Borrowed Love

Chapter 14 Sunset

After the dreadful scene. Dinala ko siya sa aking resort dito sa Visayas for us to unwind. To have time for each other before another hectic schedule hits us.

My resort is one of the most visited resorts here in this region, especially for foreigners and local tourists.. I got good reviews from our clients especially holiday goers.

Why not if my resort happened to be one of the luxurious hotels and resorts in the place plus well trained staff for international service.

We aim for customers satisfaction and their stay should be just an extension of their home at the same time they are having a grand vacations. And the price is competitive that's why we manage to stay on top in every ranking and survey over the years.

"Ang ganda naman dito, nakalula ang view. " Manghang sabi ni Yama as she looks at the view outside from the balcony. Bakas sa mukha ang sobrang kasayahan.

We stayed in the penthouse. I always occupy the penthouse whenever I visit my hotels and resorts.

My employees not shock upon our arrival as I called them to vacant the penthouse. Meaning I will be visiting any moment.

And this time we will occupy the same room and the same bed. Though the penthouse is big enough and has three rooms but this time I will try my luck to stay in one room to get closer to her. Titingnan ko kung di ba siya papalag.

"Yeah the place is great. Maswerte ako kasi nakakuha ako ng good location. Ako ang unang nakapagtayo ng luxury hotel here. And I get the best spot where tourism is booming in this place. We can see all the views in 360 angles from our end."

Inform ko sa kanya ng sinundan ko siya sa may balcony.

"We will use this suite in the entire of our stay here. Will that be okay?"

"Oo naman, magrereklamo pa ba ako when I got the best scenic view in front of me?" Wala sa sarili niyang sabi.

Di niya namalayan na she said the words in English at di nag-stutter, parang natural lang. Naging bihasa na siya dahil sa kanyang pag-aaral.

She was so fascinated with the view. Ni di niya namalayan na we will be spending time together in one bed, in the same room during the whole duration of our vacation.

I'm happy to give that experience to her. I will shower her with all the things I can give. Masama ba gamitin ko ang aking pera para makuha ang loob niya? I have the right intention anyway.

"I'm glad you like it. We will be here for another 3 days while I'm overseeing my other businesses here." Dagdag ko pang sabi.

She is still in awe of what she witnessed. Baliwala ang aking sinasabi.

"Grabe sino kaya ang di ma in-love sa ganitong lugar? Tingnan mo ang kabilang side na naglalakihang kahoy at magandang hugis ng bundok at sa kabila ay walang katapusang tubig na bluish ang color."

"Ang magandang landscape na para bang inukit galing isang magandang painting. Parang pang post card ang dating. At sobrang puti ng buhangin." Di mapigilang niyang pagkamangha.

"You haven't experienced a beach living type back home? This is pretty common in the province, like this place. Makakita ka lang ng ganitong lugar in the provinces." Nagtataka kong tanong.

"Di sa amin kasi nasa upland kami. Bukirin madami dun. Malayo kami sa dagat. Nasa bundok kami kaya lahos kabuhayan namin nasa farming. Pagtatanim at pag-aalaga ng hayop ang aming ikinabubuhay."

I feel her. I can imagine how their lives and what she does just to survive through her words. Belib ako sa kanyang ugali, living in that lifestyle requires physical hard work. Di basta basta.

"Do you want to roam around and walk barefoot in the sand?" Offer ko sa kanya. Maybe she wants it pero nahihiya lang magsabi.

"Talaga? Sige okay ako diyan. Ngayon na?" Excited niyang sabi.

"Yeah, the sun is not hot anymore kasi palubog na. We can see the sunset also in a few more minutes."

"Wow gusto ko yan. Namimis ko na ang panunuod ng sunrise at sunset. Sa Manila kasi nahaharangan na mga naglalakihan at nagtataasan na building. Di na ako nakakita nun tapos iba pa ang simoy ng hangin dun. Dito iba, pagtapak palang natin alam na natin na nasa probinsya na tayo."

She is right. Iba ang vibe ng province.

