Gabriel stared at Ella, a dumbstruck expression on his face. "Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?"
"I love you, Gabe," inulit ni Ella ang sinabi nya kanina.
"Anong mahal mo ko? Asawa ka ng tatay ko!"
"I married him for his name and his money. Hindi ba yun obvious?"
Gabriel rubbed his hand over his face. He never thought na malalim pala ang feelings ng kanyang madrasta para sa kanya. "Bakit mo sinasabi sa akin ang mga to?"
"Akala ko rin naman na okay lang ako sa set up natin, pero yun yung akala kong walang hanggan ang set up natin! Matagal na akong may nararamdaman para sa yo. Masaya ako pag kasama kita..."
"Ella, stop!" his eyes flashed in anger.
"Hindi, Gabe. I need to be honest with you..."
"Hindi na pwede ang ginagawa natin! Asawa ka ng daddy ko..."
"...which was never a problem before!"
"I'm done talking about this."
"Gabriel!"
His cell phone suddenly rang, breaking the intense conversation between the two of them. He fished his phone out of his pocket, and his features softened when he saw the name. "Hello?"
"Hi, Gabe. Si Innah to."
"Alam ko."
"Sana hindi ako nakakaistorbo sa trabaho mo."
"No, no, your call is always welcome," he looked at Ella who looked at him with frustration written all over her pretty face. "May kailangan ka ba?"
"Wala naman. Tatanungin lang sana kita kung anong gusto mong hapunan? Ipagluluto sana kita eh, as a thank you na lang din."
He smiled at her words. He turned his swivel chair around para ang wall na ang nakikita nya at hindi si Ella. Narinig nya na lang ang malakas na pagbuntong hininga ni Ella at ang padabog nitong paglabas ng kanyang opisina. "Surprise me."
"Ganun? Sige, pork adobo na lang. Memorized ko na kasi na masarap yun eh!" Susannah giggled. "Sige, dadaan muna ako sa palengke bago ako umuwi para makabili ng kakailanganin ko."
"Ha?" Kumunot ang noo ni Gabriel. "Nasaan ka ba?"
"Lumabas lang. Medyo naiinip na kasi ako sa bahay mo eh," she lied. Ayaw nyang sabihin na binisita nya ang nobyo nya sa bilangguan.
"Sunduin na kita."
"Ano ka ba, nandito lang ako malapit sa condo mo," she bit her bottom lip.
"Umuwi ka na, magpapahatid na lang ako ng karne at kung ano pa galing dito sa resto. Umuulan pa naman ngayon, baka kung ano pa ang mangyari sa yo."
"Wow, concerned!" she teased him. "Ang swerte swerte ng magiging girlfriend mo, ang sweet mo kasi."
"Innah..."
"Pero bawas bawasan mo ha, baka mamaya masakal naman na sya sa concern mo," she giggled.
"Innah..."
"Opo, ito na po, uuwi na!" she giggled. "See you later! Promise, sasarapan ko ang pagluto ko ng pinaka best pork adobo in the whole wide world."
"Naexcite naman akong umuwi..." he said sweetly.
"Papunta na ba yung delivery boy mo? Para maumpisahan ko na ang pagluto para pag uwi mo, ready to eat na tayo."
"Ito na, sasabihan ko na ang kusina pagbaba mo ng telepono."
"Okay, okay, ba-bye! Salamat!"
"See you later!"
Bumaba na si Gabriel sa kusina at sya na mismo ang kumuha ng mga ingredients na gagamitin ni Susannah para sa pork adobo dinner nila. Umuwi din ng maaga si Gabriel nung hapon na yun. Hindi sya nagsinungaling nung sinabi nyang excited syang umuwi. Talaga namang excited na syang makauwi kay Susannah. Bumili muna sya ng red roses at chocolates para pasalubong sa dalaga bago umuwi.
Pagpasok nya ng bahay, naamoy nya agad ang pork adobo na niluto ni Susannah. He walked up to the beautiful lady who was busy setting up the dinner plates. He just stared at her from the doorway for a little while; ngumiti sya sa nakita nya. He never imagined giving up his bachelor lifestyle, pero bakit parang gusto nyang uwian ang ganitong sight gabi gabi?
"O, nandyan ka na pala!" Susannah smiled at Gabriel when she looked up and saw him standing by the door.
"Hello," he smiled back and walked up to her. "Smells good!"
"Sabi ko naman sa yo, di ba? Best adobo in the world?"
"Amoy pa lang, the best na," he couldn't help himself and kissed the top of her head nang nakalapit na sya sa dalaga. "Flowers for you."
"Wow naman, ano to? Pambayad sa halik na ninakaw mo?" she teased him.
"And chocolate," he chuckled.
"Imported! Sorry, sanay lang ako sa curly top eh."
Natawa si Gabriel sa sinabi ni Susannah. "You are so adorable..."
"I am so amoy adobo!" she put the flowers and chocolate down on the chair next to hers. "Sorry di na ko nakaligo muna."
"Sabay na lang tayo mamaya," he winked at her.
"Yan! Dyan ka magaling. Sa mga lines mong bulok!" nilamukot nya ang mukha ni Gabriel. "Umupo ka na nga muna at ng makakain ka na."
"Yes, misis."
"Tse!"
