Somewhere Between Time

Time Stop 21

"She shouldn't have seen us together.  I shouldn't have yielded to Mason's excuse for us to stay there.  HIndi na dapat sya nasasaktan pa nang ganito," a tear stung her eyes.

Hindi kumibo si Ivan.  He took the cup from her hand to put on the table without letting go of her.  "Ssshhhh.....don't blame yourself. I might not know the whole story about you three, but on how I understand it, you all have your fair share.....not fair share, I mean, much better to say, pain share on this story."

Ivan pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her.  "But he's really a jerk,"  she heard him cursed.  "Having two beautiful women loved him.  Some guys really have all the luck in the world." He snorted.  "I bet my life, I am more handsome than he is!"  

Hindi niya maiwasang hindi matawa dito.    Tinampal niya ang dibdib ng kaibigan.  "Baliw!"  Itinaas nito ang mukha niya.  

"Dunno what is running to that head of yours.  You are too smart not to know if what you are doing right now, acting like a mother, will do you any good."

"What if I am just practicing for our future?"  tumaas ang sulok ng bibig nito. "Why?  Bakit parang ayaw mong maniwala?"

Tumawa ito ng mahina at hinalikan siya sa ulo.  "You know that I love you, right?  But marriage is far from your mind right now....."

"Kaya nga future di ba?"  natatawang napailing ito.  Hinawi ng binata ang buhok na tumatakip sa mata niya.

"I am damn serious about it, Lou.  I cannot get the hang of this craziness.  They have their father and grandparents to take care of them.  It's not your responsibility in the first place," salubong ang kilay nito habang sinasabi iyon.

Humiwalay siya dito at umayos ng pagkakaupo.  "I feel bad for the kids.  Napakabata pa nila para mangyari ito sa kanila.  And I know the feeling, Van.  I don't want them to feel what my brother and I felt when Dad was not around when we were that age.  Akala lang natin, dahil bata pa, hindi nila iyon matatandaan but they will remember....I remembered, as well as Eric.  I don't want them to feel that their life is incomplete for not having a mother beside them.  And I love them like my own, Van.  I can do everything for them."

"But you have to remember that they are not yours," napatingin siya dito.  "You should let Cameron in once she's back."

"Of course, I will.  Hindi ko naman inaangkin ang mga bata.  Naaawa lang talaga ako sa kanila.  I am taking care of them for Cameron so no need to worry.  I know where I stand in their life," iniiwasan niyang mairita sa usapan nilang iyon.  "Alam ko kung sino ang tunay nilang ina!"  Kaso, hindi niya napigilan ang pagtaas ng boses.

"Hey, I didn't mean to offend you," inabot nitong muli ang kamay niya.  "I just need to knock your head for a while.  I am worried that this whole thing will hurt you in the end once she's back."

Bumuntong-hininga siya at nginitian ito.  "I am sorry for the sudden outburst.  It is just that....you know me, Van, di ba?  I don't do things without thinking and analyzing things a million times over.  And besides, my blessings din naman ito ng family ko.  They have the same concern as you are, and I hope, like them, please trust me on this."

Tinitigan siya nito nang ibang minuto bago tumango.  "But promise me one thing,"  napalitan ng pagtataka ang ngiti sa mga mata niya.  "Don't get hurt and call me whenever you need me," napangiti siyang muli.  "Dahil hindi naman sa lahat ng pagkakataon, sinasabi mo sa pamilya mo ang nararamdaman mo.  Let me lend you my ears."

"Opo," muli niyang pinitik ito sa noo ngunit sa pagkakataong iyon ay mahina lang.  "Promise yan."

"By the way, I heard you had a boyfriend after Mason,"  pag-iiba nitong usapan at napigil niya ang hininga sa sinabi nito.  "What happened?"

Humiwalay siya dito at muling inabot ang tasa para simsimin ang laman niyon.  "I don't want to talk about it, Van."

