Her Forgotten Husband (Completed)

Chapter 4

As the days passed by, Felicity found that the need to recall her own identity faded beside the need to discover the truth about her relationship with Conrado. Ang hirap lang paniwalaan na walang pagmamahal sa pagitan nila gayong kakaiba naman ang epekto sa kanya ng lalaki.

Matapos ang halik na yon sa hardin parang dumidistansya na sa kanya ang lalaki. But the touch of his lips on hers had overwhelmed her, feeling as if her body were beginning to melt in his heat. Ngunit sa halip na kumprontahin niya ito kung anuman ang totoo, kusa naman itong lumalayo sa kanya.

Oo, binalik nga nito sa kanya ang kanilang wedding ring, pero hindi naman nito sinabi na isuot niya ito. At night he slept in a room that adjoined her own, pero naka locked naman palagi ito. Siguro natatakot itong gagapangin niya. Ilang beses ring pinapakinggan ni Felicity ang katabing kwarto para magmanman sa mga aktibidadis ng lalaki. Ngunit wala naman siya makukuha kung may marinig man siya. She stared into the darkness, wondering how long she would be forced to live in this limbo - married and yet not married - with no past and future that she could imagine.

May natanggap naman siyang sulat galing kay Auntie Clara, pagkabukas niya sa envelope puro mga newspaper clippings ang laman nito. Isa sa captioned doon ay "Eleazar Deogracia, electronics genius". So sikat pala ang ama niya dahil sa nakikita niya sa mga newspaper clippings, ilang beses itong na feature sa mga pahayagan sa Pilipinas. Pero nadismaya siya nang mabasa niya ang isang artikulo tungkol sa kanya. Sabi pa doon sa isang artikulo na mahilig daw siya sa night life at madaling araw na daw siya kung umuwi. Bago pa raw siya na engaged ni Mike Randal kani-kanino raw siyang lalaki na nakitang nakipaghalikan. Sa gilid ng artikulo, larawan nga niya iyon kasama ang isang gwapong lalaki na may maamong mukha. Nakapulupot ang kamay ng lalaki sa beywang niya, as if he'd just won her in a lottery and feared that someone else might claim the prize. Nakangiti siya sa larawan pero hindi iyon umabot sa kanyang mga mata. Di ba isa yon sa mga pinakamasayang araw ng babae pag ma engaged siya sa taong mahal niya? Pero bakit hindi iyon ang nakikita niya sa larawan?

She was depressed at the view of herself that seemed to have emerged, a decorative socialite with no apparent purpose in life other than to dress expensively and have fun.

Nang makita niya si Conrado sa terasa na umiinom ng wine agad naman niya itong linapitan. Hindi nga ito naka hubad-baro pero sa suot nitong polo na nakabukas ang lahat ng butones parang natutuyoan yata siya ng laway. Nang magkaharap sila ni Conrado, hindi tuloy siya makapagpokus sa mukha nito dahil nadi-distract siya sa katawan ng lalaki. Sinabi naman niya kay Conrado ang lahat tungkol don sa mga nakita niya sa newspaper clippings.

"Do you feel that's the kind of person you are?" he asked.

"Hindi, hindi ako makapaniwalang ganon ang nakasanayan kong buhay noon." nakakunot-noo na saad niya. "Pero pano ko malalaman?"

Nagsalin ng wine si Conrado sa isa pang baso at binigay ito sa kanya. "Pano ko ba malalaman?" ulit na tanong niya.

"If you dislike that kind of person the chances are that you haven't let yourself get that way," he told her. "Trust your instincts, Felicity."

Gusto naman niyang sukatin ang reaksyon ni Conrado sa sagot niya. "My instinct says that I'm causing a public scandal in this part of the world." aniya pa.

He looked at her sharply. "Who says so?"

"Ah siyangapala, pumunta pala ako sa simbahan this afternoon, at may nabangga ako na isang pari. Nagulat nga siya ng makita ako eh, kilala ka raw niya."

