Barcelona Escapade

Chapter Forty-One: Longer

Chapter Forty-One
Longer

"He went to the clinic?" hindi makapaniwala kong tanong.

Hinintay ko si Dra. Montero na sumagot. I excused myself from Jayren to pee and do a quick face retouch. We were on a casual date, just some random pigging-out since he has free-time today. Nagkataon lang nag-check ako ng phone at nakatanggap ng mensahe kay Dra. Montero na nagsasabing nagpunta si Eros sa clinic na sinabi ko noong nakaraan.

"Yes, he dropped by yesterday. I prescribed him medications and scheduled a follow up checkup next week," she explained.

I breathed, nodding. "That's a relief."

He sure still knows how to listen and how to feel pity about himself. If he wasn't treated properly, not only my eyes but my conscience would be bugged by the blisters in his arms. Hindi ko na ata gugustuhin pang makita ulit 'yon.

"Who is this man, by the way?" Dra. Montero asked, which made me straighten my posture.

"Oh..." my voice trailed off. "An acquaintance from the foundation we're funding."

"No wonder you sounded worried, hija."

I bit my lower lip. "It's not that..." Rinig kong humalakhak si Dra. Montero. Napailing ako. "Just please, don't mention this to my mother, Dra., can you? She won't really like it if she knows-"

"Of course, hija. Makakaasa ka."

I smiled. It's a comfort I still have a lot of people who condone things Mama sure won't. Hanggang ngayon, sana matanggap kong sapat na ang ganoon.

And it's enough that I know Eros has been treated too. At least, he didn't walk his talk about being stubborn and stupid as he insisted he is last time.

"Maybe I'm indeed stubborn and stupid," naalala kong sabi niya.

I was still inside the van, my annoyance is already slowly withering. Still, I rolled my eyes. Dahan-dahan kong pinihit ko ang knob ng kotse mula sa loob. Eros must have heard it click because he stood up straight and moved away from the van. Nang masiguradong wala na siya sa tabi, saka ako lumabas.

"You are, Eros," natatandaan kong sinabi bago siya iniwan doon ng mag-isa.

Before I completely turned my gaze away, I caught him smiling a bit. Hindi ko masigurado kung namamalikmata lang ako dahil hindi ako lumingon ulit. My heart hammered nervously, and if I looked back and confirmed that was a genuine truth, I don't know what to feel. But then there's the strange smile that escaped on my lips too, which I don't think is a promising idea to show anyone kaya kumaripas ako ng takbo pabalik sa foundation.

We didn't talk after that. And this news from Dra. Montero talking about him abiding with me, even when he didn't inform me himself, made me want to slap myself for suddenly feeling heated.

Napailing akong muli. Nang makabalik sa table namin ni Jayren, nakahanda na rin siyang umalis kami. Tumayo siya ng makita ako kaya agad kaming dumiretso palabas ng restaurant.

"I'm going to visit my brother. Do you want to come?"

I instantly shifted my gaze beside me to peek at Jayren with disbelief.

I thought earlier was the end of Eros' visit on my sanity today pero mukhang wala talaga siyang umalis sa isipan ko. Now here's Jayren advising me that he wanted to... what?

"Sorry?"

Jayren held my hand. "Let's visit my brother and his family."

His touch astounded me, but I was cautious enough not to make him notice. Mabuti at nagbukas siya ng pinto kaya agad niya rin akong binitawan. Pumasok ako sa kotse, nakaawang ang labi sa sinabi niya.