Eirene

Hindi ko alam kung ano problema ni Cashmere at bigla na lang dumayo sa apartment ko na may dalang pagkain. Iba tuloy ang tingin ni Marishka sa akin simula pa kanina hanggang ngayon. Isang dahilan kaya hindi ako mapakali kanina pa kahit wala naman kami ginagawang mali ni Cashmere.

“Can't you go alone in the hospice?” tanong ko kay Cashmere. Hindi naman talaga siya nakakapunta doon ng mag-isa pero para may mapag-usapan kami, I asked him again.

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Cashmere pagkarinig sa tanong ko. I secretly signalled him but I failed in the end. “Aren't we partners in voluntary works?”

I grunted.

Agad ko siya hinila paalis pagkadampot ko sa aking bag. Hindi na ako nagpaalam pa kay Marishka at basta na lamang umalis.

“Why do you have to lie with your friend?” tanong ni Cashmere sa akin pero hindi ako huminto sa paglalakad papunta sa parking lot kung nasaan ang sasakyan niya. “The subway is in this way,”

“I know but the your car is here.”

“I thought it's better to take subway?”

“You have the car so why not drive for us to the hospice.” Marahas na huminga si Cashmere at binukas na ang shotgun seat para sa akin bago umikot papunta sa driver's seat. Umirap ako at sumakay at mabilis na nagsuot ng seatbelt. “Daan tayo sa bakery bago dumating sa hospice. Sabi ni Dr. Chris, favorite ni Papa ang donut doon.”

“You still talking to that doctor? What happened to the one I gave you?”

“Reliable si Dr. Chris. Kabisado na niya ugali at gawi ni Papa. Baka lalo makasama kapag nag-iba pa ng doktor. And he's nice to us, Cashmere Gridley.” Hindi kumibo si Cash matapos ko sabihin ang paliwanag ko. “Bakit ang init ng ulo mo?”

Ako nga dapat uminit ang ulo dahil nagpunta siya sa apartment ko na walang dahilan. He just appeared to my front door waving plastic of food which Mari's finishing now.

“I just woke up in the wrong side of my bed,”

“Why do you have to show up unannounced?”

“I wanted to hang before we do our volunteer works but we didn't have a chance because -”

“Mari is around and she will be since Ashton and her decided to slows down. They're too hot for each other and gone by the emotion a bit.”

“Oh...” he said, which made my forehead creased.

“So, if you want to hang, use your cell phone, text me and I'll go to your secret house. It safer there and you don't have to doubt Dr. Chris. He's helping me to get close with my father who cannot remember me.”

I'm frustrated. Ang bagal kasi ng progress ni Papa at para maalis ang frustration na meron ako, si Cashmere ang sagot. An intercourse with him helps me to forget everything for at least two hours. But like what I said, today's a bad time because my friend will be clinging on me for the next few days.

“I wanna help you too just like what a friend do to a friend.”

A friend... That's us. Friends.

***

“Hmm...” ungol ko nang humiwalay ang labi ni Cashmere sa akin. Humabol pa ako pero mabilis siya nakalayo sa akin. I watched him rest himself on the other side of his bed. The moved he made shakes a bit and I have to suppress a laugh. Pero tumingin pa rin siya sa akin bago ako hinagisan ng unan.

I couldn't believe that after volunteer works, I ended up here with him inside his secret penthouse. Although there's a slightest progress to my father, he still couldn't remember me as his daughter. Pero nakakapag-usap kami as patient-volunteer. May mga kwento siya na patungkol sa akin at masaya na ako doon. That lightens up my mood but I still grabbed Cashmere's offer a while ago.

“What do you want to eat?” tanong ni Cashmere sa akin.

“I'm curious,” I said. Umayos ako ng upo at hinila pataas ang kumot saka binalot iyon maigi sa hubad kong katawan.

“About what?”

“Why do you always want to cook for me after sex?”

Huminto sa pagbibihis si Cashmere at matamang tumingin sa akin. “Because you need to energized yourself after the intercourse we did?” Patanong pa ang paraan ng pagsagot niya sa akin. “Why are you asking me this now? I've been doing this with for almost a month now.”

“That long? Ang tagal ko na pala sa London at hindi pa ako nakakagala dito dahil puro ako trabaho.”

“Do you want to travel with me?”

“I'm not hinting that. Saka baka busy ka dahil thanksgiving day bukas at malamang required na umuwi ka sa bahay niyo.”

“You can join us. It's thanksgiving. Our house usually open for people we didn't know for the spirit of the gathering.”

“With your mom?” Tumango si Cashmere. “That's a declaration of world war between us. She doesn't like me and asked me to stay away from you.”

“And you didn't follow her, Eirene.” Marahas ako huminga saka inangat pa ang kumot na nakabalot sa aking katawan. “It's thanksgiving. She'll let the wrath between you pass for a moment. Join us as my guest, hmm?” Hindi ako sumagot dahil nag-iisip ako kung papayag ba ako sa gusto. “Dad will be delighted to see you and join us on thanksgiving. You know how much my old man likes you, Eirene.”

