Francine avoided her husband that whole day and the next. Buti na lang at may mga bisita sa birthday ng abuelo nito na naging maaga ang dating to talk business with him and his grandfather.
After what she did, ang muntikan nang pag-ngawa sa harap ng asawa at ang talagang pag-amin niya na yes, she was really trying to seduce him, wala na siyang mukhang maihaharap dito so she did her best to dodge him and the visitors greatly helped.
Hindi din siya natulog sa kwarto nila nang gabing iyon and opted to stay bolted inside the entertainment room. Hindi naman kasi niya pwede basta-basta gamitin ang mga guest rooms sa mansion dahil bukod sa may mga bisita ang lolo ni Dominic na mag-i-stay-over pagkatapos ng birthday celebration nito, pihong malalaman din ng lolo nito na hindi siya natutulog sa kwarto nilang mag-asawa and ask questions she didn't have the strength to answer.
As the mansion buzzed with activity sa birthday ng patriarch ng Piero family, Francine made herself scarce. Buti na lang at may maliit na cottage sa malayong bahagi ng mansion. Doon nga niya planong matulog kinagabihan because she knew the entertainment room would not be spared sa party that night. She already secretly brought her small bag of clothes and toiletries doon.
Gustuhin man niyang tanungin ang mga katulong kung kanino o para ano ang kubo'ng iyon, natatakot naman siyang malaman ng mga ito ang plano niyang pagtulog doon. Kaya nagmasid na lang siya kung may gagamit noon with bated breath. Ngunit nang maghapon na't wala naman nagawi sa kubo, nakahinga siya nang maluwang. She had a place to sleep that night and that was enough for her.
The party was scheduled at 7 PM and Francine debated with herself kung ano ang pinakamabuting oras para mag-ayos sa party without having have to encounter Dominic inside the room they shared. She opted for an earlier time sa isiping late naman kung nagbibihis si Dominic kung may mga parties. Mag-aayos na siya nang maaga at ipupuslit na lang niya ang damit na susuotin sa kubo'ng planong tutulugan para doon na lang magbihis. Then she'd slip herself in the party with minor interactions with Dominic.
Napabuntunhininga si Francine sa mga isipin. She had the whole night figured out but it was still a long time away before they move to Manila. At hindi niya alam kung kaya pa ba niyang makasama si Dominic sa iisang silid acting like nothing happened, like being seen next to naked was okay, like hearing him say those words didn't break her heart to tiny more pieces.
By 3:30 PM, she made her way tungo sa silid nilang "mag-asawa" pero nang buksan niya ang pinto, bumungad sa kanya ang malapad at maskuladong likod ng kanyang asawa. He was facing the windows, mukhang malalim ang iniisip, at it was too late to back away nang bahagya siya nitong nilingon. He must have sensed the door opening.
Mag-aayos lang ako and . . . well, I'll leave you alone. Sorry sa disturbo, she said in a hushed tone and immediately slipped in the walk-in closet.
She closed the closet's door calmly, the act a far cry from the turbulence happening inside her. Ang bilis ng tahip ng dibdib niya and she was angry at herself for that.
Why, oh, why do you have this effect on me??! desperadong tanong niya sa sarili. Kung pwede lang sanang turuan ang puso niya . . . kung pwede lang sana'ng mabaling sa iba ang pagmamahal niya rito . . . but sadly, no one noticed her. Only Dom. And that same man who cherished and doted on her growing up, that same man was hurting her now.
Pathetic.
Hindi ka na lang sana naging parte ng buhay ko, Dominic Piero, naiiyak na bulong niya sa sarili habang hinihimas-himas ang naninikip na dibdib.
Take that back . . . hearing his rough rasp so close to her ear jolted Francine back to reality, the delicious reality of standing so close to the man of her deepest dreams she felt his warmth and the hard planes of his body so near, so near her trembling yet sensitized skin. Then, his right hand enclosed the one she used to rub her chest, just above her pain-filled yet hoping heart.
Francine . . . he said her name as if in great pain and hearing that, napapikit si Francine.
I never thought being married to me would be a pain to you, Dom. Magkaibigan tayo noon, may pinagsamahan tayo kahit pa nga siguro hindi naman importante iyon with the way you left na walang paalam. And I'm so sorry for agreeing to this. There was no one else for me . . . pagak siyang napatawa. Ang desperada ko, ano? Sige lang, madali lang naman lumipas ang three months. When we're in Manila, you can do whatever you want. Then, in time . . . we could get annulled ---
As if in a flash, natagpuan na lang ni Francine ang sariling labi subjected to Dominic's sweet assault, being kissed hungrily. And his kisses were rousing up the same intense hunger in her.
