MEN OF HONOR SERIES 1: SCARRED

Kabanata 9

"You have a green thumb," hindi ko napigilang puna nang makita ang napakaraming halamang nasa rooftop garden ng penthouse ni Coal.

"My mom taught me. It's relaxing and mas healthy since I grow it. I know if it has chemicals or don't," he said while touching the leafy lettuce he's growing through hydrophonic planting.

Ngumiti ako at sumama na sa kanya na maupo sa dalawang silyang naroroon. Mula sa aming pwesto ay tanaw namin ang buong syudad. The starry night matched the view below, making me want to take photographs of it.

Nang hindi ako nakatiis ay inilabas ko ang cellphone ko upang kumuha ng litrato. I saw him watching me, and when I showed him the photo I took, a proud smile made its way to his lips.

"You're good. What more if you're using a professional cam?"

I felt my confidence went up. "Thanks."

"Why not pursue photography instead?" he asked while opening my beer. He said he only drinks whiskey so we stopped at a convenience store earlier for my beers.

"Wala naman maipagmamalaki ro'n. Tatawanan lang ako ng mga kamag-anak ko," sagot ko bago kinuha ang bote.

His brows furrowed. "How come? I have a friend who earns five figures by doing photography."

"Alam mo kasi, sa pamilya namin, kung hindi bachelor's degree sa mga sikat na propesyon o kaya ay corporate job ang meron ka, wala kang kwenta."

"What kind of mindset is that?" He shook his head. Mayamaya ay dumekwatro siyang panlalake. "Wanna talk about your family situation?"

I sighed as I stared at the city lights. "Mahal ko naman sila, kaya lang tuwing naiisip ko ang pamilya, mas marami 'yong alaala na ayaw kong balikan, kaysa sa memories na makakapagbigay ng saya. Alam mo 'yon? 'Yong parang mas matimbang ang masasakit?"

I continued ranting about my life while he just listens to me. Wala akong narinig ni isang side comment tungkol sa pamilya ko. He just tapped my back when the alcohol started lording over me, making me emotional. Tila ba gusto niya lamang mailabas ko lahat ng nagpapabigat sa dibdib ko. I didn't feel any judgement no matter how f****d up my life is.

Suminghot ako at nagpunas ng luha. "Tama na nga ang tungkol sa akin." I hit him with my elbow. "Kwentuhan mo rin ako. Tell me why you decided to end your fifteen long years of relationship with your wife."

Sandali siyang humugot ng hininga at tinitigan ang kanyang baso habang prenteng nakasandal sa usupan. "Let's just say my trust has already been broken."

Kumunot ang aking noo. "She cheated?"

He nodded. "With my best friend." Tumikhim siya. "I don't usually talk about this even to my family but I'm so compelled to speak up right now." Mahina siyang natawa at sinuklay ang mga daliri sa buhok na tila tinatamaan na rin ng alak. "What magic do you have?"

I smirked. "Maybe you found your new bestie in me."

Ngumisi siya at itinulak ang ilang hibla ng aking buhok patungo sa likod ng tainga. "I guess so." He drew in a sharp breath. "Maggie, my uh, my daughter's mom, we met before we finished college. She went to med school while I studied law. We were each other's anchor when things get tough. We got married after we both got our licenses. Okay naman kami. We had Coleen a year after we got married, but after she gave birth to Coleen, ang laki ng pinagbago. She said Coleen and I ruined her career and her body. Plastic surgeon siya kaya sobrang conscious sa katawan. Okay lang sana kung ako lang ang sinasabihan nang gano'n. Matitiis ko dahil asawa niya ko, pero kapag si Coleen na..." He sighed. "I love my daughter so much, Steph. Sa kanya na lang umikot ang buhay ko kaya masakit na parang hindi siya mahal ni Maggie. Then I found out that she kept ditching her dates with our daughter because she's seeing my best friend."

"Ang unfair naman? I mean, binuo ninyong dalawa ang bata. Siguro naman out of love 'yon, 'di ba?" hindi ko napigilang ipuna.

"I wanna think that way, pero kapag hindi niya itinatrato nang maayos si Coleen, nagdadalawang-isip ako."

Ako naman ang bumuntong hininga. "Mahal ba siya ni Coleen?"

"Sobra. Idol na idol niya ang mommy niya kaya kahit halatang ayaw ni Maggie na nag-s-stay doon si Coleen, nagpipilit ang bata. It breaks my heart every time Maggie will tell me to pick up Coleen kahit ang usapan namin ay isang linggo sa kanya ang anak namin. She said Coleen is too hyper kaya madalas nakakasira ng gamit at maingay."

"How old is she?"

Dinukot niya ang kanyang phone at ipinakita ang wallpaper sa akin. It was a photo of him and his daughter taken in the Ocean Park. "She's eight now."

"Ay ang cute!" Tinitigan ko siya sandali saka ko inilapit ang cellphone niya sa kanyang mukha. "Magkahawig kayo. Para siyang female version mo."

He smiled. "Thanks."

Payak akong napangiti. "Alam mo, I think swerte ang anak mo sayo. Kung dumating man ang araw na hindi ka na niya piliting ayusin ang relationship ninyo ng mommy niya, tingin ko sayo siya sasama."

