Learn to Love Again

What's Mine and Yours

Gerald entered their bedroom and found Sarah on the bed… sleeping. He just came from Cassie’s room to tuck her in – a request the little girl made. He carefully closed the door and walked to his side of the bed. As soon as he was under the covers, she inched towards him and draped an arm on his chest.

“Tulog na si Cassie?” she asked with closed eyes.

“Oo Ma. Tulog ka na rin. I’m sure pagod pa ka sa byahe.”

“Good night Da. It feels nice to be beside you again.”

“I love you,” he replied. He reached for the switch of the lamp beside the bed then kissed her head. He closed his eyes and conditioned himself to sleep as well. But then her hand, which was resting in his chest, started moving.

“Da?”

“Ma?”

“Were you able to talk to our HR about us getting married in the US?” she asked.

“Yeah, I told them already. They just need a copy of marriage contract. Why?”

“So, will I start using your surname?”

“You should.”

“Okay. I’ll have our IT change my email account when I go back to work.”

“Good.”

“Da, have you talked to the lawyer about Cassie’s adoption?”

“Yes but we’ll have to meet up with her next week.”

“Good. Da?”

“Ma?”

“Tulog na ba talaga si Cassie?”

“Yeah. I made sure before I left her room.”

“Thank you for looking after us,” she sweetly said.

“No need to thank me Ma.”

A few seconds of silence followed. Just when he thought she was finished with all her question, she lifted her head up and rested her chin on his chest. “Da? Are you still holding that thought?”

He smiled at her. “It never left my mind.”

This response was all it took for that heat to come surface again.  And that heat lasted all night long.

********

“Siiiiiiiis!” Jessy shrieked from the other end of the line when Sarah answered her mobile phone.

“Grabe sis, nabingi ako dun ah. Anong oras na ba? Ang aga mo naman ‘atang napatawag.”

“Tulog pa kayo?”

“Oo. Tulog na tulog pa itong asawa ko o.”

“Ayiiiii! Asawa na ang tawag n’ya. Pero teka, ibig sabihin magkatabi pa kayo sa kama?”

“Hoy Christy Fermin, umiral na naman ‘yang pagiging usisera mo.”

Gerald made a slight movement but was still very much asleep. She decided to just go to the bathroom so as not to wake him up. She slowly and carefully stood up while holding her mobile phone to her ear.

“So  ano nga?” Jessy asked again.

She took a peek at him before closing the bathroom door. “Ikaw talaga chismosa. Nasa banyo na ako ngayon at baka magising s’ya.”

“So katabi mo pa nga s’ya kanina?”

“Syempre. Magkatabi kami natulog dahil asawa ko na s’ya di ba?”