Buy Me

Finale

When could one honestly say that they truly loved someone? Ilang araw, buwan, taon ba ang kailangan para patunayan na nagmahal ka ng totoo?

The night was sweet in that part of the world. Malamig ang hangin na lumalaro sa kurtina, masarap sa taenga ang tunog ng dagat, at malambot ang kamang kinahihigaan ni Ella.

They were in a place half a globe away from Kote Wall. Dito sila sa resthouse na ito dinala ng misteryosong tauhan ni Constantine matapos ang napakalaking gulo sa Hotel Royal. It was odd, dahil ni-hindi raw naaalala ang mukha ni Constantine ang mukha ng taong tumulong sa kanilang tumakas. He was half-dead when he finally got the chance to stand face-to-face with the man. Gaano na nga ba katagal ulit nang huling rumampa sa entablado ang lalaki at mamamatay sa mata ng napakaraming tao?

Isang taon...

Ang tagal na rin pala...

"Umh..." Ella's voice was low when she stirred from her deep sleep. Hating gabi na at nanunuot sa suot niyang satin na pantulog ang giniginaw. That was something unusual. Her sleeps had always been warm for months. Nakakapanibago ang pakiramdam ng lamig na humahaplos sa kanyang balat.

With her eyes still closed, dahan-dahan niyang inunat ang kanyang braso para kapain ang tabi ng kanyang hinihigaan. Her fingertips gently ran over the softness of the bedsheet under her.

One inch...

Two...

Until...

'Sht!' Bigla ang naging pagbalikwas mula sa kama ni Ella nang wala siyang maramdamang katawan sa kanyang tabi. In an instant, her eyes were wide and sharp as she scanned the rest of the room.

Nawala agad ang kanyang antok at napalitan ng kaba. Quickly, she reached for the lampshade and turned it on. Kumalat ang malamlam na liwanag, habang takot na sinusuyod niya ng tingin ang buong kwarto.

Wala ang kanyang hinahanap sa couch na nakaharap sa napakalaking bintana. Wala ring ilaw ang private bathroom na ilang hakbang lang ang layo sa kinauupuan, at wala rin ito sa maliit na desk na nagsisilbing workstation nito bilang isang simpleng negosyante.

Kumakabog na ang puso ni Ella nang magdesisyon siyang bumaba sa kama at mabibilis ang hakbang na lumakad papunta sa pintuan. Natunton na ba sila ng grupong nagnais magtumba sa kanyang minamahal o kaya naman ay nang ama nito?

She was totally aware that Don Geronimo was now using all his powers to terminate the group that he thought had murdered his only son. May malaking gulong nangyayari sa Kote Wall—alam niya 'yon, pero hindi pa ito ang oras para magbalik sila sa lugar.

Her stomps were fast when she started checking on the rooms one by one. May tatlong kwarto sa ikalawang palapag at bawat mahawakan niyang pintuan ay lumalagabag dahil sa pwersa ng pagtulak niya roon.

'Diyos ko. Huwag...' Her mind began to beg when she opened the third bedroom, and she was welcomed by emptiness. Nangingig na ang kanyang mga kamay nang takbuhin ang hagdaanan pababa sa unang palapag ng munting tahanan. Memories of how she almost lost him a year ago were flooding her, making it difficult for her to breathe.

'Huwag Ninyo na po siyang kukunin sa'kin---'

"Constantine!" Malakas ang nahihintakutang pagsigaw ni Ella nang sa wakas ay marating ang glassdoor na humahati sa kanilang simpleng living room at maliit na teresa. She was huffing due to the sprint, bursting in sweat, and even trembling a bit when she lifted her head to the last part of that home, where she was expecting the brute to be. "Constantine--"

"Shhh... " It was the brute's gesture that made Ella freeze in her stance. Nilapat nito ang isang daliri sa mga labi nito oras na bumungad siya sa lugar. The man was marching back and forth around their wooden terrace like a mighty soldier. Pabalik-balik habang inuugoy sa braso nito ang isang batang lalaking nakabalot sa puting balabal.

