Chapter 7

When he said I should make his home like home for me as well, nakahilata ako sa sofa sa salas at walang pakialam kung tingnan man ako ng mga staff niya. They don't even mind though.

I told him I wished to be alone for now kaya naman hinayaan niya akong mapag-isa. Lalo na't in just a matter of time, he would know the truth about my pregnancy. Pinaghahanda ko na kung anong ipapaliwanag ko sa kanya. I'm not even sure if he would listen to what I would say. O baka labas lang din sa kabilang tainga iyon.

While I was scrolling on my phone, naamoy ko iyong mabangong amoy na sa tingin ko ay nanggagaling sa kusina. Dahil sa talas ng pang-amoy ko at kuryusidad kung anong nangyayari, sinundan ko kung saan nanggagaling iyon.

I tried looking first at the kitchen, but no one was there aside from the staff who were cleaning some silverware and other stuff.

"Dov'e ' Fabrizio?" I asked. (Where's Fabrizio?)

"E ' nel cortile, signora," one staff answered. (He's in the backyard, ma'am."

"Ringraziamento," I said. (Thank you.)

When I left them in the kitchen and found my way to the backyard where I was greeted by the smell of whatever that is, I saw him wearing such a cutie white-red striped apron on his waist and checking what was on the brick oven.

Nang mapansin naman niya ako ay napalingon ito sa direksyon ko at nginitian ako.

"You hungry?" he asked.

Kumalam kaagad ang sikmura ko sa pagkatatanong niya no'n. Napangiti na lamang ako saka dahan-dahang tumango. As I got closer to him, mas lalong nangibabaw sa akin iyong amoy na niluluto niya.

Umupo naman sa mesa na malapit sa kanya.

"I'm baking some pizza," he said. "Glad I've got to build this brick oven just in case..." Ngisi pa nito. "This would be done in a few minutes so you'll get the first taste."

So while waiting for a few minutes, nag-utos naman si Fabio ng utensils at plato saka ng inumin. He didn't want to give me some alcohol 'cause he knows it would be bad for my condition.

Nang maihanda niya ang plato sa harapan ko saka naman niya hinugot ang pizza sa loob ng brick oven gamit ang peel. Umuusok ang pizza nang inilabas niya iyon at dahan-dahan niyang inilapag sa table ang pizza sa ibabaw ng wooden board.

"Let me cut it first," he said.

Masyado siyang abala sa ginagawa niya. Hindi ko siya pinapakialamanan at pinapanood ko lang siya. He's sweaty, but smiling like I haven't seen before.

Kinuha niya iyong roller cutter at saka niya pinasadahan ng pagcut ang pizza. He took a slice and put it on my plate.

"This is the classic Italian pizza. You might've had like this before, but mine's different. Try it and tell me what it tastes like," he said.

I grabbed the knife and fork on the side of my plate. I relatively cut a small piece and then I took a bite. I was so conscious as he was watching me eat his creation, but then I know he saw how my face lighten and how it made me feel so good.

"It's great," I said. 'It's best from what I've had before."

"Grazie." He giggled. "I've been making pizza since I was young and you know it's not odd to do that in this country. And maybe next time, I'll let you try some of my favorites and I'm sure you'll love it, too."

I just smiled at what he said. Kumuha na rin siya ng isang slice at sinabayan niya akong kumain. Good thing, I felt so satisfied with my cravings today, but I'm sure I'll be looking for something else at the end of the day. I couldn't figure it out yet, but sure I'll be hungry once again.

"Do you want to take all the pizza home?" he questioned. Napaangat ang tingin ko sa kanya dahil nabasa niya iyong iniisip ko. "Are you going home?" pahabol pa nitong tanong sa akin.

Napangisi ako. "Of course, I'm going home."

"You know you can stay here," he said. "There's a lot of vacant rooms you can stay in here. I don't mind if you stay. I would love to though."

Hindi ako sumagot sa sinabi niya kung hindi saglit lang ay nakatanggap siya ng message sa phone niya kaya napunta ro'n ang atensyon niya. He quickly read the message and raised his head up looking straight at me.

"We've got the result," he announced. Halatang kabado pa ang boses nito nang sabihin sa akin 'yon. "Let's see it together."

Hindi ako kumibo. Inilipat niya iyong upuan niya sa tabi ko saka niya binuksan iyong email kung saan in-access niya ang result from the medical we had. When he opened it and quickly look for the result and zoom it, makapagpigil hininga kong tiningnan ang screen ng phone niya maging siya na mabilis na lumipad ang tingin sa akin.

Bakas naman sa mukha niya na hindi siya makapaniwala. Iniwas ko rin naman ang tingin ko sa kanya kasi nagsinungaling pa ako sa kanya nitong mga nakalipas na araw just to justify na hindi sa kanya 'to... but then, the test comes out and I cannot escape this situation anymore.

"So... what happens now?"

"Um... I'll be going back to my aunt's house and then life goes on..." simple kong sagot sa kanya.

He looked at me. Alam kog nag-iisip 'yan nang sasabihin sa akin at kung ano man 'yon, I need to stand on my feet. May mga bagay kasing kahit hilingan niyang gusto niya, hindi pwedeng bibigay ko na lang din.

He wasn't even present in my life for the past few months and he's gonna show up as nothing happened.

