Neither of them said a word right after. They let their eyes do the talking because even then, they would not be able to hear a word. Their hearts were beating so loud it would have jumped off their chests.
Alden was the first to react, remembering that Maine's top was still on the floor. He picked it up and helped her into it. Maine tilted her head up slightly and gave him a quick kiss on his stubbled chin.
She got up to get herself some iced water. "Ako lang ba or talagang mainit dito?"
That question earned a hearty laugh from Alden. He motioned for her to sit right next to him, "Balik ka na rito. Sige na, dali."
"Ang clingy mo talaga, Tisoy."
"Hindi ah. Pero kasi we don't have all night, Meng. May C pa and O."
"Sus, akala mo naman makakalusot. Okay na. May I have the C, please?"
Alden stood up, prompting Maine to say, "Oh kita mo ang taong 'to. Pinaupo ako rito tapos iiwan din pala ako."
"Teka lang naman kasi. May kukunin lang po. Gusto mo na ng C, di ba? Eto na."
Alden returned to the couch with a box in hand, simply wrapped in yellow paper.
"Ano 'to?," Maine asked.
He simply shrugged and answered, "Open it."
Like a 5-year old kid on Christmas morning, Maine excitedly tore the wrapper and opened the box. When she peered inside, she saw two identical black cellphones-you know, the basic kind where you can do nothing else in it but call and text.
"One is for you and the other is for me. Consider these as our 'bat phones'. What I am giving you here, Maine, is Constancy. Only you will have the number to my phone," he says while holding his up.
"When this phone rings, I will drop everything I'm doing right at that very moment-as in EVERYTHING, Maine-and come to you. You have me, all of me, when you need me-24 hours a day, 7 days a week, sabihin mo lang. One call away nga, di ba?
I want you to know that what I have for you is enduring and unchanging.
Sa mundong punong-puno ng pagbabago, I AM CONSTANT."
