"OH MY GOD, TRINI—YOU ARE..." He was lost for words. And while Trini was grinning from ear to ear, he could already feel his shaft erecting...

He was so easy to please... and tease. Lalo na kung si Trini ang pasimuno.

Mahina siya pagdating dito, and he wasn't even ashamed to admit it.

Trinity Anne was his weakness.

But she was also his strength.

Kaya niyang gawin o harapin ang lahat, basta kasama niya ito.

"The staff room is waiting for us..." patuloy na panunukso nito.

Nilingon niya ang exit door ng studio na in-okupa ni Trini upang doon i-organisa ang dinner. Kapag nakita sila ng lahat na lumabas doon para lumipat sa kabilang studio kung saan naroon ang staff room, ano ang iisipin ng mga bisita?

"Ano, let's go?"

Ibinalik niya ang tingin kay Trini.

Fuck—he so wanted to take the chance, but...

He turned to the other side of the room to check on his brothers. At lihim siyang napa-ungol nang makitang nakatingin ang mga ito sa direksyon nila. Quaro, Phillian, Lee, and Leonne had frown on their foreheads, at alam niyang hindi tanga ang mga kapatid niya. At this very moment, he was sure that his brothers were already suspecting something was fishy between him and his ex-best friend...

Shit.

Walang problema kung malaman ng mga ito ang tungkol sa kanila ni Trini, pero ayaw niyang masira ang gabing ito sa panunukso ng mga kapatid, lalo at nahuli niya ng tingin ang pag-ngisi nina Lee at Leonne na marahil ay may ideya nang nabubuo sa mga isipan.

Ibinalik niya ang tingin kay Trini na nanatiling nakatingala sa kaniya. Yearning was on her face.

Double shit.

It was hard to say 'no' to her.

But he had to.

Pilit siyang ngumisi at sinabing, "Later, Trinity Anne."

Bigla itong napanguso. "Why later?"

"My brothers are watching."

"Hindi naman natin gagawin sa harapan nila, ah?"

"Sa oras na mawala tayo sa paningin nila ay bistado na tayo."

"So, what? Eh 'di sabihin na natin sa kanila. They would eventually learn about our relationship, so why not tell them now? Mas maiging sa atin na mismo manggaling, hindi ba? And don't worry, sisiguraduhin kong hindi ka nila tutuksuhin." Hinawakan siya nito sa braso. "Let's go and tell them—"

"No, wait." Pinigilan niya ito.

Kunot-noo namang napatingin si Trini sa kaniya.

Huminga siya nang malalim. "May kailangan pa tayong pag-usapan tungkol sa atin, at hanggang hindi pa natin napag-uusapan iyon ay hindi ko pa mahaharap ang mga kapatid ko at masabi sa kanila kung ano ang mayroon tayo."

"What do you mean?"

"Alam mo kung gaano kita ka-mahal, hindi ba?"

Tumango si Trini.

"And you know how much I care for you."

"Yes, lagi kong nararamdaman na mahalaga ako sa 'yo at lagi mong sinasabing mahal mo ako. So, what now, Gene?"

"You also know I don't believe in marriages, don't you?"

Nakita niya ang pagkunot ng noo nito.

Confusion crossed her beautiful face.

Trini opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it again when no words came out.

"Alam mo, hindi ba, Trini?" he repeated.

Humugot muna nang malalim na paghinga si Trini bago sumagot. "No. I... didn't know that."

"Of course, you do. Lagi kong sinasabing hindi para sa akin ang pagpapakasal."

"Sinabi mo dating hindi mo gustong pumasok sa seryosong relasyon, pero hindi mo sinabing ayaw mong magpakasal. Naintindihan ko kung bakit, dahil alam kong hindi ka seryoso sa mga babaeng ikina-kama mo. Pero... pati pala sa akin, Heneroso?"

Triple shit. Sunud-sunod niyang minura ang sarili sa isip.

Mali ang timing niya.

"I love you, Trinity, and I would be more than happy to spend the rest of my life with you. But I think marriage is irrelevant, and we don't need that. Kapirasong papel lang iyon na mag-uugnay sa atin."

Lalo itong nalito. "Ano'ng mayroon sa pagpapakasal na inaayawan mo, Gene? Explain it to me because I don't... understand."

"How about you? Ano ang mayroon sa pagpapakasal na gusto mo? Because I also don't understand the need of it."

Walang naging sagot si Trini, pero nasa anyo nito ang labis na pagkamangha.

"I'm serious about us, Trini. I don't think I will ever date another woman because you alone could fill the void I have in my life. You have been a special part of my life since I was just a little boy—we have been together for more than two decades and I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. I know you are the only woman I wanted to be with every day in this lifetime, but I still don't think marriage would change anything."

