Napalingon siya, nakitang mabilis na palapit ang kapatid at asawa nito. Iiiwas niya sana ang baril pero hinagip na ni Ate Joanne ang braso niya, dahilan para lumuwag ang hawak niya sa baril at bumagsak iyon sa sahig.
Mabilis na pinulot iyon ni Aldous at ini-lock, bago ipinatong sa counter. Bumaling ito sa kanina lang ay balak niyang barilin sa sandaling magkamali ito ng kilos.
"Shit, Jessiah, are you okay?"
Nakalapat ang isang kamay ng lalaki sa dingding, habang nakasapo sa dibdib ang isa pa. He seemed to be counting, doing some breathing exercise to calm himself. "I'm good, don't worry," he rasped, then smiled faintly. "I just didn't expect that," tumingin ito kay Jake, parang ito pa ang nagso-sorry.
"Kami din, hindi namin inaasahan," napapabuntung-hiningang sabi ni Ate Joanne bago siya tiningnan. "Why are you awake, anyway?"
Tiningnan lang niya sandali ang kapatid bago ibinaling muli ang atensyon sa kaharap. Kumakabog pa din ang dibdib niya. Hindi pa rin siya makaisip ng ayos. Who is this man?
"Jessiah Cabrera,"he held out a hand. "I'm here for Aldous, to monitor his treatment progress."
"Jessiah Gabriel Cabrera, Ackerton Manila scholar, Stanford resident. Neuro oncology specialist and researcher, Jake. Hindi naman siguro mag-e-effort nang ganoon ang mga kriminal, di ba?" naiiling na dagdag ng kapatid niya. Napayuko siya.
"Ate Jo, it's okay. Hindi naman niya yata alam. At suspicious din kasi hatinggabi na 'ko dumating."
Napaangat uli siya ng tingin. Bihira siyang makarinig at kausapin sa Filipino sa nakalipas na dekada simula nang petisyunin siya ng ate niya dito. Jessiah' s low, soothing baritone sounded even better in Filipino.
And she knew a doctor for Aldous was coming to live with them for a year. Shit, alam niya ang mga detalye dahil ilang beses nila iyong napag-usapan. Pero gaya ng dati ay nangibabaw ang paranoia at takot niya.
Napatingin siya sa kamay nito na nakalahad pa din. Alanganing tinanggap niya iyon. "Jake," mahinang sabi niya. "It's Jacqueline, but... but Jake na lang." sinalubong niya ang tingin ni Jessiah habang hawak pa din ang kamay nito. His big hand was rough and warm and somewhat comforting... And she doesn't know why the hell she's been paying that much attention to these details. She quickly let go. "I'm sorry." muli siyang napayuko, hindi pa rin natitinag sa kinatatayuan.
"Okay ka lang? Okay na tayo? You can frisk me if you want." He sounded genuinely concerned. No sarcasm at all. Parang sanay na si Jessiah sa mga ganitong sitwasyon? Pero ano 'yung takot na nakita niya dito kanina?
"Jessiah, hindi na kailangan. Magpahinga ka na." naiiling na sabi ni Ate Joanne sabay hila sa braso niya. Pero nanatili siya sa puwesto. "Jake, ano ba? Bumalik ka na sa kuwarto mo, matulog ka na uli. Ksmi na ang bahala dito."
Napapikit siya. She's twenty-nine but she felt like a pesky nine year old being scolded. Kailangan at puwede na siyang umalis. Walang kriminal. False alarm. Walang panganib. Nobody got hurt. But why doesn't she feel certain that --
"Ate Jo, I think she has to be certain that I'm really unarmed. That I won't do anything once I'm left here with just the two of you. Okay lang, puwede niya 'kong i-check pati mga gamit ko." mahinahong sabi ni Jessiah.
"You've gone through airport security checks, man. It's not necessary." but Aldous pulled a huge suitcase anyway. Isinunod nito ang malaking backpack.
Dama ni Jake ang pamimigat ng ibaba ng mga mata, ang tila mumunting karayom na tumutusok doon, ang pag-iinit ng pisngi. Naiinis na napu-frustrate siyang hindi talaga siya matatahimik hangga't hindi nasisigurong okay lang ang lahat.
"Here," iniabot ni Jessiah ang hindi niya namalayang nahubad na palang jacket. Tahimik na kinuha niya iyon at ininspeksyon, habang isinunod namang hinubad ni Jessiah ang sneakers nito. Nothing pn his shoes. None protruded on his socks. Definitely nothing on his jacket but a pen light thermometer in a thin leather case, and his eye glasses.
Sa likod ay naririnig niyang binubuksan ng mag-asawa ang mga bag ni Jessiah. Tiningnan niya ito at nilapitan, kumakabog ang dibdib. He held out both arms for her to touch. Nothing. He turned. Her hands patted his nape, his muscled back, his spine, his hips, his back side which was... nice. She bit her lip. Her heart thumped faster. She bent to pat the sides of his long legs. Still nothing.
Marahang hinila niya ito sa balikat para muling paharapin sa kanya, at parang noon tuluyang bumigay ang pinipilit niyang huwag pansinin kanina.
He smelled good. So good that she almost closed her eyes when he turned and her face almost slammed onto the hollow that connected his neck and shoulders. God, what's happening to me?
Dama niyang pinapanood siya ni Jessiah. Hindi niya ito matingnan. Dumako ang kamay niya sa balikat nito, sa dibdib, sa tiyan. Nothing but hard male muscle. And more of him. His hot minty breath. His scent. His heat. Probably as dangerous as most known felony.
"Okay na," bulong niya. "Y-you're cleared ."
" Really?" Jessiah tilted his head. "Ikaw, okay ka na?" magaang na hinawakan nito ang braso niya.
Napalunok siya, hindi alam kung bakit muling inatake ng kaba. "Okay na 'ko. Thanks," Humakbang siya paatras. "Pasensya na."
"Nothing here either," sabi ni Aldous na itinuro ang bukas na suitcase.
"Wala rin dito. Just a aptop, portable ECG, medical supplies but no syringe, and books. And a few shirts." dagdag ng kapatid niya na mataman siyang minasdan. "Okay na, Jake?"
Tahimik na tumango siya bago kinuha ang baril sa counter. Agad niya iyong itinuro pababa, bago tumingin kay Jessiah na kanina pa siya minamasdan. "Goodnight," she breathed. "A-and.. welcome." then she turned to rush upstairs before he could aay anything.
Her heart still thumped, and it was so loud it might as well be right next to her ear. Parang nanghihina ang tuhod niya pero nagawa niyang makaakyat at makarating sa kuwarto. Bahagya na lang niyang naibalik sa holster sa drawer amg baril bago pabagsak na nahiga sa kama.
It's okay. Everything's okay. No one's going to get hurt. They're not in danger.
But why does it feel like things will never be the same from that moment on?
BINABASA MO ANG
Forget You Later (PREVIEW / Sample Chapters Only)
General FictionOnce, there was a man who'd do anything to remember, and a woman who wanted so much to forget. ~•~❤~•~ Dr. Jessiah Cabrera is in New Orleans for a year-long assignment, and that's where he intended to focus all his time and attention. Pero sa unang...
