CHAPTER 19
VICTORIA
It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The light coming from the sun illuminated the whole kitchen naturally. Victoria could feel the warmth on her bare skin. She didn’t bother changing her lingerie. She woke up early to prepare breakfast for Ramcel, who was still sleeping peacefully.
Simple lang ang request nitong breakfast. Crispy fried tuyo, well done sunny side up and garlic fried rice. Sa pagsusulat lang creative si Ramcel pero hindi ito masyadong adventurous sa pagkain. Kung wala si Victoria baka hindi na ito kumain o kaya magkakasya na lang itong ngumuya ng paborito nitong sour cream pretzels. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin nito pinagsasawaang kainin ang mga ginagawa nyang cheesy ensaymada.
Kahit ano naman ang ihain nya rito, kinakain nito. She loved cooking for her dahil kahit simpleng inihaw na talong ang kinakain nito, tila gourmet dish kung namnamin nito. Pwede nga itong maging endorser dahil ang sarap nitong tignan habang kumakain.
Victoria wanted mushroom and spinach omelette for herself. She was busy beating the eggs when she noticed Ramcel entered the kitchen still looking sleepy. Napangiti si Victoria because her wife still managed to look gorgeous despite her disheveled hair, crumpled loose shirt and short shorts.
“Beautifully disheveled,” Victoria thought. “Good morning,” bati nya rito nang makaupo ito across from her. Hindi ito sumagot. Nakangiting nakatitig lang ito sa kanya. She was suddenly turn on because Ramcel was giving her a very very seductive smile. “Stop that,” kunwari masungit nyang sabi.
“What? I’m not doing anything,” kunwari inosente nitong sabi and her eyes glinted with mischief. “Masama na bang ngumiti ngayon?”
Sinamaan nya ito ng tingin. “Your smile is very…sinful.”
“Really?” Ramcel teased. “You know, I just changed my mind. Ayoko na ng tuyo at fried rice.”
“Anong gusto mo?” Napakunot ang noong tanong nya. But from the way Ramcel was staring at her lustily, Victoria knew what her wife wanted. “No!” She tried to sound stern. She also tried to concentrate on the eggs and not look at Ramcel’s lips.
“One round lang, Baby,” bulong nito. “Please.”
“No!” Natatawa nyang sabi. Pagbalik nang tingin nya sa asawa, Ramcel was no longer there. In her place, she saw the devil smiling back at her. The lovely morning was suddenly filled with horror.
Napabalikwas nang bangon si Victoria. She was confused at first of where she was until she saw Tanya sleeping next to her. She was on her bed in a hotel in Madrid. It was her second week. Dapat one week lang sya rito but she didn’t feel like going back home yet so she stayed.
After the food expo, bumalik na sa Pilipinas si Chef Alejandro at nagpaiwan naman sila ni Tanya. Naging close sila nito nang mag-start sya ng Culinary Arts class sa Montoya. Kaya nang malaman nitong mananatili sya para magbakasyon, nagpaiwan na rin ito.
“Vi? Ayos ka lang?” Tanong ni Tanya at marahan nitong hinagod-hagod ang likod nya. Tumango lamang sya. “Teka, kuha lang ako ng tubig mo.”
“You don’t have to. Ako na. Bumalik ka na lang sa pagtulog,” pigil nya rito. Madilim pa sa labas. Nang makita ang digital clock, it was only 2AM. Isang oras palang pala syang natutulog. Late kasi silang lumabas ni Tanya para magdinner kagabi and they had few drinks too.
Bumangon sya saka lumabas sa terrace ng hotel. Soft breeze kissed her face and slightly tousled her long hair as she leaned her back against the intricate iron railing. She closed her eyes and let the wind cool her body.
Hanggang kelan ba sya susundan ng nakaraan? She hated having those dreams. Pilit na nyang kinakalimutan pero halos gabi-gabi itong ipinapaalala sa kanya. Kelan ba sya magiging malaya? Posible pa ba syang maging masaya?
