Barcelona Escapade

Chapter Twenty-Two: Brother

Chapter Twenty-Two
Brother

"You're that turtle that bit me, huh?"

I shot defiance against the turtle Eros put back in his lap. Nakasandal pa rin ako sa balikat niya habang hinahaplos ang bahay ng pagong. Isinantabi ni Eros ang basket ng pagkain dahil naroon ang pagong. Sa dulo, naupo na lang kami roon.

"What's its name?" tanong ko.

"You want to name the turtle that bit you?"

"You didn't give it a name when you got it from the parking?" I shot back.

I felt him shrugging. Umayos ako ng upo at nilebel ang mukha sa mukha niya.

"He's recognizable with his small notch."

Itinuro niya pa 'yung maliit na parang pakas sa bahay ng turtle. He must have survived a distress and the notch marked the memory. I wonder what happened. Did people hurt him? Did he get hit by something?

Poor turtle.

"Lalaki?" I checked.

Eros nodded and also pointed at the turtle's tail. "Male turtles typically have longer tails and claws." He even lifted the turtle's body sideways to show me its tail on the other side. He pointed a small opening there. "Male cloacas are closer in the tip of the tail."

Napatango ako sa impormasyon. Eros must really have grasped something in the this farm. "We should really call him Pachelbel."

"Pachelbel?" he asked with brows rising. "That's a musician's name."

Ngumiti ako ng malawak at agad tumango.

"Yes, Johann Pachelbel, writer of Canon in D, the first piece I've learned and the first piece we played together back in Barcelona."

Amusement played in his eyes when it took on me. I bit my lower lip while his curled up for a cocky smile.

"Pachelbel," Eros concurred.

Ngumuso ako at tumango. We stayed in the pond, having Pachelbel on his lap. Nang hanapin ng caretaker at lumapit sa'min ay saka niya lang ibinigay. I didn't get but marking the turtle with a name should make him important to me now.

I bid Pachelbel goodbye and actually hoped to see him again when all he ever did before was bit me. Still, I want to get fazed by the fact Eros was there at the same period of time when the turtle and I were.

I guess Pachelbel is forgiven?

"You want to try horseback-riding?"

The challenge was like a sound to my ears.

"Can we?"

"Kung gusto mo," sagot niya.

With my eyes rippling in excitement, kaagad akong tumango. I stood up excitedly only until Eros looked at me from head to toe. Napabuntong-hininga siya habang tumatayo rin.

"You're wearing a dress," puna niya. "Do you think you would be comfortable?"

I nodded.