"I am asking you. Sino ka?"

Napalunok ako nang marinig ang galit at takot sa boses niya. Hindi ko alam kung may hula na ba siya sa kung sino ako base sa takot na naririnig ko sa boses niya pero mukhang kailangan ko pa rin ipakilala kung sino talaga ako para lang magkausap kami.

"I'm Ruth." I gulped once again. "I'm Grayson's . . . friend."

She laughed sarcastically. "And? What do you need?"

"I just want to talk to you about something."

"About what???"

"About Love."

She went silent after I mentioned her daughter. A moment later, she talked.

"Don't you dare mention my daughter here! She's innocent!"

I sighed. "I know. Wala naman akong gustong iparating na masama, Jenna. I just want to . . . talk about her."

She heaved a deep sigh. "Did that asshole ask you to call me? How did you even know my number?"

I sighed. "Grayson doesn't even know that I have a way to talk to you." Natahimik ulit siya pero rinig ko ang sunod-sunod niyang paghinga. "Jenna, can we meet?"

"For what? Para ipamukha sa akin na tama lang ang nasa isip kong walang kwenta ang ama ng anak ko?!"

Napahawak ako sa sentido dahil ngayon pa lang, sumasakit na ang ulo ko. I want to sort things out here before I leave! Bakit ba galit na galit kaagad sa akin ito, wala naman akong ginagawa sa kan'ya!

"I just want Grayson to see his daughter before I leave this place."

She laughed sarcastically. "After he said those words to me, doubting his own blood and flesh, sa tingin mo, gugustuhin ko pang makita niya ang anak ko? Fuck him, he won't get a sight of her!"

I really understand where this anger is coming from.

"I know but . . . I . . ." I remembered the portfolio that I saw inside her room's closet. "I want to give you something. I think . . . I think it belongs to you. It looked, somehow, important. Maybe . . . Grayson doesn't have a way to give that to you . . . kaya ako na lang sana ang mag-aabot sa 'yo."

Her breathing became calm but there is still panting on the other line. "W-What? What's that?"

Bahagya akong napangiti dahil naramdaman kong mas naging kalmado na siya. "We need to meet here. I can pay for your fare. Please bring your daughter, Jenna. Kahit na makita lang sana ni Grayson, okay na. Gusto ko lang makita ulit 'yung ngiti niya . . . noong kayong tatlo pa ang magkakasama."

Mahabang katahimikan ang nanaig sa pagitan naming dalawa. Ilang sandali pa, narinig ko na ang pigil na paghikbi ni Jenna mula sa kabilang linya.

"What are you talking about?"

I smiled as I remembered that family picture that he kept in his closet. "I saw your family picture and he was very happy there. He's smiling from ear to ear. Grayson never smiled that way with me. I wanted that smile to come back . . . bago ako bumalik sa kung saan talaga ako nararapat."

She sniffed. "I don't understand your point but please, don't include me in your chaotic situation. I'm over everything about Bohol and I am not planning on coming back anymore. I'm sorry."

After she said that, she ended the call. Napabuntonghininga na lang ako bago tinitigan ang screen.

Now, what will I do? Paano ko ba siya mapapapayag na pumunta dito?

I sighed, once again, as I typed a message.

Me:

I understand that you're hurt now but if I'll need to beg for it, I will. I'm doing this for myself, not for Grayson. I just want to see that smile once again, Jenna. Please. I hope that you'll help me with this. And I also want to give you this thing I found in your room. We really need to meet, Jenna. Please message me back if you'll ever have a change of mind.

After I sent the message I realized that the sun is completely set and the sky is getting dark already. I turned my phone off before I stood up and walked by the beach sand. Kailangan ko nang umuwi. Baka nandoon na si Grayson.

Nang makaalis na sa Alona beach at makarating sa sakayan ng tricycle, napatigil ako sa paglalakad. Nakita ko si Grayson na nakaupo sa gilid ng motor niya, mukhang naghihintay sa akin. Bahagya akong ngumiti nang umayos siya ng tayo saka ako lumapit sa kan'ya. Sa mga sandaling ito, ramdam ko ang pagbara ng kung ano sa lalamunan ko. Huminto ako sa harap niya.

