Chapter 6

“Faint is very common during pregnancy. It doesn’t generally mean that something is wrong with the mother or the baby, so you have nothing to worry about her condition.”

Dahan-dahan kong iminulat ang aking mga mata dahil sa naririnig kong mga nag-uusap. Napakurap pa ako ng isang beses dahil hindi ko maaninag nang maayos ang mga nakikita ko hanggang sa unti-unti itong bumalik sa normal kong paningin.

“She’s awake but let her rest first. That’s what she needs right now,” usal ng sa tingin ko ay isang nurse base na rin sa kasuotan nito at nakatayo ngayon sa gilid ko. May kasama itong isang lalaking doctor sa tabi niya. Their eyes were directed to me and they were telling things I can’t understand.

“We’re leaving now. Inform us if something happens to her, but I can assure you that she’s fine.”

“Thanks, Doc. Galveston,” pahayag ng isa pang lalaking nasa likuran nilang dalawa. He was wearing attire and I don’t know who is he or who these people are. Matapos ng saglit pa nilang pag-uusap, maya-maya lang din ay umalis na iyong nurse at doctor.

“How are you?” he asked.

“Nasaan ako?” iyon ang binigkas ko sa lalaking ‘yon sa halip na sagutin ang tanong niya ngunit ay nginitian niya na lamang ako.

“Let’s follow the nurse’s instruction first. Magpahinga ka muna,” tugon nito saka siya lumabas.

I wanted to call him back but he already closed the door. I heave a deep sigh and closed my eyes. Nang magmulat ako’y napatitig ako sa kulay puting kisame, sa ilang maliliit na bookshelves sa gilid, at sa malalaking bintana. Napangunot ako. Where am I and why this room seemed so familiar to me? Have I been here before?

“According to the OB/GYN who checked on you, you are 6 weeks pregnant. We’ve run into you on the road and good thing we didn’t bump you. It was one of the symptoms why you fell unconscious earlier, and also due to stress.” Someone said in a manly voice and I turned my eyes on where that voice came from.

Nasa kabilang direksyon ito, nakaharap at nakatingin sa labas ng malaking bintana. He was wearing a three-piece suit but its coat was hanged on a suit valet stand near him. He was standing dominantly and his hands were kept inside his pockets. My forehead crumpled for thinking who he is because all I can see was his wide back.

“Thanks for keeping me safe, but... who are you?” I can’t recall where did my nervousness come from as I’m asking who he is.

We were surrounded by short silence because of my question. Nakatitig pa rin ako sa malapad nitong likuran hanggang sa unti-unti siyang humarap sa akin. The way he turned halfway, seeing his side view profile, and when he finally face me, wala sa sariling nanlaki ang mga mata ko at napatakip na lang ako sa bunganga ko.

How could I end up with him again? Was it really him whom I run into? Of all people, why him? Was this coincidence? Because of my reaction, he smiled and walked towards me. Nasa ganoong reaksyon pa rin ako dahil hindi ako makapaniwala sa nakikita ko.

“I’m Klein Olsen. It’s nice to see you again,” he introduced.

Still looking unbelievably at him and trying to figure things out, I didn’t notice that his hand was already in front of me waiting for a handshake. Hindi ko alam kung tatanggapin ko ba ‘yon pero sa huli ay ginawa ko pa rin.

“I am... I’m—”

“Rhian,” he continued on my behalf and I couldn’t get shocked more. Did he know me? How? “I saw it on your handkerchief. Remember the pouch you left on the bartender? It contains your cash and your handkerchief, and ‘Rhian’ was engraved on the side of it. I supposed that’s your name,” mahaba nitong paliwanag.

Napatango-tango naman ako. “Yeah, I’m Rhian. Rhian Cassandra,” pagpapakilala ko rin.

When I realized that I’m still holding his hand minutes after telling him my name, I awkwardly let go of it. Natawa ito nang mahina habang ako ay napatingin sa gilid upang pasimpleng itago ang mukha ko at napakagat na lamang ako sa ibabang labi ko dahil sa kahihiyan.