"Ang sabi pa sakin ng pari, 'Conrado is a dear old soul, but a little conservative in his views', kaya ba palaging naka locked yong kwarto mo dahil sa sinabi ng pari na conservative ka raw?"

"If you decide to annul our marriage, it'll be as well that the door is known to be locked."

"Yan lang ba ang rason mo?" she asked slowly.

"What do you mean?"

Inabot naman niya kay Conrado ang kanyang baso. "Would you hold this for a moment?" she asked. He took it in his other hand, giving her a puzzled frown. She stood very close to him, looking up into his face. "I suppose I mean this." malumanay niyang wika.

She slipped her arm around his neck before he knew what she meant to do. He made an instinctive movement to push her away. Too late he discovered that his hands were occupied by the two glasses. He had no choice but to stand where he was.

Malaya namang tinitigan ni Felicity ang mukha ng lalaki. Saka hinawakan niya ang mukha nito, tracing his lips and discovering their firm shape. Napako ang lalaki sa kinatayuan nito lalo na nong ilapat niya ang mga labi sa mga labi ng lalaki. She savored him languorously, absorbing the tangy taste of dark maleness spiced with wine.

"Felicity..." he growled warningly when she paused for breath.

She slipped her tongue between his lips before he could close them and felt him tremble. She pressed her body closer to his and arched gently against him while her carresing hands and lips continued their discovery.

Naisip ni Felicity na ito yong oras na magigiba niya ang natitirang depensa ng lalaki. So she began to work on his shirt with nimble fingers. Huhubarin niya sana ang suot nito nang mapatanto niyang may hawak pala itong dalawang baso. Nagulat na lamang siya ng ihulog nito ang dalawang baso, tas bigla siyang kinabig nito sa batok at siniil ng halik.

Now he turned the tables on her, taking her hungrily and claiming for more. His mouth demanded and demanded. His movements were skilled, teasing and assaulting her equally. Kaya kusa na lamang siyang nagpatianod sa nakaliliyong halik ng lalaki.

When they both breathless he twined his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back so that he could look at her face. "You're being very reckless." he said harshly.

"I am reckless. When I want something. I want it, and I like you, kaya hindi ko napigilan ang aking sarili."

"That's obvious." anito.

She smiled. "Wag kang magalit sakin, huh? May gusto lang kasi akong malaman. Now I do."

"At ano naman ang gusto mong malaman?"

For answer she began to pull him close again, but this time he stopped her. "No." pigil nito. "No more risks tonight."

"Why so careful, Conrado? Ano bang kinakatakutan mo?"

"Ikaw." simpleng sagot nito.

"Gusto mo ako, di ba?"

"Yes," he said furiously. "I want you, but I've told you how things have to stay between us for the moment."

"Perhaps I have something to say about that."

"Tigilan mo na to, Felicity." saad pa nito. "You're playing with fire."

"I like fire. It's exciting."

"It also burns. I don't want you to get burned."

"Ako ba ang tinutukoy mo, o sarili mo?" paghamon niya.

Pero nanatili lang nakatitig sa kanya si Conrado. Reluctantly she drew herself out of his arms. "I'm sorry, nabasag tuloy ang mga baso mo." aniya, at yumuko siya para tingnan ang mga nabasag na baso sa sahig.

"Wag mo ng intindihin ang mga yan."

Napatango lang siya.

He buttoned his shirt right to the top with a gesture of finality. "Tara na maghapunan na tayo."

"Talaga bang ayaw mo ng makipaghalikan sakin?" she teased.

"Try to control yourself," nakangising saad nito. "Tandaan mo, hindi lang tayo ang nakatira sa bahay na to. May mga katulong ako rito."

Inilahad nito ang kanang kamay, and then she took his arm demurely.

Hindi na siya magtataka pa kung bakit naka locked palagi ang kwarto nitong nakakonekta sa kanya. Natatakot nga itong gapangin niya. At least alam na niya ngayon kung bakit.

*****