MORE THAN I FEEL INSIDE

XV

PUTING kisame ang namulatan ni Gabriel. He was aching all over, lalo na sa parteng ulo. He was still alive. Wala siyang nararamdamang kakaiba maliban sa pagkirot ng ulo. Kinapa niya iyon. Naka-bandage pala ang ulo niya.

Tinangka niyang kumilos nang maramdaman niya ang mainit na bagay na nakapatong sa kamay niya. Pagbaling niya sa kaliwa ay nakita niya si Althea. Her hands were on his. Nakasubsob ito sa gilid ng kama.

Inalis niya ang mga hibla ng buhok na naligaw sa mukha nito. Then he slowly traced the contours of her lovely face.

Bahagya itong gumalaw hanggang sa tuluyan na itong magising.

"Gabriel." She was misty-eyed. "How do you feel? May masakit ba sa 'yo? Are you all right? Are you... Are you..." Tuluyan na itong napahagulhol.

He slowly brought her to his chest. "Sshh...Stop crying. I'm all right. Believe me, baby." Inipon niya ang lahat ng lakas niya at marahang iniangat ito. Then he slowly wiped away her tears. "Don't cry. I can't bear the sight of you when you're crying. I'm all right, baby."

"I was so afraid. I thought I had lost you forever." She burst into tears again.

He used all his might not to cry, too. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry I made you worried." He touched her face.

ALTHEA touched Gabriel's hand which was on her face and closed her eyes, feeling him and assuring herself that this was real, that this was not just part of her imagination.

She almost fainted when she learned he had an accident. She hurriedly went to the hospital. Mabuti na lang kahit mahina ang puso niya ay hindi siya inatake dahil sa nabalitaan niya. Hindi niya alam ang buong detalye. Ang sabi lamang sa kanya ay naaksidente ito habang sakay ng kotse nito. Halos sumabog ang ulo niya sa tindi ng pag-aalala. Nakahinga lang siya nang maluwag nang tiyakin sa kanya ng mga doktor na ligtas na ito. Sugat sa ulo at ilang gasgas lamang ang tinamo nito.

But despite the doctors' reassurance, she still couldn't help herself from worrying. Hindi niya siguro alam ang gagawin kung may masamang mangyayari dito.

She opened her eyes ang looked at his face. Hindi siya nagsasawang pagmasdan ang mukha nito. They just stared at each other for a long moment. Tila ito man ay kinakabisa rin ang bawat bahagi ng mukha niya. She noticed a strange emotion in his eyes. Something like guilt. But why would he feel guilty? There was something else in his eyes but she wasn't sure what it was. She had never seen that emotion in his eyes before.

Her tears fell again. Biglang nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang makitang tumutulo na rin ang mga luha nito.

"Gabriel..."

"Sshh..." He silenced her. "Come here, baby." Iginiya siya nito pahiga sa tabi nito.

"But, Gab-" She tried to protest.

"Be still, Althea. I want to hold you like this." He felt her stiffen.

Niyakap siya nito nang mahigpit. He never ever held her like this before. Sa mga pangarap lang niya nangyayari ang ganoon. Gusto niyang kurutin ang sarili niya para siguruhing hindi siya nananaginip. But his scent and his warmth made her realize that this was real and not just part of her dream.

Tears of happiness fell from her eyes. This was a thousand times better than all those fantasies she had ever had. Tila ito man ay umiiyak din. She could feel it, from the way he breathed, though she didn't really understand why he was crying. Still she fell into a deep sleep.

ILANGminuto nang tulog si Althea ay gising pa rin si Gabriel. He didn't want to cry in front of her but he couldn't stop himself. God, he could hold her forever like this.

Natatakot siya. He never felt something like this for a woman. Not even with Genevieve. He thought was he felt for Genie was real. But what she felt for Genevieve was nothing compared to what he felt for Althea right now.

He was afraid to fall asleep. Afraid that she might be gone when he woke up. He kissed her temple as another tear fell from her eyes. He held her even more tightly.

"Mahal kita, Althea..." Mayamaya pa ay iginupo siya ng pagod at antok.