“How did I end up with this guy again?” I mentally asked myself.

“What happened?”

“Ha?” muli akong napatingin sa direksyon nito dahil sa tanong niyang iyon. He’s still standing in front of me. Iyong kaliwang kamay na lang niya ngayon ang nasa bulsa niya. Ako naman ay nakahiga sa kama dahil nga nawalan daw ako ng malay kanina.

“About earlier. Why were you still outside and why were you even crying?”

Ah, that. I pursed my lips when I remembered what happened. “Something came up in my family,” I shortly replied, not wanting to elaborate on what was exactly happened.

Muli kaming binalot ng katahimikan. Nalipat na lang din ang tingin ko sa kawalan. It was just so awkward to feel him staring at me. Hindi naman pwedeng tititigan ko na lang siya sa kabila ng katahimikang bumabalot sa pagitan naming dalawa.

“Rhian.”

“Hm?” I asked. Why does he sound so comfortable in calling my name?

“About the baby,” noon lamang ulit akong napatingin sa kanya. Sinalubong din nito ang mga mata ko ngunit agad din akong napaiwas, saka ko pinaglapat ang mga labi ko.

“That is mine,” he added, making me look back in his direction. Saka bumaba ang tingin nito sa aking tyan.

I gulped slowly yet hard. What he said wasn’t a question. Binitawan niya ang mga salitang iyon sa paraang may kasiguraduhan. Napahawak na lang nang mahigpit sa kumot dahil hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin sa kanya.

“You were the first woman I touched without using anything and the bloodstain you left on the mattress tells me that I was also your first,” he concluded and that made me shut up because he’s telling the truth. He’s my first.

“I guess it’s better to talk about it some other time. Let’s sleep first.” Agad na nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang maramdaman ko ang bigla nitong paghiga sa tabi ko.

“You’re... You’re s-sleeping beside me?” gulat kong tanong nang hawiin nito ang kumot papunta sa katawan niya. Geez! Why am I stuttering?

“This is the only bed in this room. I also don’t sleep on the couch—”

“Then I’ll just sleep on the couch—” natigil ako sa pagsasalita at tila nahigit ang aking hininga dahil nung akmang patayo na ako, bigla ako nitong hinila sa baywang hanggang sa mapahiga ulit ako’t mapaharap sa kanya. Naging sunud-sunod ang paghinga ko dahil dalawang dangkal lang ang layo ng mukha niya sa akin.

“Do you feel awkward sleeping beside me? But you didn’t feel any awkwardness when you stole a kiss from me,” he let out a chuckle, probably teasing me because of my drunken actions in the nightclub.

Kulang na lang ay itago ko ang mukha ko sa kahihiyan. ‘Alak pa, Rhian.’ Ang katagang ‘yan ni Jana ay parang sirang plakang naglalaro ngayon sa isipan ko, na para bang inaasar ako.

“I’m just teasing you. It’s already midnight. Even though you just woke up, still, have some good night’s sleep.” Naramdaman ko ang pagtapik nito sa braso ko, sunod ay ang kanyang pagtayo.

Nang marinig ko ang pagbukas at pagsara ng pintuan, noon ko lang inalis ang kumot na nakatalukbong sa mukha ko at noon lang din ako nakahinga nang maluwang.

“This is crazy!” I whimpered and again covered my face using the blanket.

Around 6 in the morning when I woke up. Para kasing bumabaligtad ang sikmura ko. I stood up from the bed and even if this is his room, I headed to the comfort room. Agad akong umupo sa harap ng bowl at doon ko iniluwa ang lahat.

Matapos ko ay agad akong naghilamos ng mukha at pinakatitigan ang sarili sa salamin. Guess this is what morning sickness is. I stayed there for a bit. Baka kasi ay masusuka pa ako. I roamed my eyes inside this comfort room at lahat ng mga kagamitan, mula sa brand ng mga sabon, shampoo, toothpaste, at ‘yung iba pa’y sumisigaw sa karangyaan.