Ramcel’s beautiful face crossed her mind and it made her smile. Agad kumalma ang tensyonado nyang katawan. Her wife still had that effect on her. Ramcel calmed her. Just the mere thought of her made her safe. She was her salvation. She was her only light when she was in the dark.
Mahal pa rin sya ni Ramcel. Ramdam nya iyon sa bawat halik at haplos nito sa kanya the last time they made love. She missed Ramcel’s lips against every inch of her body. Making love with her again after a very long time was very exhilarating.
What happened gave her a flicker of hope. But she knew Ramcel wasn’t ready. Kaya pinili nyang umalis muna. Kung kailangan pa nito ng space, ibibigay nya. Maghihintay syang dumating ang araw na tatanggapin sya nitong muli. Kahit gaano pa katagal.
“Paano kung ayaw na talaga nya?” Her mind asked.
“Then I’ll be happy to love her from afar,” she answered her own question.
“Why don’t you tell her the truth?” Jenny asked her before she boarded the speedboat that would take her to mainland. “Kapag ipinaliwanag mo sa kanya, maiintindihan nya ang lahat. Why you did what you did.”
She didn’t answer Jenny. She apologized instead for ruining her friend’s planned vacation for the three of them.
Dapat pa ba nyang ipaalam kay Ramcel? Should she share something terrible? Mas gusto sana nyang mapawi ng pagmamahal nya ang galit na nararamdaman nito sa kanya kesa sabihin kay Ramcel ang tungkol doon. Mas gusto nyang patunayan at ipakita kung gaano nya ito kamahal kesa sabihin ang totoo.
Ngunit kahit anong iwas nya, sa panaginip sya nito dinadalaw. Habang tumatagal nakakarecover na rin sya. Nagawa nyang tapusin ang Culinary Arts class nya at ganap na syang chef. Her life would be perfect if she could remove that memory. “I guess, it would always be a part of me,” she thought.
Even if she tried hard not to think about it, the memories came flooding back in her mind.
2010
Victoria changed her mind but she didn’t tell Ramcel. Nagpaalam sya ritong sa bahay ng Daddy muna sya mananatili tuwing weekend habang nasa ibang bansa ang asawa para magshoot ng latest movie nito. One month din kasi itong mawawala kaya imbes na lalo nya itong ma-miss by staying at home, she asked permission to be in Batangas with her Dad.
Gabi bago umalis si Ramcel papuntang Norway at habang nakayakap sya rito, nagpasya syang sorpresahin ang asawa. Malaki ang kasalanan nya rito dahil sa mga nangyari involving Hector. Kahit nagkaayos sila ni Ramcel, she wanted to make it up to her.
Nakausap na nya si Chef Alejandro. Nagpaalam sya ritong huwag na munang ituloy ang Culinary Arts class nya. Hindi na sya nangiming ipaliwanag sa chef ang personal nyang problema. She wanted to focus on her wife for now. Sinabi nyang maiintindihan nya kung hindi na nito ibibigay ang full scholarship dahil sa pag-atras nya but Chef Alejandro was very understanding. He told her she could get the scholarship anytime.
Isasantabi muna nya ang pangarap. Aanhin naman nya ang pagkamit nun kung wala si Ramcel sa tabi nya. She secretly and immediately booked a flight going to Norway. Susundan nya si Ramcel after a week. Alam nyang magiging busy ito but she wanted to be with her, to be near her. She could also try to convince her to extend for another week in Dubai after the shoot. Sort of a second honeymoon.
Nang ihatid nya si Ramcel sa airport, for some reason Victoria had this nagging feeling. Her heart started beating fast. Bago bumaba ng kotse si Ramcel, Victoria pulled her into a tight hug. Parang ayaw na nya itong bitawan.
“Baby, pwede bang huwag ka na lang umalis?” Victoria knew she sounded ridiculous. “Just stay with me.”
