Claire's "O"

No Boyfriend

Claire


Paglabas nya ng conference room ay agad syang bumalik sa Nurse Station. Sya kasi ang nagfacilitate ng orientation para sa mga bagong hired nurses na ma-assign sa ward nila. Isa yun sa pinagawa sa kanya being a candidate for Head Nurse and she was evaluated during the session. 

Halos kakapasok pa lang nya sa station nang lapitan sya ni Ma'am Terry, ang kanilang Head Nurse. 

"Claire, pull out ka ulit. Marga requested for you in VIP." 

Wala naman syang reklamo at agad na tumalima. Nang umakyat sya sa penthouse kung saan naroon ang VIP suites ay dumiretso sya sa Nurse Station kung saan hinihintay sya ni Marga.

"Hi Ma'am Marga! Sino pong patient natin today? A celebrity? A politician?"

"Hi Claire... here's the patient's record." Natatawang inabot nito sa kanya ang EHR tablet at ganun na lang ang gulat nya nang makita kung sino ang pasyente.

"Is this...?"

"U-humn...Not a celebrity nor a politician but a frequent guest in VIP. The one and only Dr. Grimaldi."

Binalot sya ng pag aalala para sa lalaki. What did that idiot do? She continued reading his case at napabuntong hininga. He was brought here due to MVC (Motor Vehicular Crash), mabuti na lang at minor injuries lang ang natamo nito. Few bruises, a cut on his forehead and upper lip and myalgia. 

His car crashed into a pole due to drunk driving. What an idiot! Naiinis nyang kinuha ang mga gamit para i-check ang vitals ng pasyente. Nagpaalam ito kay Marga at nagmamadaling pumasok sa suite ni Thomas.

Kumatok muna sya bago pumasok. And there he is...prenteng nakahiga habang nanonood ng TV with his ever so serious face. 

"Hi Dr. Grimaldi, it's me again. "

He just look flatly at her then switched his sight back to the television.

Suplado!

Bumibilis na naman ang tibok ng kanyang puso na hindi nya alam kung dahil ba sa nerbyos dahil sa muli nilang pagkikita, dahil ba sa excitement dahil sa muli nilang pagkikita, o dahil sa inis dahil sa pagiging reckless nito sa pagmamaneho. Nagpatuloy sya sa paglalakad hanggang sa makalapit sya sa kama nito. 

"I'll check your vitals." Sabi nya bago itinutok ang infrared thermometer sa noo nito. 

"My vitals were checked some minutes ago and I didn't suffer from any major injuries so why are you checking me again?" He sternly asked without even taking a glance at her. Pero hindi nya pinansin ang pagsusungit nito. She recorded his temp at nang matapos ay kinuha naman ang stethoscope na nakasampay sa kanyang batok. 

"You know the drill Dr. Grimaldi. Take a deep breath for me." Itinapat nya ang chest piece sa dibdib nito at kahit na nakasimagot ay sumunod pa rin naman ang kanyang pasyente. Nang matapos ay sunod naman nyang kinuha ang digital sphygmomanometer to check his blood pressure. 

But before she could even wrap the cuff to his arm, bigla nitong hinawakan ang kanyang kamay na nagpalaki ng mga mata nya. Awtomatikong napatingin sya sa Doktor and their orbs met again after a month of not seeing each other. Awtomatiko ding gumapang ang kuryenteng dulot ng pagdikit ng mainit nitong palad sa kanyang kamay. 

"Why are you checking me again?" Pag uulit nito nang may diin ang mga salita.

Napalunok sya. "J-Just because."

"Get out Claire. I'm not comfortable with you in here." Binitiwan nito ang kamay nya. 

His words stung but she's not backing out. Pinigilan nya ang sariling maiyak. Gosh, bakit nasasaktan sya sa pagtataboy nito sa kanya!

"I'm not going until I'm done encoding your vitals." Pagpupumilit nya. "So just let me do my job."

"I don't want you near me. You're killing me!"

Napaawang ang kanyang bibig sa narinig. Ang blangkong expression sa mukha nito ay napalitan ng lambot at lungkot. She also noticed the same in his eyes. Napatingin din sya sa pasa at sugat sa itaas ng labi nito, pati na rin sa noo nito. She suddenly felt the urge to caress his face but she stopped herself and balled her fist instead. 

Kagat nya ang pang ibabang labi para pigilin ang pangnginig nito. Any moment kasi ay maiiyak na sya. Sobra nya itong namiss and that emotion is engulfing her bit by bit.

