Beautiful, Beloved [feat. RaMen]

Twelve

Lahat ng nasa bahay na iyon ay nagpaalala kay Lea ng lahat lahat - mula sa sabon sa kusina hanggang sa mga halaman sa may bintana. Nagsimulang tumulo ang mga luha niya at di sinasadyang pumatak ang mga ito sa braso ni Rachel. Rachel, on the other hand, began to wake up, she sleepily looked over Lea only to see her quietly crying. Without a word, Rachel sat up and pulled Lea to her, holding her tightly as she let her grieve.

"Hush now, cara mia," Rachel told Lea as she held her closer to her chest while rubbing her back, "magiging maayos din ang lahat."

"Ang sakit, Rach," Lea's voice was full of pain.

"Alam ko. Alam ko," Rachel responded.

"Talaga ba, Rachel?"

Rachel didn't reply for a few minutes which made Lea bite her lip as she worried that she might have just made Rachel angry.

"O-oo. Oo, Lea. I-I haven't shared this with anyone pero—" Rachel paused and took a deep breath, "Teka, may ipapakita muna ako sa'yo."

Lea untangled herself from Rachel. Rachel turned her shoulder towards Lea, lifting up her long hair she had shown Lea the same tattoo the latter was tracing on not even an hour ago.

"I-I got this when my mom passed away nung 17 pa lang ako," Rachel said.

"I-I'm so sorry—"

"Don't apologize, cara mia."

"P-pwede ko ba maitanong kung bakit rose yung napili mo? Favorite flower ba 'yan ng mommy mo?"

"No. She loved to paint though. My mom would spend hours in her studio, painting. Minsan nga, she forgets to cook for me and dad. We have maids, yes. Pero mom makes sure na siya pa rin ang nagluluto ng kakainin namin ni Daddy. It's her way of taking care of us," Rachel laughed looking lost in memory, "she was diagnosed leukemia when I was 15, only a year after my dad died from an accident and ito yung last painting ng mommy ko. Ever. She painted this for my 18th birthday sana," Rachel cleared her throat as her eyes began to water, "she actually painted it in the hospital. She demanded me na dalhin ang art supplies niya sa hospital noong mga panahon na naco-confine na siya ng medyo matatagal na periods para sa radiation and chemo therapies niya. Ni minsan hindi ko siya inabutang hindi hawak ang paint brush niya sa araw-araw na ginawa ng Dios kapag dumadalaw ako after school. Minsan nga naiisip ko sana namana ko 'yung passion niyang 'yon pagdating sa arts."

"But you did, Rach. Hindi man sa arts but you did. Sa courtroom nga lang at sa kusina," Lea responded.

Rachel smiled and pulled Lea into a kiss.

~~~

Nagising si Lea dahil sa malakas na tunog ng alarm niya. She reached for the alarm and hit snooze. After 15 minutes ay muling nag-ring ang alarm clock niya, she groaned but finally got up. Habang nagstretch ay naramdaman niyang may nakadikit sa noo niya, "The heck," she thought to herself.

Pulling off the note, she looked at it:

St. Miggy,

       Since hindi mo nakita yung note nung nakaraan sa bedside table mo, I decided to place it somewhere where you can easily notice it. Pasensya ka na pero kailangan ko pumasok ngayon. I had to go early dahil marami akong meetings na 'di ko pwede i-postpone. I hope you'd have a great day, babe. :)

Amore,
Zimmy

It was a simple gesture but it made Lea's heart skip a beat. Somehow, Rachel starting to show her much more vulnerability makes her hope for a bright future with her.

~~~

Meanwhile, Gabby walks into Rachel's office to see if she wanted to go and get some lunch with him. Rachel was finishing up some paperwork pero daig pa nito ang nanalo sa lotto dahil sa abot tengang ngiti na namumutawi sa mga labi nito.

"So, Dawn, who's Mr Lucky?"

"Sinong Mr Lucky? May bagong kliyente ba tayo? Luis Manzano?"

"No, silly. You're obviously smitten by someone. Sino siya?"

"Me? Smitten? Oh c'mon, Gabby! Sino namang Poncio Pilato ang nagbulong n'yan sa'yo?" Rachel laughed, trying to divert the attention off of her.

"Okay. Then not smitten. Maybe hung up?"

"Gab, let it go, man," Rachel chuckled.

"Alam mong okay lang naman na magmahal ulit di ba?" said Gabby - this time in a sincere, sad voice.

"I SAID LET IT GO, GAB! FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Rachel's smiled disappeared as she got up her desk and started walking out the door.

Walking past Nadine's desk she paused and told her, "Hold all my calls until I come back. Lunch lang ako."

She made her way down to the café, Café Katerina, that was right next to her building. This was her favorite spot to hang out while she's on break — so much that once she walks in the door, the barista starts to make her meal.

Rachel glanced down at her lunch, a gourmet caesar salad with a side of mixed berries but she didn't feel like eating anymore.

"I know Gab's just trying to be helpful pero bakit parang ang insesitive lang. Alam niya naman na ayokong nauungkat pa yung naibaon na sa limot," Rachel thought to herself as her inner turmoil worsens, "shit. Kailangan ko munang layuan si Lea. Yes, I have to do just that. I have to play it safe. Just until I feel like myself again."