He didn't hate marriage, he just really thought it was unnecessary. For him, people who blindly rush into marriage thinking it's about happiness were pathetically stupid. Like a job, marriage is an obligation. At ayaw niyang ma-obliga sa relasyon nila ni Trini. He just wanted to be happy with her, and live one day at a time.

Besides, marriage ruins romantic and sex lives. That was according to some of his VIP clients, and one of those was Mr. Delfin. Minsan nang nai-kwento nito sa kaniya na nasasakal ito sa pagsasama nila ng asawa. He and his wife had been married for twenty years and they both loved each other without a doubt. Ang kaso ay minsan, sa tuwing aalis si Mr. Delfin upang sumali sa mga off-road motorcycle adventures, ay nagtatalo ito at ang asawa. He was often reprimanded by his wife about his hobby; that he was wasting too much money on his bike, that he was spending more time with his bikes than with their kids, that he wasn't always there for the family, that he was selfish and a lot more others. Ipinaliwanag ni Mr. Delfin na sumasama lang ito sa mga off-road motorcycle adventures kapag naa-aprubahan ang leave nito sa trabaho, at na bago pa ito ikasal ay iyon na ang hobby nito. It was his form of relaxation. Sinabi rin ni Mr. Delfin na sana ay hindi na lang ito nagpakasal para hindi ito nao-obligang sundin ang mga sinasabi ng asawa.

Dahil sa maraming pagkakataon, kahit gustuhin nitong gawin ang nais, ay napipilipitan na lang itong i-kansela ang mga personal na lakad para samahan ang asawa dahil obligasyon nito iyon bilang kabiyak.

Mr. Delfin clarified that he loved his wife, but there were times he felt like he was just forcing himself to be with her. And Mr. Delfin blamed it on that piece of paper that connects him and his wife. He couldn't say no and do what he wanted because that shitty piece of paper required him to abide by the law of marriage.

Mr. Delfin also told him that couples who cohabitate instead of marrying were three times less likely to split or resort to domestic violence. And for some mysteriously spooky reason, women's sex drive descends after marriage-- maybe not all the time, but significantly more likely.

And for those reasons, he didn't want to bother himself with marriage. And he hoped he could make Trini understand his reasonings.

And with that, he told her what was on his mind.

"I see..." usal ni Trini matapos ang paliwanag niya. Iniyuko nito ang ulo at sandaling natahimik.

Nagpakawala siya nang malalim na paghinga bago masuyong inabot ang kamay nito. "Do you really want to get married? Because if you do... I might think it over and—"

"No, it's alright." Itinaas ni Trini ang tingin at ningitian siya. But he knew her better. He knew that smile was nothing but genuine. "I don't want to force it on you. Pero tama ka—para saan pa ang pagpapakasal kung alam nating pareho na hindi na natin pakakawalan pa ang isa't isa? I could see myself growing old with you, and I am so sure that it's you and me until the end. I could feel your love and that's more than enough for me now."

Pino siyang ngumiti. "Thank you for understanding. I promise you that even if we aren't married, I will stay faithful and consistent. Kapag nangaliwa ako ay malaya kang ilibing ako nang buhay sa bakuran ng bahay mo."

Bahaw na natawa si Trini sa huling sinabi niya, at doon ay bahagya siyang nakahinga nang maluwag. Ilang sandali pa ay muli itong nagtanong. "So, ano ang kinalaman ng pagpapakasal sa pagsasabi mo sa mga kapatid mo ng tungkol sa relasyon natin?"

Muli siyang nagpakawala nang malalim na paghinga bago nilingon ang direksyon kung saan naroon pa rin at nakatunghay sa kanila ang mga kapatid. Walang pagbabago sa mukha ng mga ito. His brother's faces were filled with confusion and curiousity.

"Kapag sinabi ko sa kanila ang tungkol sa atin ay itatanong nila sa akin kung handa kitang pakasalan. Gusto kong maintindihan mo muna kung ano ang tingin ko tungkol sa pagpapakasal bago ko sabihin sa kanila. I don't want you to misunderstand."

"Oh."

Ibinalik niya ang tingin dito. "Handa na akong sabihin sa kanila ang tungkol sa atin, kung handa ka na rin?"

Ibinalik din ni Trini ang tingin sa kaniya, sandaling nag-isip, bago ngumiti at banayad na binawi ang kamay mula sa kaniya. "No, let's keep them guessing about us for now."

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya, at bago pa siya makapagsalitang muli ay may lumapit na isa sa mga kasamahan dati ni Trini sa trabaho at nagsabing gusto raw muling makita ng mga ito ang facility.

Trini excused herself and went back to the table where her previous co-workers were at. Sandaling nag-usap ang mga ito hanggang sa umalis upang lumipat sa kabila. Hindi na muling sinulyapan ni Trini si Gene.

And Gene just shrugged his shoulders before walking back to his brothers. Hindi nito naisip na sa mga sinabi ay bahagyang nagdamdam si Trini.

TO BE CONTINUED...