Splitting Hairs

Twenty One

We went straight home. Naiinis ako sa sarili ko. Akalain ko bang hindi ko matiis and 'dyablong' si Julian? I could have gone straight to a reporter or to any journalist. Pero hindi ko ginawa. It was one hell of a secret. Uncle Jin was his dad. And the one he grew up with was really his uncle. Ang gulo no? Kasing gulo ng utak ni Julian. Kaya nga ba mas close siya sa Uncle Jin niya? Kaya nga ba... nag-divorce ang parents niya?

If this secret would spill out, for sure he would blame himself for the separation.

I smiled mischievously. Kaya tatanawin niya sa 'kin itong isang malaking utang na loob.

He sighed exaggeratedly. "Baliw ka na ba?" He said drily while looking at me in disgust. Tandaan mo Jeannie may malaking utang na loob siya sa 'yo. Well, he might not know yet, but he'd thank you later.

"May utang na loob ka sa 'kin."

Umiling-iling ito. Parang sinasabing 'nasiraan na nga talaga'. If he'd only known. And because I wasn't that bad, I hoped God and St. Peter was looking right down at me—us. Eh, 'di one ganda... okay, one baet point na 'ko.

Bumaba na kami ng sasakyan. And because he was very much a gentleman. He didn't even bother to open the door for me. I fell in step beside him. Parang hindi niya napapansin na kasama niya 'ko. Ever since that phone call earlier. Na hindi ko man lang alam kung sino.

Later that night I went to sleep early. Julian was in the study room fussing over documents. Hindi ko na siya pinakialamanan. Nagsusungit na naman.

I couldn't breathe a little. Parang may nakadagan sa katawan ko. Half of my body was covered by... somebody. I sighed pleasurably. The hands tightened around my midsection. In my dreamy state, I snuggled closer. Masarap palang matulog ng may katabi.

Katabi!

Then it clearly dawned on me. Somebody was sleeping beside me! My eyes grew wide. I almost screamed. Ni-lock ko 'yung pinto kanina. And... and... Julian never slept with me.

Madilim. The man's breath was fanning my cheek.

I started pushing. Pinipilit nitong pigilan ang mga kamay ko. Then I pushed him hard.

"Sleep." One word uttered. Pero utos pa rin.

"You scared me..." inis na bulong ko. Balewalang dumagan ulit siya sa 'kin! Na parang bata. Ano ba. Didn't he know that he was way bigger than me? He covered half of my body. My chest was flattened against his. Ang ulo nito ay parang batang isiniksik sa leeg ko. A person seemed vulnerable when asleep.

"Why are you in my room?" Bulong ko.

"Julian..." ungot ko. Niyugyog ko 'yung balikat niya. Naghilik siya. Niyugyog ko ulit. Lalo niyang nilakasan 'yung paghilik. Ah, ganon.

"Alam mo ba Julian na nakakainis ka? Nawala na 'yung antok ko dahil sa—"

He covered my mouth!

Inis na tinatanggal ko iyon.

"Yuck."

"Excuse me?"

"Bad breath."

Ang KAPAL! Mabilis na itinapat ko ang palad sa bibig at bumuga buga. Hindi naman ah. I heard him chuckle. Nakiliti ako sa paghinga niya sa leeg ko. Seconds later, he was fast asleep. Mabaho ba 'ko? For the first time. Hindi man lang ako pinagtangkaan ni Julian.

I tenderly caressed his hair. Maybe... Julian needed some loving after all. This might be heaven.

***

Hell. He wasn't talking to me the whole day! I woke up with the empty side of the bed. Inamoy amoy ko pa man din 'yung unan na hinigan niya! Tapos 'pagdating ng breakfast hindi ako papansinin? Grabe. Bipolar ata ito. Then he went to work. No phone calls. He came back late that night.

I was going crazy with boredom.

"Julian san ka kumain?"

He shrugged. Dirediretso sa study room niya. Gigil na sinundan ko siya. Inumang ko 'yung kamao ko sa likod niya tapos humarap siya. I smiled sweetly.

"Leave me alone."

Three words. My God.