Unlike how physically perfect he looked a year ago, the man tenderly kissing her baby's forehead had a huge scar on his left arm. Mahaba 'yon tulad ng iba pang mga peklat na iniwan ng pagsabog na naganap sa hotel noong isang taon. He matured a bit too. Nawala ang pagkamaloko ng aura nito na kinagiliwan ng lahat.

He was still undeniably beautiful. Pero kung noon ay mukha itong walang kapintasang anghel, ngayon ay naging mas mukha itong mandirigma dahil sa mga naging sugat nito. He was strong and strict-looking, except when he was cradling their child or smiling at her.

"I-I'm sorry. Akala ko--"

"Tulog na si Noah," he almost noiselessly whispered before walking towards her. The night wind was gently playing with his dark brown hair. There was fondness etched on his handsome face too, as the moonlight on that beach played shadows on his face. Ni-hindi matanggal-tanggal ang titig nito sa maliit na mukha ng anak nila, which, by the way, was growing up looking like the brute itself every single day. "Umiyak si baby kanina. Kaya hinele ko muna..."

"You know that you shouldn't be doing that yet, right? Nagpapagaling pa ang mga binti mo--"

"Mapipigil mo ba ako?" Constantine Alandy, or rather, "Constantine Urbano" now, looked at her and shook his head. "Believe me, Pea. Kahit malumpo ako, kung may iiyak sa inyong dalawa ni Noah, babangon at babangon ako kahit saan mo ko ilagay. Plus, I need to get my sht together. Hahanapin pa natin si Hamin di ba?"

That statement immediately flooded Ella with so much warmth. Alam naman niyang totoo ang sinasabi nito. Ilang beses na ba niyang napatunayan 'yon? It was always the brute who came first to their baby's room whenever Noah cried in the middle of the night or she needed something after she gave birth. Kahit pa nga nakasaklay ito noon ay nagawan nito ng paraan na imaneho ang kotse nila nang nagle-labor na siya. Sinisimulan na rin nito ang pagtulong sa tracing sa kanyang kapatid.

"Tigas ng ulo mo 'no, Mr. Urbano?" Dahan-dahan ay sinalubong niya ang lalaki para maingat na kunin ang munting anghel na nabuo dahil sa pagmamahalan nila.

"Hindi lang ulo ko matigas. May iba pa..." The brute gave her a lustful grin before scanning her with his heated glare, starting from her bare toes, to her exposed knees, then up to her mildly plump torso before ending on her exposed cleavage. Tapos noon ay nagkunwari itong umubo na tila may tinanggal na bara sa lalamunan. "Six months na si Noah...Pwede na sundan."

"Shut up--"

"Then make me." He playfully tilted his head without looking away from her eyes. Nanghahamon ang loko... "How would you shut your man up--"

"May isang bungkos na bente sa diaper drawer ng kwarto ni Baby at Nanay Pacing. Kapag nahanap mo..." she intentionally cut her words before sensually squeezing her legs together. Iniliyad niya rin ng konti ang kanyang dibdib, strategically giving the brute a little show when the strap of her negligee slipped from her shoulder and eventually exposed half of her creamy right breast.

"Pag nahanap mo... gamitin mo lahat---Hoy! Wag kang tumakbo. Constantine! Cons..." She laughed while shaking her head when the man bolted out of the terrace in a flash. Ni-hindi man lang nag-atubili o aksaya ng segundo ang loko nang malalaki ang mga hakbang na takbuhin ang kwarto ng kanilang anak.

"Oh my God, Noah..." she sighed before rolling her eyes. "Wala. Magiging kuya na yata agad. Kasalanan ni Daddy, okay?" Then she gently kissed their baby's forehead before walking after the only man she never expected to love as much.

'Thanks, Constantine... Thank you for loving me as much...' she contentedly smiled.