As we go outside from our room. Nakasunod na ang mata ng aking mga tauhan, lalo na sa may reception area. Di man pahalata pero alam mo na patago ang pagsulyap nila. They are interested in my life, my affair. And I'm used to it.

We walk down to the beachfront area. I tried to hold her hands as we walk in the beach. I observe kung papalag ba. But I don't feel any hesitation.

"Wow ang pino ng buhangin, sobrang linis at at puti, ang sarap sigurong apakan." Ang excitement niya ay nakakahawa.

"You can remove your shoes. Like this." Sabi ko as I removed my shoes at hawakan lang ito. Leaving my feet in bare. She does what I did.

"Wow ang smooth sa paa. Di masakit, di tulad ng beach na nakikita natin sa Luzon. Maganda dun pero sa mas maganda dito. Sobrang puti at puno ng buhangin."

"This is called sundune, a very fine sand." Inform ko pa.

We walk in there, enjoying the view, the weather and the breeze coming from the ocean.

"Tell me more about your life back in the province?" Interested kong tanong. I want to know her more from her words.

"Mahirap ang buhay namin. Kailangan talagang magsumikap para may makain. Iba kasi dun walang ibang pagkakakitaan ang mga tao kundi bukid."

"Maaga pa lang, as early as 4 in the morning, gising na kami para magtanim. Kasi sobrang init ng araw. Mga bandang 10 am tigil na kami sa pagtatanim. At kapag full moon, maliwanag ang kapaligiran kaya sa gabi kami nagtatanim at naglilinis ng lupain kasi mas marami kaming matatapos na trabaho dahil di mainit ang panahon."

Di ako makapaniwala sa naranasan niya. She is a very hardworking woman. I keep listening to her.

"Di ka ba napagud sa ganun na buhay and wish you could do more?" Try kong sabi.

"Oo andun yun pagud at hirap pero wala naman akong magagawa eh kasi yun ang nakasanayan namin at kung di kami kikilos wala kaming aanihin, walang makain."

May kalungkutan niyang sabi pero andun yung positivity like it was just normal for her. She already accepted it.

I can't do it that way pero ika nga wala kang magagawa kung yun na ang nakasayan nila.

"By season kasi ang pagtatanim at kailangan ng timing. Kapag taga-ulan, we take advantage of that para pagdating ng tag-init harvest na kami. Kasi kung wala kaming tanim sa panahon na yun. Wala kaming pagkain in that year."

I was so engrossed in her statement. Di makapaniwala na that lifestyle exist. I know life in farming is hard pero ngayon ko lang nalaman, what they have been through.

"Ang masaklap kapag failure yung ani. Kasi wala na kayong pagkain in that year, baon ka pa sa utang. Kasi yung pinang-finance namin sa pagtatanim ay utang yun eh. Like fertilizer, seedlings, pang spray laban sa pesti or pesticide, snack at sweldo sa mga tumutulong sa amin at iba pa."

"Bakit failure ang ani? Interested kong tanong. I can't imagine that all their work would turn into waste.

"Like masama ang panahon. Di pa naaani ang pananim may bagyong dumating, may pesti or ang inaasahan namin na ulan sa panahon ng tag-ulan ay di dumating kaya yun failure. Masakit pero yun ang katutuhanan ng buhay sa farm."

I can't imagine they encounter such but it's part of reality. When natural disasters come wala kang magagawa.

"Have you tried working in an establishment for a change?"

"Walang marami or malaking establishment na pwedeng pasukan dun sa amin na katulad sa Maynila. Kaya halos mga kababayan ko ay nakipagsapalaran sa Manila kaya nainganyo kami."

"Ang natry ko lang na ibang trabaho ay maging saleslady sa isang maliit na tindahan kaya lang sobrang liit ng pasweldo at bugbugan pa ang trabaho kaya nagstop ako."

"Mas mabuti pa siguro na ako nalang nagtitinda sa palengke, mas malaki pa kitain ko dun."

I feel bad for her. It's true in some places, employers take advantage of the employees hard work.

"Nakapasok ako city hall as assistant ng secretary niya. Sa akin halos lahat ng trabaho ng secretary. Okay lang sana eh. Pero di ako nagtagal dun." Bigla akong napastop sa paglalakad dahil sa sinabi niya and look at her.

