Kabanata 24:

Marry me

"I'm not a dancer. I haven't enrolled to a Zumba class before. Therefore, this is a bad idea." reklamo ko.

It was a sluggish Tuesday of June. I felt like I just wanted to lie down the sofa the whole day.

"Hindi na kailan babe. Just follow my steps. Madali lang naman." he urged me.

He pulled me up from cocooning in the sofa. He instructed me to wear our work-out outfits. I was wearing cycling shorts, and tank top. He was in his gray shirt and sweat pants.

Devon inserted the Cd into the DVD player. An animated pink sporty girl waved her hand and introduced herself. Hindi iyon nagtagal at nagsimula kaagad.

Sinunod namin ang mga galaw niya. We stepped to the right, and bent our knees. We returned to the middle, and we stepped to the left.

It was easier than I thought. It wasn't that hard.

We tried to do it a little faster. We slightly rocked as we moved to the side. We loosened up our upper body, letting our shoulders move with our feet.

"Faster babe," hinihingal niyang sabi.

We added some hips rolls as we rock.

"Did you ever hear the term Merenge march? It might sound complicated, but don't panic. We will break it down with my help!" The animated female instructor empowered us.

She taught us how to do it, and proceeded to the next movements. She was precise that we got the steps quickly.

We interchanged our feet, and we chanted out loud, "Single, single, double, double,"

"This is fun!"

"I told you!"

He looked serious in dancing. He was good at it too. I appreciated the way this man recognized what we needed to be productive with our relationship. It means he was strongly devoted to me, and to us.

Hinihingal kaming uminom ng tubig at sumayaw muli nang pang-tatlong beses. Ang mga hibla ng kanyang buhok ay kaunting natatabunan ang lapad ng banyaga niyang noo. Sumasabay ito sa bawat indak niya.

***

Devon picked up a flat pebble, and threw it to the sea. The stone skipped repeatedly. Kumuha ako ng sarili kong bato. I swung my arm and threw it towards the ocean just like what he did. The stone splashed into the water, and descended in peace.

"You should pick a stone with smooth surface, so that it would skip in the water repeatedly..."

I searched for a stone with a smooth surface. Napangiti ako nang nakakita ako. Inugoy ko ito bago pinakawalan sa ibabaw ng tubig. And it skipped repeatedly.

"See?"

He grabbed my hand gently, and we trudged to the east of Sussana Coast.

He laced his arms around me tighter. He combed my hair, dandling and sending spicey tingles in my system. His hold was restless. May lamig ng pag-alinlangan ang kanyang kamay.

It was Devon's sign that he had to say something serious and important.

"Eirene, I have something to say. A very important one. Once in a lifetime kind of offer, like the most valuable thing that woman will receive."

"I don't have any idea about what's the most valuable thing that women should receive you are going to say." I pretended to be clueless.

I had a hint about what he's going to offer.

It was nighttime. The moon was in the mood. It was in full view. We found ourselves in front of the seawater where the waves meet the sand.

"Let's go back first."

Nakaka-kalma ang buwan ngunit nakaka-kaba naman ang maaaring ibitaw na mga salita ni Devon.

We returned to the house, and sat in one deck chair. The gentle wind swept our skin. It was chilly already.

Hindi namin namamalayan ang oras at araw na lumilipas. When you were with the right person, time was moving at a snail's pace.

"This is both making me excited and nervous." I giggled for no apparent reason.

I moved to his upper thigh. I covered my legs, and arms with a knitted blanket.

He threaded his fingers through mine. My heart was thudding. Naninimbang ang mga mata niya.

He looked like he was in a deep thought between the chaos of his reluctance and anxiety.

I could pretty guess what was circling in his head. There was much going on it. I leaned my head on his chest to calm him down.

He slithered his arm around my back. It was pretty cozy, sharing the same heat, and chair with him. He caressed his thumb on my ring finger. He brought my fingers up, and brushed them against his lips.

Whatever he was going to say, I greatly needed to take a deep breath to simmer down the beating organ in my chest.