"Tinatanong lang naman kita. Bakit ba ang sungit sungit mo—"

He slammed the door in my face! I was so shocked. Nakalimutan ba niya? He cuddled with me last night! I thought we were okay? Ngayon ko napatunayang maraming nadidisgrasya sa akala. I angrily swung the door loud enough. My eyes slowly widened...

He was gloriously buck-naked.

I covered my eyes with my hand. With gaps between my fingers.

Unfortunately, arhm scratch that, luckily his back was turned to me. He wore his underwear not a whit about me ogling—standing there. Hello? Hindi ko kaya nakita! Wala kaya akong nakita. But my, wasn't that my weakness? Men with nice rounded butts.

Then I looked over my shoulder. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. 'Yung isa naming maid nakatayo din! Promise, her eyes were big and even her mouth was a big O. Lapastangan!

Tinitigan ko siya ng masama.

"Ah, napadaan lang ma'am." Sabay biglang takbo. Hawak pa 'yung walis. Parang balewalang naglakad siya papunta sa closet. Sige magpanggap kang wala ako dito. Gigil kong sabi. I closed the door shut in effect.

"Nice butt."

"I know."

I rolled my eyes ceilingward. "What are you doing?" I frowned when he started putting his clothes in a traveling bag. Traveling. Travel. Aalis. "May pupuntahan tayo?" Umupo ako sa gilid ng kama. Hindi niya ako pinansin. Basta lagay lang siya ng lagay ng gamit. He put on a shirt and his rugged jeans. He could really be attractive and sexy without trying.

"Julian!"

"Oo Jeannie narinig kita. Aalis tayo Jeannie." Sabi ko sa sarili ko at ginawa pang puppet na nagsasalita ang kamay ko.

"I'm going to Las Vegas for a business trip. A week."

"Tayo?"

Nagmamadaling tinignan pa nito ang wristwatch. Parang hindi gumagana 'yung utak ko. He was going away. For a week! Na hindi man lang ako kasama? Ang galing.

CM was waiting for me downstairs. Nagulat ako. He even smiled at me. Anong ginagawa nito dito? Julian put his luggage in the compartment without a word to me. "Your hubby called me. Samahan daw muna kita." CM said from behind. So planado ito? Ganon ba?

"Why didn't you tell me?" Galit kong harap sa kanya. He studied his nails. "Kung ako lang Jeannie mas gusto kong maiwan kasama 'yung asawa mo."

"Kung ako lang din CM mas gusto kong maiwan kasama ng asawa ko!"

Mabilis na sumakay ako ng sasakyan. We were all quiet. One week. One-week kong hindi makikita si Julian? Argh. Okay lang 'yun! Mabuti nga 'yun. Nobody would torment me. No one would shout at me. I One more week of not abiding that damned contract.

THE HELL I CARE!

"Jeannie!"

"Ano?!" Galit kong harap kay Julian.

Para akong robot. I didn't even notice that we were already inside the airport. At saka lang ito ngumisi sa 'kin. He moved toward me. Abnormal ata talaga ito. One minute he wasn't talking to me. At ngayon, ngigitian niya ako na parang siraulo?

Pinisil niya 'yung baba ko. I couldn't say anything. Naiinis ako sa kanya! Kahit 'wag na siyang bumalik.

I pouted. Oh, 'di ba kapag naka-pout nanunulis 'yung lips? Hindi man lang makaramdam! Tapos nakita ko sa likod si CM. He was mouthing: "Kiss." He even demonstrated with his hands. Kinilig pa ang bruha.

"dangsin-ibogo sip-eulgeoya"

I'll miss you.

I was a little absorbed with my emotions. Tapos tinalikuran niya na 'ko. I was trying hard not to look at his back while walking away. Ang O. A. ko. Wala naman talaga akong pakialam. Mabobored lang siguro ako kaya ako nagkakaganito. Wala na 'kong yayamutin. Teka. Parang baligtad? Whatever.

"Anong sinabi niya?"

I stared blankly at CM. Oo nga. Anong sinabi niya? Hindi kaya minura ako ni Julian?