"Why? It's seems yun lang ang medyo di mahirap na trabaho." Comment ko, it seems there's a big reason why she stopped.

"Oo kung trabaho di ganun kahirap kompara sa pagtatanim or pagtitinda. Pero umalis ako kasi babaero yung mayor. Kahit may asawa na lumalandi parin. Biruin mo inoferan ako ng gawing kabit niya at bibigyan daw ng mataas na position sa trabaho at ibabahay niya."

"What the f**k. What an asshole." Di ko mapigilang mapamura sa aking isipan.

"At di lang asawa huh, may mga ibang chic's pa siya kabilaan kasi nga babaero. Akala siguro niya katulad ako ng ibang babae na papatol agad dahil sa inofer niya para lang makaalis sa kahirapan."

"Kaya umalis ako, baka di ko matantiya at masuntok ko pa. Wala pa naman akong laban kasi sila ang makapangyarihan sa lugar namin. Sila lang kasi ang maykaya dun kaya nanalo sa election pero wala naman nagagawa sa bayan. Corruption lang kasi marami ang binubuhay na mistress."

"You did the right thing kasi baka gamitin pa niya ang position niya to get into you in a hard situation like pwersahin ka."

"At nangyari nga yan, that's the ultimate reason kaya umalis ako ora mismo."

Bigla lumaki ang mata ko, di ko akalain that I am right. It was just my opinion.

"What happened? How did it go?" I can't take this, parang nag-iinit ang ulo ko sa narinig. I hated guys who used force to get a girl. That's too low.

"Isang araw pinasok niya ako sa loob ng CR at akmang hahalikan kaya pumalag ako. Buti nalang andun ang secretary niya na kabit din niya. Nang sumigaw ako, naalarma ang luko. Yun ang huling araw ko sa trabaho."

What a s**t. So it means she already encountered guys who are assholes and maniacs. Ang nangyari sa hotel ay di lang pala yun ang unang karanasan niya in terms of being molested in the CR by some asshole.

I look at her again, full of admiration. She is a woman that deserves to be taken care of.

"I swear right in this moment. I will never let that happen again or someone will try to harm you. I will protect you with all I have. I will give you things that can make you feel powerful para di mo mafeel that you needs to abide for someone or pabayaan na lang na gawin yun sayo just because you don't have capacity."

Sabi ko sa kanya habang nakatutok sa kanyang mga mata. I want her to understand na iba ako sa mga nakilala niyang lalaki. I am here to help her.

"You will never feel that as long as you are with me. Remember you are very special woman. You got things and qualities na wala sa iba. Do you get me?"

"Thank you Rox for letting me experience things na di ko pa naramdaman before. Treating me like this, means a lot."

"Ikaw pa lang ang nagparamdam sa akin na may magagawa pa pala ako. Na may potential ako, pwedeng mangarap at may paraan na mabago ang buhay ko sa kabila ng aking kakulangan. Napatunayan ko na possibly pala lahat dahil ipinakita mo yun sa akin."

I can see a glimpse of tears in her eyes. She is getting emotional and I feel her.

"No worries I am always here to help you. You can count on me whatever it is. Just be honest with me para alam ko kung paano kita matutulungan." She nods accepting my offer.

"Oh look Rox, ang ganda ng sunset. Ang ganda ng formation ng langit. Ngayon ko lang ito uli nakita." Mangha niyang sabi like she is dreaming.

"Yeah it was fascinating to look just like your life. Your story is fascinating to listen. It has a lot of colors in it just like the sunset. There were bright colors and some were lighter that combined and forms an amazing view.

"Just like you. Your experiences, the hardship you encounter adds color to your life. Makes you stronger, braver and smarter as you face the challenges life thrown at you. You got a good foundation. I'm so proud of you."

"If that sunset is so beautiful then that's you are too. A very beautiful woman inside out, not just because of the beauty you possess but it's your character, your personality and your upbringing makes you stand out from the rest."

"So rest your head high because you are more what a naked eye sees. A very precious woman that deserves to be taken cared of."