Lipstick Lullaby

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Migs?" Saskia turned her attention to me from the book she was reading. I gave her a short story to read to familiarize her more with the english language. I make her read it and ask questions afterwards so I could check if she understood what she had read. I also gave her a highlighter so she could highlight all the words and sentences she doesn't understand so I could explain it to her.

"Yes?" I asked, turning my attention to her. We were in her room as this was the only quiet place in their house. Saskia's family were naturally loud people. Palaging maingay at masaya ang bahay nila. That's one of the many things I like about them.

"Natuto naman na ako, di ba?" She asked.

"You're improving." I told her.

"Slow by slow, I will success." She beamed.

I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm to learn. Saskia was light to be with. Her naivety and innocence allowed her to see the little joys in everything and enjoy the simple things. She was refreshing, like a blast of energy-filled sunlight to my soul. 

"O ba't ngumingiti ka?" She cocked a brow. "Pinagtatawanan mo na ako ngayon?"

"No, it's not that." I chuckled and pulled her to my side. "I would never laugh at you. I just find your eagerness to learn adorable."

"Basta gusto kong matuto mag-english. If odds is against me then I will against them. Ayaw kong isipin ni baby na bobo ang mommy niya." Sabi niya.

"I would never let our child think that. Hinding-hindi ko hahayaan yun." I lifted one hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. "He or she will only know how much of a wonderful person you are, na mabuti kang anak at kapatid, na wala kang hindi ibibigay at isasakripisyo para sa mga taong mahalaga sa'yo, na masarap kang magmahal..."

"Migs..." Her eyes watered with tears. "Migs, naman tinagalog mo pa. Sana inenglish mo na lang para hindi ko masyadong maintindihan. Naiiyak tuloy ako."

"It's fine. Sabi nila emotional talaga ang mga buntis." I wiped away the tears in the corners of her eyes with my thumbs.

And then, I mindlessly lowered my face to kiss her forehead. Intimate moments like this with her felt natural to me. It was starting to feel like a reflex to me to touch and kiss her here and there. Hindi ko na iniisip kung tama o mali itong ginagawa ko. When with Saskia, I didn't need to use my brain to decide on anything. I just follow what feels natural.

She lifted her eyes up to look at me. Her eyes were full of childlike hope that cut straight into my heart. I never want her  to lose that innocence, especially not through my hands. I wish I could hold her without the worry that I would break her someday.

"Mahal na mahal kita, Migs. " She said with all honesty. The kind of honesty that puts your mind at ease because you don't have questions to answer or mixed signals to analyze. I had never heard a more genuine 'I love you' from anyone other than my parents.

"Saskia..." My eyes turned turned soft and warm.

She blinked as if getting out of a trance and looked away. "Huwag kang mag-alala, Migs, hindi naman ako umaasa. Masaya lang akong nandito ka, kasama namin ni baby. Masaya akong mahalin ka, wala naman problema sa akin kahit ako lang ang nagmamahal."

Emotions started welling up from my chest. One hands went to the back of her head and I pulled her to me. I crashed my lips onto hers in a passionate kiss, stealing the breath from her lungs as I pull her body harder against mine. My tongue delved into her sweet mouth and she gave a muffled groan. 

Hindi ko dapat ito ginagawa but I couldn't resist her. My mind, body, and heart wanted this... wanter her. I wanted her in ways I couldn't recall wanting someone before. She responded to my kiss with reckless abandon.