#CYECChapter24
I watched Adam as he fiddled with his keys, and when he found the correct one, he inserted it in the lock and twisted the doorknob.
I think he didn't notice me gaping at him like a diamond in my eyes. I won't be embarrassed if he did, though. He's someone I loved for a very long time, and if there's anyone in this world that knows every inch of me, it's him.
"Thanks," I said as he helped me set down the boxes.
"We have to unpack our things until 3PM. Is that alright with you?" he asked.
I simply nodded and smiled. "May lakad ka?"
"I have a meeting with my client," sagot niya at saka niya iginala ang paningin niya sa buong bahay.
Naglakad siya papunta sa likuran ko at napangiti ako nang bigla niya akong yakapin mula sa likuran ko. Ipinahinga niya ang baba niya sa kaliwang balikat ko, kaya ramdam ko ang bawat paghinga niya. Mas lalo akong napangiti.
"Did you like it?" he said, his lips almost touched my ear.
Slowly, I nodded. "Thank you for the gift, Adam. I love you," sambit ko habang pinagmamasdan ang looban ng bahay.
I still can't believe that we're engaged for four years now. He proposed to me four years ago and I said yes without even blinking. What makes me prouder is that—despite of his busy schedule, he managed to be good at everything. He took care of me and never left me. He's now a lawyer and that's what makes him more even handsome and charismatic. Hinding hindi ako mapapagod pagmasdan siya.
Before dating Adam, I knew that the first thing I had to do was understand him. His time. His career. I knew that dating a lawyer is not that easy. This will go a long way to save me from disappointments and prepare my mind for what is to come. A lawyer's mind never stops working, so dating Adam requires communication, understanding, and patience. Dating Adam was never easy. That's what I thought. But . . . I was wrong. He made it all easy for me. Kahit anong pagod at hirap niya sa trabaho, kahit kalian hindi niya ako pinagtaasan ng boses. Kahit kalian hindi niya ako inaway. Kahit kailan hindi niya ako pinaghintay. He was . . . too good. He was perfect. He was a straight talker, and he doesn't have the time to play relationship mind games.
The problem was . . . me. I'm no longer afraid of falling asleep, though. I was treated by a professional doctor, a close friend of Adam. I didn't know how Adam convinced me to get treated, but he really did. He never gave up on me. And I thank him for that. But honestly, I still think there's a missing piece. I think it wasn't falling asleep that I was afraid of. I think something happened in the past that I should be more afraid of. But I couldn't face it. Not when everything is perfectly fine. Not when Adam and I are already getting married. Kaya hindi ko pinagsisisihan ang naging desisyon ko no'ng araw na 'yon. Hinding hindi ko pinagsisisihan na mas pinili kong maging masaya kaysa balikan 'yong mga bagay na hindi ko naman maalala. Hope was right. It's better this way.
I'm now living a happy life with Adam, and this is what I wanted.
Buong araw ay naging abala kami sa pag-aayos ng mga gamit sa bagong bahay namin ni Adam. Ilang taon na akong nakikitira sa bahay ng mga magulang ni Adam at tinuring nila akong parang anak na rin nila. Ngayon ay oras na para magkaroon kami ng sariling buhay ni Adam. To be honest, I didn't expect Adam to buy me a house. I thought we were going to buy a house once we got married. Hindi ko inaasahan na kahit hindi pa kami kasal ay handa si Adam na magkaroon ng sariling bahay kasama ako.
No'ng matapos na kaming maglipat ng mga gamit at mag-ayos ng buong bahay, inaya akong kumain sa labas ni Adam. I put on a jacket and changed my shorts into a leggings before hopping in his car.
I don't know why, but something's off. Adam was silent the whole drive, and I'm not used to it. He has always got something to say, like about his work or about his friends and family. Now he's just silently driving, his eyes fixed on the road.
"Adam?" I called him, my voice a soft murmur.
He shot me a sideway glance. "Yeah?"
"Are you alright?"
Natigilan siya nang sabihin ko iyon, pero agad siyang ngumiti at tumango. "I'm just tired, baby."
His eyes felt so heavy just by looking at it. His mind is somewhere else, too. I think there's something going on with him but he won't tell me.
"Do you want to go back to your home?" I asked. I think he's a little bit homesick. It's normal, but it should not be ignored.
He chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "We have a new home now, baby. Don't think too much. I'm alright. I'll regain my energy once we eat something," he said and gave me a reassuring smile.
Maybe he's right. Maybe I was just thinking too much. He never lied to me so there's no reason for me to not believe him.