"Claire..." Bumangon ang lalaki at lumapit sa kanya. Napalitan ng pag aalala ang kanina lang ay malungkot nitong mukha. Nahalata marahil ang pinipigil nyang emosyon, mariin kasi nyang kagat ang kanyang labi habang nakayuko lang at nakatitig sa magkahawak nilang kamay.

Hanggang hindi na nga nya nakayanan.

"Why are you crying?" Naguguluhang tanong nito habang kinukuha ang aparatong hawak.

Hindi sya sumagot. Bagkus ay yumakap sya sa lalaki. It was a tight hug trying to fill in the one month void. Sa balikat ng lalaki ay umiyak sya ng umiyak. Naramdaman naman nya ang pag ganti nito ng yakap sa kanya. Mas mahigpit, mas nangangailangan.  She was happy..she felt home.

"Hey...Baby..." Namamaos boses nitong tawag sa kanya but she still snuggled on him. 

"I- I just want to see you, Dr. Grimaldi." Sumisinghot nyang sagot. Naramdaman nya ang marahang paghaplos nito sa kanyang buhok. 

"I was so worried..." Dagdag pa nya.

"I'm okay...all in one piece." 

Nang medyo kumalma na sya ay niluwagan nya ang yakap sa lalaki. Nag angat sya ng tingin at nagsalubong muli ang kanilang mga mata. His eyes mirrored the same emotion she has. There was longingness and bliss at the same time.

"Where have you been?" 

Bigla itong nagflash ng matamis na ngiti at hinaplos ang kanyang pisngi. His thumb wiped off her tears.

"To Italy."

"You were gone for a while." 

"Yeah, after you broke my heart, I planned to be gone for good." 

Namumuo na naman ang luha sa kanyang mga mata. Napailing sya.., tatapusin ba talaga nito ang buhay dahil sa binasted nya ito?

"Is that why you tried to kill yourself? Crashing your car into a pole you asshole?" Sinuntok nya ito sa dibdib at pilit na kumawala sa yakap nito. But Thomas didn't budge. 

"I know, that was so reckless of me. But that's not what I meant by being gone for good."

Pinangunutan nya ito ng noo. Her expression's demanding him to explain and so he did.

"I was planning to stay in Italy...for good. But I just couldn't do it." She begins to notice the misty in his eyes. "I was missing you everyday." Madamdamin nitong dagdag.

"Tom..." Oh God I miss you too! Gusto nyang isigaw pero nagpigil sya. Nag umpisa na namang bumagsak ang mga luha sa kanyang pisngi. 

"You killed me that day when you said you can't break up with your someone because you love him. "

Kumabog pang lalo ang kanyang puso. Literal na naririnig nya ito kaya pipi nyang naihiling na hindi ito marinig ni Thomas. 

"And you just...left."

"I was so angry, and jealous." 

Napansin nya ang bahagyang pagdilim ng mukha nito at pag igting ng mga panga. 

"I figured, I had to leave for good so I couldn't bother you anymore."

"But I thought you'd do anything just to be able to...fuck me every second of our waking day?"

Talaga bang nagawa nyang itanong yun?

Malungkot itong tumawa.

"Not when your heart belonged to someone else. I can't do that. "

Tuluyan nang kinalas ni Thomas ang yakap nilang dalawa at pinaupo sya sa tabi nito habang hawak pa din ang kanyang kamay. 

"I thought I can endure you having another man in your life, I get a good fuck from you anyway." Nakangisi nitong sabi na ikinaikot ng kanyang eye balls. He planted a soft kiss on her shoulder and that gesture made her giddy in all level.

"But when I was in Italy, while I was missing you terribly, I eventually realized that I need not just your body..."

Matiim syang tumingin kay Thomas, waiting for his next words. 

"I want your heart too, Claire." Madamdamin nitong dagdag. It was his turn to look at her intently, waiting for her reaction. When she didn't say a word, he continued dropping the bomb.

"I like you Claire. I like you a lot that you drive me crazy. That's why I decided to come back here so I could snatch you from your...boyfriend. You're not that easy to give up. I've longed for you for three fucking years so I'm not backing out. "

Kinilig sya syempre. Sinong babae ang hindi? O gosh, she didn't even expect that her short visit would turn out to be a confession. "His" confession and she's beyond ecstatic. His words are literally going to turn her world upside down. Isa lang ang ibig sabihin sa oras na sumagot sya.

He'll be "his."

But there are a lot of things to consider. There's Nicolai...

Hinawakan ni Thomas ang kanyang pisngi, dumiretso ang kamay sa kanyang batok and pulled her closer she could smell his minty breath again. Ipinag dikit nito ang kanilang noo.