"Babae?"  umiling siya bilang sagot.  "Eh ano?"

"Kulit mo,"  inirapan niya ito.  "Ayoko ngang pag-usapan.  Please stop asking about him."

"After he got your virginity, he just vanished?"  dagdag pa nito.

Namula ang mukha niya.  "Kainis! Ayoko nga sabing pag-usapan!"  Tumayo siya at namaywang.  "Do you want me to knock you down just to shut you up?"

Tumayo ito at dahil basketbolista nga, nakatingala siya.  She's taller than the usual Filipina.  5'9 in height, and she's hoping that she will stop growing.  But still, Ivan is like five inches taller than her.

"How about knocking me down on the bed?"  pang-aasar nito sa kanya.

"Eww ka!  Ang gross mo."  Sinuntok niya ito nang may kalakasan.

"Aw!"  humawak ito sa dibdib.  "You can easily hurt a big guy like me." Hinaplos nito ang parteng nasaktan.  "Ganun pa lang ang ginagawa mo, masakit na eh paano pa kapag nag-all out ka?"

"Ang OA mo!" itinulak niya ito palayo sa kanya.  "As if naman nasasaktan ka talaga......"

"Masakit nga!"  nanlalaki pa ang mga mata nito sa kanya.  He unbuttoned his top and looked on his chest.  "See this?"  he pointed at something reddish part of his skin.  "You really struck me hard."

Para namang na-guilty siya doon.  "Sorry, napalakas,"  alanganing ngumiti siya at hinaplos ang dibdib nito pero agad ding tinampal iyon.  "Laki laki mo para masaktan sa sa ganyan.  Kulang ka na sa practice."  She rolled her eyes, suppressing her laugh.  "May pag-uusapan pa ba tayo?"

Hinaltak siya muli nito paupo.  "Teka, may itatanong ako at gusto ko ng seryosong sagot."  Tinitigan siya nito sa mata ng deretso.  "Do you still love Mason?"

Natawa siya nang mahina.  "So serious na yan, ha?"  pero hindi pa rin nagbabago ang seryosong ekspresyon ng mukha nito kaya pinilit niyang magpaka-pormal.  "Okay, sige na.  Sasagot na ako......"  bumuntong hininga siya bago umiling.  "I don't love him in a romantic way anymore.  Tapos na ako sa phase na un.  And as what I have told you earlier, when a relationship ends, that's it, there's no turning back.  Kaibigan na lang ang tingin ko sa kanya, best friend."  Bumuga siya ng hangin.  "When he first came to me after Cameron left, he doesn't want to talk to anybody, not even to his parents.   Kahit na anong tanong ko sa kanya, hindi siya nagsasalita.  Would you believe that there's a time that he left his kids to be for a week without telling me where he will go?  Alam mo ba yung takot ko that tie, ganun na lang kataas?  Knowing nothing about on how to take care of them, I called my parents so Mom flew all the way from Italy to be with me. But when he came back, he spoke to my Dad.  Di ko alam kung anong sinabi  niya para payagan siya na tumira kasama ko."

"He's lucky for having the support of your father.  I know how protective your Dad is, especially towards you.  But tell me, do you have a s****l relationship with him?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong nito.  "How far the two of you had gone through?  And I want a straight answer, Erica Louise!"  he said with authority.

"Gusto mo talagang malaman ang mga ganyan sa buhay ko, ano?" Tumikwas ang kanang kilay niya pero hindi man lang ito nangiti o sumagot sa sinabi niyang iyon.  "Kiss....sometimes.  Actually di nga kiss yun eh.  Parang smack lang ganun.  Kapag masaya lang o natutuwa lang kami sa isa't isa.  But other than that, I assure you, wala talaga. I will not allow it.  Unang una, hindi naman kami at pangalawa, nung kami nga di ko maibigay yun sa kanya ngayon pa kayang wala kaming commitment."