"Galit ka pa rin ba?" I asked, trying not to break my voice.

He shook his head. "I was never angry at you." He pulled me closer, hugging me tight. "I'm so sorry, Ruth."

I hugged him back as I felt my eyes starting to heat. "I'm sorry din."

He hugged me tighter as I felt him kiss my temple. "I love you."

I couldn't stop my tears anymore. I cried in his chest while tons of people were passing us by but I know that they didn't care.

This whole moment was enough for me to confirm . . . he is, indeed, in love with me.

***

Kinabukasan, wala kaming naging plano ni Grayson para umalis ng bahay o mamasyal. I really did not travel to the tourist spots in Bohol for the whole month that I stayed here but it was really enjoyable enough for me. Sobrang kaunti lang ng napuntahan ko dito pero naging masaya na ako sa mga naranasan ko dito kasama si Grayson.

"Nilista mo na ba 'yung mga bibilhin?" tanong ko sa kan'ya nang makita na tapos na siya sa paggayak.

He sighed as he made his body land on the bed while watching me apply some sunscreen on my face. "Let's just buy everything you think you need, Summer."

Umiling ako. "You should learn how to list the things that you need to buy paramas mabilis kapag namili tayo sa bayan! Hay, nako!"

Narinig ko siyang tumawa hanggang sa ilang sandali pa, naramdaman ko na ang mga braso niya sa baywang ko. "You can write a list for me every time we go to the market. I'm too lazy to do that," he said before putting his chin on my shoulder as he watched my reflection in the mirror.

I smiled a little because this is his another way of saying don't leave me.

"O-Of course, I will!"

Iniharap niya ako sa kan'ya at hinalikan sa labi. "Pero sa ngayon, 'wag na tayong maglista. Mababa na ang araw kaya mainit na niyan. Tara na!"

I smiled as I wrapped my arms on his nape to kiss his lips. He kissed back so aggressively . . . and we ended up having sex in front of this mirror.

Grayson bent my body as he held both sides of my hips. He continued thrusting inside me so hard, my things on top of this dresser are falling on the ground!

I moaned as I held onto the dresser so tight to support my body. "G-Grayson, m-mababa na ang araw . . ."

He chuckled as he took a handful of my hair and started thrusting me so hard and deep, I almost lost my sanity! "This will be quick . . ."

I shut my eyes as he continued thrusting me inside. I heard him grunt from time to time as his moves became faster. A moment later, he withdrew himself. I thought we're done but he turned me around so we could face each other then he kissed me full on my mouth as he carried me and put me down on the bed.

I laughed. "G-Grayson!"

He removed my clothes once again! Parang hindi naman kami nag-sex kaninang pagkagising kung makagalaw siya ngayon! Ang daming energy!

Both of his hands played with my mounds while he continued on thrusting inside me as he kissed me. Nalaman ko lang na talagang tapos na kami noong maramdaman ko ang mainit sa loob ko.

Damn, this guy. Really. In two days, period ko na! Siguro naman, mapapahinga na kami.

At isa pa . . . uuwi na rin ako sa mga araw na 'yon.

Sa labas na kami kumain ng breakfast dahil baka hindi na kami makaalis ng bahay kung sakali mang magtagal pa kami ng another 15 minutes doon.

Magkahawak-kamay kaming naglalakad sa market habang namimili ng mga kailangan niya sa bahay tulad ng seasonings, gulay, meat, and other frozen and canned foods since wala nang stock sa cabinet niya.

"Five hundred fifty ang lahat, hija," sabi ng tindera matapos kwentahin ang mga karne ng baboy na binili ko sa kan'ya.

Mag-aabot na sana ng bayad si Grayson nang pinigilan ko siya. "Wala na ho bang tawad?"

Napakamot ng ulo ang tindera. "O, sige! Dahil mukha naman kayong masaya at bagong kasal, limang daan na lang!"

