Thirty-Seven

An elderly woman glanced at me. I must've looked like a real shit because a concerned look crossed her face. I lowered my gaze on the ground and continued walking with trembling legs. As far as my feet could take me, I found myself standing in front of Harry's mansion again.

I swallowed. Jeremy passed out when he was done with me. Like stomping on a cigarette butt and leaving it behind crashed on the ground. That's exactly how I feel. I am more than a rag doll. Nandiri ako sa sarili ko. I let someone do it again to me.

I shifted on my feet, not knowing what to say on the intercom or if I should press the doorbell in the first place. I'm sure Lea would consider letting me enter the estate right now but I just couldn't bring myself to press the buzzer. Tears are still streaming down my face.

I started walking away when I heard the gate slowly opened. Napalingon kaagad ako. And there was Harry, carrying a child about 3-4 years old. A little girl with curly hair and a wide smile on her face. Her rosy chubby cheeks and wide eyes darted to me. She is trying to pull Harry's hair.

"Mary Grace?" Harry asked, his eyes widening.

Napalunok ulit ako. I tightened my grip on my backpack like I always do whenever I feel like an idiot or I don't know what to do or say to someone. Ibinaba niya ang bata. The little girl protested.

"Dito ka muna, Ninong will be back in a while," He said as he hurried towards me. A flash of concern and sadness crossed his eyes when he saw me. "What happened?"

I opened my mouth but decided not to say a thing. Lumapit ako sa kanya. He open his arms and engulfed me into a hug. I sobbed into his chest as he stroked my hair which made me cried even harder.

"Ninong, ninong, why is she crying?" I heard the little girl asked him. "Did she ran out of candies?"

"Shh..." Harry said, and I didn't know if it was for me or the little girl. He hugged me tighter, his warmth seeping into my skin. We stayed like that for a few minutes until a deep voice cleared his throat. Agad akong kumalas kay Harry. Manong Ben smiled politely at us.

"Pwede niyo po ba munang ipasok si Clarisse?" Wika ni Harry. The little girl in her hot pink shoes immediately protested.

"Hey! I thought we're going to buy ice cream, Ninong!" She wailed.

"Ako nalang po ang bibili." Wika ni Manong Ben.

"You go with Manong Ben, Clarisse. Ninong has important matters to deal with right now."

I instantly blushed and the elderly man must've noticed it because his eyes darted towards me but he did not say anything about it. He guided the little girl back into the house and told her things like riding a chariot and visiting all the ice cream parlors in the world.

"Let's go inside?" Harry said, guiding me back into their mansion. I really couldn't say it's just a house because of the two large white pillars that greeted us. Even the ceiling is glittering with chandeliers I could've mistaken it for stars. "Maupo ka muna," He said as he headed straight to one of the many rooms standing next to each other. When he disappeared behind the elegant white door, I sank into the soft white couch. Even Harry's house can calm me down. My breathing eventually slowed down and I can think straight compared earlier when I was walking down absentmindedly towards here.

Nang lumabas si Harry, he's already carrying a tiny container with a fresh white towel. It must be warm water because of the steam rising as he walked towards me. Inilapag niya iyon sa tabi ko then he carefully dip the towel, squeeze the water out of it, and started cleaning my face.

"What happened?" He asked again as he delicately stroke the damp towel on my burning cheeks.

Tears started forming in my eyes again. Napatingin ako sa kanya. He is searching for my eyes. "Jeremy and I fought."

"Oh," He said as his hands went to brush away the tears that are threatening to spill from my eyes. Ibinalik niya ang towel sa lalagyan then he pulled himself up and sat across me. "That explains the phone call earlier," He mumbled.

"Yeah,"

He tucked the longer loops of my hair under my ears and pushed away the hair that are covering my eyes as well. "I was trying to call you the past few days to check if you're alright. I thought I would be able to hear your voice but Jeremy answered and after he yelled at me, the line disconnected." Then he cupped my chin and place a soft kiss on my trembling lips. "What happened after that?"

