Kristine Series 18, One Wish (UNEDITED) (COMPLETED)

19

SA IILANG pagkakataong naaalala niya ang ginawa ni Millie ay hindi maaaring hindi makadama ng galit si Karl. Subalit sa pagkakataong iyon ay gusto niyang mangiti dahil ang nanatili sa isipan niya'y ang sinabi ng ama.

"On a starry night, make one wish from your lucky star for the right girl to come along..."

At pumasok sa isip niya ang pangyayaring niyakap siya ni Lora mula sa likod at ipinasok ang mga kamay sa bulsa ng shorts niya. She had wished from a star. A tender smile formed his lips. Did Lora really wish for something that night or the witch just wanted to have her ways with him? Ano kaya ang gagawin niya kung ang mga kamay ni Lora ay bumaba pa nang kaunti sa... well... He grinned at the thought.

"Anton Karl, are you there?"

Napabalikwas si Karl sa tinig na nagmumula sa speaker ng computer niya. Nasa monitor ang mukha ni Iris. Mabilis siyang bumangon at naupo sa computer stool. Pressed a key and snapped, "What!"

"You gotta work on your manners, my dear."

"Why should I work on my etiquette gayong alam kong ikaw ang nasa screen?" he asked, stretching his legs and yawning at the same time. "Gabi na, bakit gising ka pa?" "Nagpatawag ng board meeting si Kuya Nathaniel, on Saturday. And that would be three days from now. Sa Esmeralda office. Nag-aambang mag-strike ang union sa processing plant sa Laguna. Ipa-fax ko sa iyo ang mga tatalakayin. I cannot cover your gorgeous butt anymore, my dear, kung hindi ka darating."

"Dammit, Iris! I'm on leave!"

"Up until two days ago. At kung iniisip mong mag-extend, no way, baby. Your father will slash my neck. Where are you, anyway?" He sighed, flexed the muscles in his back and shoulders. "Two miles off Romblon coast..."

"Matapos mong ihatid sa Anilao si Krista at ang mga guest niya, sino ang nakatalilis pabalik sa yate?"

He couldn't help feeling amused. "Paano mong natiyak na may kasama ako sa yate?" Humalakhak si Iris at pagkuwa'y, "I was five years old when you were born, Karl. I knew you too much para hindi ko malaman ang bawat kilos at galaw mo."

"Damn you, Iris..." he said, half amused, half irritated.

"Ouch." Iris pretended to be hurt, pagkuwa'y mabilis na idinagdag, "Now who's the lucky woman? Paano siya nakalusot? Itinago mo ba siya sa closet mo habang abala sa mga bisita niya si Krista?" "Nakilala ko siya sa gitna ng laot..."

"Oww." Umangat ang kilay nito. "A mermaid! Gaano kahaba ang buntot at paano ba nakikipag-make love ang half fish-half human?"

Malakas na humalakhak si Karl. "You're incorrigible. But kidding aside, sa laot ko talaga siya nakilala. A boat rower. An educated boat rower from somewhere in Calapan who's great interest is photography. She transported local and foreign tourists to and fro the islands." Ikinuwento niya ang paraan ng pagtatagpo nila ni Lora.

"My god, Anton Karl!" manghang bulalas ni Iris. "Kahit ba naman sa laot sinusundan ka ng babae! Sigurado ka bang hindi sirena iyan?"

Muling humalakhak si Karl. "I invited her to sail with me. And mind you, isinama niya ang matandang tiyahin niya. Descendant ni Tandang Sora..."

"Why, that boat rower must be something para maakit ang atensiyon mo! And, my dear, a legion of aunts couldn't stop you from doing your wicked ways with any woman."

Karl smiled. "She's pretty and unaffected... with a killer smile and peaches and cream complexion sa kabila ng trabahong nasa dagat lagi. But you know me, I'm scared of young virgins..."

"Oh!" Iris exclaimed genuinely. Tuluyang napukaw ang interes.

"And this young virgin's a dreamer..." patuloy ni Karl, "believed in love, in marriage before sex stuff... and yet," he paused, his smile gone and then added drily, "she likes rich men... awed by the luxury she saw at the yacht." "I was awed by your ship, too... and I love the luxuries money can offer... And with my heart's condition, I couldn't imagine being poor, darling." "Shut up. Maliban sa pangalan ko'y hindi niya ako kilala. Sinabi kong kaibigan ko ang may-ari ng yate at na naka-leave ako..."

"Why, that's even more interesting!"

"At wala akong intensiyong makipagkilala. At least, for once, may babae akong kasama na hindi nakatingin sa salaping nakabalot sa pamilya." Patamad na nagbuntong-hininga si Iris. "There he goes again." She rhymed the words. "You're turning to be a bore, Karl." She faked a yawn.

"And if I'm honest, Iris," patuloy ni Karl. Undaunted by her mild sarcasm. "I am thoroughly enjoying this wench's company. I just wish to hell I could seduce her to my bed," he said, and was surprised by the heat that flowed his body at the thought of Lora in his bed.

"Well, why not marry that wench and have your ways with her and divorce her after twenty-four hours," wika nito na sinabayan ng malakas at malutong na halakhak. It was a common joke between the two of them.

"Tsk... tsk... you're bad, Iris. Very bad..."

"Anyway, I want you to sail back home pronto. You've missed two board meetings in the past. At kapag hindi ka nakarating ngayon, there'd be hell to pay with your father." "That board meeting be damned!"

"Oh, I know you're joking. Ciao." At nawala sa screen ang mukha nito.

Isang buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ni Karl at bumalik sa higaan. Iniunan ang dalawang braso at nakatitig sa kisame. Laman pa rin ng isipan ang anyo ni Lora. Now the pain in his neck moved lower... even lower to his groin.

He sighed. He needed a bath in the middle of the night.

Dinampot niya ang intercom at kinausap ang kapitan at sinabing pauwi na sila. Ibinaba niya ang intercom at lumabas patungo sa deck. Sinalubong siya ng haplos ng malamig na hangin, sapat upang maalis ang init na nararamdaman. Now what?

Well, ibababa niya pagdating sa Batangas port si Lora, o sa Calapan, kung doon man nito gustong magpahatid. End of story... end of adventure...

Subalit may bahagi ng dibdib niya ang tumututol sa gusto niyang mangyari. Hindi siya makapaniwalang may mararamdaman siyang panghihinayang kung sakaling maputol na sa pagdaong sa pier ang pagkikita nila.

After Lydia and Millie, he had sworn that one woman was as good as another.

But since meeting Lora, he felt that something in him was transformed. And he didn't know why it seemed this young virgin scared a hell out of him.

The witch intrigued him. And definitely he was attracted to her. The attraction was physical, walang duda sa bagay na iyon. But there was something else, something too powerful to be labeled desire.

Tumingala siya sa kalangitan. The sky was magnificent in its starry splendor. On a starry night, wish upon a star...

"Oh, come on..." He shook his head and smiled at the same time. Muling tinalunton ang daan pabalik sa cabin.

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