The doorbell on my main door rang causing me to stop assaulting Suzzane Alverez's pink lips.
We stare at each other for a little while and I chose to break the eye contact before I do another stupid thing.
Hijo de puta, I can't believe I acted like a barbarian towards her.
Mukhang nababaliw na nga talaga ako.
My eyes diverted to the seven inches video intercom and saw Nadja Armbrecht standing outside my penthouse while patiently holding a glass food container.
I open the electric door in an instant.
"Guten morgen, Nadja" bati ko sa kanya at sinalubong naman niya ako ng ngiti.
She's a sweet, old lady that owns the suite next to mine. I can see my Mom Margaret Petrakis on her, a sweet woman but hiding beneath their facade is a terror woman.
Naalala ko pa nang makita ko kung paano magalit si Nadja sa apo niya three years ago dahil sa pagdadala nito ng lalaki sa penthouse ng lola niya dahil sa pagaakalang wala ito.
And I'm just a new occupant back then, I'm so amused on how she literally pulled her grandkid's hair like a madwoman.
"Good morning too, young man" I gave her a peck on the cheek and she gently tap my shoulder "Long time no see, Fernand. I brought you some sauerbraten"
"That smells so good" Suzzane suddenly pops up from behind making Nadja to look at me with a puzzled smile.
"Oh... Uh, Nadja, meet Suzzane, she's a---"
"Beautiful lady"
Nadja commented and she handed me the hot bowl of sauerbraten which is basically a roast beef stew.
She looks at Suzzane with so much interest.
"Look at how big your boobies, young lady. Those are going to be good for milking by the time you have your own kids"
I bite my inner lip so hard and tried my best not to laugh because of her statement.
Did she just compliment Suzzane's breasts?
I look at Suzzane and I can say that she's also surprise by Nadja's statement.
"How are you related to Fernand?" Nadja queried.
"She's my friend, Nadja" kunwari ay inamoy ko ang pagkain na ibinigay niya sa akin.
"Friend?" she parroted with a secretive smirk lurking on her face.
Damn, creepy.
"Yes, friend"
"Okay" I watch her pull Suzzane with her "Come with me, I cooked some large amount of sauerbraten. Fernand, bring that with you"
Suzzane excitedly follow Nadja in her suite while I carefully balanced the hot bowl of stew on my right hand as I close my door behind me.
Sumunod ako sa kanila at bahagya akong napangiti nang makita ko ang interior ng bahay ni Nadja.
This is my first time to enter her house. Memories from the moment I step foot on Margaret's house after she pull me out of the orphanage came flashing back in my mind.
It was so peaceful and heart-warming.
"Hey, we just have our breakfast" litanya ko kay Suzzane na ngayon ay kumakain nanaman ng niluto ng kapitbahay ko.
Tumawa si Nadja habang naramdaman ko ang pagsipa ng babaeng biniro ko sa aking paa.
"How long are you going to stay here?"
I mouthed Nadja a 'thank you' when she placed a new hot bowl of roast beef stew in front of me.
"I'm not sure, maybe a month" hindi sigurado kong sagot.
"That's a good thing. I've been planning to come and say hello to you ever since you arrived two weeks ago but I thought that I might disturbed you and your guest"
I momentarily stopped devouring my food upon hearing her words.
Disturb me and my guest two weeks ago?
Suzzane Alverez arrived only two nights ago so what does Nadja mean?
"My guest two weeks ago?" pag-uulit ko at tumango naman siya.
"Yes, I thought she's still with you but then..." tumingin siya kay Suzzane "I met a different woman in the name of Suzzane"
"Maybe that was Fernand's cousin" singit ni Suzzane na mukhang nababahala din.
Another woman who entered my penthouse without me knowing?
Or was it Suzzane too?
"Maybe. She's smaller than you" pagdedetalye ni Nadja kay Suzzane "And, she was actually at your door earlier but she went away immediately when I called out to her" what the hell?
Somebody is going to assault us but I was busy making out with Suzzane Alverez, nicely done self, nicely done.
"So you saw her face?" kunwari ay nangingiting tanong ng babaeng katabi ko sa upuan habang ako ay napapaisip na.
