30
DOMINIQUE
Tinawagan ni Dominique si Julia para humingi ng paumanhin at sabihan itong hindi na muna itutuloy ang overnight nilang dalawa sa Tagaytay. “You don’t have to say sorry, Dom. Sina Kristine at Jessica ang sasama sa akin. They explained everything. Enjoy kayo ha!” Kinikilig na sabi ni Julia. Naiiling na lang si Dominique. Hindi nya alam kung matutuwa ba sya o maiinis. Pakiramdam nya pinagkaisahan sya ng mga ito.
Bago pa man lumubog ang araw, they stopped at a seafood restaurant somewhere in Tarlac or Pampanga to eat early dinner. Pinili nilang pumuwesto malapit sa bintana para makita ang mga pananim na bulaklak sa garden ng resto.
Biglang bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan habang hinihintay nilang i-serve ang mga orders nila. Napatingin lang sa labas si Dominique at pinagmasdan ang pagpatak ng ulan sa mga dahon at bulaklak.
Watching the rain brought a smile on Dominique’s lips for some reason. She started humming a tune she couldn’t remember where she heard before. Then she noticed that Pris was looking at her strangely. “W-what? Pangit ba ang tono ko?” Bigla syang naconcious.
Pris shook her head but was still staring at her. “D-Do you know that song?”
“No. It sounded familiar. It reminds me of the rain for some reason,” sagot nya.
“I see,” Pris said smiling but didn’t say anything after that. Pareho lang silang nakatingin sa labas.
Maya-maya’y si Dominique naman ang napatitig kay Pris, who started singing softly the same tune she was humming earlier. “Reaching for something in the distance. So close you can almost taste it. Release your inhibition…” Pris looked at her straight in the eye. Dominique was once again lost in those warm brown eyes. The same pair of eyes she last saw before falling asleep in Sagada and first thing she saw after waking up in the hospital. Same brown eyes that gave her assurance and hope that everything would be alright. “Feel the rain in your skin. No one else can feel it for you. Only you can let it in. No one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips. Drench yourself in words unspoken. Live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.”
“Unwritten. Just like my life,” Dominique thought. Her memories for almost three years were wiped out. Its funny the last thing she remembered was her trip to Sagada. It was the time she wanted for a new beginning. Then she woke up and found herself wanting the same thing. New beginning. Gustong- gusto pa rin nyang bumalik ang lahat ng ala-ala nya pero paano kung hindi na? She’d been remembering some of them but she wanted them all. “I guess, I’m just being impatient.” She specifically wanted to remember everything about Pris.
“Anong iniisip mo?” Pris asked and gently held her hand.
Dominique felt like electricity were trailing slowly on her whole body. “My memories of you. Our memories. I’m thinking about them. Paano kung hindi na bumalik ang lahat?”
Pris looked into her eyes intently. “Then we’ll make new ones,” she said. “Just like what the song said, Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten. You are the author of your life. Ikaw ang bahalang magsulat ng kwento ng buhay mo. You have the power to decide what path to take and what to do with your life. Just follow your heart. I just hope that…” Biglang nag-alangan ito.
“That what?” Dominique urged her to go on.
Hindi na naituloy ni Pris ang sasabihin nito dahil lumapit na ang waiter para ihain ang order nila. They enjoyed the seafood meals they ordered. Kinuwento ni Pris sa kanya kung paano nito nakuha ang black eye. Tawa lang sila nito ng tawa. Naglambing si Pris na ipaghimay nya ng hipon at pinagbigyan nya naman.
“Pris,” pukaw nya sa atensyon nito dahil nakatingin ito sa labas ng bintana habang ngumunguya. Tumingin ito sa kanya. “Lagi ba kitang pinaghihimay dati?” Pris nodded smiling then helped herself with baked mussel. Tumingin ulit ito sa labas ng bintana. “Am I a jealous girlfriend?” Medyo nahihiya nyang itanong.
Natigilan saglit si Pris. Tila nag-iisip kung paano sya nito sasagutin. “You are...a very jealous girlfriend, Dom. May sinabunutan ka ngang model dahil nakita mong nakahawak sya sa braso ko. K-kawawa nga yung girl eh.”
“What?!” Hindi makapaniwalang bulalas ni Dominique. “Nagawa ko ba talaga yun?” She thought. Napraning ba sya dahil sa panloloko sa kanya ni Marcus? Was she a terrible girlfriend to Pris? Napansin nyang nagpipigil ito ng tawa. Niloloko lang ata sya nito. “Nakakainis ka talaga! Ginawa ko ba talaga yun?”
Tumawa lang ito habang tinitignan nya ito ng masama. Sumeryoso ito bigla at tinitigan sya sa mata. “I’m just kidding. You are a very refine woman, Dominique. You wouldn’t do something like that.” She was looking at her with full admiration.” It made her blushed. “To answer your question, hindi ka selosa.”
“Maybe you didn’t give me any reason to be jealous,” she said softly.
“Bakit pa ako titingin sa iba? When I already have the most astounding woman in my life?” Punong-puno ng pagmamahal itong nakatitig sa kanya at hindi mapigilan ng puso ni Dominique ang kumabog ng malakas.
“Stop flattering me. Ipinagbabalat na kaya kita ng hipon!” Kunwari nyang pinandilatan ito dahil ang totoo gusto na nyang pagalitan ang sarili dahil kanina pa sya nagb-blush na parang teenager.
Madilim na nang matapos silang kumain. Nagtake out din sila ng pagkain para may initin sila pagdating kung saan man sya dadalhin ni Pris, who refused to tell her where. Surprise daw.