When we arrived at the restaurant, he led me to a small table. It's late hour for dinner, so most of the tables were empty. He pulled out my chair and I sat there. He sat across from me.
The only light is coming from a few candles placed on the table and different sides and corners of the restaurant. A waiter approached us and, without saying a word, poured us wine and left the bottle. There are no menus. Adam had ordered for us in advance, so there will be no interruptions from wait staff aside from the bringing and clearing of the courses.
I watched him as he sipped the wine. He noticed I was staring at him, making his lips curve into a wonderful smile. I love watching him, and he loves being watched by me. We've been together for years, broke up and haven't seen each other for so long, but we managed to find our way back to each other. I'm really happy that he's here with me.
I felt his eyes moved over me. From my eyes to my nose, cheeks . . . lips. The curve of my neck. Slope of my shoulders. Down to my chest. I blushed, so does he. We both looked away and sipped the wine. I could feel the heat running through my system. I have this urge to kiss him, but I should behave myself because we're in public. We tried to avoid each other's eyes, but we failed. We locked eyes across the table. Everything around us faded away. It's like we have our own world, lost in the depths of each other's eyes. I can feel his desire, and I know he could feel mine, too. But it is not lustful. It's actually calm, gentle, and controlled.
In the middle of gazing at him, I suddenly felt a pain in my chest, followed by a headache. There are some scenarios that kept flashing in my mind.
A man with a genuine smile.
He's staring at me like I'm the most wonderful woman in the world.
But he's not Adam.
And it doesn't make sense.
Why do I keep seeing Hope?
"Ciem?"
Bumalik ako sa reyalidad nang mapagtanto kong kanina pa pala may sinasabi si Adam sa harapan ko.
"Ayos ka lang ba? Namumutla ka." Bakas sa mga mata niya ang pag-aalala. Marahan akong tumango at pilit na ngumiti.
"I'm fine. What were you saying again?"
And then he started talking about the trial yesterday.
"You won?" tanong ko, hindi na ako makahintay pa sa kinukuwento niya kaya hindi ko na napigilan ang bibig ko na itanong sa kanya kung naipanalo niya ba 'yong kaso o hindi.
"I won," he answered. But his face tells a different story. Hindi niya man sabihin sa 'kin kung ano ang kabuuang nangyari, it's clearly written on his face that his client was guilty but has been found not guilty on court. Sa husay ni Adam, hindi malabong maipanalo niya ang kaso ng kahit na sino. Pero hindi niya rin gusto ang ginagawa niya, lalo na kung masamang tao talaga ang kliyente niya. Kitang kita ko sa mukha niya kung gaano siyang naiinis at nagagalit sa sarili niya. Kaya siguro kanina pa siya parang may malalim na iniisip.
"By the way, have you kept in touch with Calizo? I think I saw him last night pagkalabas ko ng opisina."
Napaangat ang parehas kong kilay at saka ako umiling. "The day we left Briena, I cut ties with all the people I've met in that town," sagot ko.
Tumango-tango siya at saka nagpatuloy sa pagkain.
"Si Sandro ba, nakakausap mo pa? Kumusta siya?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"Hindi na. Huling usap namin ay no'ng nakaraang taon pa."
"Why did he meet you? Para saan? Anong sinabi niya?" sunod-sunod na tanong ko.
"Wala naman. Kinumusta ka lang niya sa 'kin."
"Ako? Bakit hindi na lang ako mismo 'yong kinausap niya?"
"He didn't want to bother you."
Napabuntonghininga ako at napakagat sa labi ko. "I feel bad for leaving him in that town, Adam."
"You didn't leave him, baby. You asked him to come with us. But he didn't want to. It was his choice." He reached for my hand and stared at me. "It's not your fault."
I let out a small smile and nodded.
Sana nga, hindi ko kasalanan . . .
"I have to go to the restroom," paalam ko sa kanya at agad naman siyang tumango. He wanted to come with me, but I wanted to come alone so I left him on our table.
Pagkapasok ko ng restroom ay agad akong naghugas ng kamay. Napatitig ako sa sarili kong repleksyon sa salamin.
Why am I letting the past bother me? Chas' death was never my fault. I should stop blaming myself for it.
Nang maikundisyon ko na ng mabuti ang sarili ko, lumabas na ako ng restroom at naglakad pabalik sana sa mesa namin ni Adam pero natigilan ako nang makita kong wala roon si Adam.
