Between the Spaces

Kabanata 40

Donny

"Bakit kita pinapahirapan? Eh andito nga ako oh, I flew hundred miles away just to be with you. So that you won't feel alone in this battle." Sabi ko sa kanya, "I'm here, kailangan mo man ako o hindi, I'm just here. Please don't push me away." The next thing I knew, she was already crying.

"I love you, Donny."

The moment I heard her tell me that she loves me, alam kong okay na ako. Sapat naman na yun and that's what I came here for.

"I love you, Donny." She tells me again, "And I'm sorry if I am causing too much trouble on you." She apologizes

"Of course you're not a trouble, love! That will never happen. Please don't cry na." I told her while wiping away her tears, I looked at her in the eyes,

"Sorry love!" she says while still crying so I hugged her,

"Shhhh. Tahan na. it's fine. We're fine. I miss you. And I love you, okay?"

Tito arrived later that day, telling us that we are good to go home at sya na muna magpapaiwan doon. Alam na din ni Tito na sila mommy ang nagpapunta sakin dito. He knew all along. Bago kami umalis ni Kisses, we had the chance to talk for a while,

"Pagpasensyahan mo na si Kisses, iho ha." Sabi niya sa akin,

"Naku Tito, okay lang naman po." Sagot ko sa kanya

"When she flies back to Manila with you, please take care of her." Sabi niya at tiningnan ako ng diretso sa mata

"Hindi pa naman po sya nag dedecide, tito." Sagot ko naman, wondering

"No. I will let her go home. nakausap ko naman na yung doctor ng tita mo. May isang surgery lang syang gagawin dito, and the rest of the treatments ay pwede nang sa Manila." He states, for sure, tumango lang ako, "We will be back soon." And then he taps my back,

"That's good to hear po, tito. My family misses you." I told him and smiled a bit.

Kisses

I spent the whole day with Donny the day after he arrived. He updated me about our friends in Manila. I was shocked when I knew how it went with Edward and Maymay. Edward decided on staying in Germany for good. So Maymay was broken hearted. Maris on the other hand can't make it with Inigo. Andami na palang nangyari, hindi ko man lang alam. Hindi ko man lang sila naikamusta. Samantalangsila, hindi nawawalan ng oras para kamustahin ako.

"Andami na palang nagbago." Sabi ko kay Donny, tumango lang siya at hinawakan yung kamay ko, we were now in front Santa Monica state beach, dahil ang sabi ko sa kanya kanina, gusto kong pumunta ng dagat at mag chill lang. huminga.

"I wish we could go back when things were still normal." Sabi niyang ganun bigla sa akin,

"I'm sorry, love. I went off the track. I should be there when you needed me too." Sabi ko sa kanya,

"Wag mo nang isipin yun. Ang importante, your mom is getting better. And I am here. We are still together." Sabi niya at niyakap ako,

"Thank you for not leaving me." Sabi ko sa kanya and hugged him back,

Nung lumipas na ang maghapon, I told him I wanted to eat Filipino style spaghetti. He told me we'll buy stuffs for it at sya ang magluluto sa bahay. Si I happily agreed! Namiss ko na din naman yung cooking session namin! When we were already at home, nilapag lang naming yung mga napamili sa grocery at nagpahinga na muna.

"I'll just go take a shower love, tapos let's cook na." sabi niya sa akin while I was lying at the couch,

"Okay love, I'll go shower narin pagkatapos mo. Papahinga lang ako saglit!!!" sagot ko sa kanya, kinindatan niya lang ako at tumungo na sa loob para maligo.

After a while, Donny was only wearing towels leaving his upper body with no shirt. Napalunok ako nang Makita how his body were made up for an athlete's body.

"Nag eenjoy ka naman yata masyado?" sabi niyang ganun and smirked at me, naramdaman kong uminit ang pisngi ko at nag aaligagang tumayo at pumasok sa kwarto para kumuha narin ng masusuot.

"Hey Delavin. What is up with you!" sabi ko sa sarili ko and calmed myself, "Si Donny lang yan. Ano ba." And then I went on to take a shower.

Hindi naman ako masyadong nagtagal sa shower. Nakabihis na ako when I went outside and saw Donny already starting on the kitchen.

"For today Miss Delavin, I am going to cook your most requested Spaghetti ala Donny. If you want to watch, then enjoy the show!" sabay flying kiss sa akin, I bursted laughing, I can't contain the giggles I have for what he did.

"HAHAHAHAHA. Galingan mo! Tagal tagal kong hindi natitikman yan!" sabi kong ganun, which sounded, wrong? Kaya napahinto din si Donny sa ginagawa niya,

"I mean the spaghetti!" madali kong sabi sa kanya,

"Parang hindi pala ako yung naka miss masyado dito, Miss Delavin?" pang aasar niya sa akin,

"JUST COOK, OKAY?" I told him, happily!

I was just at the kitchen counter watching Donny do his thing, he's already finished with the pasta so he is now making the spaghetti sauce. And it smelled really good. Na hindi ko mapigilang lumapit doon at makiamoy narin. But I think I made the wrong move. Because when I went there for the spaghetti, I smelled Donny, instead. And he smelled so good.

"Hey! Are you smelling me?" tanong niya sa akin na natatawa, I was standing beside him already where my hands were around his back. "Mamaya pa to, ang excited mo naman yata."

"I miss your smell, love!" sabi kong ganun sa kanya, I stopped for a minute kase nabigla din ako, he looked at me and raised his brow,

"I miss you, too." Sagot niya lang sa akin, si I continued on my thing, para yatang naging baby si Donny kase ang bango bango niya lang talaga,

"Hey! Kisses! Hindi ako makapag concentrate sa pagluluto! Gusto mo bang masunog to?" he stated grumpily, nagrereklamo sya kase hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko almost smelling his neck, nakikiliti sya,

"Kaya mo yan, love!" natatawa kong sagot sa kanya at humihigpit ang kapit sa sweater na suot niya, he stopped the gas on the stove at padabog akong hinarap, we switched positions at ako na yung naka sandal sa may kitchen sink,

"Oooppps. Galit ka na? I'm sorryyyyy." Pa cute kong sabi sa kanya while containing my giggle,

"You won't stop?" seryoso niyang tanong, umiling ako at tumawa,

"Ahhh. Talaga." Sagot ni Donny at sinusukat kung hanggang saan yung kulit ko,

I gulped when I saw him seriously staring at me while his hands were locking me.

"Look at me," sabi niyang ganun, I didn't because I was scared now, hahaha, "Delavin, look at me." Hindi ko parin sya pinansin, my hands were getting cold, "You started this, so don't stop me now. I've waited for this day."

"Hey.... I just miss..." I started but stopped when he kissed me, his kisses were slow yet it bring so much in my heart, I tried pushing him away but he was just keeping me with him.

When he pulled away, huminga ako ng malalim. Alam kong I was blushing too hard kaya hindi ako makatingin ng diretso sa kanya,

"Don't you dare, stop me now."

And then Donny pulled me in again. He kissed me again so I gave in. My lips brushed his, softly, delicately, just long enough that he could inhale his breath, feel the warmth of his skin, and taste the spaghetti sauce lingered far after he had gone. That's when I knew, I lost this. I could feel how his heart is beating with mine. And I don't want us to stop now, either.