Utos Niya

12 A QUESTION

 "I just want you to be intimate with them. Am I asking for too much?" Noleen asked calmly the moment Xander came home complaining after his third date.

"You're asking this as if I'm nothing to you, as if I'm not your husband!"

Noleen admitted to herself that demanding Xander to date Alex's girls was not an easy task. Ang akala kasi ng asawa ang mga ipagagawa niya lang dito ay purely work-related tasks. Oo nga, sabi niya. Pero isa na rito ay kunin ang loob ng mga babaeng pwede nilang magamit dahil sa mga koneksyon nito.

Xander agreed with dating them, taking them out to lunch or dinner—acting as Alex according to Noleen's orders—but never for breakfast, because he had requested that his mornings would only be shared with his wife alone.

Kahit anong pagtanong niya kay Noleen kung bakit ba niya ito dapat gawin, hindi siya nakakakuha ng sagot. And she would blackmail him by saying "You gave your word." And being an honor-bound bastard, he would keep it.

At first the ladies were surprised by the new 'Alex' which now they called 'Xander'. They felt like this guy was entirely different, but as long as he could make them happy, well . . . they didn't care.

Kumuha si Xander ng maiinom, "You want me to kiss them?"

"Yes. If you have to."

Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Xander sa baso at tinitigan ang asawa, he saw the determined look in her eyes.

"Fine." If you want this too much to make you look like that, then I won't argue.

"Should I use my tongue?"

Noleen rolled her eyes. "It's up to you, Xander." There was an edge in her voice.

"Hahayaan ko lang ba silang yakapin ako?" Humakbang si Xander papalapit sa asawa.

"You can even hug them back," pabalang na sagot ni Noleen as she crossed her arms in front of her. Hug them back, 'yong sobrang higpit para 'di sila makahinga!

"Fine." Tumango si Xander. Then he softly asked her, "Can I hug you?" He took another step closer. "Will you hug me back?"

Closer.

"Hindi ako isa sa mga babae mo," Noleen replied in a warning tone.

He stopped, with deep stare and dark eyes, he told her, "Asawa kita."

"So?"

"Can I hug you?" ulit ni Xander at mas lumapit pa rito.

"No. Ayoko sa amoy mo ngayon."

Xander took off his tie, inilaglag niya ito sa sahig at muling tumingin sa asawa. He started unbuttoning his polo, not taking his eyes off her.

"ANONG GINAGAWA MO?!" natatarantang sabi ni Noleen. She was staring at the exposed skin of her husband. Napalunok siya at mabilis na ibinalik ang tingin sa mga mata ni Xander.

Binigyan siya ng nakakalokong ngiti ng asawa. "If I take this off, yayakapin mo na ako?"

Calm down. Noleen's heart was racing wildly across her chest.

"You want me to kiss and hug the girls on your list. Am I right, wife?" Mariing sinabi ni Xander ang huling salita, gusto niyang ipamukha kay Noleen ang pinapagawa nito sa kanya . . . his own wife.

When he saw her nod so casually as if doing these things to any of the girls on her sacred list was nothing new to her, nakaramdam si Xander ng hindi mapigilang galit.

Cruel but beautiful Noleen.

Hindi niya inaasahang ganito pala ang dapat niyang gawin para makuha ulit ang asawa.

He fisted his hand on his sides and took the rest of the steps to stand in front of her. He felt her stiffen as he leaned his head down to whisper to her ear.

"Then what about sex, Noleen?" Lumayo siya para makita ang reaksyon ng asawa. "Do you want me to have sex with them, too?"

Noleen managed to level her gaze at him. "Would you like that, Xander?"

Xander was startled. Hindi niya inaasahang ibabalik nito ang tanong sa kanya.

"Tell me, Xander, would you like to have sex with them, too?"

Will you enjoy it? Noleen gave him her best smug smile but her ears were straining to hear his answer.

"I asked you first."

"Yes, you did. Ano ngayon?"

"You tell me your answer."

Masyadong seryoso ang mukha ni Xander kaya medyo kinabahan si Noleen. She gritted her teeth and glared at him.

Why is he doing this?

"Answer me. Yes or no? Do you want me to have sex with them, too?"

Noleen swallowed hard, even if her heart and mind screamed NO WAY IN HELL!

She answered, "Y-yes." Nainis siya no'ng marinig ang sarili. She sounded undecided, kaya this time itinaas niya ang noo at inulit ito. "Yes! I want you to do that—pero ilan lang sa kanila, ako pipili."

Xander fell silent. He stood there looking down at her, emotionless, parang 'di na nga ito humihinga.

"Why don't you just kill me and be done with it?"

A silent plea, but she heard it. Ibinulong lang ito, pero tumagos ito sa puso ni Noleen. The tone of his voice was like a stab in her chest. It was too painful.

But she started laughing. It was a bitter laugh—could he hear it, though?

Lumayo na si Xander sa kanya. Nagsimula itong bumalik sa counter at muling nilagyan ng alak ang baso.

"Anong iniisip mo, Xander?" tanong ni Noleen.

"Gago ako para mahalin ka."

She flinched inwardly, but she shrugged it off. Lumapit siya rito at tumabi.

"Hindi mo naman kasi ako pinatapos! Masyado kang naging madrama. I want you to bed some of them for bed scenes, not real ones!"

Kinuha niya ang baso na iinumin sana ng asawa at ininom ito.

Courage.

"Magiging artista ka, syempre, kailangan mo ihanda sarili mo," patuloy niya. At kailangan ko ring ihanda ang sarili ko . . . dahil papanoorin kita . . . papanoorin kita kasama sila.