Buy Me

CHAPTER 46

It was hard to think of Constantine in the same way. Ella had never thought of him as multi-layered as he was. And the more she dove into him, the more she realized he was right all along—hindi niya nga ito kilala.

For a start, she wasn't expecting to see him enjoy such a simple dinner inside a shabby wooden house. Alangan ang aristokratong itsura ni Constantine nang dumulog ito sa hapag at magsimulang kumain. Daing, kamatis, hilaw na mangga, at bagoong ang hinanda ng matanda sa kanila, at kahit sa hinagap ay hindi niya inaasahang makita ang binata na kumakain ng mga ganoon.

Next was seeing Constantine be genuinely sweet and polite to someone like his Nanay Pacing, who barely has anything. It was given that his career as a public figure somewhat molded him to be a crowd-pleaser, but then the way he cared for the old lady was very unscripted. Napakanatural nito sa matandang na kalaunan ay nalaman niyang personal nanny pala nito noong kabataan nito.

He was literally almost like a prince. At habang lumalalim ang gabi at naririnig niya ang kamustahan ng dalawa, ay mas lumilinaw din ang agwat ng estado nila sa buhay ng binata.

'Dang it. Will the surprises ever stop--'

"Sumama ka na kaya sa'min ng asawa ko sa penthouse pagbalik namin, 'Nay?"

Nasamid si Ella nang mula sa kung saan ay putulin ng tanong ni Constantine ang kanyang iniisip. Maghahating gabi na noon at katatapos lang nilang maghapunan. They were sitting next to each other before the table, with the old woman sitting across them.

Tuloy pa rin siya sa pag-ubo nang madama niya ang paglapat ng palad ng lalaki sa kaniyang likod. He instinctively rubbed her back until she was back to breathing evenly. "Love, ayos ka lang ba?"

Ella tried to say 'no' but didn't find her voice. Oddly, napatango na lang siya nang magkatinginan sila at may pag-aalalang suklayin nito ang kanyang buhok. Hindi ito ang unang beses na narinig niya ang binatang tawagin siyang 'asawa' nito sa harap ng ibang tao. However, the effect was still the same: nakakagulat, nakakatakot, at may kakaibang init.

"Sigurado ka?" said the brute while furrowing his eyebrows. He was still unconvinced that she was okay as he continued to caress her back.

"Yep. Ayos lang ako." It took her complete four seconds to get herself back together. Pagkatapos ay umakma siyang tatayo mula sa bangko para sana ligpitin ang kinainan nila at makalayo rito, pero pinigilan naman siya ni Constantine. "Stay seated. Ako na riyan."

Her jaw locked when the brute started cleaning the table. Daig niya pa ang prinsesang pinagsisilbihan nito, pero mukhang hindi naman na bago sa matanda ang ginagawa ni Constantine. Did she misjudge him again when he first thought that he was nothing but a rotten brat? Parang...

Papunta na ito sa simpleng lababo ng kubo nang lumakad naman si Nanay Pacing papasok sa mga kuwarto ng maliit na bahay. Ilang minuto rin ang lumipas bago lumabas ulit ang matanda na may dalang ilang pirasong unan at kumot.

"Hindi ka ba nalulungkot na nag-iisa ka rito, 'Nay?" It was Constantine who broke the brief silence that occupied the house. Patamad itong sumandal sa kawayang lababo habang sinusundan ng tingin ang matandang papunta sa kabilang pinto. Just like how he had always been since they got there, bakas pa rin sa mukha nito ang pag-aalala habang sinusuyod ng tingin ang loob ng bahay. "Sama ka na lang sa 'min. Gusto ko paglabas ni Baby, ikaw ulit mag-alaga para Lola Pacing ka na."

"Magtigil ka at alam mong ikakagalit ng Papa mo 'yan." Umasim ang mukha ng matanda na tila may naalalang hindi maganda. Sa kabilalng-dako, napakunot naman ng noo si Ella nang may pagtatakang mapatingin dito. "Malaki ang galit ng Don sa akin. Buti nga at pinayagan pa akong tumira rito sa loob ng Hacienda."