A sob rose to my throat again. I couldn't tell him. Pandidirihan niya ako. I am afraid this fairytale of mine will end in just a snap of a finger when Harry learned more about me. Maybe that was the thing that had been holding me back all along. When everyone knows about what happened to me, they will treat me like a fragile China doll, tip-toed around me as if walking on an eggshell, or worst see me as less than human. I don't even want to imagine the sympathetic look of my parents eyes.

"Did he hurt you again?" In his restrained voice, I heard the anger boiling inside of him. I held his hands and shook my head.

"No, he didn't hurt me." I said, lies spilling out of my mouth after that. "We just fought and I broke my phone so I didn't had a chance to inform you I was coming."

He nodded his head. If he's not convinced of the lies I made up he did not say anything about it which made me sigh in relief. I wanted to see him not to wailed in distress but to seek comfort.

"We're going to bake chocolate chip cookies for Clarisse," He suddenly announced. "Care to join?"

I nodded my head, smiling at him lightly as I followed him into their enormous kitchen. It did not even surprise me when Harry knows his way in the kitchen. He moves with such grace I envied him as I helped in mixing the ingredients.

"So, you're a babysitter now?" I asked out loud. He glanced at me, place a soft kiss on my lips quickly, and dried his hands before I could even protest.

He smiled. "Anak siya ni Ate. I'm his Ninong slash Tito."

I furrowed my brows. "May anak na ang ate mo?"

"Yeah, a result of a one night stand. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa siya sigurado kung sino ang tatay ni Clarisse and it's as if she cares about it. Most of the time, ako ang nag-aalaga sa kanya kapag nagtatrabaho siya sa kompanya ni Dad."

I nodded my head, amazed by the fact that a woman as beautiful and sexy like her actually had a child. Mas mukha pa nga ata siyang bata tingnan kaysa sa akin eh. And her pink hair. I wonder what Clarisse thinks about it.

Itinuon ko ang atensiyon ko sa pagtulong kay Harry until we heard Clarisse and Manong Ben arriving. The little girl bounced into the kitchen, a melting ice cream on her tiny hands.

"Is that chocolate cookies, Ninong?"

"Yeah." He ruffled the child's hair then he lifted her up, placing her on the kitchen counter while giggling. Her eyes darted towards me again.

"Are you Tita Mary?" She asked out loud.

I tilted my head and threw Harry a questioning look before I nodded. "Uhm, yeah?"

"Ninong, Ninong, diba you said Tita Mary is maganda?"

Harry blushed. And so am I. He stammered like an awkward little boy while I pretended not to hear a thing as I continued to mix the ingredients.

"Uh, well, yeah.." Nagkamot pa ito sa batok na parang nahihiya. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to seal away the smile that are forming in my lips. I try to remind myself that I'm not well but with Harry around, everything else didn't matter in an instant.

"I bet she is. But she looks sad," Dagdag pa ng bata.

"You know what?" Harry lifted her off the countertop. "You should take a bath, Clarisse. Ask Tita Lea to give you a bath and then you can have the cookies."

"But Tita Mary—"

"Go go go," He shooed her away na muntik nang magpatawa sa akin. Namumula ulit ang mga tainga niya.

The child stomped out of the kitchen and it left me alone with Harry again.

"Sorry, she doesn't really know what she's talking about," Wika niya.

"It's okay." I said, handing him the mixing bowl. Kinuha niya ito sa akin. Both of our clothes are a mess of flour and some chocolate syrup. Nang mailagay na ito ni Harry sa oven, he faced me again and smiled at me.

"On a second thought," Lumapit si Harry sa akin. "I think Clarisse is right," He mumbled before he cover his lips with mine. I immediately open my mouth, inviting him to deepen the kiss. He lifted me into the kitchen countertop just like what he did to the little girl. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he kissed me, chocolate syrup and everything.