NO CHOICE /r18

ALMOST TEMPTED

Paglipas ng ilang araw, naging maganda ang samahan nilang mag asawa.

They both learned how to deal with each other nang may pag uunawa at pag aalaga.

Mas naging open si Mylene sa kanya after she shared her past and opened herself. That night after she revealed her inhibitions and doubts,  naging mapayapa ang kanilang pagsasama.

Alex was also doing well. He saw to it that they spend time together even if they were both busy with their own businesses.

Their dating became constant, and Alex never failed to surprise her from time to time. Those small gestures Alex is showing to Mylene made her heart flutter.

*****

It has been quite a long time since Akex bonded with his friends so nagka ayaan silang lumabas matapos niyang mag golf kasama ng mga clients nila. Nasa Tipsy Club sila ngayon na pag aari ng kapatid ni Anton.

Si Mylene naman ay nasa Singapore ngayon kasama ang kanyang ina para makipag meet sa supplier nila sa kanilang jewelry business. Two days etong mawawala. 

So when Jack asked him to join them tonight, he told Mylene about it and told her he would be going out with them.

"Bro, na miss ka namin ha! " bati ni Anton nang dumating si Alex sa kanilang table.

Maliban kina Anton, Ryan at Jack, kasama rin nila ang dalawa pang kaibigan at kasosyo sa negosyo ng mga kaibigan nya na sina Revy at Ivan. May mga kasama din itong apat na babae na di pa nya kilala.

"Alexander! Kamusta???" bati ni Ivan sa kanya. "By the way, meet the girls, this is Tine, this is May, Mina and of course, Jena" pakilala ng kaibigan nya sa kanya. "Crush ka nyan." bulong pa nito sabay nguso sa kinauupuan ni Jena.

Jena stood up and shook his hands. "I finally meet you Alexander" she sweetly said. "Matagal ko nang kinukulit sina Ivan to introduce me to you. Finally!!"

Alam ni Alex ang mga ganitong galaw at awrahan ng mga babae lalo na pag may gusto sa kanya. At alam nya sa mga ngiti at titig sa kanya ni Jena that she liked him.

Wala nang ibang bakanteng upuan maliban sa vacant chair sa tabi ni Jena at Ryan so he had no choice but to sit there.

Ewan nya pero naiilang sya, at napansin yun ni Ryan na parang di sya mapakali.

"Hahahha, putek bro, para kang teenager dyan sa upuan mo. Hahhahaha.." pabiro ni Ryan sa kanya.

"Gago bakit??? " natatawang tanong nya.

"Ewan ko sayo. Patusin mo na yan. Antagal ka nang type nyan." bulong ni Ivan sa kanya na tila lasing na ito. Napa smirk nalang sya.

Nang lumalalim na ang gabi at tila lahat sila ay may tama na ng alak, ang isang kamay ni Jena ay nakapatong na sa kanyang binti at hinihimas ito. Hinayaan nya lang ito, thinking that it wasnt really a big deal. Dala na siguro ng kalasingan at di man lang sumagi sa isipan na may asawa na pala sya.

Ang bilis ng pangyayari. Di na naiwasan ni Alex ang mga tukso at pang guguyo ng kaibigan.

The next thing he knew, he was making out with Jena sa VIP corner lounge kung san sila nakaupo.

Gaya ng iba pa nyang kaibigan na may ka-make out din, he didn't mind whether what he was doing was right or not. For a while, he forgot how he is now. Akala nya, pareho pa rin noon.

Nag yayaan na silang umalis. Halos lasing na ang mga kasamang babae. Silang magkakaibigan rin may mga tama na.

Common knowledge na ng mga kaibigan na si Alex ang uuwi kay Jena, kung uuwi nga ba.

They stood up to leave. He held Jena's waist at dahil nanghihina na ito sa kalasingan, nakayakap na sya kay Alex.

When they were about to go out of the door, Alex's face drained when somebody purposedly blocked them.

"The f--!..... Rose?????" Biglang nawala ang kalasingan nya at bumalik sa tamang huwisyo.

He didn't know that Rose was also there sa Tipsy, kasama ang mga katrabaho. She saw him. Actually, kanina pa nakatingin si Rose sa kanila nang di nya napansin.

Kanina pa nagngingitngit si Rose sa nakita. She knew Mylene is in Singapore. Kahapon lang nag usap pa sila para sa pinabibili dito. 

She was actually battling whether to call her and let her know sa nakita, or she would confront him herself. She chose the latter.

"Hello Alex." sarkastikong bati nito sa kanya pero ang mga mata nito ay nakatingin sa babaeng nakayakap sa kanya.

"Uh... Rose, wh--whose with you??Ka-- Kanina ka pa dito?" nauutal na tanong ni Alex na para bang binuhusan sya ng malamig na tubig. Malamang nakita nito ang pinaggagawa nila ni Jena kanina. Mga ilang beses din silang naghahalikan at nagyayakapan habang sumasayaw at dini dirty dancing pa sya nito. 

Ang lalakas pa ng mga hiyaw ng mga kaibigan so malamang nakakuha sila ng atensyon kanina sa iba pang customers na nandun.

Gusto nyang bitawan ang hawak na babae, pero alam nyang matutumba eto sa kahinaan.

"Friends. Andito na ako bago ka pa dumating." sagot nito habang patuloy na tiningnan ang babae at ngayo'y tumataas na ang kilay nya kay Alex.

Hey, its not what you think. " depensang sabi nya pero tinaasan lang sya ng kilay ni Rose.

