Cairo McLaury (completed)

Chapter 12

"How long are you going to stay here?" ang narinig na tanong ni Ishmael mula kay Miss Desiree na naupo sa kaniyang tabi. Ipinagsalin siya nito ng bagong kulo na kape sa isang tasa at inilatag iyun sa kaniyang harapan.

"For a few days," ang kaniyang matipid na sagot.

Nagsimula itong muli sa pagsasalita, ngunit naging bingi na ang kaniyang tenga nang sandali na iyun. Dahil ang lahat ng kaniyang atensiyon ay nasa likod ng makakapal na kurtina na nasa kaniyang harapan kung saan pumasok sa loob nito kanina lamang si Cairo habang naghihimutok nang dahil sa galit sa kaniya.

He was telling the truth about the dresses that she tried. Those were not for her. It was lacking of her personality.

"I have been to...." Ang pagpapatuloy ni Desiree. Pero hindi niya naintindihan ni isang salita na pinagsasabi nito. But he was trying to be polite to her. He didn't want to tell Desiree that he was not interested on what she was blabbering and he wanted to be left alone and to quietly wait for Cairo to emerge from behind the heavy curtains.

Until the sound of a phone ringing cuts into Desiree's chattering and that moment. He stopped himself from not sighing out loud because of relief, though he was thankful for that interruption.

"Oh," ang sambit ni Miss Desiree at saka nito dinampot ang cellhone nitong nakalatag sa mesa.

"Will you please excuse me? I'm gonna take this call," ang pabulong nitong sambit sa kaniya.

"Take all your time in the world," ang kaniyang nakangiting sagot. Tumayo si Miss Desiree at muli itong nagpaalam na sinamahan pa nito nang paghawak sa kaniyang balikat at naramdaman niya na marahan nitong pinisil iyun. At isang malambing na ngiti ang iginawad nito sa kaniya.

He looked straight into her dark eyes that was heavily covered with different hues of browns. And he saw clumps formed in her eyelashes like legs of a tarantula because of the mascara.

He didn't speak nor smile at her. His wore a poker face while he looked at her. At nang makita ni Miss Desiree ang walang buhay niyang sagot ay tumango ito sa kaniya at saka ito dali-daling lumabas ng shop.

He let out a sigh of relief. Minsan mahirap sa kaniya ang maging malumanay at mapagpasensiya. But being a stateman he was trained and he was expected to always act like a gentleman. He learned to hide his emotions whenever he was with other people especially when he was facing other world leaders. Magandang hindi nila nalalaman ang nasa puso at isipan mo.

But everything changes whenever Cairo was with him.

"Uhm, miss Desiree? Puwede mo ba akong tulungan sa zipper?!" ang narinig niyang pagtawag ni Cairo mula likuran ng makakapal na kurtina.

He looked around him and still Miss Desiree was out of sight. Maybe she was still busy talking on the phone.

He pushed himself up. And he casually walked his way from behind the curtains. And he caught her looking down on her chest while her hands were gripping the dress in front of her and on her back so it won't fell off on her body.

And his deep blue eyes caught the sight of her back that was not covered by the open of her dress. And he slowly walked his way closer to her.

Tumayo siya sa likuran ni Cairo at saka niya marahan na hinawakan ang maliit na zipper na nakatago sa manipis na tela ng suot nitong dress. At saka niya iyun dahan-dahang hinila pataas.

"Thank you," ang sambit ni Cairo. She lifted her chin up and she was dumbfounded when their eyes met on the mirror infront of them.

"Me encantaria ser de gran ayuda," ang bulong niya. And he saw her lips quivered while their eyes were still locked on each other through the mirror.