She scooped some rice and adobo onto his plate bago sinandukan ang sarili nya. She bit her bottom lip as she watched him take his first bite of adobo. He chewed slowly, kept his face passive, and wiped the corners of his mouth with the cloth napkin that was on his lap. She looked at him expectantly.
"Pwede," he said.
"Anong pwede?"
"Pwede ka ng mag asawa," he teased her.
"Hay naku naman talaga!" she reached over and pinched the bridge of his nose bago sinabayan nang kumain ang binata. "Onga pala. The purpose of this dinner."
"Ano yun? Hindi lang pala to seduce me?"
"No," she rolled her eyes playfully. "Pasasalamat ko lang to...dahil kinupkop mo ako. At magpapaalam na rin sana ako sa yo."
"Paalam?" he raised an eyebrow up at her.
"Lilipat na lang muna ako sa hotel habang naghahanap ng malilipatan."
"No," he held her hand and said firmly.
"Hindi naman akong pwedeng manatili dito."
"At least stay here until you find a place. I don't want to worry about you. Kung ayaw mong magpapigil, di kita pipigilan, pero I have to make sure this new place is safe for you and the baby."
"Huwag ka namang ganyan," she whined.
"Ano?" he chuckled.
"Dagdag pogi points ka kasi."
Humalakhak ng malakas si Gabriel. "Bakit hindi ka kumakain?"
"Sa totoo lang, wala akong gana."
"May iba ka bang gustong kainin?" he worriedly asked her.
"Hindi, wala, it's all a part of pagbubuntis, I guess. Don't worry about me, kumain ka lang dyan. Simutin mo ha?" she grinned at him.
"Yes, mommy...at nang makaligo na tayong dalawa."
She flicked his ear at natawa na lang ulit si Gabriel bago sumubo ulit.
***
"Innah, hello, nakikinig ka ba sa akin?" Liza snapped her fingers in front of Susannah.
"Ha?" Susannah looked up from the tablet na pinahiram sa kanya ni Gabriel.
"Kanina pa ko daldal ng daldal wala naman palang nakikinig," Liza told her in mock disappointment.
"Sorry," Susannah threw Liza a peace sign.
"Ano ba kasi ang ginagawa mo dyan?"
"Naghahanap ako ng malilipatan."
"Bakit? Pinapaalis ka na ni Gabe?"
"No, hindi naman, pero syempre, di naman pwede na dito ako tumira."
"Why not?" Liza smirked at her. "Natutukso ka na ba? Pregnant women are horny di ba?" she cackled.
"Hala!" Susannah grabbed a throw pillow and threw it at her friend.
"Speechless. Yan na. Natutukso ka na nga."
"Pinsan mo si Gabe. Hindi ka ba nandidiri sa mga pinagsasabi mo?"
"Medyo, pero wala naman akong ibang iniisip aside from your blossoming love story. Sorry, fan nyo ko eh!"
"Hindi naman talaga pwede na dito ako tumira. Nahihiya na nga ako sa pinsan mo eh."
"Hay naku, pag kinasal na kayo, quits na kayo. Okay lang yan."
"Wow ha, kasal talaga," natawa si Susannah sa narinig.
"I can imagine you guys getting married..."
"Ang layo na ng nilakbay ng imahinasyon mo!" Susannah turned her attention back to the tablet in front of her.
"At least tell me this. Gwapo ba ang pinsan ko?"
"Oo naman. Sinungaling ako kapag sinabi kong hindi."
"Okay."
"Anong okay yan?"
"Okay."
"Ikaw ha! Ano yan?"
"Okay."
Liza winked at her at umilag sa tinapong throw pillow nanaman ni Susannah.
"Ooooh, ito, mura lang. Mukhang okay naman ang location. Siguro approved na to ni Gabriel."
Liza looked over her shoulder to look at the description of the room for rent on the tablet. "Doubt it."
"Ha? Bakit? Solo ko nga yung kwarto eh. Medyo mahal ang upa, pero at least wala akong roommate."
"If I know, kahit mansion pa ang irerent mo, aayaw yun. He wants you here."
"Magsasawa din yun pag may gusto na syang iuwi dito," Susannah shrugged.
"He won't. Nandito ka eh."
"Ay sus."
"Maid of honor ako sa kasal ninyo ha!"
"Heh!" tumawa si Susannah at naghanap na ulit ng iba pang mga rooms for rent. "Onga pala, gumagana ba ang fireplace na to, or for display lang?" ngumuso si Susannah in the direction of the fireplace.
"Gumagana. Bakit?"
"Paano ba yan sinisindihan?"
"By remote control. Ito o," tumayo si Liza at inabot ang remote control sa mantle. Pinakita nya kung anong button ang ipupush. She even turned it on to show Susannah that it worked.
"Ah okay, ganun pala yun. Sa movies ko lang kasi nakikita yan eh," Susannah smiled. "Ang romantic lang pala talaga."
Pinatay na ni Liza ang fireplace dahil mainit na. Finally natapos na si Susannah sa paghahanap ng bagong titirahan at lumabas muna sila para maglakad lakad sa mall malapit sa condo ni Gabriel. Susannah said she didn't want to get close to anyone habang 'on assignment' sya, pero hindi nya napigilan ang sarili nya na magustuhan si Liza. She'd never had a close female friend before dahil na rin sa lifestyle nila ni Jason, so bago lang para sa kanya ang magkaibigan. Sayang lang nga na pag nanganak na sya, she would never see Liza ever again.