Ephemeral (On Going)

Chapter 17 - Molly Meets Greg

Molly's POV*

Gabing gabi na nu'ng tumawag si Reagan sa'kin. Patulog na 'ko at nagse-cellphone nalang.

"Napatawag ka?"

"May shoot ka ba bukas? Andito kami sa strip club. Punta ka," sagot niya. Nilayo ko sa tenga ko 'yung cellphone sa sobrang lakas ng tunog.

"But it's late already!"

"C'mon, Molly! Minsan lang 'to oh. May ipapakilala rin ako sa'yo." Iba ang tono ng pananalita ni Reagan. Parang inviting at talagang nag-eenjoy. I couldn't resist! I quickly changed into an outfit. I waited for a cab and went to the strip club.

Tinawagan ko uli si Reagan.

"I'm here na sa labas. I'm scared to go in," sabi ko sa kanya habang tumitingin-tingin sa paligid. Natatakot ako na baka may mangtrip sa'kin bigla.

Maya-maya pa, lumabas na si Reagan. Namumula ang mga labi niya pati pisngi. Napakagwapo at fresh tingnan!

"Gabing gabi na ah, ba't nagpa-party ka pa?" tanong ko sa kanya. Nakangiti niyang sinagot ang tanong ko.

"I'm with my best pal, Greg!" Lumabas si Greg mula sa loob nang patumba-tumba. Ano ba 'tong mga 'to.

"Hi, I'm Greg," pakilala niya.

"I'm Molly." Nag-shake hands kami at dumeretso sa loob. Pumasok kami nang nagtatawanan si Reagan at Greg. Lasing na sila at mukhang enjoy na enjoy 'yung pagkikita nila.

Bumaba 'yung isang babae mula sa stage at sineduce si Greg. He just had a straight face that I couldn't believe what's happening. Most guys would touch the girl inappropriately or 'yung mukha eh hindi na maipinta sa sobrang kagustuhan ng gano'n.

"Alright that's enough," sabi ni Greg sabay tulak sa babae palayo. Tumayo siya at nag-aya nang umalis.

"I just came here," I said shrugging.

"Whatever, Molly. Let's just come to my place."

Tahimik kaming naglakad sa labas ng strip club. Huminto kami sa isang tabi at nag-antay ng cab.

Dumating kami sa appartment ni Greg. Ang linis at maaliwalas ang paligid kahit saan mo tingnan. Minimalist lang at mukhang cool at masayabg kasama si Greg dahil sa impression na binibigay ng bahay niya.

"Ah feels like home," Reagan said dropping his entire body on the sofa.

"I almost didn't change anything here. I wanted it to look the same just in case you comeback."

"It just reminds me of how much Anna loved interior design. She's the reason why I approached you," sagot ni Reagan nang nakasara ang mga mata.

"Well, thank her for it. I'm the biggest blessing in your life." Tumawa sila at umupo nang maayos si Reagan. Si Greg naman ay lumipat sa tabi ni Reagan nang matapos inumin 'yung tea na tinimpla niya sa may kitchen island.

"Do you need anything?" tanong sa'kin ni Greg.

"A blanket would be nice." Nag handa ng popcorn at mga inumin si Greg para sa'min. Nanood kami ng The Notebook. Nasa gitna nila akong dalawa kaya rinig ko ang lahat ng reaction nila.

"I'd love to try that," Reagan said pointing his finger at the TV. It was the scene where Noah and Allie lied down on the street.

"But you have no one to do it with," mahinang sabi ni Greg. Tiningnan ko si Reagan sa tabi ko. Nakasandal uli ang ulo niya at bahagyang nakapikit. May maliit siyang ngiti sa mga labi niya na naging cause ng pagbablush ko. Dahan dahan akong tumingin uli sa TV para hindi mahalata ang pamumula ko.

"You're blushing," Greg said touching my cheek.

"I-I just love this scene," I bluffed. Greg chuckled and looked at Reagan on the other side of the sofa.

