Yours Forever (COMPLETED)

Forever 25

Nagpaalam saglit si Kerry Anne para pumunta sa kusina. She needs to do the dishes. Sila na lang ang naiwan sa baba. Umakyat na si Tita Judith. Nagpaalam ito kanina na magpapahinga na. Pati si Menard ay kailangan na ring matulog. Dahil walang magawa si Alden ay sinundan na lang niya si Kerry Anne sa kusina.

"Hi." Alden uttered huskily. It was almost a whisper. Nabigla si Kerry Anne na biglang napalingon mula sa paghuhugas nito ng mga plato. "Sorry. Did I startle you?"

Umiling lang ang babae. Saka muli nitong itinuloy ang paghuhugas. Hindi maintindihan ni Alden kung bakit kanina pa ito tahimik. Mula pa kanina ay wala pa itong kahit isang salita na pinakawalan. It was him, Menard and Tita Judith who carried on with the conversation a while ago. Tumango-tango lang ito at tila walang balak na makisali sa kung anumang usapan nila.

Ngayong dalawa na lang sila ay hindi siya papayag na hindi siya kakausapin ni Kerry Anne. Tumikhim siya at lunapit sa sink. "Care to give you a hand?"

Tiningnan lamang siya ni Kerry Anne at ipinagpatuloy lang ang ginagawa. Napilitan niyang kinuha ang detergent at nagtimpla ng pansabon para sa mga plato. Nagulat ang babae sa kanyang ginawa kaya napatingin ito sa kanya. He just smiled and met her eyes. "I can do this don't worry."

Hindi sumagot si Kerry Anne bagkus ay ipinagpatuloy lang ang paghuhugas. Kinuha niya ang natapos nitong hugasan at sinimulang magsabon. He let Kerry Anne do her stuff but he managed to start a conversation. "You know what, my wife and I used to do this stuffs."

Tumigil si Kerry Anne sa ginagawa nito. Hindi siya nito tiningnan pero nararamdaman niyang concern na nanggaling dito.

"I am sorry." she uttered softly. Alden almost did not hear her very soft voice.

He let out a very brief laugh. "No need to say sorry Kerry Anne. Natanggap ko na rin naman."

Muli itong natahimik. Natapos na rin siya sa pagsasabon. Babanlawan na lang nila ang mga pinggan. Walang sinabi si Kerry Anne pero ito na ang kusang nagbanlaw ng mga hugasin siya naman ay naghugas ang kamay. Kumuha siya ng dish cloth at kusang nagpunas ng mga plato. He is smiling while doing it. Talagang ganito ang ginagawa nila noon ni Maine.

Hanggang sa matapos sila ni Kerry Anne sa paghuhugas ay nanatiling tahimik ang babae. Nagbalik sila sa sala pero hindi pa rin ito umiimik. Hindi man lang niya kayang pakibagayan ang kawalan nito ng masabi. Napansin niyang tila nahihiya sa kanyang babae kanina pa.

Nagtanggal siya ng bara sa lalamunan. "Ahm, can we talk about you and Harry now? Ako ang naging topic natin kanina habang meron pa ang Tita Judith. Well, atleast if we could talk about you and your husband."

Tinitigan lang siya ni Kerry Anne. Wala talaga itong balak na sagutin siya. O wala talaga itong balak na makipag-usap sa kanya.

"Ok. I am sorry." mabilis niyang bawi sa pangingialam niya sa buhay ng mga ito.

"It is fine." Kerry Anne answered with some sort of guilt in her voice. "I should be the one who is saying that. Kanina pa ako tahimik. I am sorry."

"No, it is ok. Maybe you have some reasons why you do not want to talk to me." Sinalubong niya ang titig ni Kerry Anne. Ang babae lang din ang naunang nagbawi tingin. He earned another smile for what she did.

"There is no reason why would someone doesn't talk to a person like you Mr. Richards. It is my plain immaturity and silliness."

"Alden, Kerry Anne. Please do call me Alden. And you are not immature nor silly."

This time, Kerry Anne let out a faint smile. At least she did. And the room suddenly light up. "You have a very sweet smile Kerry. You should do that more often."

"You are a beautiful sould Alden." she said. That was the first sincere compliment he ever received from her. "Your wife must be very blessed and lucky to have someone like you."

"No." kontra niya sa babae. "I am very lucky that Maine became my wife. Just as Harry for having you."

"About this daughter of yours." mataktikang wika ni Kerry Anne. Iniiwasan nitong pag-usapan nila ang tungkol sa mga ito ni Harry. "How old is she again?"

"She's twenty."

"It must be very hard for her to lost her mother at a very young age."

"Yeah. But Charmaine is very understandable. She took the place of my wife at a very young age. If it was not for her, baka nakapag-asawa na ako ng iba."

"That was a a very brave stand for a young girl. Maybe she did not allow you to date other women." Kerry chuckled. It reached his ear like a very encouraging music. It turned him on in an instant.

"Sinabi mo ba. She even confronted every woman na nakikita niyang kasama ko. Talagang binabantayan niya ako na parang ako ang anak niya." Natawa din si Alden habang inaalala niya ang kanyang anak.

"I really wanted to meet her."

"You will get along well for sure." Aldean responded. He is imagining how would her daughter react when she will meet her mother's doppelganger. He could not wait for that moment to happen.

Natutuwa si Alden at nakuha niya ang tiwala ni Kerry Anne. Unti-unti ay napapanatanag na ang loob nito na makipagkuwentuhan o makipag-usap sa kanya. Tuluyan niyang natanggal ang malakas na barrier na nakapagitan sa kanila kanina. She freely allowed herself to be with him. And he was never this happier after some long nine years.

Time and sleep became their enemy. It was already late when he needed to say his goodnight and goodbye. Kailangan niyang bumalik sa kabila. Kerry Anne walked him to the door.

"Good night Kerry Anne. It was nice talking to you tonight."

Kerry Anne let out a small smile. Her lips move in way that Alden perceived as erotic. He could not grip his control. He bowed down and claimed her lips in a hot and passionate kiss. 

Sorry, iisang chapter lang ngayon. This is all I've got...