J
I woke up to the smell of cooked food and brewed coffee. Bumangon ako and looked around the room. Wala namang bago. Kwarto pa din naman siya. Tinignan ko rin ang sarili ko and everything seems to be in place. Hindi naman nakatanggal ang shirt ko so for sure wala namang nangyari and I don't feel sore or anything. Natawa pa ko saka napakamot sa ulo. Nababaliw nanaman ata ako. I got up from bed and walked out of the bedroom as I tie my hair in a ponytail.
"Cause I can't help falling in love with you" I heard his familiar voice sing. Napangiti na agad ako pagkarinig pa lang sa kanya at mas lalong nasiyahan when I saw him bustling around the kitchen. Natawa pa ko when I saw him wearing my unicorn apron. Hindi ko nga alam saan niya nahagilap yun eh. "Take my hand take my whole life too..." he turned around from the gas range and stopped midtrack when he saw me sitting on the countertop.
"Good morning?" pigil-tawang sambit ko.
"Uh... Good morning?" aniya.
"Why did you stop singing? Okay naman ah."
"Eh. Nakakahiya." sabi niya sabay kamot ng ulo. Sumimangot ako saka siya natawa. "Cause I can't help falling in love with you... Good morning." he sang as he kissed me on my nose.
"Morning." I greeted him back. "Sobrang aga mo ata nagising?" tanong ko habang hinahawi ang buhok niya sa mata niya.
"Well, Rob called." aniya. Bumilis nanaman ang tibok ng puso ko the moment he said those words.
"Why? Did something happen? Ano daw? Kamusta si lolo? Elmo!"
"Hey! Calm down." aniya sabay hawak sa magkabilang pisngi ko. He kissed me lightly on the lips before he continued. "Lolo's fine. Napakain na ni Clarence kanina and he's doing okay. He just asked me kung anong oras tayo pupunta dun kasi kailangan niya umuwi to get changed."
"Ah. Ganun ba? Akala ko kasi something happened already." sabi ko. "Let's just bring the food there. Baka kailangan na umalis ni Rob dun."
"Nope. I told him na ihahatid muna kita sa office niyo tapos ako na muna sasama kay Clarence magbantay." sabi niya. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay but he just smiled. "Everything's set already, love. You'll go to work first and mamaya, sabay na kayo nila Maqui pupunta sa hospital. Wala naman akong pasok today since Dave called in sick and Franky and Alex are out of town with their family so the studio's closed for the day kaya naisip ko, ako na muna magbabantay kay lolo."
"Pero..." he gave me another peck on the lips and smiled. "Nakakarami ka na." banta ko saka pa siya pinanliitan ng mata.
"Ang kulit mo kasi. You need to be at the office today kasi Maqui texted me and told me na may client kayong immeet ngayon."
"Why is everyone talking to you and not me?" pagtataka ko.
"Kasi po, kapag ikaw ang tinawagan nila for sure hindi ka pupunta sa client meeting niyo, and hindi ka papayag na di pumunta sa hospital ngayon pa lang."
"I have to be there. Lolo needs me."
"And your company needs you too. Madami naman kaming magbabantay kay lolo today. And I'll call you every hour para balitaan ka about him."
"Promise?" sabi ko. He nodded and even showed me his pinky finger. We pinky promised at pagkatapos nun ay humalik nanaman siya. "Kota ka na talaga."
"Ikaw naman nilalambing lang eh." aniya. "Kain ka na okay? Aayusin ko lang mga gamit mo."
Before I can even stop him ay nandun na agad siya sa kwarto.
"Elmo, I've been fixing my things since I was in highschool. I think kaya ko pa rin naman siya hanggang ngayon."
