Hidden Pleasure (Taglish) (Book 2)

Chapter 10

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang ginawa ko nang bumukas ang elevator na kinalululanan ko papunta sa floor kung saan ang office ni Rence. Hindi ko alam kung ilang buntong hininga ang nagawa ko sa ilang minuto na nasa loob ako ng elevator. Just thinking about the conversation I had with Tita Clara made my head ache.

I know that she'll help me but I didn't expect that this will be hard. Looking back ten years ago is like making my inner self kill itself. Should I really go to another doctor to prove that I had that trauma and I was really harassed and abused? Can't they just proceed without me doing it?

Sinuklay ko ang buhok ko dahil sa prustasyon na nararamdaman ko. I thought this will be easy and I can easily file a case against them. But I thought wrong.

Isang liko ang ginawa ko sa mahabang hallway ng floor na kung saan ang mga kwarto ng iba't ibang pasyente na hinahandle ng department ni Rence bago ako makarating sa isang desk sa labas ng office niya kung nasaan ang secretaty nito.

Tumigil ako sa harap ng desk ng secretary ni Rence at nang tumingala ito sa akin ay tipid ko itong nginitian habang mabilis naman itong tumayo mula sa kaniyang kinauupuan para batiin ako.

"Good afternoon po, Miss Delcena" hindi nakatakas sa pandinig ko ang panginginig ng kaniyang boses na ikinatakha ko. "Wala pa po si Doc. Gomez dahil nasa operating room po siya ngayon"

"Kaya pala hindi ko mahagilap ang baliw" I murmur to myself and smiled at the lady in front of me who looks scared that I don't know why. "I'll just wait him inside. Can I?"

"Yes, miss. Doc. told me when he came here" tumango lang ako sa kaniya at hahakbang na sana papunta sa pintuan ng office ni Rence ng pigilan ako ng takot na boses ng secretary niya. "Doc. Valin is inside"

Kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa huling sinabi nito at tumingin sa kaniya kaya mas lalo itong namutla dahil sa naging reaksyon ko.

"She's waiting for Doctor Gomez for an hour now. May importanteng sasabihin daw po siya"

"So it's a she, huh?" walang buhay kong ani na mas lalong ikinawala ng kulay sa mukha nito. "I'll talk to her inside. Hihintayin ko rin naman si Rence dahil may usapan kami" hindi ko na siya hinintay pang sumagot sa akin at naglakad na papasok ng office ng baliw.

Why didn't he tell me about this Doc. Valin? Sabagay, hindi naman niya sasabihin sa akin kung hindi naman importante ang taong ito sa buhay niya. Pero bakit nasa office it ni Clarence naghihintay? Can't she just wait on her office or call Rence so that they can meet outside this building? And what important things she'll tell Rence that it can't wait?

Dahan-dahan kong pinihit ang doorknob ng pinto ng office ni Rence at unti-unti itong binuksan para makapasok na. May narinig akong mahinang galaw sa loob at nang tuluyan ko nang mabuksan ang pinto ay tumambad sa akin ang isang nakaputing roba na babae na nakatayo sa harap ng maliit na sofa sa gitna ng may kalakihang opisina ni Rence.

I narrow my eyes at her and saw how her face becomes pale as she saw me enter the room. Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay at nakita ko ang lihim na paglunok nito. She has a dark brown shoulder length hair, thin eyebrow that emphasizes her chinky brown eyes and long eyelashes, narrow nose and plump lips. Her skin color is fair white and she stands in five-five I think.

"You're Iria Delcena?" nanginginig man ang boses niya ay nagawa niya pa ring magtanong na mas lalong ikinataas ng kilay ko. "I'm Doctor Aibel Valin. Doctor Clarence Gomez colleague" nanginginig ang mga labi niya akong nginitian.

"Iria Delcena. Nice to meet you" I said as my lips tugged up a little in the side. I see that she's intimidated by me and I wonder why? "You're waiting for Rence?"

"Ah, yes. But since you are here, I'll just leave and come back tomorrow" hahakbang na sana ito para umalis sa kaniyang kinatatayuan pero nagsalita na ako para pigilan ito.

"What department are you?"

"General surgery"

"Then why are you here in the Neurosurgery department?"

"I just need to talk to Clarence" mahina nitong sagot sa tanong ko.

"About what? You can tell me so I can tell him" kibit balikat ko sa kaniya dahil tumingin ito sa akin na agad din naman niyang iniwas. "He won't be here for a week starting tomorrow. So I assume you can't see him. Kaya pwede mo namang sabihin sa akin ang gusto mong sabihin sa kaniya at ipaparating ko sa kaniya mamaya kapag dumating na siya rito"

"It's not important, Ms. Delcena. So if you'll excuse me" umayos ito ng tayo at hahakbang na sana ulit ng matigilan ito dahil sa sinabi ko.

I smirked at seeing her reaction. "You like him, do you? And you want to confirm if he's really engage to me, right?"

"I d-don't know what you're saying. You must be wrong" she stuttered, the reason why my smirked become wider.

"You won't wait here for hours just for petty things, Doc. if you don't like him and want to confirm something" humakbang ako ng isa papalapit sa kaniya. "Just admit it. Tayong dalawa lang naman ang nandito"

"I just wanted a closure" there! I knew it!