Tinitigan siya nito nang mabuti at marahil nang mapagtanto na nagsasabi siya ng totoo ay nakahinga na ito ng maluwag.  "Good to hear that.  Akala ko umabot na sa kama ang katangahan mo.  Yaya ka na, f*cking w***e ka pa." he smirks. "Dahil kung ganun, I will assure you that I will kill him with my own hands......"

"Eh paano kung ganoon nga at gusto ko naman?"   Pang-aasar pa niya.  "What will you do, Knight?"

"I will tell your father about it, and he will surely take you forcefully if needed.  But no......it will be me who will take you away from that bastard.  Seryoso ako dyan.  I will really strangle his neck, literally."

"Ano ka ba!  Chill ka lang okay.  Nothing happened to us and I will not allow it.  Isa pa, may girlfriend siya para gawin ang mga ganung bagay ano!  Ano ba yan!  Why do we have to talk about it?!"  naiiritang sabi niya.

"Just to make sure that you are still using that head of yours despite your stupidity,"  kinabig siya nito at hinalikan sa noo.  

"Okay lang ako.  Don't worry,"  humiwalay siya dito para matitigan ang mga mata nito.  "And Ivan..."

"What?"  

"Please take care of her. Guide her, be with her.  I will trust you in this because I know that my friend is in good hands,"  ngumiti siya dito.  "Masaya ako na ikaw ang nakilala niya."  Alam niyang safe si Cameron dito.  Alam niya kung gaano ito kaalaga bilang kaibigan.  "But I am telling you ha. If you will fall for her, make sure that your intention is pure.  Ayokong gawin mo lang past time mo si Cam.  She deserves a good and worthy man....."

"So tama ang hinala ko na hindi worthy si Mason?"  singit nito.

"Mabait naman yun kaso baliko pa ang utak.  Ewan ko sa kanya........teka......" piningot niya ang tenga nito.  "Ikaw ang sinasabihan ko dahil ikaw ang makakasama ni Cameron.  Pabayaan mo si Mason at lalaki yun.  Take care of Cameron and I will take care of the kids.  Don't tell her anything about me.  Ayokong malaman niya na may ginagawa ako para sa kanya.   But I hope she will come back soon, if she still have plans to be with her kids."

"She's missing her children so much, and they are her major concern now.  I promise you that she will be safe with me.  Harmless naman ang soon-to-be husband mo eh," he grinned at her.  "Kaya walang mangyayaring masama sa kanya."

"Good. That's the assurance that I need.  Anyway, are you flying tonight?" Tumango agad ito.  

Tumingin siya sa suot na wristwatch.  "Mamayang gabi din ang flight ko.  Why don't we go for shopping first?  Ipapamili ko si Cam, sabihin mo na lang, regalo mo sa kanya..."

Umiling ito.  "Hindi nya tatanggapin yan.  And besides, magtataka un kung bakit ko sya binibigyan ng regalo.  Your friend is one of the simpliest women that I ever met.  She's blending herself well with the staff of the hotel.  Ni wala ngang sariling kotse.  Mas pinipili pa niyang mag-commute kaysa mag-drive."

"Well, I do understand her knowing how busy the streets of New York are.  Mas gugustuhin mo talagang mag-commute or maglakad na lang," tumayo na siya, at inilahad ang kamay dito.  "Let's go.  Pasasalubungan ko na lang sina Kuya para naman may pakunswelo sa pagpayag niya na pumunta ako dito."

Inabot nito ang kamay niya at tumayo.  "I'll just get my stuff so that I don't need to come back here anymore.  Let's spend the rest of our time together.  Matatagalan na naman ang susunod na pagkikita natin."

Sinundan niya ng tingin ang binata.  Ngayon ay sigurado siyang ligtas si Cameron dahil nasa paligid lang si Ivan.  

As for her, she will continue being the twin's mother.  

Until the time comes that Cameron is ready to be with them.