"I just don't get it pare!" Rody ranted to his closest friends about what happened last night when he asked Leni to be his wife again. She just smiled weakly at him and entered her room telling him that she needs to rest and he should too.
"What happened this morning? Have you talk to her again?" Jun Evasco asked curiously.
Rody shook his head, "The breakfast was quiet, Jun."
"Tanong mo kaya ulit?" Jun Yasay suggested.
"Ewan ko pare, di ko na alam gawin ko. I thought we were on the same page." Rody uttered heaving a deep sigh.
Delfin clicks his tongue, "That's what I'm trying to tell you. Tinanong kita anong plano nyo, and clearly hindi kayo nag-uusap ng tungkol sainyo. Inuuna nyo kasi yung pagpapa-init." He smirked. They knew very well that Rody and Leni are intimate with each other.
"Mga buang! Di kayo nakakatulong eh!" Rody scold them playfully.
"Pero hindi seryoso na talaga pare," Jun Yasay started, "Talk to her again. Wag kasing pabigla-bigla ang mga tanong mo, take it step by step."
Jun Evasco nodded, "Yes, baka nga nabigla lang. Out of nowhere naman kasi yung tanong mo eh."
"Well she's actively flirting with you, so I think mutual pa naman ang feelings nyo sa isa't-isa." Delfin followed.
Rody was about to speak when his phone rang, it was Katja. "Hello nak? How—"
"Pa, si mama nag-iimpake!"
"Ha? Nasaan man kayo ngayon? Bakit daw?"
"Nasa bahay kami ngayon. Di ko alam uuwi daw muna sya ng Naga. Nag-away ba kayo?"
"Okay man kami ng mama mo. Hintayin nyo ako dyan, wag mong paalisin mama mo. Hintayin mo ako."
Call ended.
As soon as the phone call ended, Rody immediately get his car keys and wallet. "Uwi muna ako pare! Nag-iimpake daw si Leni."
The three gentlemen stood up from their seats, shocked. "Bakit daw?" Delfin asked.
"Di ko alam pare pero masama kutob ko." Rody said before he got out of his office leaving his friends.
"Ingat!" Jun Y. Said.
"Balitaan mo kami!" Jun E. Followed.
----
"Ma, can you tell me what is going on? Bakit biglaan naman tong pagbalik mo ng Naga?" Katja asked, trying to stop her mom from leaving.
"Wala, I just want to think muna. Just trust me, this is the best thing to do right now." Leni answered, folding her clothes as she organized them inside her luggage.
Katja sighed, "Ayan na naman tayo sa this is the best thing to do eh, the last time this happened nag-iimpake ka rin because we're leaving Papa." She knew that things aren't going well between her parents, "I don't want to let that happen again, ma."
Leni paused and looked at her daughter, frowning. "What do you mean?"
"Papa's coming. I called him a while ago." Katja told her mom, "He told me wag kitang hayaang umalis."
"What?!" Leni exclaimed. "Why did you do that?!" She doesn't want Rody to see her leaving. It will make things complicated than it already is.
"Kasi I want you guys to talk it out." Katja reasoned out.
"Katarina naman—" Leni was about to argue more when Rody finally came in from the office. He saw her almost done packing her things.
"What's happening? Where are you going?" Rody asked.
Katja sighed in relief, "Okay, I'll leave you two muna. Just please talk." She pleaded before she went down the living room.
"Where are you going?" Rody asked but he failed to get a response from her. She just pretended not to hear him and continued to pack her things. He suddenly grabbed her arm and made her face him, "Where are you going? Mag-usap naman tayo."
"Rod ano ba?!" She tried to withdrew from his grip, "Just let me do this. I just want to clear my mind. Gusto kong mag-isip muna, so please just let me go." She said, emphasizing her last words.
He finally let her arm go, "Is this because of what happened last night?" He asked calmly.
She just bowed her head.
"I know nabigla ka when I said that, but Leni I'm serious. I want to be with you, I want to spend the remaining years of my life with you." He uttered.
She looked at him with those sad eyes, "But you said you don't love me anymore."
He frowned, "I never said that."
She smiled weakly, "You said it over and over again, Rod. You even told Mama na wala na tayo. Na magkaibigan na lang tayo. Diba sabi mo kaya mo lang naman suot yung singsing mo kasi ayaw mong masaktan si Mama? You even told her na wag ng umasang magkakabalikan tayo kasi malabo naman na mangyari diba?"
He suddenly remembered the times when he really said that, but he didn't mean it. He's just afraid that if he admit his feelings for her, she would reject him and he thought he's pushing himself too hard just to be with her again. "I didn't mean it, sinabi ko lang yun kasi akala ko ayaw mo na saakin. I thought it would make you uncomfortable if tuksuhin ka nila saakin. I don't want to put you in a position na ma-obliga kang makipagrelasyon saakin kahit ayaw mo naman. I don't want you to feel pressured na makipagbalikan saakin just because people like Mama wants us to be together again—"
"Sa tingin mo ba papayag akong ipakilala mo akong asawa mo kung ayaw ko sa'yo?" She cut him off. "Sa tingin mo ba papayag akong makipagbahay-bahayan sa'yo kung ayaw ko na sa'yo? Do you really think na ayaw ko sa'yo even if I am very much willing to make love to you?" She cried.
"That's why I am asking you to marry me again!" He rebutted. "I don't want this kind of setup anymore. I don't want to play house with you anymore, waking up every day still unsure kung saan man patungo 'tong meron tayo, o kung meron bang tayo. I want to clear things out between us, Leni. I don't want to wake up asking myself if you are still in love with me—"
"I do." She cut him off. "I still love you." She weeped.
Tears started to stream down from his eyes, he suddenly felt like a thorn was removed from his chest. Hearing her say that was the most precious moment for him, "I love you, Leni."
She cried harder after he finally confessed his feelings for her, "I love you too, Rod."
He smiled in between his tears, he's glad he has lived this long for him to her her say those words again. He cupped her face and carefully wiped her tears using his thumb. "Mahal na mahal kita." He said once again kissed her forehead.
To be continued...
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