Napangiting tumitig sa kanya si Ramcel. “Miss mo na ako agad?” Ramcel gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Saglit lang ang one month. I’ll be back before you know it, Baby. Tatawagan kita everyday. Promise.” Niyakap sya nito ulit nang mahigpit. “I hate being away from you, Vi.”
“Me too,” she whispered. Ikinulong nya sa mga palad ang mukha ni Ramcel saka tinitigan ito sa mga mata. “I love you so much, Ram.” Marahan nya itong hinagkan sa labi.
“I love you too.”
Natawa na lang si Victoria nang binigyan pa sya nito nang mapanuksong kagat sa leeg pagkatapos sya nitong halikan sa labi saka lumabas ng kotse.
Gustong-gusto nyang habulin si Ramcel at pigilan itong umalis pero nagpigil sya. “Don’t be silly. Magkikita rin kayo after a week,” pagalit nyang sabi sa sarili. Napangiti na rin sya nang maalala ang planong pagsunod rito. Tiyak na masosopresa ang asawa sa gagawin.
Dumiretso sya sa Batangas para naman makasama ang Dad nya bago pumunta sa Norway. Nakalabas na ito ng hospital pero hindi pa maaaring pumasok sa opisina. Dahil ayaw magpaawat ni Mayor Alonzo, sa bahay ito pinupuntahan ng mga konsehal at maging ng Vice Mayor. Sa opisina nito sa bahay nagde-delegate ng mga tasks sa mga tauhan.
Laging nakaalalay si Abby sa Mayor. Halos hindi na ito natutulog since ito ang kanang-kamay ng Dad nya. May sariling nurse ang alkalde pero sinisigurado ni Victoria na nasa tabi sya nito to assist. Kahit simpleng pag-abot lang ng tubig nito o pagtulak ng wheel chair ginagawa nya.
Hindi pa sila nito nakakapag-usap muli tungkol kay Ramcel pero kahit papaano natutuwa na rin si Victoria na welcome na sya ulit sa tahanan nito. Sana balang-araw, matanggap din sila nito ni Ramcel.
Ang ikinasisira lang ng araw nya ay ang araw-araw na pagpunta ni Hector. Hindi naman nya pwedeng pagbawalan ang lalaki since utang na loob ng mga Alonzo rito ang buhay ng Daddy nya. Umiiwas na lamang sya pag dumarating ito.
“Bakit hindi ka mamasyal habang narito ka sa Batangas, anak. Magpasama ka kay Hector. Dadalhin ka nya sa ibat’ibang tourist spots dito. Kesa naman nandito ka lang sa bahay. Maiinip ka lang kakaalaga sa akin,” sabi ng Dad nya minsang kasabay nilang kumain ng Lunch si Hector, who was sitting across from Victoria.
Victoria suddenly felt irritated. She knew what her father was doing. Bakit ba sya nito ipinagtutulakan kay Hector? She threw her Dad a polite smile. “Dad, that’s the reason why I’m here. Ang alagaan kayo.” Nakita nya sa pheriperal na sumimangot si Hector pero binalewala nya ito. “Besides, magbabakasyon din naman ako. Susunod ako kay Ramcel sa Norway, I’m gong to surprise her. Then we’ll go to Dubai after.”
Hindi nakaimik ang lahat lalo na ang Dad nya. Nakita nyang nagtiim ng bagang si Hector.
“Really? That’s great!” Si Maristela lang ang tanging natuwa. “Sabihin mo kay R.M, bilhan nya ako ng pasalubong ah.”
“Oo naman,” sabi nya.
Niyakap nya ang Dad nya nang mahigpit bago umalis. Ganun din ang ginawa nya kina Maristela at Conrad. Tita Connie wished her a safe trip. Pagdating na pagdating nya sa condo nila ni Ramcel, agad nyang inayos ang mga dadalhin.
Kinabukasan, masigla syang naglalagay ng luggage sa trunk ng kotse nya sa parking lot na nasa loob ng building nang may maramdaman syang palapit sa likod nya. Next thing she knew, her vision blurred then everything around her went black.