"I know you want me as much as I want you Claire. I crave for you, I burn for you. You're all I ever think about even when I'm driving. "

Kaya ba ito naaksidente?

"I'm not giving up." Then he ravaged her mouth again. His kiss was deep and inviting, encouraging her to respond with equal manner. When he glided his tongue in between kisses, she parted her lips and met his tongue's thrust. He pressed his body closer to her as they were both breathing heavily.

She can taste their shared breath, she feels the thud of their combined heartbeat. Then a moment of clarity kicked in...

She's falling for him!

Bago pa sya tuluyang madarang sa mga halik ng lalaki ay tinulak nya ito sa dibdib. He groaned in frustration when their lips parted but his grip was still tight. Jusko paano na lang kung biglang may pumasok at nakita silang naglalaplapan?

"Tom..we're in a Hospital." She reminded him.

"Do I look like I care?" Sagot nito na pilit inaabot ang kanyang mukha na kanya namang iniiwas. 

"You're my patient..."

"So take care of me then. I want you..."

"You're impossible!" Pabigla syang nagpumiglas kaya tuluyan na syang nakawala sa yakap nito. Nang tuluyan ng makatayo ay inayos nya ang nagusot na uniform, pati na rin ang kanyang buhok dahil naglaglagan ang ilang strands sa kanyang mukha.

"Claire...!" Ungot ni Thomas na pilit inaabot ang kanyang kamay pero lumalayo sya.

"If you really came back to snatch me away from my "someone", eh bakit ang sungit mo sakin kanina? You were kicking me out? Sanay na sanay ka sa ganyan ano? Remember when we first met in California?" Wala syang pake kahit hindi sya nito maintindihan. 

"Oh God!" 

"Oh God ka dyan. "

"I'm so sorry Claire. Nabigla lang kasi ako nung pumasok ka kanina. Hindi ako nakapag rehearse ng sasabihin sayo eh." Her eyes widened in awe after she heard him speak. 

"You never fail to amaze me." Hindi makapaniwalang sabi nya.

"What?" 

"Marunong ka naman palang magtagalog pinahirapan mo pa ako kaka english."

"I moved here two years ago so yeah, I learned."

"Good for you then. Ngayon magpahinga ka na."

"I can't...you woke up my dear friend down here." He motioned his lips down to his crotch.

Jeez this man! San ba nakakabili ng filter sa bibig para hindi na ito maglabas ng mahahalay na salita. She started gathering all the apparatus so she could get out. Kanina pa sya nandito, baka mamaya magtaka na si Marga at sundan sya dito. 

"Claire, come on.. "

"Shut it you pervert."

"Is that the only thing you can say after I confessed my feelings for you?"

"What do you want Thomas?"

"Besides your body...?"

Goodness!

"Alright...I'm outta here." 

"No Claire! Please..."

"What do you want?"

There was a moment of silence. 

"I want your heart...I want a chance to prove how serious I am. "

"Okay." 

Gusto nyang matawa nang mapanganga ang lalaki sa kanyang sinagot. Nagpakurap kurap pa ito na tila hindi makapaniwala sa narinig.

"S-Say that again?"

"You said you want a chance, I said okay."

"Fuck I'm getting tachy." He was flushed all over his face at napahawak pa ito sa dibdib pero hindi sya lumapit para daluhan ito. She knows it's nothing serious. Natatawa sya, na-aamuse sa reaction nito.

"Babe don't do that again. I might get a heart attack."

"OA neto." Kunyari naasar nyang sabi pero ang totoo ay kinikilig pati tinggil nya. 

Nang siguro ay magsink in dito ang sinabi nya about giving him a chance ay malapad na itong napangiti sa kanya. 

"You're giving me a chance?" 

Kagat labi syang tumango. She's trying to suppress her smile. 

"Pumapayag ka ng maging girlfriend ko?"

"Chance pa lang ang sabi ko."

"Dun na rin naman papunta yun. Come here Babe."

Umiling sya.

"Nope, Dr. Grimaldi. Masyado na akong matagal dito at baka hanapin na ako ni Ma'am Marga."

"Are you coming back?"

Clingy at its finest!

"Of-course. I'm your nurse after all."

Wala na itong nagawa nang maglakad sya palapit sa pinto. Nang mahawakan ang knob ay nilingon nya itong muli. Natawa pa sya nang makitang naka pout ang mga labi nito.

"And for the record..." Pahabol na sabi nya. " I don't have a boyfriend." Nakita nya pa kung paano umaliwalas ang mukha nito bago sya tuluyang lumabas ng suite.