Her Dandelions

KABANATA 11

Sa sobrang tutok kong basahin ang lahat ng messages sa dalawang phone, hindi ko namalayang malalim na pala ang gabi. Maga na rin ang mga mata ko dahil sa short messages ng mga magulang ko. Natigilan ako sa pagbabasa dahil tumunog ang current phone ko.

"Sir? Napatawag ka." Tugon ko at napadungaw sa bintana. Medyo tahimik na ang paligid.

"Good evening to you too. I was just wondering, bakit wala ka kanina? I was looking for you."

Rinig ko ang boses ni Macky sa kabilang linya na mukhang pilit kinukuha ang phone sa Tito niya.

"There was an emergency, Sir. May I ask bakit mo ako hinahanap?"

"Emergency? You mean Reagan? The well, intimidating man who showed out of nowhere kanina sa gate?" Halos mabilaukan ako sa sarili kong laway sa sinabi niya kaya napaubo ako. Oo nga pala, nandoon rin siya kanina. I heard him release a small laugh.

"Napaisip lang ako..." He paused for a while, probably trying to construct an important sentence. May problema nanaman ba? Or baka naman umabot kay Dean? Well, makaka abot naman talaga dahil may signature niya ang gate pass ng bakulaw.

"Baka na miss mo kagwapohan ko."

Anak ng walang hiya. Akala ko kung anong importante na ang sasabihin niya. Kapal ah? Saan galing ang confidence?

"May bagyo ba? Ang lakas ata ng hangin a?"

He burst to laughter and his laugh was somehow contagious. I couldn't escape from laughing as well. Yet I stopped when I heard a scratching sound from my door.

"Sir, baka kabagin ka na. If you have nothing proper to say, I'll hang up now. I need to eat dinner."

I walked closer to the door and the scratching sound stopped. What was that?

"Gabi na a? Sige, pakabusog ka. I'll see you tomorrow."

I was about to hang up the call, but I heard Macky saying, "You said I'll talk to her, Tito? Why didn't you give me the phone?" But before I could speak again, the call ended. Weird.

There's a sudden sniffing sound from below my door. I guess it was my baby doggo. I groaned as I stretched my body, giving a crack sound from my bones. Suddenly, I remembered the spider. Did he go home safely? I didn't receive any new message from him and it's already past 10 pm.

I opened the door and I'm right, it was Spade 2 waiting for me. But he just licked my leg before going to his bed. "Good night my baby."

I tiptoed going out of my room to make sure Reagan wouldn't notice me if ever he's still here but wait, who am I kidding? Ano naman pala kung mapansin niya ako? Gosh, Rine! Anong nangyayari sayo? Saka bakit ka naman umaasa na nandito siya? As if he will wait for me. Gabi na and he is as busy as I am.

Tahimik ang buong condo. Umalis na nga siya. Taong yun, wala man lang paalam. Yet for some reason, I don't feel alone at all. It was as if his presence lingered.

Napailing na lang ako at naglakad papuntang kitchen dahil biglang nag alboroto ang tiyan kong kanina pa siguro nagugutom.

Tinutoo niya ka't nagluto siya ng dinner. Puno na rin ang fridge at pantry ko. Limang oras pala akong nakakulong sa kwarto.

"Gosh, I missed this." Hindi ko napigilang ibulong sa hangin habang ngumunguya ng huling subo ng niluto niya. Sobrang naparami ata ang kain ko ngayong gabi. I missed home cooked food. Well, I missed his dishes. Bakit niya ba kasi ako sinanay? Not healthy, Reagan Spade.

"Just tell me to come back to you and I will in just a blink."

Halos mabato ko ang plato sa taong biglang nagsalita sa gilid ko. Nakadungaw siya sa pinakagilid ng counter at nakapatong ang ulo sa isang kamay niya na para bang kanina pa ako pinapanood. Kanina pa ba? Sobrang focus ko ata sa pagkain ko at hindi ko siya napansin.