Malediction

Of Value

We took a bus home. She wrapped her arms around my unwounded arm and rested her head to my shoulder. She napped, seated by the window. I held the grocery bags by my feet. It was pretty heavy but it didn't matter. It brings me little joy to be useful after the eventful scene from the island. She took all the work and blame when I was hospitalized, even a mouthful from our boss.

The bus was almost empty and peaceful in the night as it minimized the hustle and bustle of the traffic. We sat on a middle three-seater row of the bus. The seat next to the aisle was empty. I heard coins rattling in a can and an old woman’s voice asking for alms inside the bus. “Pahingi ng kaunting pagkain, pagpalain sana kayo ng Maykapal.” she says in a continuous cycle as she walks to the end of the vehicle in her ragged clothes. This was common to occur, when the bus is expected to stop for some time. Some gave, and some didn’t. I prepared my spare change to offer. As she comes to my way, she stops and smiles.  Her crooked yellow teeth are visible in the light above us. I politely smiled back and gave my coins. She counts it, puts in her can then looks at me with a worrisome face. “Kahabagan ka sana ng Bathala, anak. Kailangan mo ng kanyang awa sa lagay mo ngayon.” She says, wanting me to pray more for some unknown reason. She walked away and came back silent. She looked at me one last time before she dropped off the bus, as if to remember my face. It made me anxious. 

Another passenger in a jacket came inside and sat right next to me despite having many available seats. The bus continued its path. I stared at her knowingly, indicating to her to change seats but she didn't budge. She removed her hoodie, and at that moment I recognized her, and the other half of her face hidden before had a long scar from the arch of her brow to her cheek. It was the strange woman from the municipal hospital. “You are very hard to find, mister.” She glanced at me and then to Andrea. “Kay ganda.” She complimented. I shielded Andrea from her view. Who knows what she would do? “What do you want?” I asked. “Mister, like I said, give it back. The Mangagaway will continue to play with you unless you return it to me.” She said in a hush but urgent voice. "But I don’t know what it is.” I pressed. “I am not sure either since it was locked in a sacred spell. But you’ll need to find it, or it’ll wish you an early death.” She slipped a paper into my hand and went down to the third stop before ours. I thought about what she said, but what was a Mangagaway and how would I take something from her in the first place?

_________

I looked at myself in the mirror before I left the bathroom. My dark hair was a mess of big loose wet curls on top of my head. The  small scratches on my face and neck had already completely healed. My eyes were a shade of a chestnut, which actually matches my tan skin. I usually never noticed how I actually looked, this was new to me. My build for 6'2 was not so bad. The abs may not be existent, but a soft slender tone was not so bad either. Not at all.

We lived in a studio apartment 10 levels above the ground. La Mesa Dam was near us and we had the view on our bedroom window to enjoy. It was night so little twinkles of light near the water were the only things that I saw by the window on my far right. I was facing the kitchen, as I exited the bathroom beside our man size walk-in closet. To my left, the door and right the mini living room with the couch in view. Andrea was sitting there, still working in her sleep dress. She already did a week's worth, so what was she still working on? She glanced at me up and down the moment our eyes hit  and went back to her laptop. 

"Rude." I said jokingly, becoming conscious of me being topless. She chuckled.

"What are you working on?" I asked and sat at the opposite side of the couch, and wore my tank top. "Remember the anonymous tipper?" She glanced again.  "He gave me new info about Gonzalez today that I can verify. And apparently, he wanted to be called Manunulat now for whatever reason there is." 

"Yeah, I do actually." I said. Of course, I would. This anonymous person has been feeding Andrea top-caliber information since the beginning of her career. She didn't question who he or she was, she just trusted his emails. It started years ago when the Manila Hostage Crisis took place a few minutes after his latest email, like he said it would. She believed him. She was at the right place, at the right time. She was first. 

His information was without fail, until the island fiasco. I can see the hesitation on her face. She was pondering about it. If I didn't intervene, she might be restless. “That’s enough screen time.” I slowly took the laptop from her lap, away from her and closed it. "Things like this can be better planned with a rested mind. You've been working all week." I said, trying to convince her to go to bed. I placed it at the center table. Andrea argued no more. She pulled her head back and stretched her limbs. “You're right. I need to destress somehow.” She faced me, her legs towards me. Her tone became sultry. “I know how to, but I really need your help.”  Andrea gazed at me, as she crossed her bare legs and bit her lower lip. She gave me a provocative smile. 

I didn’t know how to react. My heart was beating fast. My memories were a mess as I can’t remember f*cking her, which would’ve been the best times of my life if I could only remember. How did this go again? 

She slowly came closer. Her hands went under my shirt and my chest as I still processed this. How impatient. I held her waist as she was close enough that her warm breath lingered with mine. Our heartbeats synced to a rhythm. Her dark brown eyes were begging for intimacy, no words were needed. I cupped one hand to her cheeks. “I love you.” My thoughts were escaping my lips. I ran my fingers to her lips following the line she created for a smile, I pulled mine closer. Our lips met. Her lips were warmer and they tasted sweet, just like that time in the hospital. I pulled her in closer, deeper. I wanted to remember this warm yet perplexing feeling in me as I brushed my fingers along her smooth skin. I carefully took off her clothes while she pulled away mine. She gazed at me with such longing, my heart couldn't contain it. This was how it felt to be truly loved. 

A hot moist envelope embraced my manhood while a soft moan escaped her lips. She moved slowly as I held her hips, until I was fully inside her being. It was amazing. I sat up to hug her, fearing she may fall. That was my sorry excuse to feel her more. She gasped as it went deeper from that movement. Andrea went faster, fervently making love to me that I couldn't think of anything else. I held onto her waist as I gave the same rhythm. I wanted to be reminded of the crevices my memory has forgotten. I was close. I can still hear her sweet cries of ecstasy as my mind was about to explode. Our beat went faster, my mind ceased to reason. I was going blank. By then, I felt my release filling her, the rhythm slowly fading. Our heavy breathing was the only thing I could hear.

 This was real, my silly dreams no more, I thought. I don't want to let her go. She was mine now, and mine alone.