Broken Bones and Scar Souvenirs

Chapter 7 - As Delicate as Lace, As Deadly as Venom (Part 2)

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Kalagitnaan ng gabi at imbes na matulog o bisitahing muli ang kayang bihag ay mas pinili na lamang ni Yalmar na bumaba sa music room na may dalang alak. Halos hindi siya dalawin ng antok simula nang tumira si Sabrina sa mansyon. He didn’t even understand why her presence would bother him when he usually wouldn't care about people around him.

Mas lumala pa lahat ng ito nang matapos ang insidente noong welcome dinner. He knew he saw fear barely gracing her eyes but it was mostly shock and confusion. There was this tiny stirring in his gut that won’t let him be still and kept playing back all the possible things going through Sabrina’s pretty little head.

He hated being under scrutiny and that was why he went above and beyond to limit all their possible interactions. Kasalan lang naman ang pinangako niya sa kanyang pamilya. He had things to do and he constantly found himself being distracted by images of Sabrina in his head.

Who does she think she is to invade his thoughts and turn his own mind against him?

He sat in front of the grand piano and put down his bottle of whiskey on top of it. His fingers caressed the keys and before he knew it, he was already playing an old and somber tune. It was Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, one of the pieces he knew by heart and one of the very few things that perfectly complimented him and soothed his senses.

There was something about that song that touched him through his soul. Maybe it was the low undertone of loneliness and isolation, the gentle but raw truth of pain in it’s notes, the naivety and innocence of the hope he so desperately clings on, or the deep nostalgia that brought him to the times when his own mother would play it as he sleeps.

Sabrina made an unconscious turn down the hallway as she followed the sound spilling out of the music room. There she found her fiance, eyes closed with his hair cascading to his shoulders and fingers gracefully dancing in between notes. He looked engulfed by the moment but not to the point that he wouldn’t notice her intrusion.

Hinayaan na lamang ito ng binata at patuloy na tumugtog hanggang sa matapos ang kanta at nanatili pa ring nakatayo sa pintuan ang dalaga, tila wala sa sariling nakatitig sa kanya.

“You know, it’s rude to stare,” pukaw niya kay Sabrina.

Kitang-kita naman ang pamumula ng dalaga kahit na ang tanging ilaw lamang ay ang isang floor lamp malapit sa piano at ang ilaw mula sa buwan na tumagos sa malapad na bintana ng music room. Agad na hinigpitan ni Sabrina ang pagkakatali ng roba nito at tanging manipis na sleeveless nightgown lamang ang suot nito sa ilalim.

“This is the second time I caught you staring today,” Yalmar continued to press on.

“Congratulations marunong ka pala magbilang,”sarkastikong sagot naman ng dalaga.

“Couldn’t sleep? O baka naman sinadya mo talaga akong puntahan dito?” He held both his hands near his chest and acted as if he was deeply shocked just to pair it with his menacing smirk.

“Hmm... you’re delusional. I’m going back to bed.”

He grabbed his bottle of whiskey and tipped it to her before uttering, “Good night.”

He took a couple gulp from his liquor as Sabrina walked away but just before she could get far, he heard her steps stopped only to come back a few seconds later. Sunod-sunod ang mga hakbang ng dalaga palapit mismo sa binata at saka lang siya huminto nang halos isang talampakan na lamang ang agwat nila ng nakaupong si Yalmar. Agad naman itong tiningala ng binata na tila nagugulahan.

“Look, I know neither of us wanted this. But we have two options. The first one being we just say empty vows in front of the altar and be married on paper. We don’t have to speak to each other, we don’t even need to see each other except for a few public appearances. We go on our separate lives as man and wife as we grow gray and old and silently resent each other. Or the second option, I know there is no love between us but I was hoping we could at least be friends. Right?” She ran her fingers through her hair in exasperation. It made the tie on her robe a loosen and her thin satin nightgown was just in front Yalmar’s face.

“Maybe... maybe we could try being friends,” halos namamaos na sagot ng binata. He scooted over the chair to make room for Sabrina and offered her whiskey which she gladly took.

Their fingers slight touched and that fleeting moment made Yalmar felt a bit uneasy and lightheaded. He looked down, tapping his fingers lightly before muttering against his breath, “I’m sorry, about the welcome dinner.”

Hindi iyon inasahan ni Sab at agad siyang napatingin sa binata at tinaas ang isang kilay. The look on his face said that he wasn’t even sure what he was sorry for or if he was even doing it right but she quickly understood that it was the extent of his apology. “You don’t have to apologize really.”

“Ilang beses nang halos magmakaawa sa ‘kin sina Yulric at Yves na ‘wag ko na lang pansinin si Yael. But I do admit that I have a s**t temper so that was out the window.”

Sabrina handed the bottle to him. They were sitting side by side, shoulder to shoulder. It was the closest they’ve ever been since that faithful day that she held a paper cutter against his throat. His senses that had just been soothed was now starting to rush back to him like a tidal wave. She was so close he could smell her shampoo and he could see how the light bounced off her now dampened lips as they breathe the atmosphere laced with berries and whiskey.

“Can you play another song? Then I will accept your apology,” she said softly then ever so slightly and bit her lip.

Yalmar had to swallow as he drank into her burning gaze. And then he went on to play the soft melody of Debussy's Clair de Lune. It felt like he took her on a moonlit walk on spring and the music made her envision the cobblestone pavements, the yellow tinge of the street lights, the people dancing and swaying down the street. She felt the intensity of two strangers in love only to be broken apart so soon. And he felt the agony of a soldier in battle only to have it washed away by a lover’s embrace. They shared that moment, both lost in in whatever fantasy the music had taken them. For the first time in a while, it felt good to play such a woeful song.

As the piece ultimately came to an end, Sabrina reached out for the bottle of whiskey once more only to tip it over and spill it’s contents as the sound of glass breaking whisked them out of their fantasy

Halos kastiguhin na ng dalaga ang sarili sa katangahan at natarantang yumuko at sinubukang pulutin ang basag na bote. Hindi niya namalayan na tuluyan na palang nabuhol ang pagkakatali ng kanyang roba na siya namang dahilan para makita ng binata ang kaunting bahagi ng likod niya. It was quick but Yalmar couldn’t be mistaken. He knew he saw a couple of scars on his fiance’s back but he chose not to say anything. He didn’t even think it made a difference.

“Tsk. That’s enough. Ako na maglilinis nito masugatan ka pa niyan, eh,” suway niya kay Sabrina.

Napansin niya naman na agad na tinuwid ng dalaga ang pagtayo at mabilis na inayos ang robe at mahigpit itong tinali. Maagap naman siyang inalalayan ng binata upan hindi na niya matapakan ang maliliit na bubog.

Halos ilang beses na yatang sinampal ni Sabrina ang sarili sa isipan niya. She quickly had to compose herself and bid him good night before scurrying back to her room. She completely ruined that moment. Great!

Pero ano naman kaya ang gagawin kung sakaling hindi nabasag ang bote ng whiskey na ‘yon? Where would it take her? She buried her face into her pillow but it was not enough to stop her brain from conjuring images of Yalmar’s face close to hers.

That very night, after Yalmar cleaned up the mess in the music room, he found himself smiling while he stared blankly to the ceiling and he could almost smell the berries in her hair. He closed his eyes, and before he knew it, sleep took over him at last and he could only dream of having Sabrina sitting beside him under the moonlight. And as their skin would touch, the sensation was as delicate as it was deadly.