Iginala ko ang paningin ko sa paligid, nagbabakasakali na may kakilala siya rito at pumasyal saglit sa ibang mesa para makipagkuwentuhan, pero wala talaga. Nilingon ko rin 'yong counter at wala rin siya roon.
Baka nagkaproblema sa parking?
Nagpatuloy akong maglakad hanggang sa makalabas ako ng restaurant. Pagkaliko ko sa may parking area, napahinto ako sa paglakad nang matanaw ko si Adam na may kausap na babae sa gilid.
Agad akong nagtago sa sasakyang nasa tabi ko at saka ko palihim na sinilip kung sino 'yong kausap ni Adam. Pareho kasi silang nakatagilid mula rito sa puwesto ko kaya hindi ko maaninag mabuti kung sino 'yong babaeng kausap niya.
Sinikap kong maaninag mabuti 'yong mukha no'ng babae at napaangat ang pareho kong kilay nang mapansin kong pamilyar ang mukha niya.
Hinintay ko siyang humarap dito sa gawi ko, pero dahil sa tagal nilang mag-usap ay hindi pa rin lumilingon sa gawi ko 'yong babae.
Medyo malayo ang puwesto ko mula sa kanila kaya hindi ko rin marinig kung ano man ang pinag-uusapan nila.
Nakita ko si Adam na may inabot na papeles doon sa babae, at napansin ko rin 'yong pag-igting ng panga ni Adam, senyales na nagtatalo sila no'ng kausap niya.
'Yon siguro ang kliyente niya kahapon na nabanggit niya sa 'kin kanina na naipanalo niya ang kaso. Napailing na lang ako at bumalik na sa loob ng restaurant. I just sat there and waited for Adam to come back. Hindi rin nagtagal, bumalik na rin si Adam at saka umupo sa harapan ko.
"Saan ka galing?" tanong ko sa kanya, kahit alam ko naman 'yong sagot.
Napatingin siya sa 'kin at saka siya uminom no'ng wine sa harapan niya. "My client called. She was outside, kaya nilabas ko muna saglit. May kinuha lang sa 'kin na papeles."
He's saying the truth. I saw it with my own two eyes.
Napangiti tuloy ako at marahang tumango. Kahit kailan ay hindi niya ako binigyan ng kahit na anong dahilan para mag-alala o magselos na baka may ibang babae siya. He never lied to me, at suwerte talaga ako sa kanya.
"Can I apply for a job?" I asked him. Simula kasi no'ng nag-resign ako sa Paria Book Store doon sa Briena ay nagpahinga na muna ako para sa sarili kong kalusugan.
"Ilang taon na rin akong pabigat sa 'yo, saka kila Tito at Tita. Nakakahiya na," dagdag ko pa.
"What made you say that? Kahit kailan hindi ka naging pabigat. Mas gusto nga namin na nagpapahinga ka. But if you think that it's time for you to get another job, why not? Kahit ihatid pa kita araw-araw sa trabaho kapag natanggap ka," he said, giving me reassuring smile.
Napangiti rin tuloy ako. "Thank you, Adam . . ."
Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at hinalikan ito. Marahan siyang tumayo at bahagyang yumuko para halikan ako, pero hindi pa man nagkakatagpo ang mga labi namin ay pareho kaming natigilan dahil sa biglaang pagtunog ng phone ko.
Umayos ako ng upo saka ko kinuha sa bag ko ang phone ko, at nang tingnan ko kung sino ang tumatawag ay napakunot ang noo ko. Unknown number?
Bumalik sa kinauupuan niya si Adam saka ko sinagot 'yong tawag.
"Hello?" halos pabulong kong sabi.
Ilang segundo pa ang tumakbo bago siya nagsalita sa kabilang linya.
"You have to run away from him."
His voice . . .
"What are you talking about?" I said, confused. He might have used a different number, but I'm sure as hell it was him.
"He's not in love with you anymore. He's actually gathering information about you."
Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero no'ng sabihin niya iyon sa kabilang linya ay bigla akong napatingin kay Adam na abalang kumakain sa harapan ko.
Si Adam ba ang tinutukoy ng kausap ko ngayon sa phone?
"You have to protect yourself, Ciem . . ."
Before I could even say anything, he ended the call.
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The epilogue is near! >:))) Okay pa ba kayo d'yan? Haha. Btw you can join our official facebook group: TianaVianne's Readers . Puwede kayo makipag-usap d'yan with your co-agapis, discuss anything about my stories, express your thoughts, etc. Active din ako d'yan at madalas makipag-usap sa readers. See you there!