Arabella's Game

Chapter 19: Her Pains

San Francisco, US

After hours of driving nasa condominium na siya ng Ate Bea niya. Ginabi siya ng byahe. He knocked on the door but nobody answered. He turned the knob and the door opened. Nakalimutan ba ng Ate niyang i-lock ang pinto?

“Ate Bei?” tawag nito. He was walking towards the room. Pumasok siya sa kwarto. “Ate?”

“Curtie?”

Napalingon si Curtis. Nadatnan niya si Arabella kakalabas lang ng bathroom. Magangmaga ang mga mata at namumutla. Wala yatang tulog ng ilang araw.

“Aja? What happened to you?” nilapitan niya ito.

“Pagod lang ako. What are you doing here?”

“I’m supposed to ask you that. Condo ni Ate Bea to,”

“She made me stay here for a week now,” she then bursted out in tears. Nanlumo si Arabella. Walang magawa si Curtis kundi lapitan siya.

“Aja, what’s wrong?” nag-aalalang tanong nito.

Wala itong isinagot but instead she hugged him. He went out of balance and they both fall onto the bed. She’s crying so hard that he cannot understand why.

“Talk to me Aja,” pakiusap nito.

“Please not her,” wika nito sa pagitan ng mga hikbi. “Stay with me Curtie. I beg you,”

“Yñigo needs me back in Forida. Kaylangan ako ng anak mo. Why not come with me instead,”

“I cannot leave yet. Sana patawarin ako ng anak ko,”

“Punan mo ang mga pagkukulang mo sa kanya Aja before it’s too late,”

“On the right time, Curtie,” she pushed her head to his side. She feels safe having him around. Hanggang sa nakatulog na nga si Arabella.

He can smell her hair. He’s observing her totality. Each part of her he misses so much. It’s been a long time since the last time he had her on his arms. He cannot help himself but to kiss her. Even just on her forehead. He stole a kiss from her down to her cheek to her neck down to her collar bone then up to her cheek to the side of her lips. She moved and that made him kiss her on her lips. Natigilan siya. Ninakawan niya ito ng halik. Their faces were a strand of a hair close. She opens her eyes looking at him straightly. She layed her lips on his as she closed her eyes. She savored his every breath. Di akalain ni Curtis na gagawin yun ni Arabella at siya naman ay nagpapatangay sa bugso. She’s a married woman, he’s an engaged man but he can’t stop himself having her in his arms. She’s his weakness. Bahala na si Batman basta nasa piling niya si Arabella ngayon.

Between those kisses she uttered the words he never expected. “I love you,” he stopped kissing her.

Napamulat ng mata si Arabella, “Curtis,”

“I know who’s that for but I don’t care at all,” saka hinila niya ito at hinalikan. He kissed her passionately like he’ll never let her go again. Di niya alam kung bakit nasasabik siya dito, like she was his from the very beginning. Maraming bagay-bagay ang pumapasok sa isip ni Curtis. ‘Is this just lust? Is this just the outcome of seeing her again after a long time?’ Walang maisagot ang isip niya but his heart knows why pero ayaw niyang pakinggan kung ano ito. He doesn’t care whether it’s a mistake. It’s a mistake he’s willing to take even to dig his own grave to hell. It’s Arabella for Pete’s sake! Ilang beses na niya ba itong pinakawalan?

They had each other the whole night. She was his. He was hers. It’s their moment.

Morning comes she was still in bed. Nagbabawi ng tulog na pinalagpas. He get up from bed, took a shower and he’s ready to leave. Pipihitin na niya ang doorknob ng biglang bumangon ng higaan si Arabella.

“Leaving me Curtis?” malamig na boses ang lumalabas sa mga labi ni Arabella.

“Hope this won’t reach to your husband and my fiancée,” napasandal na lamang si Curtis sa dingding. “Damn! Hindi ko dapat ginawa to,”

“You regret? I don’t Curtis,”

“Arabella, ikakasal na ako,”

“I don’t take that shit! Eh di pakasalan mo! Di naman problema ‘yon ah,” nanginginig na si Arabella habang nakikipagsagutan kay Curtis.

“Calm down,”

“You called me Arabella and you tell me to come down? You never did that…ever!”

“Mas big deal pa ba sa’yo na tinawag kita no’n? What about what we did?”

“Is it a big deal? That’s so you Curtis! Just don’t count me as one of your over the counter sluts and I am ok,” she jumped off the bed and went into the bathroom.

On his way back to Florida he called his sister, “Ate, ano bang problema mo? Why did you do that? Pinaglalaruan mo lang kami!”

“Relax, CS. She needs you at this moment at wala ng iba,”

“I don’t care. I am trying to have my own life now. Papakasalan ko si Natalie, Ate. Responsibilidad ni Nico si Aja and not mine,”

“Just do things that won’t make you regret, CS. Bye,” at nawala na sa linya ang ate niya.