Hindi ko alam kung ngingiti ako o ngingiwi sa sinabi niya. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Grayson nang dahil do'n at ang loko, ngiting-ngiti pa!

"Salamat ho, masaya ang asawa ko sa discount na ibinigay n'yo!" malawak ang ngiti na sabi niya bago binayaran ang mga pinamili.

"Walang anuman!"

Pagkatapos n'on, umakbay sa akin si Grayson bago kami lumipat ng tindahan.

"Kita mo nga, pati ibang tao iniisip na mag-asawa na tayo," masayang sabi niya bago kami huminto sa bilihan ng mga isda. "Ikaw na lang ang hinihintay."

Ngumiti na lang ako bilang tugon sa kan'ya saka inabala ang sarili sa pamimili ng mga sariwang isda. Bumili na rin kami ng sugpo dahil kita ko na fresh na fresh at matataba ang mga ito! Sayang naman kung palalampasin namin ni Grayson. Masarap pa naman siya magluto ng buttered shrimp!

Nang matapos mamili ng mga gamit sa bahay, kumain na kami ng tanghalian bago umuwi. Inayos namin ang stocks na pinamili namin sa cabinet at sa ref niya. Nagdagdag na rin kami ng ilang loaf bread, palaman at mga chichirya since madalas kaming kumain kapag nasa bahay kami. Mainam na rin na may ready to eat foods dito kapag tinatamad kaming magluto.

"Ang dami pala nating pinamili," he said as he organized everything.

"Naubos ba ang savings mo?" I chuckled.

"Hindi naman. May work naman."

Napalingon ako sa kan'ya nang dahil do'n. "What work?"

He smiled at me. "I am a professional photographer, remember?"

"Pero hindi ka naman umaalis ng bahay simula noong magkakilala na tayo."

"I'm on a month-long leave, too."

Napakunot-noo ako. "What?"

He shrugged as he focused on the foods he's stacking up on the cabinet. "I want to stay with you for the whole month. I often leave the country for photoshoots, Summer. I don't want to leave you here alone so I took a month-long leave since I haven't used any leave for the whole two years."

Hindi ako makapagsalita. Buong akala ko . . . may sarili siyang oras para sa trabaho niya. Tulad ko, empleyado rin pala siya na nagtatrabaho para sa isang kompanya.

"You didn't tell me about that."

He chuckled slightly. "You would probably feel bad." He looked at me. "You shouldn't, Summer. This is my way of giving myself a break. I've been working so hard for two years without unnecessary leave of absence. And because of you, I finally found a reason to take a break, rest, and be with you. To not make myself busy just to lessen the longing feeling I have for Love."

I get it.

I got his point and I'm happy to know that he's finally giving himself a break to take a rest but . . . was that longing feeling really for Love alone? I doubt it. He's probably thinking about Jenna too, since she is the mother of his daughter.

"Y-Yeah . . . t-that's good, then. N-Nakapagpahinga ka naman . . . ba?"

He smiled as he nodded slightly. "Of course. You have always been my rest, the moment you came into my life. I found comfort in you, Summer. You're the only one who can make me feel at ease after a very long, hard and sad day."

I smiled at him. "Good to know."

Ibinalik ko na ang atensiyon sa mga pagkain na inaayos ko sa refrigerator at hindi na muling nagtanong pa.

Kinagabihan, pinauna ko nang maligo si Grayson dahil sinabi kong masakit ang katawan ko. Habang naliligo siya, mabilis kong t-in-urn on ang sim card ko. Hinintay kong dumating ang mga text messages, hanggang sa manlamig ako nang makita ang pangalan na Aica sa mga text na na-receive ko. Nanlalamig ang mga kamay ko na binuksan 'yon at binasa.

Aica:

Make sure that I am not wasting my time for this, Miss Ruth. I am available this weekend. I will fly to Bohol on Saturday morning but you don't need to pay for my fare. I can do that on my own. I'll message you once I arrive.