Minutes after, that’s when I decided to go out. Habang naglalakad na sa may hallway, isa-isa kong pinagmasdan ang interior ng lugar maging ang mga kagamitan. I wonder how many rooms this place has. Pagkarating naman sa sala, napansin kong sobrang luwang nito. Sa kanang direksyon naman ay naroon iyong kitchen. Where exactly am I?

After a series of steps, I saw a maid in the kitchen busy preparing food, so I approached her. Hula ko ay nasa mid-40s na siguro siya.

“Magandang umaga po, Ma’am.” Nakangiti nitong bati nang makita niya ako. “Pagtimpla ko po kayo ng kape—”

“No, ako na po. Continue what you’re doing—”

“Ako na, Ma’am. Maupo na lang kayo r’yan baka pagalitan ako ni Sir Klein,” dahilan nito saka ako nginitian.

Klein. I smiled when I remembered him introducing his name to me. How could his name be as handsome as him? Ah, geez! Why am I exactly thinking?

“Bakit ang aga niyong nagising?” takang tanong nito nang mailapag niya sa harap ko iyong tinimpla niyang kape.

“Ganitong oras po talaga akong nagigising,” saad ko.

It’s normal for me to wake up early. I have a work so I really need to prepare myself and to arrive on time in the company. Not to mention my morning sickness now that I’m pregnant. After taking the cup, I asked her for a creamer. I am now carrying a child and caffeine is not good for the baby. Gusto ko nga sanang magtimpla na lang ng solong gatas pero baka ay sabihin nitong maarte ako.

Bitbit ang cup, naglakad ako papalapit sa bintana at sumilip sa baba. The cars from below looked so small from our spot. “Nasaan po pala ako?”

“Sa penthouse ni Sir Klein, Ma’am.”

“Penthouse?” Tumango ito bilang sagot. Muli akong sumilip sa baba. Kaya pala ang liit tignan nung mga sasakyang nasa ibaba.

“Hindi naman sa pagiging tsismosa, Ma’am, pero girlfriend ka ni Sir Klein?”

I was caught off guard because of that question. “Ahm...” naiilang akong tumawa dahil hindi ko alam kung paano ipapaliwanag ang lahat sa kanya.

“Ikaw palang kasi ang babaeng dinala ni Sir Klein dito, Ma’am,” nakangiti ito.

“Rhian na lang po,” I insisted, and to simply divert the conversation into another topic.

Matapos kong ubusin iyong kapeng hinaluan ko ng creamer, sinabi ko ritong aalis na ako. She insisted on waiting for Klein to wake up, but I told her not to. Dahilan niya’y baka raw ay pagalitan siya. Kako naman ay siguro ay mahimbing pa ang tulog no’n. Nakakahiya naman kung iistorbohin namin. Dagdag ko pa’y maiintindihan ako ng Sir niya at ako na lang ang magpapaliwanag sa kanya kung bakit ako umalis dahil ayaw talaga ako nitong paalisin.

Bago ako umalis, kinausap ko ito kung pwede ba akong makitawag kaya nung pagkababa ko, naroon na ‘yung sasakyan ko’t naghihintay sa akin. Mula sa nakabukas na bintana ng kotse, pinagmasdan ko kung gaanong kataas itong building.

Olsen, written in big letters, was placed in the middle of the building. Then my eyes went up high until it stopped from that penthouse. So, this building was his? Well yeah, his surname says so.

“Let’s go,” saad ko sa lalaking inutusan kong kumuha ng kotse sa bahay ng Dad ko.

Hindi nagtagal ay nakarating na kami sa condo. I gave him amount for doing his job and I headed to my unit. Napahikab na lang ako pagkarating ko sa kwarto. To be honest, antok na antok pa talaga ako dahil mga tatlong oras lang yata ang naitulog ko pero mabuti na lang at nagising ako nang maaga. Ayoko kasing maabutan ako ni Klein at hindi rin ako kumportableng mag-stay doon because it felt awkward being around that guy.

It was rude to not tell him that I’m leaving, but maybe I’ll explain it to him... once our paths will cross again.