Coleen had been walking back and forth outside her brother's bedroom door, peeking once in a while to see if the couple was awake. The women in the household were surprised and shocked when Vice told everyone that Karylle's professor tried to rape her. Coleen opened the door briefly and the sight warmed her.
Her brother, dressed in a white shirt and gray sweatpants, was sitting on the side of the girl's bed, holding her hand while they were both sleeping.
The household knew when the two broke up more than two weeks ago. She and Solenn told the news. Her mother said he looked like a beaten man and didn't even eat dinner (which was so unlike Vice), went straight to his room and locked himself for a few days.
Seeing his brother's beautiful face in a worried frown yesterday while carrying Karylle's sleeping form was enough to stir another set of conversation in the household:
They're together again. And really, everyone's happy. It means my pathetic brother would be in his best behavior, he wouldn't smoke much, and he would always be inspired.
Coleen recognize the changes in Vice after the morning she found them naked on his bed. He went home much earlier and they'll know if he had visited her if there's a wide smile on his lips and he keeps on laughing about the smallest things.
One day, she found him rummaging through his closet looking for this old dinosaur plushie their father gave him when he was barely three.
Coleen later found out, he gave it to her. He would also go to work in an energetic way which their father noticed and liked, for the first time after Vice started to work in the company.
He's becoming the son I wanted him to become…His ideas took everyone's breath away…He's really my son and my heir…
K slowly sat up and touched her neck now wrapped in bandages. The girl winced and Coleen just looked at her.
K looked at her other hand and blushed instantly when she realized he was holding her through the night. Slowly, she faced Vice sitting sleeping form and looked intently at his face, smiling softly. She hesitantly touched his cheek very lightly.
Bakit kaya ang lungkot ng mukha ni ate Karylle, habang pinagmamasdan si kuya? Coleen thought that the idea of them back together was not yet official.
Pero my possibility na nagkabalikan nga sila, especially after the incident. Coleen crossed her fingers, Please sila na, sila na.
She was chanting, unaware that her mother had walked up behind her and was looking at the same sight.
K felt warm when her fingers touched the skin of his face.
Oo nga, nandito siya at hindi ako na nanaginip, pinuntahan niya nga ako sa bahay ni Anne. He did kiss her and comfort her and carried her in his strong arms.
Her dreams were true as well, he was holding my hand and was sitting next to me the whole night.
She remembered what happened vaguely, she had nightmares of men running after her, men touching her and then the face transformed to those of Dr. Hayden and his hands worked his way inside her shirt. She would wake up, scared and heavy-headed, in heat and covered with sweat.
Maraming beses ko siyang tinatawag kagabi. 'VICE.'
At palaging may sumasagot na,. 'I'm here, K'. His voice was enough to make her close her eyes and sleep again.
A hand covered hers as it caressed his cheek. Vice took her hand and kissed it. Ever so slowly, he opened his eyes and looked at her with a knowing smile. K blushed at his gaze and he held both her hands tightly, in a pleasant way.