He stared at me with intensity that fluttered my insides.

The longer our gazes to each other, the deeper, and subtle I was seeing his affection.

"Marry me." he said.

His words were seeping deep into my soul. I stared at him in disbelief. My heart swelled at his soft declaration.

It definitely took me a solid minute to process his words like a truth serum. A very uncomfortable silence settled between us.

I couldn't utter any words as if my tongue was slit. Bumagsak ang ulo niya sa kanan kong balikat. Nanlambot ako.

"Save it, Eirene. I know you will disagree with this, because you're not ready, or you don't want it yet. Maybe you don't really want it," he resigned the longest second of silence from me.

"I'm sorry, Dev." I swallowed the bile in my throat. "This is just too sudden, and it can wait. Marriage can wait, Dev." I concentrated my eyes on his doing my best to make him believe me. "Please, believe in the possibility of waiting and patience, babe." I cupped his square jaw. "We have only known each other for barely three months. Kung natatakot kang aalis ako, I'm not going anywhere. We don't need to rush. The best thing to do as of now is that we should wait for the right time, and while waiting for that time, things would go in right places. Hindi naman pwedeng diktahan ang oras na sumunod sa atin. I love you, Devon. We love each other. It's what that matter. If we end up together, then I would be the happiest woman on earth. I will treasure that entire life. We have to be patient for now; know each other better; face and solve our problems; and try to figured out things if we are ready for marriage."

It was enough explanation to untangle the ties of his extemporaneous offer of a lifetime.

His eyes filled with adoration. "What did I do to be blessed with a woman like you?"

Humigpit ang yakap niya.

He snuggled his head to the side of my neck, "If the right time will come, babe, gusto ko dalawang dosena."

I rolled my eyes.

"We will grow old together until we barely see the lap of the ocean. I want a life with you here. I badly want you to be with me, Eirene, where ocean, sand, and wind calmed the chaos of our hearts and mind. This where I belong. Do you really want a life with me here?"

"Who wouldn't want that? I would love to have a peaceful life with you here."

"Magtatayo tayo ng mansion dito."

He gestured his hand in plane motion of his father's vast land.

"I will work hard, and develop this land. I want your suggestions about the interior of our future house. But before that, can you introduce me to your family?"

I blinked twice.

"Pinaresearch ko si Donatello about your family background. Mayaman kayo. May hotel. May mga restaurant. May dalawa kang kapatid. I want to know more about you. Your life in Manila, in America. You, and your Family."

"From what specific time and year of the history of my life do you want me to tell you?" I said pressing myself more into his embrace.

"Sinong kasayaw mo sa JS Prom? Gwapo at hot ba siya kaysa sa akin? Nahalikan ka ba? Marami ka bang manliligaw? Ay puta, bakit ko pa naisali iyon. It's already obvious."

"I didn't attend JS Prom, Dev. I haven't been kissed with a man not until you in this summer. I couldn't count how many suitors I have, and I didn't pick any of them."

"Napakaswerto kong gago." he hissed in my ear.

I dug my face to his chest, banding his arms around my waist. I found myself wanting nothing more.

We cuddled under the moon, me straddling him, asking each other's high school and college days. My heartbeat slowed down to a gentle flutter.

I touched his cheeks. I wanted this to last forever. I wanted to spend my whole life kissing him under the moonlight, every wave of the sea, every sunrise, and sunset.

***

Ako ang unang gumising kinabukasan. Nakahapit ang mga braso ni Devon sa akin. Lasing na lasing kami kagabi at hindi na kami umabot sa kwarto. Kaya sa sofa kami nakatulog.

Namataan ko ang pigura ng ginang sa aming harapan. I stood up immediately.

She was sitting in the chair like Queen Victoria wanted to destroy our bond.

"Who are you, ma'am? Bakit ka nakapasok?"

Dahil sa tahas kong tanong ang kanang kilay niya ay marahas na umangat.

"Am I not allowed to be here? I should be the one asking you that, miss? I guess, tama nga ang mga tsismis."

Periedot Spiels