Breaking His Defenses (COMPLETED /raw version Published under PHR)

Part 23

"I'M SORRY, Patti." Ito ang unang salitang lumabas sa bibig ni James nang puntahan siya nito sa kusina ng La Spésa. In-expect na niyang gagawin ito ni James dahil nga sa magkaibigan pa rin sila kahit papano.

She put down the dough she's making and faced him.

"You should be. I can't believe nagawa mo sa akin 'yon. Ang sabi ni Simon hindi ka nagsalita dahil pinigilan ka niya. Ano pang hindi niyo sinasabi sa akin?"

"Rebecca said you might be jealous dahil sa kanya. She just went to Simon to ask him if he could be the image model for her new line of RTW clothing."

"Ako nagseselos? That's overstatement." Minasa niya ulit ang dough upang itago ang mukha. Ayaw niyang mabasa siya ni James. Totoo pa namang nagselos siya noon kay Rebecca.

"Remember the white box I asked you to give to Rebecca before?"

Naalala niya ang box na iyon. "Yes. Ano ba 'yon?"

"Besides the necklace inside that box, naglagay din ako ng note doon. I was asking her to be my prom date. Kaya lang um-oo na siya kay Simon. So nagpresenta na akong maging ka-partner mo."

"I think it's my fault. Hindi ko kasi agad nabigay sa kanya."

"Okay lang 'yon. Simon was actually right when he said I was playing with girls then. Kaya galit siya noong nakita niyang malapit tayo. He's just protecting you then. But when it came to Beke, natorpe talaga ako. I need to write it down pa dahil hindi ko masabi ng deretso."

"Still she became your girl at magiging wife mo pa."

He nodded with a smile.

"One more thing. The house I'm suppose to offer to you is the same house you're living now."

"Ano?!"

"It's supposed to be me. Kaya lang Simon decided to ask Mika's help. I think mas effective din si Mika kaysa sa akin. She made you live there right away."

"Alam mo ang tungkol doon? My God! Ano pa ba ang mga sekreto ninyo na hindi ko alam?"

"Please understand him, Patti. Simon has been through a lot noong hindi pa siya tinanggap ng mga relatives namin. Kaya naiintindihan ko ang galit niya sa akin noon. Dad loves him though. But he needed acceptance from the whole clan. At noong finally tinanggap na siya ng mga Ocampo three years ago, he suddenly changed. We became closer. I wanted to be the brother that he never had. Kaya as much as possible, I support him with his plans."

Bigla siyang nakaramdam ng lungkot para kay Simon. "I know it's hard for him. Still, it doesn't give you the right to make a fool out of me."

"Sorry ulit."

"Kaya rin siguro hindi ka dumating noong nag-dinner kami with Tita Beth ano?"

Simon grinned. "Yeah. Alam din ni Simon na hindi ako makakapunta. Baka mag-freak out si Tita Beth."

Sa tingin niya ay mabuti na rin iyon. Baka nagkagulo pa kung napakilala niya si James bilang boyfriend.

"I also told Simon na nagdi-deliver ka ng orders kapag maramihan. Sorry ulit..."

"Ah... so ikaw pala ang salarin doon? Very nice of you James. So ano? May hindi ka pa sinasabi sa akin?"

James paused for awhile before speaking. He "Patti..."

"Kinakabahan ako. Mabigat ba 'yang susunod?"

"Parang ganoon na nga."

"Whatever. Ano 'yon?"

"He's... the reason why I went to California and look for you."

Doon na siya nabato. Hindi niya inaasahan ang ganoon kabigat na confession.

"Wala talaga akong convention sa California that time. My sole mission is to bring you back here."

Iyon na siguro ang pinakamatinding manipulation na ginawa ng magkapatid sa kanya. She calmed herself bago nagtanong muli. "Sino ang nag-isip ng ideyang 'yan?"

"Simon asked me to do it."

"Bakit?"

"He wants to see you again."

"Because he's still guilty about my accident. Bakit ba umabot sa ganoon ang tila obsession niyang humingi ng tawad sa akin? I forgave you both bago pa ako umalis ng Pilipinas. Sobra namang pauwiin pa ako para lang magawa niya ang gusto niya."

"Ask him that."

Umiling siya. "Wala na akong balak makita siya ulit."

"Wala namang masama kung kakausapin mo siya ulit diba?"

"Ewan ko James."

"Isipin mo na lang, Patti. He tried so hard to reach out to you. Kahit isang beses lang, give him a chance."

James then stood beside her and gave her an envelope. Nang buksan niya ito nakita niya ang larawan nilang dalawa noong prom night. Kuha iyon sa ilalim ng Arc de Triomphe.

Something is weird though. Simon is also in the picture... And he's looking at them with his seemingly sad eyes.