Up Where We Belong

Chapter 13

Stuck

Ilang sandali pa kaming nag-usap ni Mrs. Torres tungkol sa damit. Mataman namang nakikinig si Gab sa pinag-uusapan namin habang nasa ganoong ayos pa rin kami habang magkatabing nakaupo.

May aayusin pa sa sa ibang detalye ng damit kaya hindi ko pa madadala iyon sa ngayon. Kailangan kong bumalik sa shop bukas para masukat ulit ang damit at kapag okay na, pwede na naming kunin at itago sa bahay ni Gab pag-uwi namin. Hindi pwede sa bahay dahil magkakagulo lang pag nakita ni Mommy o ng mga kasambahay.

"Where's Joriel?" I asked as we stepped outside the shop. Nilampasan niya ako at diretsong naglakad sa parking area ng shop. I followed him. I saw him opening the door of his car and he gestured me to go in. Hindi na ako nagtanong pa at pumasok na lamang at hinintay siya na na umupo sa tabi ko. I grabbed my bag at my side and put it at the backseat. Joriel just left without saying goodbye to me. What does he see me as?

"He's elsewhere having fun with a girl," he answered as he maneuvered the car out of the parking area.

"Tss," I hissed. "Old habits die hard."

Joriel was a notorious womanizer. Women flocked to him, and he was so attentive to them.

I heard Gab chuckle. He might have guessed what I meant.

"He notably toned down on doing that. He is serious this time," pagtatanggol niya.

"Siyempre ipagtatanggol mo dahil kaibigan mo," masungit na sagot ko.

Nagtagis ang kanyang mga bagang bago bumaling sa akin. "You really have trust issues, don't you?"

"How about you?" balik tanong ko sa kanya.

I do. Most people do. But it could be severe to some and it's affecting their relationships terribly.

Narinig ko ang mahina niyang tawa. I turned to him.

"What's funny?" untag ko sa kanya.

"Why are we even talking about this when we are almost ready to abandon our single status and get married? Which means we trust each other enough, am I right?"

"You started it," I replied. "And, yes, I think we trust each other enough," pagpapatuloy ko habang pinupukol siya ng tingin, "Or, maybe, desperate enough to indulge in this foolish setup. Don't you think?"

"I don't think it's foolish. It's a civil setup where we both can gain from."

"You're right," iyon lang ang sinabi ko at tumahimik na.

Hinilig ko ang ulo sa bintana at hinimas ang tiyan ko. Nakaramdam ako ng gutom dahil lunch time na nga at hindi man lang kami dumaan kanina ni Joriel sa alinmang kainan para bumili ng makakain.

Joriel was so eager to throw me out of the window. Hindi man lang nagpaalam nang umalis.

"Bakit napaaga ang dating mo? Akala ko ba hahabol ka lang sa amin sa lunch?" untag ko kay Gab.

"The meeting ended earlier than expected so I rushed to the shop. Pagdating ko umalis din agad si Joriel dahil may kikitain siya."

"What's the meeting about? Pwede mong sagutin. Pwede ring hindi."

"You know Ralph, right?" he asked, his eyes still fixed on the road.

"Yes. Why? What about him?"

"He's looking for a woman named Anyag Martha Santana. Do you know her?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed.

He turned to me. His expression told me he was waiting for further explanation.