"I want you to stay with me," he said. Para bang pag-uutos na ang tono ng boses niya. "But don't look at it the wrong way. I want to be there for you. I want to help you with your pregnancy. I wanna be the father to our child, Jacinta. And... I don't want you to ride on Jann's Vespa again. It's dangerous for you."

"I'll think about that," I answered. "You know this isn't easy for me."

"I understand," he said. "But I'll be here now."

"Just... just a question and I want a genuine answer from you."

He nodded. "Sure. Ask me."

"Was it the guilt that you're trying to do this? I know you've got life out there and you don't have to carry my world just because you got me pregnant. I don't wanna be alone again, Fabio. And I'm afraid if I would do this again with you, it would turn out the same thing. You'll leave and find something that would make you happy. I'm not your happiness. I was once... but I will never be."

He was speechless. Tinitigan niya lang ako.

"I think I'll be going home now... and you said you don't mind I'm taking the pizza home."

"Yeah, of course, take it. It's all yours."

Nag-asikaso naman ako at naghanda para umalis. I really don't see myself staying at his place. Maayos naman ang buhay ko sa puder nina auntie. I know parang napakalaking palamunin ko ro'n, but that's also the reason I was working so I wouldn't be a burden to anybody.

Nang sinabihan niya akong ihahatid niya ako sa bahay nina auntie, hindi na ako pumayag. Sabi naman niya kung ayaw kong siya ang maghatid, iba ang maghahatid sa kanya basta masigurado lang na maayos siyang makauuwi. But in the end, hindi niya ako pinayagang umuwi mag-isa at pinasakay pa rin niya ako sa sasakyan niya, but this time ay sa bar ni Ale ako nagpahatid.

Pansin ko naman ang mukha niya nang banggitin ko ang Alessandro. Feeling ko aangal siya kung bakit doon pa, pero hindi na lang siya nagsalita pa.

Our ride was steady and quiet. Narating din naman namin agad ang bar ni Ale, but before I could even step out of his car, hinawakan ako nito sa braso ko. But when he noticed I looked at it directly, binawi niya rin agad ang kamay niya mula sa pagkakahawak sa akin.

"You know, I believe we can work this one out," malumanay nitong panimula. "What happened in the past, we had fun with each other, right? I still remember all those times we had."

"Really?" I questioned, raising a brow. "Sige nga. If you still remember it, where did we go when the time I freaked out I thought I have my period? Tell me..."

"Oh..." he muttered. "I don't remember that..."

Napangisi ako sa sinabi niya. "See? How could you say you still remember it? That happened when we go to some mall in Quezon City." Napailing na lang ako. "Whatever... if you really believe you can man up, we'll see..."

"And please think about staying at my place, alright?"

Kibit balikat na lang din naman ang naisagot ko sa kanya saka ako bumaba ng sasakyan. Hindi na niya ako sinundan pa palabas, but he didn't drive away until I got inside the bar. Just a few minutes later, he left and I don't know where he goes.

Nakaupo ako sa isang tabi, the usual table I take at nakita naman agad ako ni Ale. Naningkit ang mata nito nang lumapit sa akin.

"Why are you in my bar again?" he asked, drying off his hand with a towel on his waist.

I scrunched my face. "Am I not allowed to be here? And...you know, I've got something else to talk with you that I believe you should know about."

"Does it need a drink?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, please. I'll take the strongest one."

He laughed and quickly shakes his head. "No! Why would I give you an alcoholic drink? We've got four season drinks there. That should be good for you."

"Then I'll take it."

Saglit siyang bumalik sa counter para kuhaan ako nang maiinom. When he gets back, pinakita ko naman sa kanya iyong naiuwi kong pizza mula kay Fabio. When he tasted it, tinanong niya kung saan ko raw binili dahil kakaiba raw. When I told him that I didn't buy it elsewhere, kumunot ang noo niya at muntik na niyang idura kasi akala niya lalasunin ko siya.

"That's from Fabio," aniko.

His eyes squinted. "Who's that?"

"That person who came here looking for me—and remember the guy who asked me to serve for them, that's his friend as well."

"Oh! Oh... oh! I remember, all right. I didn't know you were friends," he said. "I'm sure I've mentioned it to you that he also works at the vineyard where I work now... and aside from it..."

"What?"

I swallowed, trying to take a deep breath.

"That's something I should be worried about, right?" he asked.

"Well... I didn't tell you about this because I'm sure I wouldn't be able to see him again, but then a week ago, I saw him and I know my life will never be the same anymore. He's the father of my baby, Ale..."

He gasped. "What? Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I know because he's the only one I've been with for the past months and... earlier, we just had a DNA test which came out positive."

"And what are you gonna do now?"

I shrugged off. "I don't know..."

"Hmm..." Napaisip naman ito. "Let's go to some beaches tomorrow and we'll relax... and I'm sure you will have to say a lot of things about it, right?"

I chuckled, nodding my head. "Sure. Let's do that..."

Iniwan naman ako saglit ni Ale dahil may tumawag sa kanya na customer. Kahit papaano ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag sa naging reaksyon ni Ale. Hindi siya galit o kung ano man. But I know, this won't be easy for me.

It feels like I'm starting all over again... but sure, I cannot wait to do it and get this new chapter of my life.

#BirthOfLiesInSicily #BOLISChapter7 #WTS9