MONTE COSTA SERIES 1: SHORE OF HEARTS

Kabanata 7

TEISSA had never been this anxious when holding her pencil. Nasa kanyang silid sila ni Armani. Nakaupo ito sa kama habang nasa silya naman siya't kalong ang kanyang sketch book.

Armani carefully watched her as she straightened her back anxiously. He looks ethereal in his white polo. Its first three buttons were unbuttoned while the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Tila kahit pagod sa byahe at stressed sa law school ay hinding-hindi maitatago ang kagandahang lalake.

"Just let me know if you want me to do a certain pose for you," basag ni Armani sa katahimikan.

Teissa pursed her lips and nodded. Tahimik siyang humugot ng hininga bago kinakabahang inilipat ang pahina ng sketch book niya.

"Kung . . . saan ka na lang kumportable."

She nervously smiled before she finally started her sketch. Naiinis pa siya sa sarili dahil nanginginig ang kamay niya. Mukhang napansin naman ito ni Armani kaya humugot ito ng hininga't nahiga sa kanyang kama.

Napatigil si Teissa sa ginagawa. Their eyes met but Armani just smiled at her before he spoke.

"Can I sleep while you're drawing me?" he asked.

Teissa had a feeling that Armani just felt her nervousness that's why he suggested it. Sa isip-isip ni Teissa ay mabuti na rin nga sigurong tulog ito nang hindi naman siya masyadong kabahan.

She smiled. "S-Sige at . . . medyo matagal din ito."

"Thanks." He faked a yawn then finally shut his eyes. "Just wake me up when you're done."

Hindi na sumagot pa si Teissa. She flipped the page and then breathed in deeply. Kinalma rin muna niya ang kanyang sarili bago niya tuluyang sinimulan ang pagguhit kay Armani.

Slowly, she started getting in the zone. Her focus went to the details until she didn't realize anymore that she's already done.

Napatitig siya sa tulog na si Armani. His face looks peaceful while laying on her bed. His masculine looked so out of place in the midst of all the girly colors surrounding him. Pero kahit na ganoon ay tila nakatitig pa rin si Teissa sa imahe ng isang diyos. Like an Olympian who found peace in a warm bed of pink and purple.

She pursed her lips as her heart and mind battled whether to come near him or not. Sa huli ay nadaig ang kanyang isip kaya kahit na kabado ay maingat siyang lumapit kay Armani. She carefully sat on the edge of her bed and watched him sleep peacefully. May munting ngiti ring dumapo sa kanyang mga labi habang pinagmamasdan ang bawat detalye ng mukha ni Armani.

Napakagwapo talaga . . .

Teissa was tempted to touch his face. She drew her shaking hand closer to his cheek to caress his tender-looking skin. Ngunit pagtama ng dulo ng kanyang daliri sa balat nito ay gumalaw si Armani.

Nataranta siya bigla at halos hindi alam ang gagawin. Her eyes widely opened as Armani woke up.

"Teissa." He blinked his eyes before he pulled himself up. Sobrang lapit tuloy ng kanilang mga katawan ngayon. "Sorry. Napasarap ang tulog ko."

Lumunok siya. "A-Ayos lang. K-Kakatapos ko lang din. G-Gigisingin na sana kita," pagsisinungaling niya.

Armani ran his fingers onto his sleek hair. "May I see it?"

Teissa shyly showed the drawing. Tinanggap iyon ni Armani at pinakatitigan. She was nervous at first because Armani didn't show any reaction. Ngunit maya-maya ay gumuhit ang napakatamis na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi bago ito humalik sa kanyang pisngi.

Nagwala nang husto ang dibdib ni Teissa kasabay ng paglaki ng kanyang mga mata. Tila natauhan naman si Armani at napagtanto kung ano ang nagawa.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to--" Naihilamos nito ang palad sa mukha. "f**k," he said under his breath. "Sorry. I'm really sorry. I just got carried away."

Teissa swallowed the pool of saliva in her mouth. "O-Okay lang." Her cheeks burned even more. "S-Sana nagustuhan mo k-kahit paano ang d-drawing."

"I love it. That's why I got carried away and kissed your cheek." He smiled. "Thank you. I'm gonna have it framed."

Nahihiya siyang nagkamot ng sintido. "W-Walang anuman."

Armani drew in a sharp breath before he went out of her bed. "I guess I'll see you again tomorrow."

Tumango siya. "Sasama ka ba sa . . . pagsisimba namin bukas?"

"Yeah." He moistened his lower lip then smiled at her softly. "May paniniwala raw sa simbahan ng Castanaz. I'd like to try my luck."

Kumunot ang noo ni Teissa. "Paniniwala?"

"Yeah. Nasabi lang ni Don Lino noong minsang nagkausap kami tungkol sa importanteng bagay." Tumikhim ito. "Hindi na rin kita iistorbohin. It's getting late." Humugot ito ng hininga. "Good night, Teissa."

She nodded. "Good night."

Ihinatid niya ito sa pinto. Nang makaalis si Armani ay wala sa sarili niyang hinaplos ang kanyang pisngi. Parang ayaw na tuloy niyang maghilamos!

She sighed. Pilit niyang sinuway ang sarili't nag-ayos na lamang nang makatulog na.

Kinabukasan ay sabay-sabay silang nagtungo sa simbahan. Armani and Teissa helped Don Lino get inside the chapel. Mahina na talaga ang katawan nito dahil palaging malungkot. Wala ring ganang kumain kaya mabilis na bumabagsak ang sistema, ngunit kahit na ganoon ay talagang nagpumilit itong sumamang magsimba.