Kinagat ko ang aking kuko. Ganito ako kapag stress pero wala naman dapat i-ka-stress. He's just asking me to be with him and his family on thanksgiving.

“Fine.” Pagpayag ko. “What should I bring?”

“Yourself. But if you're generous enough, bring a plant that mom likes.”

“Halaman?”

“Yes. Kahit anong halaman.”

“Noted. But how about your Dad?”

“Your presence is enough.” Ngumiti si Cashmere. “Now, what do you want to eat?”

“Steak, wine and you.” Cashmere laughed after hearing what I answered him.

“I knew it.” Kumindat pa siya bago lumabas sa kwarto at tumungo sa kusina. That wink made my heart beats fast. Doon ko napagtanto na nasa panganib ako.

I am in danger. A great danger.

***

“Are you sure you don't want me to drive you home?” Pang-ilang tanong na iyon sa akin ni Cashmere na pa-ulit-ulit ko rin sinasagot ng parehong sagot kanina pa. Natatawa na naiinis na nga ako sa kanyan dahil ang kulit niya. “Tomorrow. I'll pick you up so don't worry about the transportation.”

Humalukipkip ako sa harap niya at hindi makapaniwalang tiningnan.

“Mari's car will be here in a minute and yes I will wait for you at the front of flower shop across my apartment building.”

“How did you friend get a car that fast?”

“She has a family here. I-a-advance lang namin ang thanksgiving namin dahil uuwi siya bukas.”

“Thanksgiving done in a house, not in a bar, Eirene.”

“We're different.” Simple kong sagot saka pinara iyong palapit na sasakyan. “My ride is here. You can now go inside, Cash.”

“I'll wait until you leave.” Tumango lang ako at hindi ko malaman kung yayakap ba sa kanya o hahalik sa pisngi niya. Sa sobrang taranta ko, kumaway na lang ako dahil alam ko na naka-mansid sa aming dalawa si Marishka. But what Cashmere did next made my eyes widened. He opened the freaking shotgun seat door for me and assisted me to settle inside! “Drive safe, you two,” aniya pa na dahilan ng makahulugan na tingin sa akin ni Marishka.

“We will, Architect Gridley. I'll take care of her and it will be no boys advance thanksgiving party,” sambit ni Mari na lalong nagpalaki sa aking mga mata.

“I'll see you tomorrow,” I said, pulling my seatbelt and ask my friend to drive a way now. Sinunod naman ako ni Mari at pinatakbo na nga nito ang sasakyan paalis. “God, Mari! Alam mo ba kung gaano kabilis tibok ng puso ko?”

Tumawa lang ang kaibigan ko. “I think he likes you.”

“Me? No. Nagkakamali ka lang ng tantya. We're just friends... with benefits.”

“I told you already, sex can ignite hidden feelings and it's growing inside you both. Hindi mo na kailangan magtago saka halata rin naman na gusto ka niya, Eirene.”

Huminga ako nang malalim. “How do you say so?”

Marishka grunted.

“Sinong ka-sex lang ang pupunta sa apartment na may dalang grocery at pagkain? Sinong ka-sex lang iyong lagi concern at ihahatid pa sa labas ng sikretong tagpuan nila?”

Napakamot ako sa ulo ko. Napapansin ko rin naman ang kakaiba kaso binabalewala ko lang ang lahat. Two weeks pa lang si Marishka dito pero ang dami na niya agad napapansin. Pero puwede rin naman na baka wala lang talaga ang weirdong ginagawa ni Cashmere.

“He invited me tomorrow. Thanksgiving dinner with his family in their house.”

“See? Ka-sex lang ba talaga iyan o iba na? Saka may initiated pa siya na tulong na makakabuti kay Tito Fred, right? Hindi mo lang sinunod kasi baka maiba ang findings sa tatay mo.”

“Maybe it's a friend thing kind of concern, Mari.”

“Friend, my ass. Ang showbiz, ha! Alam mo komprontahin mo siya para malaman mo kung sex lang ba talaga ang lahat o iba na. Para hindi na rin naaksaya ang oras niyo. Ang daming isda dito sa London. Baka narito na iyong pangarap nating serious relationship.”

“I don't need a serious relationship.”

“Nako, huwag nga ako. You somehow needed it, Eirene. Iyong pag-ibig na hindi mo na mararamdaman na mag-isa ka. You want that at pati iyong lalaki na iintindi sa sitwasyon ng pamilya na meron ka.”

Tama si Mari. Pangarap ko nga iyon pero paano kung friend nga lang? What will happen to me? Ano na nga ba ang mangyayari sa akin sakaling hanggang sex lang lahat? But it's on the agreement. Ibig bang sabibin, talo ako?

Natalo ako? Oh, God...