"Yes, but I'll be back agad. Have to do an interview lang in NY. I won't be long."
"Beatriz, can I ask you something?"
"Ano yon, love?"
"Pwede bang dito ka na lang? Pwede bang alisin mo na sa choices yung NY? Pwede bang ako naman piliin mo?"
Yan ang gusto niyang sabihin, pero hindi niya alam kung anong mararamdaman ni Bea kung sasabihin niya ito.
He smiled sadly. "Ay, nothing. I forgot na anong sasabihin ko."
"Weird mo. Go to sleep na."
Thirdy is hiding all the doubts and the pain he's feeling, pero nagtataksil ang katawan niya. Sobrang taas ng lagnat niya. He woke up in the middle of the night dahil sobrang lamig. He went to his closet, put on a jacket and socks, then went outside ng room and slept on the couch. Kapag kasi pinatay niya yung aircon, magigising si Bea at maiinitan.
Thirdy tried to sleep in the living room kahit nakabaluktot siya.
When Bea woke up at hindi niya makapa si Thirdy, she panicked at dali-daling pumunta ng CR to check if andon siya. When she walked outside the room, she saw him.
She walked towards him and checked his temperature. He still has a high fever.
"Love, papaliguan na kita. Sobrang taas na talaga ng lagnat mo."
But Thirdy didn't open his eyes. He moved his arms to pull her closer to him.
"Shhh. Your hugs will be the cure."
Nike woke up also and joined the hug chain.
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"Love, I'm serious."
"Doc, pls. Remember back in NY?"
"But please," Bea pleaded.
"Shhhh, sleep na."
Thirdy gave her a peck and moved his head papunta sa shoulder ni Bea.
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Eventually, she gave up and let herself feel his warmth, both literally and figuratively.
Nike jumped down from the couch, which woke Thirdy up. He smiled seeing Bea so close to him.
"Sana di ka na umalis," he said and showered his fiancée with a lot of kisses, first sa cheek, then on her shoulder, on her nose, on her forehead, and multiple kisses on the lips.
"Doctor ako, Thirds, not Chef! Five more minutes."
But Thirdy shifted his position, and now he's on top of Bea.
"Parang tanga," saway ni Bea.
"Parang gutom ako, pero ngayon lalo akong nagutom," tukso ni Thirdy.
Bea is awake now. She felt his neck and forehead kahit na nagaasar si Thirdy.
"You're okay na. Stop it and cook for me. I'll get my extra sleep."
"Don't tell me ayaw mo? You wanted pa nga na paliguan ako last night. Buti na lang pagod ako and super sick, kung hindi baka..."
Thirdy didn't finish his sentence because Bea kissed him.
The light kisses got deeper and deeper until both of them were naked and moaning each other's names.
When they're done, Thirdy got up because nagungulit na si Bea na she wants real food.
"Fine. I'll cook," Thirdy said.
"Love, magdamit ka naman," Bea exclaimed.
"Sus, parang ngayon mo lang nakita ah."
That made both of them giggle. Hinagis ni Bea yung boxers ni Thirdy habang naglalakad siya sa kitchen, which he wore din naman agad.
She put on her clothes and went back to the bedroom. She saw her phone and checked it. It had 63 missed calls from Doctor Oniel, a surgeon in NY Hospital.
She called him back.
"Emergency, Doctor De Leon. Your patient, Ms. Caliesie..."
She didn't let him finish and just answered, "I'll book a flight tomorrow, Doc! I'll let you take care of her while I'm still here."
When she put down the phone, she sighed heavily.
Thirdy heard the call.
Tears are now falling. He's hurting a lot, but he won't tell. Pumunta siya sa CR and opened the shower. He cried kasabay ng tunog ng tubig na bumabagsak mula sa shower.
A few minutes later, there's a knock on the CR's door.
"Love, are you okay? Nasunog na yung niluluto mo, but I turned it off na."
"Thanks, love."
He opened the door. Bea is really shocked seeing Thirdy's eyes.
"Did you cry? What's the matter, Thirdy?"
Nakasunod naman si Bea while her fiancé is going back to the kitchen.
He didn't answer and fried another batch of fish fillets.
"Hey, I'm asking you! Anong problema?"
Thirdy looked at her.
"Wala."
Binalik niya ang tingin sa pagluluto.
Bea held his face.
"What's the matter, Ferdinand?"
This time, he couldn't fight it. A tear, one traitor tear, fell down, and that's when Bea knew that he's so hurt again.
She hugged him.
"Tell me what to do to lessen the pain."
"Don't go back to New York. Stay here with me."
He finally said it out loud, but Bea broke the hug and checked if he's serious.
"Don't make this hard for me, Thirdy. They need me there."
"I need you here too."
"Thirdy naman."
"What do you want me to say? 'Choose whatever you want! Me? I'll be here, always waiting for you' again? Bea, pagod na pagod na kong umasa na bawat uwi mo ng Pilipinas, bawat uwi mo sa bisig ko, mananatili ka na. Kelan ba matatapos to?"
This time, there's pain, anger, and a lot of feelings that he kept for the last years.
"Are you tired of me?" she asked.
"Bea, hindi. Mapapagod pa ba ko eh may singsing ka na dyan sa kamay mo? Ngayon pa ba ko susuko? Bea, hindi ako yung problema dito. Ikaw, tinatanong kita. Kelan ba? Kelan mo ba ko pipiliin?"
She's quiet.
"But you're asking me to give up the life I always wanted."
"No, Bea. I'm asking you to put me in your plans."