"He's wasted," he whispered.

"Is he always like this?" I asked.

"Before he left New York to go back to Anna, he was always stressed. He would fall asleep on that same spot with a heavy feeling. He was always wasted and stressed out about everything that he bought for Anna." Tiningnan ko si Reagan sa tabi ko. Inimagine ko ang kwento ni Greg na laging naka kunot-noo si Reagan pag-uwi galing work. Minsan pa eh nakakatulog na sa sofa nang hindi nagpapalit. Gano'n pala siya ka stress dati.

"Was it difficult for him to afford those?" I asked.

"Of course. He would eat once a day just to save up money. Sometimes he even eats my leftovers just to save up. Too bad all of it was wasted because of that AnnaWhore," malungkot na kwento ni Greg. Sumandal ako sa sofa.

"AnnaWhore? Really?" I chuckled. Greg smiled at me and drank the remaining beer he had. Tulog na silang dalawa at ako nalang 'yung nanonood.

Tumayo ako at tiningnan 'yung mga naka sabit na photo frames sa likod namin.

Mga picture ni Greg at Reagan sa mga binisita nilang lugar. Nag CR muna ako at natawa ako sa nakita ko. Picture ni Reagan at Greg sa Disneyland ang nakasabit sa tabi ng salamin sa loob. Naka wacky sila at naka Mickey Mouse ears na headband.

Reagan probably enjoyed his stay here. Maraming mga photoframes akong nakita sa loob ng isang storage sa Cr ni Greg. I don't want to invade his privacy but my curiosity is unstoppable. I open the basket and saw lots of pictures.

I skip Greg's photo nu'ng bata pa siya. I continue digging until I saw Reagan's candid shot. Ang ganda ng ngiti niya. Nasa isang restaurant sila sa tabi ng dagat. Naka shades siya at nakatingin sa dagat nang may malaking ngiti sa labi. Tiningnan ko pa ang iba at nakita ko ang basag na frame.

Picture ni Reagan at Anna siguro 'to. May biglang kumatok sa CR kaya nagmadali akong iligpit ang basket. Pagbukas ko ng pinto, sinilip ni Greg ang paligid suspiciously.

"You know what's inside that basket, don't you?" tanong niya. Walang emosyon ang mukha niya na ikinakaba ko.

"I-I just..." he cut me off. Greg burst into laughter. He almost fell on the floor.

"I'm just kidding! Here, let me tell you the story of one of these pics." Greg starts taking out the photos. Mas nakita ko nang matagal 'yung mga picture lalo na 'yung silang dalawa ni Reagan.

"Here," he said wiping off the dust.
Inayos ni Greg ang upo niya. Sumandal siya sa wall at kinwento ang nangyari sa picture.

"Obviously, this is Reagan. This was when they went out for a date before he left to go here. Reagan printed this photo here and bought a frame. This apartment looked like his house because we had his and Anna's photo everywhere. But ever since he came back here to get his stuff when he found out about Anna's affair, he threw this so hard that it broke the frame. The other photos were thrown away. I found this behind the TV right after he left. I don't even know why I kept it."

"She looks pretty," sabi ko nang nakatitig sa litrato. Niyaya na ako ni Greg na bumalik sa sofa. Pinatulog niya ako sa kama niya. Malaki naman kasi ang sofa niya na kasyang kasya sila ni Reagan.

Hindi ako makatulog kaya nag desisyon akong uminom ng whiskey galing sa mini bar ni Greg. He has so many alcoholic drinks. I taste everything one by one to see which one I like the best. At nu'ng nakapili na 'ko, kinuha ko 'yun at saka dinala sa kwarto.

Minsan lang naman at isa pa, babayaran ko nalang.

I didn't realize na umaga na. I'm still drinking. Hindi ko na namalayang nakatulog na pala ako nang hindi tinatanggal 'yung suot kong panlabas earlier that day.