So Close (Book 1)

Chapter 18

NAT'S POV

Secretary. 

Yan daw si Stella. Based sa sinabi ni Ollie, secretary nga ni Bryce 'yon. Pero may iba akong nararamdaman tungkol sa kanya. 

I sighed. 

Ganito pala yung pakiramdam ng loss. Other than my loss of memory, I also lost a child. And lost another chance of having one.

Naglakad-lakad ako sa hallway ng hospital at ginawa ko ang rounds ko. All of my patients were fine and we chatted for almost all the times. Nag-rounds ako sa huli kong pasyente nang makasalubong ko yung mga asawa nina Kuya Enrico at Kuya Kane.

"Hey, Natalie. Kumusta ka na?" Ate Anya asked nang matapos kaming lahat magbeso. 

I shrugged. "Ganon rin. Kayo? Kumusta?"

"Heto, having my check-up." Ate Zola said. 

"Sinamahan ko lang." Ate Anya told me.

"Check-up saan, ate? Sino yung doctor mo?"

"Annual check-up lang sa gynecologist ko. Si Maria Silvermann pala yung doctor." she replied. 

"Bakit? Is there something wrong, ate?" I asked her again. 

"If you're talking about my body, then nothing's wrong. Pero sa amin ni Kane..." she trailed off. 

Nakita kong she had tears in her eyes. 

"Would you like to have dinner with us ni Bryce sa bahay? He's cooking gourmet today." I suggested sa kanila. 

Ate Zola nodded. "Yes. Please. Basta ilayo niyo muna ako kay Kane."

...

We're seated sa aming kitchen. Bryce was happy to accomodate all of us and he promised he won't call his brothers unless needed. 

"May ka-affair si Kuya?" I asked incredulously. 

Looking at Kuya Kane and Ate Zola, parang perfect na ang buhay nila. Nagmamahalan sila. May pamilya. Mga anak. May kaya. 

Ate Zola nodded. 

"I saw him. Nakita ko siyang may ka-holding hands sa isang restaurant." She speared her greens at sinubo yon. "Then he smiles at her lovingly. Parang noon lang!"

"Hindi naman kaya si Lee 'yon, ate?" Bryce asked. Binigay niya sa akin yung nakahiwang steak niya at kinuha ang plato ko.

"I know Lee kahit nakatalikod pa yan. Pero it's not her. I'm very sure about that." she said. 

"Pero, Zo, natanong mo na ba kung bakit niya gagawin yon?" Ate Anya asked. 

Ate Zola sighed. "Why would I ask him? Isn't it obvious? May gusto nang iba si Kane." 

I frowned. "Now, why would he want that?" 

Ate Anya looked at me, tapos kay Bryce bago bumalik sa akin.

"Natalie, ang mga asawa natin, playboy. Take it from Enrico. Noong nagtratrabaho pa ako para sa 'Cross,' maraming babaeng nagtatanong sa akin kung saan nila mahahanap si Enrico. Kahit na nung bumalik ako dito kasama si Anthony, hindi pa rin mapawi yung pakikipag-date niya. Laking gulat ko na lang nang ma-engage yan e. Alam kong hindi sila magtatagal. Ayun, tama nga ako."

"Teka, ate, mas naunang pinanganak si Anthony kesa sa kasal niyo ni Kuya Enrico?" I asked. Nagsimula na akong kumain sa steak ko. 

"Oo. Pero ibang kwento na 'yon. Ito munang kay Zola bago ko ikwento buhay ko sa inyo." she said. 

"Ate, bakit naman hahanap ng iba si Kuya Kane?" Bryce said. "Hinding-hindi magkaka-affair ang isang tao kasi nagsasawa na siya."

"Teka, Bryce. Pinagtatanggol mo talaga kuya mo. Todo-deny kayo na may affair. Ikaw rin ata may tinatago e. It's like you're speaking from experience." Ate Zola said. 

I was taken aback. Si Bryce? Affair? What? 

"Sus. Wag niyo nang seryosohin 'yon. Zola told me that, too. Kilala ko na si Enrico at pipingutin ko 'yon kung may ka-affair." Ate Anya told us. 

Medyo nakahinga ako ng maluwag sa sinabi ni Ate Anya. I was trying my best to be Bryce's wife at kung may ka-affair siya, I don't know how I'd react. Anger, maybe. Pero mahal ko si Bryce. I think we could sort things out by talking.

...

Bryce did the dishes for tonight. Kami nina ate, we talked sa may den. 

"What if he comes by and asks you to go home with him? Anong gagawin mo?" I asked. 

"I--"

*RRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG!*

Tumayo ako para sagutin yung pinto. Laking gulat ko na lang makita si Kuya Kane. He had a shadow of a stubble at gulo-gulo rin ang buhok niya. He was looking at me with big, frantic eyes. 

"Nandyan ba si Zola?" he asked me. 

"O--"

"Kane?" tanong ni Ate Zola. She stepped from the den.Sumunod si Ate Anya at si Bryce. Nang makita niya si Kuya Kane, bigla siyang lumuha. 

Kuya Kane went over to her and wrapped her in his arms. "Honey, let's go home."

Ate Zola shook her head. "No." Tuloy-tuloy ang luha niya. "I won't go home with you!"

"But, honey--"

"Sino yung kasama mo nung isang araw?" she asked. 

"Ha?" he pulled back. He looked into her eyes and suddenly chuckled. "Honey, si Isla 'yon. Yung pinsan ko na nasa London. I can't believe you-- Aray!"

Ate Zola began hitting Kuya Kane sa chest with her fists. "ANO KA BA, KANE! BAKIT HINDI MO SINASABI SA AKIN! NAKAKAINIS KA!

"Honey naman. Masakit yan." He said and held her hands. He hoisted her up on his shoulders na parang isang sako lang ng bigas. He turned back to me. "Iuuwi ko muna si Zola, okay?"

I nodded, trying hard not to laugh. "Sige, Kuya."

Nang makaalis na sila, napatawa kaming lahat.

Bryce went over to me and wrapped his arms on my waist. "Parang gusto kitang buhatin nang ganon." he told me. 

I laughed. "Bahala ka. Wala naman akong gagawin pag ganon e."

"Ooop! Aalis na ako! Ayaw ko atang mawitness 'tong kababalaghan na 'to." 

Ate Anya left our driveway before tumingin sa akin ulit si Bryce. He brought me up to his shoulders and we went up laughing. 

"So, love, are you ready for tonight?" he asked me nang ibaba niya ako sa kama namin. 

He started unbuttoning my shirt nang tigilan ko siya. I looked into his eyes. 

"Love, anong pangalan ng secretary mo?" I asked. 

"Sandee. Bakit, love? Meron ba siyang hindi nasagot na tawag mo?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "Hindi 'yon e."

"E, ano?" he asked me. His hand moved to the buttons on my shirt again. 

I stopped him. "If Sandee's her name,

Sino yung sinasabing Stella ni Ollie?"