Pinagsoltada

89

"HINDI ka na nahiya. Daig mo pa ang patay-gutom kung lumamon kanina," palatak ni Olga kay Ernesto habang sinasamahan nito palabas ng arena o gamehouse ng mga Tenorio.

Ernesto just chuckled nervously. "What do you want from me?" Palipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa babae at sa kanilang dinadaanan. "What matters is that I did not forget my table manners, Madame Olga," lahad ni Ernesto ng mga braso sabay abang ng mga mata sa approval ng matanda.

"You should have seen how big your mouth was. And how fast you ate," pandidilat ng mga mata nito sa kaniya habang pantay ang tono ng boses na animo'y naiipit sa lalamunan nito.

Si Olga Chavez ay siyetenta 'y otso na at mas matalim ang tabas ng dila kumpara noong kabataan pa nito. Palibhasa, ni kamatayan ay hindi na nito kinatatakutan kaya buo ang loob nitong sabihin kung ano ang gustong sabihin. Ngunit kahit ganoon ay kasing talas ng dila nito ang utak. Ever since she was twenty-eight years old, she had been the sole owner of chains of two hotels and five restaurants businesses in Manila that she inherited from her parents that died too soon.

Olga might be strongly opinionated, but she never cared for others' opinions. She didn't mind if her hair was already white, she never dared to have them dyed at the bidding of her so-called kumares. She didn't care if she was so thin that she was almost skin and bones. She didn't care if her attire was so 90's inspired. She felt like wearing a navy blue pencil skirt with its color matching a long-sleeved blouse with yellow side buttons and black pointed shoes, so she would be wearing that while watching a cockfight derby. That's why to make Olga care was nothing short of a miracle. Because only a miracle or two could make her feel that way for something or someone, and those miracles rarely happen every now and then just like this instance with Ernesto Dela Fuente.

Nang malapit na sina Ernesto at Olga sa pinto ay pinagbuksan sila ng mga bantay na nakatayo sa magkabilang gilid nito. May dalawa pang bantay sa labas ng pinto na umusod nang malingonang palabas na sila.

Pagkalabas na pagkalabas nila ay sumalubong sa kanilang dadaanan si Vidal.

Pigil ni Ernesto ang paghinga nang makita ang matalim na pagsipat ng mga mata nito sa kaniya bago lumipat ang mga ito kay Olga. Nang nakilala ni Vidal ang ginang, napalitan ng gulat ang pagdududa sa mga mata nito.

"Madame Olga," maingat nitong wika, "what are you doing here?"

Olga turned to him. "I'm fine here. Thank you."

Nagpapaiwan na ba ito? "P-Pero Madame . . ."

He shot a glare at Vidal. Wala siyang tiwala sa lalaking ito. Baka kung ano ang sabihin o gawin nito kay Madame Olga kapag iniwan ang ginang na kasama ang anak ng alkalde.

"I'll wait for my driver here, Ernesto. And—" she gave Vidal ang meaningful look. "—I already have company here. So just go back in the arena and do your job."

Binigyan niya ng huling sulyap si Vidal bago nag-aalalang tumingin uli kay Olga. "Sige, Madame. Mag-iingat ho kayo sa biyahe."

"I know, I know," she waved a hand, shooing him while her dead-set eyes were focused on Vidal.

Ernesto wondered how Olga would explain her presence here in Masbate to Vidal. Sana ay huwag nito ipagsabi ang sikreto nila . . .

'Just have faith in her, Ernesto,' he thought as he walked back inside the gamehouse.

***

SAMANTALA, tinanaw muna ni Vidal si Ernesto. Nang tuluyan nang isinara ng mga bantay ang pinto ng gamehouse ay tumayo na ito sa tabi ni Madame Olga.

The old woman already pulled out her cell phone from the front pocket of her blouse. Tinawagan nito saglit ang driver bago ibinalik ang cell phone sa bulsa.