THE NIGHT HE STOLE IT

Chapter 8

Ganito araw-araw. Hanggang one time...

Twenty minutes bago ang labasan nina Ven. Ini-off ko ang laptop ko then I gathered my things. I checked my phone for any messages habang palabas ng coffee shop kaya hindi ko naiwasan ang isang lalaking papasok. Nabangga niya ang balikat ko. As a result, nabitiwan ko ang phone ko.

"Ah! Sorry Miss! Hindi ako nakatingin," maagap na hinging paumanhin niya.

Hindi ako nakasagot. Inuna ko siyempre ang phone ko. Pagkadampot ko ay agad kong tiningnan kung gumagana pa rin.

It's still working fine.

"Vanessa?"

Bigla akong napatingin sa nakabangga ko. Kilala niya ako?

He looks like a businessman with his business attire. He's wearing glasses. Has a suitcase. And he seems to be in his thirties.

"Do I know you?" tanong ko nang hindi ko talaga siya mahagilap sa memorya ko.

"Oh! Of course, it has been five years after all. But I haven't forgotten you. Kumusta ka na?" he's got this genuine happy smile on his face.

"I'm good! But I have to pick my daughter up from school. Malapit na ang labasan nila. Sorry, got to go," nagmamadaling paalam ko.

"Ah! Nag-asawa ka na pala. Sige, it's nice to meet you again," bahagyang nabawasan ang ngiti niya.

I hurried out of the coffee shop. Baka mamaya, scam 'yon. Ang mga sindikato ngayon ay mga naka-coat and tie na. Mahirap magtiwala.

Then again, he knows my name. It could be possible na naka-meet ko nga ang taong 'yon before. I have a very unreliable memory when it comes to remembering people I've met, lalo na kung saglit ko lang na nakausap.

As soon as I saw my daughter's smile, I forgot all about the stranger in the coffee shop.

"Mommy! Look! I got a star!" Patalon-talon pa nitong ipinakita ang likod ng palad.

"Wow! Very good! I'm so happy!" Pa-squat akong naupo at niyakap siya. Saka kinuha ko na ang de-gulong niyang bag, kumaway sa teacher niya, hinawakan ko na siya sa kamay at inakay papunta sa taxi bay.

.

.

That night, I remembered the guy again. Thinking it could be one of our clients before, naisipan kong ikuwento kay Alex ang nangyari sa coffee shop that morning.

"Hmmm..? His name?" Inaantok na tumagilid siya paharap sa akin. We were both in bed and I know he's tired. He attended a whole day seminar. Kinonsensya tuloy ako sa pag-istorbo sa kanya.

"Hindi ko natanong. Nagmamadali kasi ako dahil mag-uuwian na. So iniwan ko lang siya do'n sa coffee shop."

Napangiting inakap niya ako, kinabig palapit sa kanya at hinagkan sa noo.

"Goodnight," aniyang pumikit na.

Napangiti rin tuloy ako. I'm so lucky with Alex beside me. Malambot pa rin siyang magsalita, may hinhin pa rin ang kilos, at tumitili pa rin kapag nagugulat. Pero kapag yakap niya ako, pakiramdam ko, secured na secured ako.

Kung naging straight na lalaki lang sana ito, hindi malayong mai-inlove ako rito.

Gwapo si Alex, matangkad, matangos ang ilong at maputi. Nang ikasal kami ay nag-gym siya ng may ilang buwan din, kaya kahit paano ay gumanda ang pangangatawan niya.

Looking at him smiling, laughing, frowning, or even sleeping, I can't feel any regret about the marriage. In fact, I'm proud to be his wife.

I suddenly felt the urge to kiss him on the lips. Dampi lang. Hindi naman siguro siya magigising.

Nagulat ako when he kissed me back. My initial reaction was to pull back, but his hand was firm on the back of my head, I can't move an inch.

He's asleep, right? Nakapikit pa rin siya...

His kiss got deeper, and my eyes closed on their own. Somehow, I don't hate it. In fact, I like this new sensation. I didn't know a kiss can be this good. Compared to Jeff's kiss, this is way more different.

Is it because of experience?

Yeah, he's got more men while ako, si Jeff lang ang naging boyfriend ko. Is it a good thing? Parang unfair naman...

Then he shifted and pinned me down on bed, still kissing me. I felt like a candle wax melting under his heat. Moments later, his lips were making its way down the side of my neck.

Wait! What's happening? I froze.

"Alex?" Puno ng pag-aalinlangan ang boses ko.

He stopped. Napatingin siya sa akin, a little dazed. After almost ten seconds, waring napapasong bigla siyang bumalikwas palayo sa akin.

"Sorry... I... I was half asleep. I..." he sat down on the side of the bed, naka-face palm.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. What am I supposed to say? I'm  as surprised as he was.

"Sorry..." aniyang tumayo na at nagtungong banyo.

Could he be missing it? The romance? Since I got pregnant, hindi na siya nakipagrelasyon pa. Maybe, he mistook me for someone else, since he was half asleep. He's not at fault. Actually, kasalanan ko. I kissed him first.

I rolled to the other side and hugged a pillow. Kanina, when he was on top of me, naramdaman ko na isa siyang lalaki. And in the thick of it, I felt weird. Ewan ko ba, pero para pa akong natutuwa...