In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 40

"I don't have a boyfriend and I've never had one before..."

RJ's mind just kept on rewinding those words in his head even until after he already reached his old room in their ancestral house later that night.

"Wow! RJ, medyo naghang ka dun sa sinabi nya, noh?! Akala ko ba di ka interesado? Ano ba talaga ang intensyon mo kay Dei?!" He asked himself as he let himself fall back on his bed.

Soft knocks on his door pulled him out of his deep thoughts. He saw his Lola Linda standing there smiling at him. He sat up immediately and invited her to sit beside him on the bed.

"Apo, okay ka lang ba? Mukhang balisa ka. May problema ka ba? Pwede bang malaman ni lola?" She asked him gently as she caressed his face fondly.

"Wala naman po, lola. May naalala lang po ako..." He answered evasively.

"Ang mga Mama mo ba o si Anne na naman? Apo, matagal na yun. Kailangan mo ng kalimutan yung mga nangyari at harapin mo na ang sarili mong buhay. Panahon na para sumaya ka uli, RJ." His lola patted his hand consolingly.

"Lola, masaya naman ako. Nandyan kayo ni lolo at ang trabaho ko na nagpapasaya sa akin. Wala na akong mahihiling pa..." He answered as he embrace his lola affectionately.

"Kilala kita, RJ. Hindi lubos ang saya mo. Alam ko kung kelan ka talaga masaya. Ako ang nagpalaki syo kaya kilala kita, apo. Pag nakita na kitang masaya na uli panatag na akong lilisan sa mundong ito." His lola held his face in her hands.

"Lola! Ano ba yang pinagsasasabi nyo! Mahaba pa buhay nyo ni lolo. Akala ko ba gusto nyo pa ng apo sa tuhod? Bibigyan ko pa kayo ng isang dosena kapag nakilala ko na ang better half ko." He answered laughing.

"Hay, RJ! Puro ka birong bata ka...pero gusto ko yung isang dosenang apo. Kahit papaano ay masaya ako na naiisip mo ang paglagay sa tahimik balang araw. Sana lang ay makilala mo na ang babaeng karapat dapat sayo, apo. Lagi kong pinagdadasal yun." Lola Linda tapped his cheek.

"Malay nyo lola nandyan lang pala sya sa tabi-tabi..." He said with a light laugh. His grandmother laughed with him.

"Sana nga, apo. Sya, magpahinga ka na at maaga pa tayo bukas." His lola bid him good night a few moments after that. When his grandmother left his room, RJ's thoughts were drawn back to Dei.

"May something talaga sa babaeng yun na di ko maexplain. Bakit parang ang lapit ng loob ko sa kanya?" He can't help but wonder.

"RJ, itulog mo na yan. Bukas magkikita kayo uli..." He can't help the smile that tugged at his lips at that thought. That night, he had a very fitful sleep, something he had not experienced in years.

The next day...

"Good morning, lola! Good morning, lolo! Kumusta po ang tulog nyo?" He greeted both enthusiastically as he join them at the breakfast table.

"Aba, parang ang ganda ng gising mo ngayon, Ricardo! May nagpapasaya na ba sayo, apo?" His lolo asked him with a smile.

"Lo! Pati ba naman kayo? Akala ko pa naman ikaw lang kakampi ko dito yun pala para ka ring si lola." He pouted.

"Hoy, RJ! Ang tanda mo na para umastang ganyan. Paano ka magugustuhan ng nililigawan mo kung para kang bata kumilos?" His lola reprimanded him which made him almost spit the coffee he was sipping at the moment.

"Lola! Wala akong nililigawan! San mo naman nakuha yan?!" He asked her incredulously.

"Hay naku! Wag ka na nga magkaila. Nakita ka kagabi nina manang na may kausap na magandang babae sa may pool. Makikilala ba namin sya mamaya sa shooting?" His lola asked excitedly.

"La, di ko po nililigawan si Dei. Kakakilala ko pa lang po sa kanya. Sya po ang kukuha ng litrato nyo mamaya kaya magbehave po kayo ni lolo, ha. Uulitin ko po. Kakakilala ko lang po sa kanya at di ko sya nililigawan, okay?" He patiently explained.

"Oh, yun naman pala, Linda. Kakilala lang at hindi PA nililigawan. Kilatisin mo na lang mabuti mamaya. Pero ang tanong dyan: maganda ba talaga, apo?" His lolo asked him with a naughty smirk.

"Lo! Ang kulit nyo po pareho ni lola. Nakakahiya po kay Dei. Magbehave po tayo mamaya, please." He pleaded but with a bedimpled smile on his face. The old couple just laughed at his red face as they continued their meal.

Later, RJ assisted his grandparents when they went to the resort for the shoot. He was told that the group has started really early for the first half of the magazine shoot with the models. They will take a break when the old couple and RJ are ready for their own photos for the article about the resort. When they got there they were immediately escorted to the make up area to prepare them for the shoot.

After they are done with wardrobe and make up, they were led to the garden of the resort where Dei and her team are taking a short break from their work.

He led his grandparents to a garden set before he approached the group to greet them.

"Hi! Good morning. I was told that you are ready to accommodate my grandparents for the photos on the article? Nandyan na sila. If you're free, I can introduce you to them now so you can orient them on what to expect during the shoot." He told Dei after she acknowledged him with a good morning and a smile.

"Sure! Asan sila? Let's go talk to them?" She asked as she readily got up from the monoblock chair she was sitting on and she motioned for him to lead the way. He nodded and directed her to where his grandparents are seated at the other side of the garden.

"Lolo Danny, Lola Linda, si Dei Mendoza po. Sya po ang photographer na kukuha ng litrato nyo for the magazine article. Dei, meet my grandparents, Lolo Daniel and Erlinda Faulkerson , the original proprietors of this resort and farm." He introduced both parties. To his surprise and delight Dei took his grandparents' hands to her forehead successively as a sign of respect.

"Mano po, Lolo. Mano po, Lola. Kumusta po? Ang ganda po ng resort at farm nyo! Salamat po sa pagpapatuloy nyo sa amin dito." She greeted them with a sweet and sincere smile. RJ can't help but stare in awe.

"RJ, apo. Pakasalan mo na agad ang dalagang ito. Approved na sa akin 'to." His Lola Linda blurted out.

"Lola!!!"