I Will Take Hold of You

Chapter Seventeen

That afternoon Paolo returned four times.

"Isa. Please, Paolo is suspicious of his last visit and I know he doesn't believe my reasons," the girl said in confusion.

"Please, Juana. I still don't want to talk to him no matter what you say..."

The door chime rang again at that moment. They looked at each other. Isa signaled no if it was Paolo. Juana is reluctant to leave the office.

"Thomas?" Juana glanced at the office. Isa's eyebrows met when she heard the name mentioned by Juana.

"What does he want, hmp!" And Isa came out of the office. "Hello, Thomas. What are you doing here? We have nothing to talk about, you know that, right?"

Juana just watched until Isa let Thomas out.

"I want to go home first, Juana," said Isa. "Take care of the shop. These men are pests! Thomas wants to talk to me and he will force me even if I don't want to," she picked up the bag and after leaving instructions she went out. Juana was left shaking her head.

Just an hour after she got home, Thomas came to their house. She could do nothing but talk to him again. In less than half an hour he also left.

The approaching Paolo even saw the departure of his car.

"Good afternoon, Godfather. Is Thomas the one I saw coming from here?" he asked while turning around. Looking for Isa.

"Yes, it's him. By the way, hijo. Sit down and I'll call Isa. She's upstairs in her room..."

"Just don't, Godfather. I'm sure she won't come down," the young man's voice showed anger. "I would like to ask your permission to go and talk to her upstairs..."


Nicholas smiled. "It's been a long time, Paolo. Make my daughter kiss you and make sure when you come down, you will tell me when you and your father will come here. I won't forgive you if you can't do that..."

Paolo stared at the old man for a moment before hesitantly going upstairs. Isa almost dropped the brush when she realized who had entered and closed the door again.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"What is Thomas doing here?" the young man also asked. "Is that why you've been avoiding me since yesterday because you two got back together?" his eyes were burning with anger.

"What do you care about me!" replied the girl. "I don't know why you're going all the way to the privacy of my room! It's too much..." she didn't finish what she had to say because Paolo violently grabbed her by the arm.

"And you're just playing with me, huh..." he said, his jaws chattering.

"And look who's talking..." answered the girl, meeting the anger in his eyes. If he is angry, she is even more so.

"What do you mean, huh?" he tightened his grip on her arm. Even though she was hurt, the girl did not complain. "And to think I almost believed that you love me!" his sarcastic language.

"And to think you almost made me believe you loved me!" she repeated what the young man said in a sarcastic voice as well.

"And why won't you believe it when that's the truth? I love you... have always loved you..." shouted the young man who was still holding her arm tightly.

Isa stopped struggling. Did she hear him right?

"W-what did you say?"

"Are you deaf? I said I love you, I love you and I've loved you for a long time!" he said with his voice slightly lowered although the anger was still there.

"Oh, yes. You love me, you truly love me, you've loved me for a long time, and yet you're marrying someone else..." Isa answered mockingly. "Just hide what you're saying, Paolo. I've been crying all night about your cheating on me. And I assure you it won't affect me anymore." And she took back the aching arm that the young man loosened his grip on.

"And who shall I marry aside from you, Isa?" he asked softly.

"Are we playing games here? Look, I'm tired and I want to rest, so please, get out!"

"Clarify what you're saying. Who do you know I'm going to marry?" that's a command.

"Marga, who else?" she shouted like a child.

Paolo's eyebrows rose. The anger completely disappeared from his face and voice. "And why should I marry my own sister?" he asked with a smile. "That's a heavy accusation, my darling!"

The girl was stunned. "S-sister? I-is Marga your sister?"

"Yes, sister... as in sister..." he laughed jokingly.

Isa was motionless for a moment from where she stood. Not knowing whether to laugh, cry or something. Then slowly sit back on the bed.

"I-I don't know what to say..."

"Start telling me why you told me to marry my own sister?" the young man asked still amused.

She said disjointedly what she heard in the shop yesterday. "I...I'm sorry, Paolo... when I heard that, I almost died," the girl couldn't stop sobbing. A combination of relief and shame was felt.