"I hope so." I saw his adam's apple moved up and down. "And I hope Coleen will understand soon that all her mommy had caused me since she was born was heartbreak." Tinitigan niya ang kanyang baso habang may lungkot sa kanyang mga mata. "Gusto ko ring may katabing matulog. I want someone to spend weekends with me, be there for me when my day gets too heavy. I wanna hear someone say I love you and mean it." He sighed. "I wanna be happy again with someone..."

Napahugot din ako ng hininga bago ko iniumpog ang bote ko sa kanyang baso. "Makakahanap ka rin, Dean Chen. Malay mo nasa tabi mo na nga, eh," I joked.

A slight smirk made its way to his lips as he stared at me with his sleepy eyes. "You keep on giving me hints that you're into me. Don't make me fall for a fake trap, Madrigal. Baka pareho tayong magsisi sa huli."

"Magsisisi ka talaga kapag ako ang niloko mo at pinaasa." Bumaba ang aking tingin sa kanyang mga labi. "Cute ng lips mo, parang ang sarap-sarap halikan."

"Silly. You're drunk. We should get some rest before you do something naughty to me."

Tumaas ang aking kilay. "Why? Don't you wanna kiss me, hmm? Dahil wala pa akong lisensya?"

"Nah, it's not like that."

"Kiss me then," I teased.

Tinitigan niya naman ako, tila ba nagdadalawang-isip. Dahil tumatama na rin ang alak sa aking sistema, ako na ang naglapit sa aking mukha at humalik sa kanya. He didn't move at first, but when I was about to pull away, Coal clutched my hair and gave me the kind of kiss that made me forget about space and time.

Halos mabitiwan ko ang bote ng alak kung hindi niya pa kinuha bago niya ako hinatak upang kumandong paharap sa kanya. His kisses became wilder that I couldn't keep up anymore. All I know is that his lips taste so good that I almost made it bleed.

Masyadong naging mabilis ang mga pangyayari, siguro ay dahil pareho na kaming nakainom. I still know what we're doing, and I don't feel any remorse when we got rid of our clothes. Walang sinabi ang malamig na hanging humahaplos sa aming mga katawan sa init na pinagsasaluhan namin, ngunit nang madama ko ang kirot sa pagitan ng aking mga hita, halos makagat ko nang husto ang kanyang ibabang labi.

Coal grabbed my ass and slowly moved my hips while he buries his face on my shoulder. Gusto kong maiyak sa sakit, ngunit pinapawi ng mga halik niya sa aking leeg at balikat ang nararamdaman kong kirot.

"You didn't tell me this is your first..." he uttered in a raspy way before he suckled my ear, making me whimper like a cat. "I should've brought you to bed instead and took my time..."

Tanging daing lamang ang nagawa kong itugon habang sinusundan ang paggiya niya sa aking balakang.

It took me long to adjust with his size, but when pleasure started to mix with the pain and his thrusts became smoother, I threw my head back and let him suck my boobs. Ramdam ko ang sukat niya sa aking loob, at tuwing tinatamaan ang pinakamaselang parte ay napapalakas ang aking pag-ungol.

"Oh, Coal!" My fingernails dug onto his shoulders. Yumakap naman ang matipuno niyang mga braso sa aking baywang saka mas binilisan ang aking pagtaas-baba.

I felt so stretched with the way he made my hips move, ngunit masyado na akong lasing sa kakaibang pakiramdam na siya lamang ang nakapagpadama.

"I can't believe I'm owning you right now..." he whispered in a husky way before clutching my hair. "You naughty... naughty girl..."

My moans went louder and louder as my climax built up. His ragged breathing right in front of my ear and his husky voice just set my body more on fire. The incinerating pleasure seeped through me until I cannot hold it anymore, and when I finally reached my orgasm, my body writhed while he groaned and panted on my shoulder as he reached his.

Pawis na pawis at hinahabol namin ang aming mga hininga habang nakadukdok sa balikat ng isa't isa. Halos hindi na sapat ang ihip ng hangin upang pawiin ang init na nararamdaman ng katawan ko, at alam kong ganoon din siya. I felt so tired that I couldn't move anymore. Saka ko lamang din naramdaman ang kirot sa pagitan ng aking mga hita nang iangat niya ako upang mahugot niya ang sarili.

I couldn't stand on my own anymore. My knees wobble every time I'm trying to stand, and I know Coal noticed it, too. Nang mabihisan niya ako ay tuluyan niya akong binuhat papasok ng penthouse habang bagsak ang aking mga talukap.

Nang madama ko ang malambot na kama ay pinilit kong imulat ang aking mga mata upang tignan siya. I thought he was going to leave me there, but after getting some tissue to clean me up down there, he went to my side and lay next to me.

Nilubos-lubos ko na ang pagkakataon at sumandal sa kanyang dibdib. Halatang nagulat siya sa aking ginawa, ngunit mayamaya ay inayos niya pa rin ang comforter at pinatakan ako ng halik sa tuktok ng ulo.

I don't know why that simple kiss warmth my heart. I slept in peace next to him, but when I woke up, mayroon nang pagtatalong nagaganap sa labas ng silid.

I groaned and tried to blink my eyes, and when my vision started to become vivid, I saw a familiar little girl standing by the side of the bed while looking at me as if I got her angry for f*****g her daddy.

Napalunok ako nang may maalala.

Right. I Just f****d her daddy...