The Groom's One True Bride

Chapter 26

She woke up naked in bed. With him.

She pulled the sheets up, and realized that Kiefer was softly snoring beside her. She pulled herself up, and ran her fingers through his hair. She watched how the sunlight played with his hair, chasing her hand. She traced his forehead, the bridge of his nose...

Their lovemaking was unhurried, the desire building between them slow to combust into a beautiful cataclysmic explosion. It was as if they have hungered for this reunion, that took them so long to find. And when they did, it was the advent of something they once shared, like finding the broken road that will lead them home.

But what surprised her was the realization that she scarred him that last time they had shared before she left him. All she knew was that leaving him would be for the best, even if it means sacrificing her own happiness. She failed to realize that leaving him brought the same feeling, plus the emotional scars.

They woke up in the middle of the night, hungry for more. But she was still sore, yet very willing for another round of painful pleasure. Kiefer wouldn't hear about it. They were able to ring for room service, and ordered whatever was still available. They ate in comfortable silence, but their eyes speak of longing, and more love making.

Kiefer gathered her in his arms, as they were in the bathtub after eating. "Thank you," he whispered in her hair, "for not leaving me this time."

"Mag-antay ka sa susunod," she teased him, and she could feel his smile in his voice. "Wala ng sunod then," he chuckled. He rested his chin on her shoulder, "It's not easy for me to say this, but since... Parang nabuksan naman na lahat... I... I just want you to know na hindi ako kumportable in saying, you know, I love you... Kahit na yun naman ang nararapat na sabihin ko."

It was killing her. She reached for his face, and brought it closer to hers. "You don't have to," she whispered, "And I'm sorry... Yung buong akala ko na para sa ikabubuti ng lahat... I was being selfish, kase sariling reasoning ko lang ang pinakinggan ko."

"What made you give up on me?" he asked, pulling her closer to him when she turned around to give her back on him. She played with the foam with her feet. "It's not that I gave up on you... It's just that I thought I'd be giving you more peace of mind in the future. Tipong sa ngayon, we're happy and in love, pero while Zitti is growing, will you regret giving up the chance of being a family? Ayoko naman ng ganun. Ayoko na sa huli, paghihinayangan mo ang panahon na sana pamilya kayo."

"Having a child would not make a happy family," he whispered, rubbing her arms, "Minahal ko si Sarah, but not in the way that would make me long for her the next day. It was fun, it was fleetting. It was a love that temporarily made me feel comfortable. But it's not enough to make us happy together. We'll end up hurting each other."

"Because I thought I was in the way," she murmured, "I thought, baka dahil I was your interest back then, and kung aalis ako, matutugunan mo ng attention na si Sarah, you can bring back the love you could have for her."

He traced her arms with his fingers, and her breasts, and her belly. His hand stayed there. "I usually laughed at my friends talking about lovers and lost love, and I thought they were cheesy. Until it hit me," he said, playing with her belly button, "Hindi ko inaaasahan I would be so attached to you, I didn't even expect it would be you. You just comfortably slipped in my life, that when you left, I felt na you took away all that was about me, all the reasons that is beautiful for me. Alam mo yun..."

She nodded. He traced small circles in her belly. "That morning we made love, I was so high, I thought everything was all roses and you. Tapos when I woke up, all I had were your promises, pero wala ka na," he inhaled her scent, trying to purge himself of the sad memories, "mas kelangan kita, kesa sa anong kaya mong ipangako. Even if you just close your eyes, even if you just breathe. Basta masaya ka. At nasa tabi kita."