Paolo sat down next to her and gently hugged her to his chest. "The night we arrived, if you remember, Marga was waiting for me. She wanted me to talk to Dad about her plan to marry Alfonso because she knew Dad wouldn't agree to what they wanted..."

"This Alfonso is her boyfriend?"

"You've probably seen him. My senior mechanic in the shop. He's a good man, hardworking and responsible. Dad doesn't mind him, he just wants Marga to finish school first," he continued kissing her hand.

"Why didn't you tell me Marga is your sister?"

"I thought you knew. Ninong knew that Marga was my sister on the father's side. I was still in elementary school and my mother was sick. Her entire time was almost devoted to treatment. And I can't blame my father for turning to someone else," the young man stopped for a moment. Felt pity for his father. "Mother knew that but she did not move because my father had needs that she could no longer provide. The woman became pregnant and because she knew that father could not marry or live with her, she gave the child away to us."

"Where is Marga's mother now?"

"No one knows. Even so, Mother did not accept the child. Father has the right to betray, but she will not accept to let him bring home the result of that betrayal..."

Isa felt compassion for young Marga. "What happened?"

"Father took Marga to my aunt who was an old lady on the other side and she took care of and raised Marga. My aunt did not hide our relationship with the child. When mother died, my sister became free to come to the house. Dad wants her to live at home but my aunt is old and she needs Marga.

Marga also works in the shop. Part time when there is no school. She handles the financial aspects of the farm and shop. It's her desk in the first room. One more year and she's done schooling..." Paolo concluded.

"But you talked to your father to allow her and her boyfriend to marry?"

"On the contrary, I made a way for them not to rush and to my advantage."

"What do you mean?"

"I told her that if she gets married this year, my plan to marry the most beautiful person I've ever seen might be delayed. Marga is voting for you and she's very excited about the prospect of her being one of our bridesmaids. Considering that Juana would be the maid of honor and Miguel as bestman..."

The girl let out a long breath. "Oh, Paolo, I'm sorry for doubting you..."

"Answer my question earlier, why did Thomas come?" his voice is formal.

"He wants us to get back together. I forgave him but I can't accept him again even though I have in mind that I will lose you. I have no love for him, Paolo. I realized that when I met you."

Paolo gave the girl a quick kiss on the lips. "That's what I suspected from the beginning. Why else did you seem to be in a trance every time I looked at you? When Thomas announced about your marriage, I was still holding my breath. But when I looked at you, you're not happy and you're always glancing at me. I thought in those moments that you wanted to run and hug me more than him..."

"Oh, how did you guess? Was I really that obvious?"

"Oh, yes, darling. I see all that and feel it. And I thought that sooner or later you would tell Thomas that you don't love him. But the wind is blowing differently so I have to do something tha you doesn't go to him," he said smiling.

"How? What do you mean?"

"The car didn't really got broke time when I took you home. I did it on purpose to make him think badly of us... That's my last hope other than to kidnap you and never bring you home..."

"What if Thomas wasn't affected and believed that the car were truly broken?"

"One reason why we took another route. Miguel knows that but I'm sure he won't say it. If Thomas is losing it while I'm just your driver, how much more if we spend a few hours together until morning then give a very weak alibi considering that I'm a mechanic. And to add, he was already angry when we got home because I was still with you."

Isa suddenly became formal. Sit up straight and breathe deeply. "So, the kisses that we shared that night, my traje, were all part of the game... props to make your tricks look effective," she scolded.

"That is where you are wrong. I cannot even stay close to you without my body reacting to you. I have never wanted and loved anyone as much as I wanted and love you, darling..."

"And I love you, too..."

The young man's kiss crushed her. Passionate and demanding. At the same time, he gradually pulled her to lie down on the bed.

"P-Paolo... Papa might get in..." she worriedly said between kissing the young man.

"I locked the door when I entered. Besides, I won't be forgiven if I don't do what he said."

Whatever the girl wanted to say was completely drowned out by Paolo's kiss. His favorite driver who is also a mechanic.