Masyado ata akong naging pabaya pagdating ko dito sa Berlin ilang linggo lang ang nakaraan.
"She must be really pretty. Fernand mentioned about her a lot but I haven't met her yet"
"Sadly, no. She's wearing a face mask but I'm sure that it's her because of her pixie cut" she gave us a glass of sparkling water each "Even two weeks ago, it was ten in the evening. I saw her entering your penthouse but I only got to see her back. Your cousin have some pretty good ass, better protect her from suitors, dear"
Nakangiting wika niya sa akin at tumango nalang din ako. I grab my glass of sparkling water and drink it immediately.
Just who on earth is that woman and what does she wants from me?
Just then my gaze diverted to Suzzane Alverez.
What if it has nothing to do with me? What if it's about the cryptic damsel in distress with me?
"Thank you, Nadja! I'll be coming back here again" Suzzane told Nadja Armbrecht as we leave her penthouse and walk back to mine.
"Suzzane"
Tawag ko at saka ko sinenyasan na umupo sa couch kung saan kami naghalikan kanina at hindi man lang namin natunugan na papasukin na kami ng kalaban.
"Did you know something about that woman?"
"No" she silently muttered "But I have an idea"
"What is it? I want to accuse you of it but then, Nadja said that she's smaller than you and she got a pixie cut"
"It wasn't me, believe me" she brush her hair with her fingers "But I guess she's after me"
"May katrabaho ka bang bumabagay sa description niya?"
"Not that I know off" she looks at me "Pero we wouldn't know since I've been here in Germany for two weeks now like you"
"I need to sweep the whole unit for bug then"
"Huh?"
"Ang sabi ni Nadja pumasok siya dito two weeks ago, baka wala ako nang mga oras na iyon"
"I know right, you're always drinking"
"Stalker" biro ko sa kanya.
"Let's start checking the house for bug now then"
"Nah, I'll check it tonight. If she's spying on me, or on us, let her be"
"Let's go for a drive then"
"Saan?"
"Sa The Weinmeister"
"What? You're going to have a drink there?"
"Uh, no. I'm going to get my things there"
"At bakit?"
"I'll be moving here"
"What?" halos mapatayo ako dahil sa sinabi niya "Puwedeng paki-ulit?"
"I'm moving here with you" she repeated as if it's a matter-of-fact.
"Excuse me? Nagpaalam ka na ba sa akin? And another thing, pumayaag na ba ako?"
"Well, how are we going to work on my problem if we're not on each other's pockets twenty-four, seven?"
"No, you're not going to move in here"
I can feel my insides panicking with her announcement and more importantly, with her determination.
No, I won't allow this.
Pinayagan ko na siyang manatili dito ng ilang araw, hindi puwedeng tumira din siya dito habang tinatrabaho namin ang problema niya.
I'm not used to a stranger's company.
I'm only been with my brothers and Margaret my whole life.
Having Suzzane Alverez in my loft just for a few days is already messing up with me, how much more if she moves in?
"At bakit? You have a spare bedroom" I take a sharp breath.
"Doesn't mean you can move in"
"You have another reason, Fernand?" she asked me as if she's bored. The audacity of this tenacious woman is getting on my nerves, "Maybe some valid ones?"
"My mom will get mad!"
"Your mom?"
"Yes, that woman has eyes and ears from hell. If she finds out that a woman is staying with me, I'll be damned"
"Why?"
"Kailangan pa bang tanungin yan?
"
"But..." she whined "What if the woman decided to attack me at hindi ko siya nalabanan? Or worse, what if she kills me?"
"Please don't use that tactic on me, woman" I gave her a menacing glance.
"Come on, you know it's possible. Ikaw nga nagawa niyang salisihan dito mismo sa penthouse mo, ako pa kaya"
If my mother finds out that a woman is staying with me, siguradong kung anu-ano ang papasok sa isipan niya at malamang, susunod iyon dito kasama ang tatlong kapatid ko.
Heck, dealing with them is like dealing with a kid, reasoning out will fall on deaf ears dahil mas pipiliin nilang pagtripan ako.
"You owe me big time, Suzzane Alverez"
☠ ☠ ☠