Napatawa ako ng mahina dahil sa narinig na sinabi niya. That dimwit! He didn't tell me that he had a relationship with his colleague. And why did they got separated? Tumingin ito sa akin na nakakunot ang noo at nagtataka dahil sa pagtawa ko.

"Why are you laughing? I know that you have him and you are already engage but you are making feel like I'm a loser"

Umiling iling ako dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang pinagsasasabi niya. Looking at her now, I know that she loves Rence more than anything but because I am here, she thought we are really a thing.

"I'm sorry about that. But do you really think that we're a thing?" nakangiti kong tanong sa kaniya.

"The way he cares for you and the way he look and kissed you in the forehead. It tells that he love you" umiwas ulit ito ng tingin sa akin. "Gusto ko lang talagang makompirma kung talagang ikakasal na siya. So that I won't hope that he'll be mine again" maliit at mahina nitong ani sa mga huling salitang kaniyang sinambit.

"That brute" I whisper to myself and mentaly rolled my eyes. "I am curious, why did you two break up?"

"Lack of time" what the hell? "And he told me that he needed to take care of someone and he knows that I'll be jealousy because of that. And you know when jealousy hit your being"

"Gaano na kayo katagal?"

"Three years" napalaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinagot nito. "And we just break up six months ago"

Six months? We met six months ago when I was confined in here because of my allergy attack. And his reasons, it's so petty! Humanda ka mamaya sa akin Rencetot. Magtutuos tayo mamaya pag-uwi natin sa condo mo.

"Walang hiyang lalaking iyon. Humanda siya mamaya sa akin" wala na akong pakialam kung marinig man niya ang sinabi ko. "Tell me, Doc. Valin. Do you still love him?"

"I would lie if I say no" hindi pa rin ito makatingin sa akin. "But I guess, he moved on and ready to settle down with you" I saw her eyes turned glassy because of the unshed tears that are starting to fall to her cheeks.

"Oh my god! Can't this be more complicated?" dahil sa sinabi ko, napatingin na ito sa akin na nangingilid pa rin ang mgaluha sa kaniyang mga mata at nakakunot na naman ang kaniyang mga noo at may nagtatakang mga matang nakatingin sa akin. "Let me talk to him later. You can now go"

Napahilot ako sa sintido ko dahil nakakaramdam ako ng sakit sa ulo at nakakastress ang ginawa ni Rence sa babaeng 'yon. They're in a relationship for three freaking years! Tapos ang rason niya, wala silang time and I will definitely argue in the part that he'll take care of someone which I know that it was me. Makakatikim talaga siya mamaya sa akin.

Napaupo ako sa sofa kung saan kanina nakaupo si Doc. Valin habang nakahawak pa rin sa aking sintido. Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko at bumuntong hininga ng ilang ulit para mapakalma ang sarili. Stress is not good for me, especially for the baby.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto o oras na akong nasa gano'ng pwesto nang marinig ko ang mahinang pagpihit ng doorknob ng opisina kaya napaayos ako ng upo, napadilat ng mga mata at napatingin sa taong unti-unting pumasok sa loob.

I glared at him the moment I met his eyes. His brow furrowed as confusion is visible in his eyes.

"What's with the glare?" nagtatakang tanong nito sa akin habang humahakbang ito papalapit sa akin. "Is there something wrong? Did I make you wait for long?"

"Why didn't you tell me, you dimwit?!" napatigil ito sa paghakbang dahil sa pagtaas ng boses ko at tumayo at namewang sa harap niya. "Your petty reason is unacceptable!"

"Woah. Calm down there, babe. What did I do to make you this angry?" nakataas ang mga kamay niyang tanong ulit sa akin. "And what were you talking about? Care to tell me first?"

"Tss. Tell me your ass. You're really a pain in the ass" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Too much cussing there, sweetie. Naririnig ka ni baby" he smiled at me but I just give him another glare that made him laugh.

"Stop laughing, you dimwit! You owe me an explanation about a certain person"

"Who?"

"Let's go home first" tumayo na ako at inayos ang coat na nakalagay sa balikat ko at ang maliit kong purse. "Pumunta muna tayo kay Tita Clara. I want to say my goodbye before I go home"

"Okay" tipid nitong tugon at hinintay na lang akong makarating kung saan ito nakatayo.

Nang makarating na ako sa kinaroroonan niya ay hindi ko ito pinansin at nilampasan lang ito na dahilan kung bakit ito napanguso. Agad naman ito sumunod sa akin at pinulupot ang kaniyang braso sa aking bewang na hinayaan ko na lang.

He was the one who locked his office door at nakita ko ang pagtayo ng sekretarya nito na parang natataranta na ito. I smiled at her and she smiled back at me.

"Mary, just call me if there's an emergency that needed my attention. I need to go home early with, Iria" the authority in his voice lingers in my ears and I just frown at that.

"Yes, Doc. be safe" mahina at mahinhin nitong ani at bilin at yumuko na parang nahihiya.

"Thank you" marahan na ang boses nitong ani at iginaya na ako papunta kung saan ang elevator pababa ng building. "Let's go, babe"

The elevator open at hahakbang na sana ako papasok na matigilan ako sa paghakbang at gano'n din ang taong nasa loob na hahakbang na rin sana papalabas nang makita ako nito. He's lips parted and his eyes widened when our eyes locked.

"Kuya?"

-courageousbeast