Right tyming naman na dumaan si Jack sa tabi nya kayat pinakiusapan nya itong dalhin si Jena na tinuon naman ng kaibigan.

"So ano ba dapat ang isipin ko? That I just saw you making out with that girl in public Mr. Montreal habang ang kaibigan ko, na asawa mo ay nasa ibang bansa?" 

Napa lunok lang sya at di nakasagot sa tanong ni Rose.  Tumingin sa baba na para bang bata na pinagalitan ng nanay.

"Ok look, I will let this pass for now... Not for your sake, but for my friend kasi mahal ko sya at ayoko ko syang masaktan kahit sabihin pa nating she wouldn't give a damn! But she would still get hurt.  She had her fair share ng pang-gagago ng mga lalaking tulad mo, alam mo yun, di ba? So no, it is not my story to tell her for now, Mr. Montreal. " Rose sternly said, trying to control her anger. Biglang tumalikod so Rose para iwan na sana sya pero hinarap sya muli.

"Oh, the reason I blocked you kanina? I just want you to know that I saw you... I saw everything...And I'm very, very disappointed." she finally said and turned her back kay Alex nang di na nya hinintay ang sagot nito.

Alex was left speechless to where he was standing. Nawala bigla ang lahat ng tama ng ininom nya.

He didn't know why he was worried. He felt he was slapped by Rose's words: " She had her fair share ng panggagago ng lalaking tulad mo...."

That truth struck him, kasi totoo.

Nang lumabas sya ng Tipsy, Jack was still waiting for him, akbay akbay pa si Jena.

"Bro, please take her home." he said

"What? Sayo gustong sumama to!" sagot sa kanya ni Jack.

Alex shook his head.

"Please do me a favor. I'm going home and I can't take her with me. Ikaw na  bahala maghatid sa kanya bro, please." he told his friend. Ramdam nya ang mga mata ni Rose na nakatingin pa rin ng mataimtim sa kanya kahit na alam nya na nasa loob na ito ng club.

Nakatingin pa rin kaya si Rose sa kanya o mismo ang konsensya nya?

***

He was seriously contemplating sa nangyari. Its almost 1 am at nakahiga na sya sa kama nila sa bahay.

What the hell is happening to me? Bat hinahayaan ko na mangyari yun??? Hindi ako to!

But at the back of his mind, he was thinking of his wife at ang mga sinabi ni Rose sa kanya.

When he tried to close his eyes to get some sleep, mukha ni Mylene ang nakikita na.

Her eyes that had so much pain and hurt nung nag usap sila kamakailan lang. He saw how much she was hurt.

He even hoped na sana he was there to comfort her during that time, to protect her when she was broken...

Maybe all he could do now is to give her what she needed... An assurance...

Her eyes that has so much hope nang sinabi nyang di nya ito sasaktan.

Tangina!!!!

Kinuha nya ang kanyang telepono and he dialed her number. He knew it was late but he needed to hear her voice.

After a few rings, sinagot yun ni Mylene with her sweet bedroom voice. Nakita ni Alex sa screen na parang nakapikit pa ang mga mata nya at pilit na dinidilat.

"Alex?"

"Hello, love? Tulog ka na ba? Did I disturb you?"

Stupid! Syempre, anong oras na.

"Bat napa vid call ka??? I am about to sleep and I look mess. Did you just get home? Di ka pa ba natutulog?" mahinang tanong ni Mylene sa kanya habang kinukusot ang mata.

"Na miss kita. Di pa ako makatulog. Hindi na yata ako sanay na wala ka sa tabi ko. Please come home." malambing na sabi nya sa asawa. Di nya alam kung bakit bigla nyang na miss ito.

He heard her giggle on the other line.  "Ano ba yan, why are you suddenly clingy? Sa makalawa pa kami uuwi, di bah?"

"Don't you miss me love?" patuloy nyang paglalambing.

This is one side of Alex na di pa nakikita ni Mylene. Kadalasan kasi, puro pagbibiro at panunukso lang ito. Di nya alam na clingy din pala sya. She hated to admit it pero kinilig sya and she liked that.

"Hmmm... Di pa naman po." pagbibirong sagot ni Mylene na natatawa pa.

"Sunod kaya ako dyan? Makakakuha pa naman ako ng flight mamayang madaling araw." he said.

"Hoy, are you out of your mind? Hahaha. Anong gagawin mo dito? May business meeting kami ni mommy tomorrow Thursday, I mean mamaya na nga pala and Friday  uuwi na rin kami." nakatawang sagot ni Mylene sa kanya.

"Eh di, mag e-extend tayo for the weekend. Parang extension na ng honeymoon natin. What do you think???"

"Baliw. Bahala ka nga dyan! Itulog mo yan. Bukas paggising mo wala na yan. Hahhaha.. Sige na matulog ka na rin. Goodnight na."

"Ok good night. I'll see you. Wait, don't put the phone down. I wanna see you sleep."

"No Alex. Matulog ka na, ok? I'll turn this off na." napanguso nalang si Alex nang pinatay ni Mylene ang phone.

Di na si Alex nag aksaya ng panahon. Susundan nya ang asawa sa Singapore!

He called the airline para magpa book ng first flight to Singapore ngayun. Luckily, may 4 am na flight mamaya.

So he quickly packed his things at went straight to the airport. He had 2 hours pa before his flight pero pwede syang matulog sa eroplano during his flight.

So many thoughts and questions in his mind, but one thing he was sure of now, gusto nyang makita si Mylene and he just couldn't wait!