Tila nakikiayon din ang ulan dahil tumila na ito pagkatapos nilang magbill out. Dahan-dahan silang naglakad papunta sa kotse nito dahil medyo madulas ang daan. Pinagbuksan sya ni Pris ng pinto.
Papasok na sana sya nang bigla syang kabigin ni Pris at niyakap ng mahigpit. Dominique’s eyes involuntarily closed as she felt the warmth coming from Pris’ body. She hugged her back. Pris buried her face against her neck and Dominique shuddered. She gently caressed Pris’ back, up and down. She loved being enveloped in her arms. If only they could stay like this forever.
“Sorry, hindi ko na mapigilang yakapin ka. I really miss you,” Pris whispered, still not letting Dominique go. “Thank you for coming with me.”
“I didn’t have a choice, did I? You kidnapped me, remember?” Dominique said good-naturedly. Natawa si Pris. Dominique was a little disappointed when Pris let go of her. Parang ayaw na nyang bumitaw sa pagkakayakap rito. “Halika na nga.” Pumasok na sya sa kotse dahil baka sya na mismo ang yumakap dito at hindi sila makaalis.
After an hour Dominique’s eyes became heavy. She wanted to stay awake because she’s really curious where they were going but she couldn’t fight her drowsiness. Pris noticed her.
“Matulog ka muna. Mahaba pa ang biyahe natin,”sabi nito.
Dominique surrendered herself to sleep.
“Wake up, sleeping beauty.” Dominique felt Pris’ gentle nudge. She opened her eyes slowly and met Pris’. Her face was so close to hers. Napatingin tuloy sya sa mga labi nito. “Ang sarap ng tulog mo. Pag hindi ka nagising agad, hahalikan na sana kita.” She winked at her.
Dominique rolled her eyes and pushed her away. Umayos sya ng upo. Nakahinto na ang sasakyan. “Nasaan na tayo?” Madilim na madilim sa labas. May nakita syang mga bombilyang nakasabit sa kahoy. Malamlam ang liwanag ng mga ito kaya hindi makita ang buong paligid. Mga puno at makipot na sementadong daan lamang ang naaninag nya mula sa loob ng kotse.
“Nakarating na tayo sa ating first destination,” Pris said vaguely. “Tara para makakain na tayo at makatulog pagkatapos.” Lumabas na ito ng kotse.
Hindi na inusisa ni Dominique kung nasaan sila specifically dahil malamang na “secret” na naman ang isasagot nito. Wait? Did she say, first destination? Saan pa kaya sya nito balak dalhin? Dominique wondered and got out of the vehicle.
Tunog ng alon at amoy ng dagat ang sumalubong sa kanya pagkababa. She literally couldn’t remember the last time she went swimming in the beach. Her Ilocos experience was wiped out of her memory.
Naibaba na ni Pris ang mga bagahe nila. Kinuha ni Dominique ang handle ng malaking luggage nya at hinila saka sumunod kay Pris. Tahimik ang paligid. Tulog na ata ang lahat. Huminto sila sa tapat ng isang bahay kubo saka kumatok si Pris. Isang payat na ginang ang nagbukas ng pinto at ngumiti nang makita sila.
“Magandang gabi, Aling Minda. Pasensya na kayo at ngayon lang kami nakarating. Umulan kasi kaya medyo bumagal ang takbo ko kanina,” bungad ni Pris.
“Ikaw talaga. Wala yun. Pumasok na kayo at magpahinga. Puntahan mo na lang ako pag may kailangan kayo,” nakangiting sabi ni Aling Minda saka na sila iniwan.
Yari sa kahoy ang flooring. May maliit na kusina, sala at dining table din.
“Don’t worry tig-isa tayo ng kwarto. Unless gusto mo akong katabi. I can’t promise to behave though,” Pris winked playfully. Kinurot nya ito sa tagiliran. “You’re cruel. And here I thought you will cure me of my physical intimacy deficiency. I guess I’ll die of loneliness,” kunwari malungkot pa nitong dugtong kaya natawa si Dominique. “You think my deficiency is a joke? It’s a serious problem. Its already stage 4.”
Then Pris hugged her from behind. “Baka hindi na ako makapagpigil,” she whispered in her ears. Gumapang ang kuryente sa buong katawan ni Dominique, who almost shrieked when Pris began tickling her. Pinilit nyang kumawala rito pero mahigpit pa rin sya nitong hinawakan at kiniliti.
“Pris…stop…please…” Dominique managed to say while laughing. Hindi pa rin ito tumigil. Napuno ng malakas nilang tawa ang buong kubo. Pareho silang hinihingal nang sa wakas tigilan na sya ni Pris. Magkatabi silang umupo sa upuang yari sa rattan. “I’m sleepy.” Humilig sya sa balikat ni Pris.
“Hindi ka gutom?” tanong nito.
Umiling sya. “I want to sleep.” Yumakap sya sa braso ni Pris, na medyo nagulat sa ginawa nya pero hinayaan lang sya nito. “Can we sleep now? Tabi tayo.” May pagtataka sa mukha nito pero napalitan iyon ng pilyang ngiti. “No! I don’t care about your deficiency. So you have to fight your urge.” Sumimangot ito pero tinawanan lang nya. Hinila na nya ito patayo at paakyat sa taas.
May kutson ang yari sa kahoy na kama. Kumpleto sa kumot at unan. Air-conditioned din ang kwarto. Tinanggal lang nila ang kani-kanilang mga sapatos saka na humiga. Dominique snuggled to Pris. Nakapakumportable nya rito. Snuggling with her seemed like a natural thing to do. “Don’t take advantage of me or I’ll sue you,” birong banta nya.
“You’ll be the death of me,” she heard Pris say before Dominique fell asleep.