Teissa knows her grandpa goes to church to pray for her sister. Lalo lamang tuloy siyang nasasaktan para sa Lolo Lino niya.

Dahil hindi pa nagsisimula ang misa ay nakipagkwentuhan sa kanila si Don Lino, hanggang sa napadpad ang usapan sa namayapa nitong asawa.

"She was angelic. Her round face and mesmerizing eyes..." His eyes twinkled as his lips curved sweetly as if he's seeing Teissa's grandma's face again for the very first time. "Teresa was the epitome of a Goddess, but her heart was more beautiful. And that day I married your grandma here, in this very place, I told myself as she walked down the aisle that I am never going to let her live another life as somebody else's wife. Huh. Ang lolo pa ba?"

Napangiti si Teissa habang tahimik na nakikinig si Armani sa kanyang tabi. "Napaka-swerte ng Lola, Lo."

Bumuntonghininga si Don Lino saka matipid na ngumiti. "Alam mo, apo, wala naman talagang masasabing perpektong pagsasama. There were times when your grandma almost gave up on me. That's why I am the lucky one. Ilang beses sumakit ang ulo ng lola mo sa akin, pero sa huli, namayani ang pagpapatawad at pagtanggap sa aming pagsasama." He heaved a sigh. "Marriage is... Marriage is something people should never take for granted. A wife or a husband isn't a title that gives someone the assurance that the work is over. May mga pagkakamali ako sa nakaraan, ngunit pinili ng lola mo na magpatawad. Iyon ay dahil pinatunayan kong karapat-dapat akong manatili sa tabi niya. But if I didn't prove myself? My wife was surely someone else's. And that's something I would definitely regret kung nangyari man."

"Mabait ka naman, Lo ah hindi ka naman babaero. You're responsible, too."

"Teissa, hindi lang sa pagiging responsable at pananatiling tapat nasusukat ang pagiging mabuting asawa. It's how you treat your wife. Your words, your actions. How will she believe that you love her with all your heart kung sa simpleng pananalita mo sa kanya ay hindi mo magawang idaan sa tama? Marami akong kilala, mahal na mahal daw nila ang asawa nila ngunit kung iparamdam nila na sila ang nagpapalamon sa pamilya, akala mo ay walang kakayahan ang mga asawa nilang maglagay ng pagkain sa mesa. Lagi mong tatandaang normal lamang na mag-away ang mag-asawa, ngunit oras na pagtaasan ka ng boses, murahin, o pagbuhatan ng kamay ng asawa mo, ipaalala mo sa kanya kung paano ka niyang pinaghirapang makuha para lang astahan lamang nang ganoon."

Her brows furrowed. "Paano po iyon?"

Hinawakan nito ang kamay niyang nakapatong sa braso nito. "Show him who you truly are. Minsan ang lalake, nagiging kampante sa ginagawang ganoon dahil hinahayaan ng babae. I know that a woman was said to be naturally submissive to her husband, but you can submit without forgetting who you are. Be a woman whom when a man looks down onto, he's going to regret it. Takot ang mga lalake sa mga babaeng kayang tumayo sa sarili nilang mga paa. Dahil oras na ang babae na ang mapundi, alam nilang ultimo batas, hindi na kayang baguhin ang desisyon ng asawa nila. They will keep you, treat you right, cherish you the way you want, if, and only if, you set the standards. If you made it clear how you wanted things to be." Hinaplos nito ang kanyang buhok. "How you love yourself and how you treat yourself, is exactly how you are telling others to treat and love you. So do not give a man the impression that you're okay with just a fragment of his heart and attention. Give yourself what you deserve. Do not lower the bars so others can reach you. Trust me, hija. The right man will show you someday that no bar is high enough when love is real. When love is worth to keep." Tumingin ito kay Armani. "Narinig mo ba ako, hijo?"

Armani smiled as he glanced at Teissa. "Loud and clear, Sir."

Teissa's cheeks slightly stained red. Yumuko siya nang maitago ang naging pamumula ng kanyang pisngi. Mabuti na lamang at nagsimula na rin ang misa. They all listened attentively. Ngunit maya-maya ay ganoon na lamang ang naging pagkataranta nila nang humawak si Don Lino sa dibdib nito.

"Lo? Lolo! Anong nangyayari?!" Tumayo si Teissa. "Tito Melchor! Si Lolo!"

Kaagad na kumilos sina Armani at Melchor pati na ang mga tauhang sumama sa pagsisimba. Natigil din ang misa dahil sa nangyayaring kaguluhan. Ang lahat ng nasa simbahan ay pinanood kung paanong pilit inilabas ng simbahan ang matandang lalake.

"Teissa!" tawag ni Armani nang maisakay na sa tinawag na ambulansya ang kanyang lolo. Pinapanhik siya nito sa loob saka ito sumakay.

"Lo . . ." humahagulgol na tawag ni Teissa sa matanda habang hawak ang kamay nito. Armani kept on rubbing her back, trying to console her as the ambulance rushed to the nearest hospital.

The paramedics did their best to help her grandfather. Iyak nang iyak si Teissa habang pinanonood ang nangyayari. She kept praying and begging God to help her grandfather, yet right before they even reached the emergency room, the paramedics looked at her and delivered the most painful news she could ever hear.

"Pasensya na po pero wala na po ang pasyente."

Parang nawalan ng lakas ang mga tuhod ni Teissa. Her tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at her grandfather.

"No . . ." Niyakap niya ito saka siya pumalahaw ng iyak. "Lolo!"