Phases of Us

Sei

Phase III involves resistance and gradually regaining his scapular strength and stability.   Maine gives RJ dumbbells in increasing weights for lifting his injured arm up from the floor in varying angles while lying face down on the treatment table.  Maine realizes one very important fact during this phase: She enjoys staring at her patient’s very nice backside.

“Huy, Meng!”

“Ay, pechay. Yes, Gov? I mean yes, RJ?!”

“San ka nakatingin, ha?” He teases, a playful smile lingering on his lips.

“Sa butt mo, I mean sa balikat, sa balikat mo! Wag kang tumawa dyan, Richard, ituloy mo yang ginagawa mo!” She berates, feigning irritation, hoping he'll let it go.

“Wushu, nakatingin ka sa pwet ko eh. Cute ba?”

“Wag ka nga! Get back to your exercise!” She yells.  She knows her face is currently red in embarrassment but she keeps her chin up nevertheless.  “Last 15 reps then we're on to the next one.”

Well, RJ doesn’t expect that their next exercise will require her to almost hug him, that his face will just be a few inches away from her stomach, and his senses will be filled with her warm intoxicating scent.  He breathes in and his nose is filled with her fragrance: a hint of apples and roses and a lot of Maine.  His breath hitches at their proximity as he lies sideways, injured shoulder side up.

Maine nervously stands by the table and hooks her arm under his tricep the over his back as she massages his scapular muscles. This is by far the closest she has ever been with RJ.  She then splays her hand over his shoulder blade and pulls him towards her, keeping it in place, counting to eight before gently pushing him back to his initial position.

“Richard, wag mo kong singhutin, baka maubos halimuyak ko.”  She deadpans then pauses, waiting for his rebuttal.  “Ano, di ka makasagot?  Carmi Martin yan. Mapangasar ka e.”  She chuckles, seeing the tips of his ears turning pink, thankful however that his eyes are closed because her cheeks are blushing too as she basks in the warmth of his nearness.

She repeats this exercise thirteen more times and if RJ thinks he is already immune to her scent by then, he is clearly mistaken.  All he ‘s been thinking about doing is pull her towards him and rest his face on her stomach just so he could quench his curiosity of how soft her body would feel against his skin.

“Ok, RJ, last rep then next na tayo. Kaya pa?” He can only nod his head, his thoughts already incoherent.

She repeats the exercise once more and while she counts out loud, he lifts his arm off his side and brings his hand to the small of her back, startling her that she stills and stops talking altogether as she feels his cheek pressing against her stomach.  She looks down at him and finds his eyes still closed, his ears even redder than earlier.  

What really catches her attention is that peaceful smile on his face despite his erratic breathing, his dimple the deepest she has seen on him so far.  Her free hand, as if having a life of its own is now gently caressing his hair.

“RJ, are you ok?”  She whispers, her voice catching in her throat.

“I’m better now.  Much, much better.”  He sighs contentedly.

“So, next exercise na tayo?”  She asks softly, sweetly, hoping he couldn’t hear the loud flapping of butterfly wings in her stomach.

“Wait lang. Dito ka lang muna.”  They stay like this for countless minutes but neither one of them tries to move away.

“RJ?”  She whispers after a few heartbeats, hearing him breathe evenly now, his hand slightly loosening its hold around her.  He is already asleep.  “Mukha kang anghel talaga, no? Nakakainis.”  She smiles then ever so lightly traces the side of his face with her index finger.  “Aray! Nahiwa ako!”  She giggles at her own joke.  “#Chiseledjaw oh.”

“RJ, Menggay, meryen---Ay susmaryosep!”  Manang Virgie exclaims, almost dropping the tray of juice and sandwiches she’s holding, seeing the two in their current state.

RJ is startled awake, immediately disentangling his arm from Maine’s body and sitting down too quickly that he forgets about his injury.  He groans as pain shoots up his shoulder, worrying Maine.

“Dahan dahan kasi.”  She reminds him, concern etched in her voice.

“Eeeeeh, kinikilig ako sa inyo.  Sabi na eh!  Tama kami ni Mama Ten eh.  Ayihee!”

“Manang naman eh.  Sige na po.  Kami na po ni Maine ang bahala dyan.  Ipatong nyo na lang po dun sa table.”

The caretaker leaves the food as instructed then waves at them, making Korean hearts with her fingers as she closes the door.

An awkward silence fills the room for a few seconds before RJ clears his throat to speak as he gets down from the treatment table.  “Uhm, Hi.”  He faces her, rubbing his uninjured hand on his nape and smiling sheepishly.

“Hi?!  Yun lang?  Matapos mo kong yakapin ng walang orient-orient?  Di mo ko madadaan sa pacute mo, Faulkerson!  What did you even do that for?”  She bursts in anger.