Shipwrecked Hearts

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The pirates around the port greeted Maximo and I. Nilampasan namin sila, ako naman ay ngingiti sa kanila nang tipid. Tumigil si Maximo sa harap ng isang lalaki, "Shark," he greeted, "one small boat."

Tila naintindihan ng lalaki ang nais iparating ni Maximo at agad itong tinuro ang isang bangka na lumulutang sa gilid. Maximo patted the guy on his shoulders with an authoritative smile and went towards that direction.

Sumunod naman ako, sumakay kami sa bangka, it was small compared to the humungous ships sprinkled around the island.

We sailed slowly towards the vast sea. Tahimik kong pinagmasdan ang tubig, contemplating how deep it is. We passed by huge ships around, with different structures and style. I even saw some familiar ones—there was Gulliver's Grave and Double Deck.

"Sailing alone is my tradition every birthday of mine until I find the one I want to be with for the rest of my damned life, Joziah is the guy who usually reminds me." I looked at Maximo from the clear blue waters, his eye was focused on me. Tinanggal niya ang tapal sa kabilang mata, revealing his heterochromia eyes. Now both his eyes locked their gazes at me. It's something I can never get used to. It is one of the world's biggest wonder and mystery. Something I've come to love, it was peculiar—yet so right. It was ephemeral, such beauty was out of the world, the universe rather.

"I never got the chance to greet you a happy birthday. I never knew until today that it was your birthday." Magkaharap ang aming p'westo ni Maximo kung saan kami nakaupo, he was the one paddling. He preferred this boat instead of the one with machine. "Happy birthday, Maximo..." I have a gift for you... hinaplos ko ang aking sinapupunan at ngumiti, "happy birthday, Maximo..." I sang.

My voice blended in with the sound of the calm waves, with the sound of the boat as it scythes its way across the sea, with the paddle as Maximo sweeps us towards the epicenter. I can see how his muscles arched as he forced us to move in the waters.

Sinandal ko ang aking sarili sa maliit na rehas ng bangka. Pinagmasdan ko muli ang tubig matapos kantahan si Maximo, wala sa sarili kong nilagay ang aking daliri sa tubig, ramdam ko ang paggalaw ng aking kamay sa katubigan. It felt like going against gravity and the world.

That's when I smelled it—it will rain tonight. I can feel it, but I never cared at all. Tinignan ko si Maximo, come to think of it, I never got the chance to see his face clearly. My eyes went unto his neatly braided hair, his bushy eyebrows, the eyelashes that framed his almond shaped eyes, that somewhat emphasized the difference of the colors of his eyes, bumaba pa ang aking tingin mula sa tulay ng kan'yang matangos na ilong, down unto his full-heart lips that fairly complexed to his brown skin. He was an epitome of a true aesthetics.

"Is there something on my face?"

Umiling ako. "You're gorgeous."

"I know." He gave me a playful smile, he stopped paddling, as if we were already at the destination he wanted us to be. I looked around and found out that there were no longer ships around. The water was clearer than ever, lumingon ako, we went across the anchored ships.

Nang bumalik ang aking tingin ay Maximo, suminghap ako sapagkat ang lapit na ng kan'yang mukha. Uurong sana ako ngunit hinawakan ako ni Maximo sa aking mga balikat upang pigilan ako. "Starfish, you are a treasure that no gold can compare with. You proved to me that not all treasures are diamonds and silver."

With that, he pressed his lips against mine. Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata at dinama ang init ng kan'yang labi sa akin. I can feel his lips curving upwards into a smile as we passionately and intimately grazed.

Tila dinadala ako ni Maximo sa ibang mundo. Na kaming dalawa lamang. Ngumiti rin ako sa gitna ng malalim na paghahalikan. Nang matapos ito ay habol-habol namin ang aming paghinga. "You kiss like a damn good kisser." He remarked.

"The feeling is mutual." I smiled. And then it hit me... today was the perfect time to tell him that I am pregnant with his child. It will be the best birthday gift I can ever give him. That's it. I'm telling him now. This is my surprise for him.

Maximo and I talked about a lot of stuffs and things as we killed time. Hangga't sa unti-unting nagsimula ang labanan ng dilim at liwanag. It was already dusk. Tumabi si Maximo sa akin at saka ako inakbayan, "the second thing I love is watching sunsets with the first thing I love who happens to be the girl beside me." Bumilis ang pintig ng aking puso dahil sa kan'yang sinabi. We watched as the sun sets, what used to be a clear blue water turned into a mixture of different hues—yellow, red, orange, and purple. It was reflected with the clear blue water. Pinagmasdan din namin ang bilog na araw na tila lumulubog sa tubig. The ocean's edge seemed to be a parabola wherein the sun is about to drown. It was breathtaking.

"Maximo..."

"Hmm?" I felt him resting his head unto my shoulder.

"I'm..." kinagat ko ang babang-labi ko, "we're about to become parents."

"I know."

Nagulat naman ako dahil sa kan'yang sinabi, "h-ha?"

"I know, Starfish."

"Paano mo naman nalaman?"

"Tumataba ka, e."

Mabilis ko siyang hinarap at siningkitan ng mata, "what did you just say?"

He raised both his hands as a sign of surrender and chuckled. "Even if you're fat, you're still sexy for me."

"Never tell a girl that she's getting fat!"

"But you're not a girl." He wiggled his eyebrows as if he was about to make another joke, "you're a queen, Starfish. My queen." Pagdidiin niya. Biglang dumapo ang kan'yang kamay sa aking t'yan, hinaplos niya ito. "And my queen is having a baby... hmm, let's say babies." Umiling na lang ako sa kan'yang. Mag-ingat ka, Kira. Mag-ingat ka sa sarili mo. Huwag ka masyadong masilaw sa liwanag dahil sa oras na ika'y mabulag nito, dudumugin ka ng kadiliman. Biglang umalingawngaw ito sa aking isip. Bigla kong naalala ang hula ni Caroline bago ito mamatay. No. That won't happen. I won't let it happen. Isang hula lamang ito. I make my own future and if that is what's about to happen, I'll change it.

For the life inside of me. For Maximo... because I love him. I know it. I love him.

"Ano ang gusto mong ipangalan sa anak natin?"

"Correction. Babies." He pouted his full lips. "Hmm, what do you want to name our kids?" Pagbalik niya sa tanong sa akin.

"I want to name our babies after you—Alexander, Tatiana, Sebastian... and after my old name, Akira."

"Very creative of you." He chuckled.

"Well, what do you want to name our baby?" Hindi siya umimik. "Okay, babies." Mabilis naman siyang sumagot ng tatlong mga pangalan.

"Ethereal..." He looked at me, "because you are ethereal, extraordinarily delicate and light in a way that seems too flawless for this world."

He locked his gazes at me, "Treasure..." he said, "because you are a treasure, a treasure that is mine."

Tila nag-isip pa siya ng pangalan, "Life." He smiled, "because I feel alive whenever I am with you."