema kaya sila?" Dominique wondered. Sana deserving ang lalaking ito sa pagmamahal ni Pris. She secretly hope that he's not a cheater.Ayaw nyang maranasan ni Pris ang sakit na naramdaman nya nang lokohin sya ni Marcus. "Buti hindi nagagalit ang boyfriend mo."
"Boyfriend?" For some reason, Pris was confused.
"Si Babe mo." Dominique indicated Pris' cellphone.
"Oh, si Babe," medyo naguguluhan pa rin nitong sabi. "B-Bakit naman sya magagalit?"
"Eh kasi lagi kang nasa bahay. Ako ang lagi mong kasama. Hindi ba sya nagagalit na nawawalan ka ng time sa kanya?"
"She knows you are my bestfriend," kaswal na sabi ni Pris habang humihiwa ng cake. "Kaya hindi magagalit yun."
"That's good." Dominique smiled. Wait, she knows? Did she hear it right? She?! Not he! Napatingin sya kay Pris na noo'y nakatitig na sa kanya at hinihintay ang magiging reaction nya. "Did you say, she?" Baka nagkamali lang ito ng sabi. Or baka mali lang ang narinig nya?
Pris nodded to confirm and gave her a faint smile.
"Meaning, you are a..."
"Lesbian. Yes," Pris finished the sentence for her.
Dominique stared at Pris' beautiful face. Hindi sya makapaniwala. Hinintay nyang tapunan sya nito nang pilyang ngiti at sabihing nagbibiro lang pero seryoso itong nakatingin sa kanya.
"Yan ba ang isa sa mga hindi mo masabi sa akin? Na lesbian ka?" Dominique asked but Pris didn't answer. She looked away and sadness were in her eyes. Hinawakan nya ang kamay ito. "It doesn't matter to me, Pris. Kung natatakot ka at kung akala mo nalalayuan kita because of that, you are wrong. Walang problema sa akin yun.I'll accept who you are. You don't have to keep her...your Babe a secret."
Marahang inalis ni Pris ang mga kamay ni Dominique. "Babe is not my girlfriend. She's my sister, Olivia."
Natigilan si Dominique. Sya naman ang naconfused. "Okay...so sino yung sinasabi mong secret love? Do you have a girlfriend?" Tumango ito. "Do I know her?" Pris nodded again. "I bet she's beautiful."
Pris' lips broke into a smile. "She is. She's the girl of my dreams." For some reason that Dominique couldn't comprehend, she suddenly felt a pang of jealousy because the sadness in Pris' eyes vanished. Happiness and love reflected on them. Her eyes were shining brightly like a blazing sun.
"Lucky girl," Dominique thought. "Tell me more about her. About your secret love." Pris was hesitant. "I mean, only if you want to."
Matagal na tumitig sa kanya ni Pris bago ito nagsalita. "She came to my life unexpectedly. Akala ko hindi na ako magmamahal ulit until I met her. You see, my heart was broken before. For many years, I was never interested in anyone. I thought I was destined to be alone. Natanggap ko na nga yun eh, hanggang sa dumating sya. It may sound cheesy, but my heart started beating again because of her. She's beautiful, classy and smart. I didn't expect someone like her would fall in love with me but she did." Dominique saw disbelief registered on Pris' face."She's a very brave woman. She fought for me. She never kept me a secret from her family. I loved her more because of that. Napakaswerte ko sa kanya. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve her." Nakatingin ito sa malayo at napalitan na naman ng kalungkutan ang mga mata nito. "And maybe destiny thought so too." Unti-unting tumulo ang mga luha nito.
"W-Why is that?" Dominique asked.
Pris slowly turned her eyes back to her. She was staring at Dominique with so much longing. "Because..." For some reason, Dominique's heart started beating fast. Suddenly, she didn't want to know. "...she forgot about me." Pris was staring at her full of love. Like Dominique was the only thing that matters in the world to her.
"She forgot..." Dominique was confused but the way Pris looked at her with full yearning, the realization dawned upon her. She remembered how happiness exhibited in Pris' eyes when Dominique woke up from the hospital. How persistent Pris was to stay even if Dominique wouldn't see her. How she visited her every single day even if she looked tired and sleepy. All of her efforts. Those intense gaze she'd been throwing at her. Pris' sadness and conflicted look. She now fully understood. "Are you referring to...me?" Pris nodded.
Dominique was stunned. She was at a loss for words. Hindi sya makapaniwala. Totoo ba ang sinasabi nito? Was it some kind of a joke? Pumatol sya sa kapwa nya babae? Had she gone insane?! Kung totoo ito, anong naisip nya para pumasok sa ganung klaseng relasyon? She could accept Pris being a lesbian,but Dominique being in a relationship with her was a different story. Parang hindi nya kayang tanggapin na nagawa nyang pumatol sa isang babae.
"No, that is not true. Hindi ako papatol sa isang tulad mo," Dominique said with conviction. Pris was stung. "Bakit ko naman gagawin yun?" Wala syang pakialam kahit nasasaktan ito sa mga sinasabi nya. Dahil ba kay Marcus? Was it because her heart was broken at nawalan sya ng tiwala sa mga lalaki?
"Alam kong mahirap paniwalaan pero nagsasabi ako ng totoo, Dom. We've been together for almost a year. Yung frienniversary natin ng April 8, it was actually our anniversary. First year anniversary. That drone in your room, it was mine. I gave it to you because you asked for it. I didn't know why, but you wanted to have it because it was important to you. Maybe because I saw you for the first time through that drone. We easily became friends and eventually fell for each other."
"No!!!" Hindi ito kayang tanggapin ni Dominique.
Pris attempted to hold her hand but she didn't let her. She couldn't let her touch her.
"Your tattoo means infinity. You had it because of me. It's the symbol of how you feel about me. Infinite love."
"You're lying!" Dominique shouted. "Ayoko ng makinig sa mga sinasabi mo. You are just taking advantage of me. Of my situation."
"Your family knows about us..."
"Stop! Stop it!" Pigil nya rito. "I don't want to listen to you anymore." Tumayo si Dominique. Kailangan nyang makalayo mula rito. She wanted to escape this disturbing revelation. Akma na sana nya itong iwan pero hinawakan sya ni Pris sa braso para pigilan. Dominique felt electricity but ignored it. She forcefully yanked her arm away from Pris' grip. "Don't touch me." She didn't mean to say it with disgust but she did and it inflicted pain on Pris' face.
"I know you are confused right now and have a lot of questions but I'm not lying to you. Hindi kita pipiliting maniwala sa akin ngayon. I just want you to know the truth about me. About us." Despite being hurt, Pris tried to be patient with her.
"There's no US," Dominique said coldly. "I want you to take me home now."
Walang kibuan silang umuwi. Tahimik na nagdrive si Pris at paminsan-minsan nitong tinatapunan nang sulyap si Dominique, na nakatingin lamang sa labas ng bintana. Pris attempted to talk to her but Dominique rudely interrupted her. "Please, stop talking to me!"
When Pris' car stopped in front of the gate, Dominique immediately got out. Hindi na nya hinintay ipasok pa nito sa driveway nila ang kotse. Nag-doorbell na lang sya at nasorpresang pinagbuksan sya ng guard. Walang lingon-likod syang pumasok sa bahay. Sa mga sumunod na araw, she refused to see Pris kahit anong pakiusap nito.