Sweet Surrender

12

                    ALEXIE insisted that Aura should come with her in Oscar's invite. She wanted her girlfriend to enjoy her vacation with friends without her being a chaperon but Alexie claimed that she wanted to enjoy the night with her.

After a few minutes of driving, they arrived at a restobar. The parking lot is almost full.

There were three tables outside the bar. A few people were there puffing cigarettes.

Familiar faces greeted them as they were ushered to an available table. Everybody here seems to know everybody. A few introductions later, they were seated.

While they were having a conversation, she heard that Oscar is the current Mayor of the town and the youngest one to hold the position in the town's history. She presumed that he is also 32 years old like Alexie.

Foods and beer were serves at them. They continue chatting while she eats and nursing a bottle of beer.

She looked around and the place gave her ideas. There is a possibility that she could put something like this in the hotel instead of having just a fine dining restaurant.

Her attention was cut short when she heard her phone rang. She taps Alexie's hand and gave her a sign that she is going to take the call outside. Her girlfriend answered with a nod.

She was done talking with Mr. Zena over the phone when she noticed a familiar guy leaning in a car a few meters from where she stands. He was intently looking at her while puffing a cigarette.

"She is just after your money."

She halted from walking towards the bar when the guy talked. She turned to him.

"Excuse me?"

"She was never gay."

"Do I know you?"

"I know her. I was the first man in her life. Whatever you have with her was just a rebound."

"I didn't get your name."

"Shawn."

"Nice to meet you, Shawn." She turned around and walked away again.

"She wanted a family. She wants to have children. I can give her that. Her family is very traditional. Her siblings would never like you especially her sisters."

"Thank you for the information, Shawn. Enjoy the rest of the night." She moved away from him. Ignoring whatever he is saying when she turned her back from him.

She took a couple of deep breath before walking inside. When she looked towards the table where Alexie is, their eyes meet. She appeared relieved after seeing her. She chose to smile and try to forget whatever rubbish her ex-boyfriend said. She smiled back with that dimple of hers.

She made a beeline towards her. She kissed her head when she reached her.

"Everything alright, babe?" She asked when she sat beside her.

"Yes."

She looked back at her friends. The heavy weight on her chest, that she wanted to ignore, eased when Alexie grab her hand under the table. She intertwined it with hers.

"Mayor, wala ka na talagang pag-asa." She heard one of the girls in the table tease. It was followed by laughter.

"Everything alright in the office?"

She nodded at her. She kissed her shoulder. "Mr. Zena wanted to meet me when we return."

Before Alexie could respond someone stood beside them. It was Oscar.

He was smiling at them. "Hello, I'm Oscar."

She stood and shakes his hand. "Aura."

"I didn't know you like tall people, Alexie." Said one girl. She also noticed that Oscar is almost as tall as her.

"If she hasn't told you yet, Oscar is her ex." Pam mentioned when she materialized beside them.

Great, another ex-boyfriend, she thought.

"That was after college. She was a goody-two-shoe as a student."

"She still is." She agreed with Pam.

"Not anymore. You tainted her."

She pulled a deep sigh when she heard Shawn said that. She didn't notice that he went inside. She glanced at him and looked at him in the eyes.

He was glaring at her. He was holding a glass of brandy in his hand.

"Shawn, wag dito (not here)."

"Shut up!"

Shawn stomped his glass forcefully in their table. Clearly, he is intoxicated with alcohol already.

"She is mine. You hear that. You're just a girl." He was pointing his finger at her. He looked stupid doing that since he was shorter than her by a couple of inches and she is looking down at him.

"Shawn, you should go home." Oscar said calmly and tapped him in his shoulder. The later shrugged his hand away.

"Lasing ka na(You're drank), Shawn. You're not yourself anymore." Pam said but she is obviously irritated.

Alexie grab her arm. She is already standing beside her.

"We're going. I'm sorry about this." She said to everyone. She turned to her. "Let's go, babe."

She nodded and put her arm around her shoulder before walking away.

"She will not make you happy, Alexie!"

Alexie stopped walking. She took a deep sigh before facing Shawn.

"You're right, Shawn." He smirked upon hearing that. Her words stabbed her in the heart but she didn't let the pain shown in her face. She chose not to look at her face. It would hurt her more.

She sighed deeply to calm herself.

"She can't make me happy. She made me happier."

She stared at her this time. There is no anger in her girlfriend's face. She is calm. Too calm. Like a calm before a storm.

"She can't give you the family you want. She can't give you kids!"

"You should update your vocabulary, Shawn. You should read, too. May I remind you also that she is loaded. We can have kids as many as we want. Besides, we can adopt if nothing else worked."

She was not able to stop the giggle out of her mouth. Her Alexie is one of a kind.

Everyone was surprised with her reaction. Her laugh was not expected in this situation.

"Man, you're burned. This woman is mine." She grinned before pulling her fiancée out of that place.