Payb Takes Book 3

The Problem

July 26, after JFA, EB coaster:

M: Ano ba kasing iniisip mo? *furiously dries R's hair off with a hand towel then wipes his wet face and neck* Bakit ka kasi nagpaulan? May payong naman. Pa-hero ka lang. Ano? Feeling mo kingwapo mo yan? Kina-hot mo? Tigilan mo ako ah. *angrily rubs his arms with the towel*

R: Aray naman, Love, masakit.

M: Masakit talaga. Gusto mo yan di ba? Gusto mong nagkakasakit? May pasuot ka pa ng plastic, eh di lalong nababad yang likod mo sa basa. Ano ba, RJ?

R: Sorry na, Love. Ayaw ko kasing mabasa ka. Baka magkasakit ka kasi.

M: At ikaw hindi? *sighs* Alam mo namang madali kang magkasakit at mahina yang baga mo tapos ganyan pa ang gagawin mo. *grabs a try cotton shirt from his bag on the sear beside her* You have to stop doing this. I don't need a hero. *whispers* I need my husband and I need him healthy and safe and strong.

R: *bows his head* I'm really sorry, Love. Hindi ko na kasi naisip yun. Ikaw kasi ang priority ko.

M: Naka-paa ka pa! Jusko! Do you know kung ilang milyong germs at viruses ang makukuha mo sa paglalakad ng nakatapak sa kalsada. *shivers and cringes* Sobrang kadiri nang maduming paa. At paano kung nabubog yang paa mo? Paano kung nasugatan ka? Naisip mo ba yun? You have heare of leptospirosis right?

R: Baka kasi masira yung sapatos, Love.

M: Aba eh kingina yan! Nasayangan ka sa sapatos pero sa sarili mo hindi? *throws his shirt on his chest, stands up and moves to another row of seats*

R: Love... *grunts as he hurriedly pulls his shirt on* sandali. *rushes after M*

M: *looks out of the window and crosses her arms over her chest*

R: Love... *brushes some stray hair from her face*

M: Don't touch me. Don't talk to me. Galit ako.

R: Sorry na.

M: *speaks quietly, still looking away from R* You promised. When you were always getting sick and I was always worried, when you asked me to marry you, on our wedding and many more times after that. You promised you would be taking care of yourself, for us, for our future together. Pero paulit-ulit ka namang nagpapabaya nang ganito. Do you even mean it when you tell me that o sinasabi mo lang kung ano ang gusto kong marinig? *sighs*

R: *takes M's hand and places it on his chest then gently turns her face towards him with his thumb* Of course. I mean everything I tell you. Totoo lahat ng sinasabi ko sa'yo, Love pero alam mo na kung papipiliin ako kung ako o ikaw ang aalagaan ko, ikaw palagi ang uunahin ko. Lagi. And if that means I would need to disappoint you and break my promise one in a while na alam kong ikakagalit mo, gagawin ko pa din basta alam kong yun ang dapat kong gawin para maging safe at healthy ka. Kaya para sa mga panahon na yun, magso-sorry na ako in advance.

M: Paano ko tatanggapin yun? If between you and me, I will always choose you too. I love you.

R: And I love you more. *sighs* Mukhang may problema tayo dito.

M: *nods her head*

R: Masyado nating mahal ang isa't-isa. Paano na?

M: Yun na nga. Paano? Ano nang gagawin natin?

R&M: *quietly sit beside each other, holding hands, eyes on the floor, caught in their little dilemma*

R: Hayaan na lang natin?

M: *looks at R* Paanong hayaan?

R: *shrugs* Ganoon eh. Hindi ko naman kayang bawasan ang love ko sa'yo. Ikaw ba? Kaya mo?

M: Hindi din. *smiles at R* Mahal na mahal kita eh.

R: At mas mahal na mahal na mahal kita, Mrs. Faulkerson. *kisses her hand*

M: I guess this is one happy problem that we'll have to accept.

R: Ganoon na nga.

R&M: *sigh and grin at the same time*

R: Wala na tayong choice, Love. There's only one thing left to do. *wiggles his eyebrows*

M: *giggles* What?

R: Kiss. *grins and lovingly kisses his wife's lips* 💛🍃

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Unbeta'ed and not proofread. Thank you for reading.