A sight of him walking towards our table makes my heart flutter and beats as fast as it could be. There was a sudden reappearance of butterflies in my stomach, he is the only person who can do this to me. Di ako mapakali kung ano ang dapat gawin, nalilito ako ngunit di ako makagalaw dahil sa gulat. Until he reached our place, wala akong nagawa kundi ang bumeso pabalik sa kanya. By the time that our skin touches each other his scent occupied my nose, how I miss his scent.
"Hey" he whispered unto my ears which made my system jump a little bit due to shock
"H-hey" I responded at iniwas ko ang aking katawan sa kanya at umupo na
Binasag ng tikhim ni Anthony ang nakakabinging katahimikan. At tumawag narin kami ng waiter upang makapag order na. Habang nakatingin sa menu, inaamin ko hindi parin ako kumportable sa presensya niya. Na dapat kong ipractice marahil makakatrabaho ko siya ng ilang buwan sa preparasyon sa kanilang kasal. Isa ako sa mga taong makakasaksi sa kanilang pag-iisang dibdib ng babaeng minamahal niya ng higit pa sa sarili niya.
"Good evening, may I have your order?" tanong ng waitress
"Tenderloin. Medium Rare."
"Tenderloin. Medium Rare."
sabay naming tugon kaya't napatingin kami sa isa't isa, agad ko namang binawi ang aking tingin at uminom ng tubig. Kaya naman sinalo nalang ako ng aking pinsan sa kahihiyan, we just had casual dinner Anthon and Laurence are talking about hospital stuffs sa terrace ng restaurant while me and Selena are talking baby stuffs, well you can't blame me no I am becoming a tita now...
"So how did you find out that you were pregnant?" tanong ko naman
"We were having breakfast, and Anthon cooked some boneless bangus and by the time na dumating na yung food sa table ay nag vomit agad ako and became dizzy." paliwanag niya
Tumango tango naman ako bilang tugon, I wonder how it feels like to start up a family, is it nervous? Is it scary? Or what. Well another journey has begun to my Selena.
"How about you, why did you do it?" taas kilay niyang tanong
"Did what?" naguguluhang tanong ko pabalik
"Did what, your ass" she mocked my answer
"You. are. the. freaking. wedding. coordinator. of. the. man. you. have. been. loving." maay diin niyang sabi sakin
"Come on, Emerald. Ang martyr sobra!" dagdag niya pa sabay irap
"As if I had the choice to decline. My college friend contacted me and asked me for a favor, I didn't know they are my clients." buntong hininga kong sagot sa kanya
"I didn't even know, he was back." wala sa sarili kong sabi
"My, my, my. I know what's next. You're going to torture and lose your identity again. I'm here Emerald, always and in all ways." Seryoso niyang sabi sa akin at yumakap
"I know and very much appreciated." Sabi ko sa kanya sabay ngiti at yumakap pabalik
Ilang sandali palang ay naramdaman ko ang kaniyang mga hikbi, kaya agad ko siyang hinarap
"Why? Why are you crying? Does your tummy ache?" kabadong tanong ko
"No, no, no. Its just my estrogen. I'm becoming emotional day by day" sabi niya sabay tuloy sa kanyang pag iyak
"Oh god, stop crying. It's bad for the baby." sabi ko sabay bigay sa kaniya ng tubig
"I can't just let you lose yourself again, Emerald. I can't" sabi niya pa
"Hush now, I am better know. I already accepted it and I think its a good step right?" sabi ko sabay ngiti upang macheer up na siya
"Yeah right." she rolled her eyes sabay punas sa mga luha
Sabay naman kaming napatawa at ininom nalang ang aming drinks. Ilang sandali naman ay dumating na ang mga lalake. Kaya napaayos naman kami ng upo at napatikhim nalang kami.
"So I've heard." panimula ni Selena
Napairap nalang ako sabay inom sa aking wine sabay tingin sa labas, please remind me bakit ako nandito again?
"Well you've heard." tugon naman ni Laurence
"When? Are we invited?" bato pabalik ni Selena
"1st of June. Uh? Save the date?" awkward na sabi ni Laurence
"Definitely." Selena said with full smile and yawned
"Oh, I think we should go now. She's sleepy, and it's not good for the baby." Sabi ko
"Yeah, we should get going." sang-ayon naman ni anthon at sabay kuha sa bill
Matapos makabayad ay humayo na kami at lumabas sa restaurant. Naunang umalis ang mag asawa kaya't naiwan kaming dalawa ni Laurence sa labas, he was waiting for a cab and due to respect I stayed.
"You should get going too." sabi niya
"No, it's okay. I have my car naman. I'll just send you off." mabilis kong sagot
"Oh, -kay." sabi niya
Wala masyadong taxi ang dumadaan dito kaya halos tatlumpong minuto na kaming nakatayong naghihinatay eh wala paring dumadating. I want to give him a ride home since madadaanan lang din naman kaso baka ano pa ang isipin niya.
Ilang sandali palang ay nagkaroon ng black out kaya dali dali kong ini-on ang aking flashlight sa cellphone. Sinundan naman ito ng malakas na pagbuhos ng ulan kaya wala sa plano ko siyang inaya na ihatid.
"Come, I' ll drive you home." sabi ko sabay takbo at bukas sa sasakyan
Wala narin siyang nasabi dahil sa tindi ng ulan at dali daling pumasok sa sasakyan. Agad ko ring stinart ang sasakyan at umusad na paalis sa restaurant. Walang umimik sa sasakyan kaya't I turned my stereo on and played my playlist.
/Now Playing: Bruised by Theo/
When I heard the strumming of the guitar agad nanlaki ang aking mga mata at dali daling napatay ang music sabay rin don ang pagtapak ko sa brake kaya napatigil kami. Great. What a perfect timing. Sa lahat ng kanta iyon pa talaga no, the song he composed with me, he let me listened to, he asked me for revisions. The root of our friendship.
Hindi ako makagalaw, hindi ako makaisip, isang kanta pero napakaraming ala-ala. Handa na nga ba ako? Upang tanggapin ang lahat?
"Don't." munting sambit niya at plinay ulit ang tugtuging iyon.
Nanginginig at nangingilid na ang aking mga luha ngunit alam kong kalahati lamang ng aking mukha ang kaniyang makikita kaya't I remained still. Di ako gumalaw at tahimik na umaagos ang aking luha.
"You can drop the event, you don't have to accept it." seryosong sabi niya habang nakatingin sa daan
"Why would I drop it? Its the wedding of the century." I tried to make my voice more happy
"Stop the act, I can see what's within you Emerald." bulong niya
"You are not okay." huling sambit niya bago ko pinaandar ulit ang sasakyan at tinahak na ang daan namin pauwi.
