Chapter 30

If we're in different place I might give in to him. I felt like we've been a lot for just few days.

Sino nga ba ang hindi? From missions, accidents and never ending revelations. All I want is to melt on his arms, to gain strength and to forget the world with full of complications.

Agad akong nag-iwas sa kanya nang magtangka na itong humalik sa akin. Baka nakakalimutan nito kung nasaan kaming dalawa.

"We're in hospital bed, Ferell. Itabi mo muna ang maganda mong lahi." Hindi ito nakinig sa akin, sa halip ay nagpatuloy ito sa kanyang ginagawa.

His kisses went on my neck. I brushed his hair and lead his head on me.

"Ferell, nasa hospital tayo." My words and actions are damn contradicting.

Did Florence lock the door?

He was about to kiss my lips me when I heard the door opened. I pushed him to see the unwelcomed visitor.

A bunch of flower entered the room. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil hindi ko makita kung sino ang may hawak nito.

But I can guess with his body built. Bakit kaya sa mga ganitong eksena ay bigla na lamang ito nagpapakita? Kaya umiinit ang ulo sa kanya ni Tristan.

O talagang sinasadya nitong painitin ang ulo nito. What a bunch of weirdo partners.

"Si Cap, kumakambyo pa rin kahit sa hospital. Come on, let Ms. Lina rest." Armando grinned with us.

Nakasuot ito ng polo na may Hawaiian print na parang siya ang kilalang host ng tv show na Maynila.

"Armando, where have you been? I've been calling you for days."

"Hindi ba at iniwanan nyo akong dalawa? But still, I was thankful for that. Idadamay nyo pa ako sa away nyo."

Nagpunta ito sa malapit na lamesa at dito niya ipinatong ang bulaklak na dala niya.

"You should have brought foods, anong gagawin ni Lina sa bulaklak mo?" tanong ni Tristan sa kanya.

"Come on Cap, don't be jealous. Flowers in hospital is quite usual, nakikiuso lang ako." But he's acting weird. As well as his not so usual get-up.

"Ilang araw akong tulog, Tristan?"

"Almost three days." Tumango ako.

At ngayon lamang nagpakita itong si Armando. Ilang araw na rin akong confine dito.

"I'm sure he's busy with something else." Ngumisi lamang ito at naupo sa couch.

"You're right Miss Lina, katatapos lang kumambyo, trabaho naman. How's life lovebirds? Everything settled?"

"We're getting married." Sagot ni Tristan. Sumipol si Armando.

"I'm the bestman?"

"Ring bearer," matabang na sagot ni Tristan.

Natawa lamang sa kanya si Armando.

"Alright, I'll buy foods. What do you want, Lina?"

"Anything or kahit kapareho na lang ng sa'yo Tristan. Besides I am not sensitive with foods, pwede ko na daw kainin lahat."

"Are you sure? No request? I can buy you anything you want." Umiling ako.

Humalik muna ito sa aking noo bago ito humarap kay Armando.

"Look after her, mabilis lang ako."

"Copy," hindi pa man nakakaalis sa may pintuan si Tristan ay nagpahabol pa si Armando.

"Hindi pa rin ako nakain Cap, include me." Hindi siya sinagot ni Tristan at lumabas na ito.

Nang maiwan kami ay agad naupo sa tabi ko si Armando.

"What?" nakatitig lamang ito sa akin.

"Hindi pa huli ang lahat Miss. Lina, are you sure about the wedding? He's too cold, pinipikot ka lang niya." Mabilis kong pinitik ang noo nito.

"Isusumbong kita kay Tristan, sinisiraan mo siya sa akin." Muli itong ngumisi sa harapan ko.

"I was just kidding Miss. Lina, hurry up and gain your memories back. I'm happy for you both. I'm happy for Cap, he's been miserable when you were away." Seryosong sabi nito.

Ito yata ang pinaka maayos na mga salitang narinig ko mula kay Armando.

"Ilang taon na kayong magkasama ni Tristan?"

"Two years and few months? I became his official partner when Rashid resigned to become a Prince." Natatawang sabi nito.

"I don't get the Prince thing."

"It's a long story, though it is part of the rule that we should forget about his existence. Hindi magawa ng buong ahensiya, since Rashid had a significant part in Sous L'eau." Ilang beses akong napatango sa sinabi nito.

"How about you Armando? Do you have plans to quit Sous L'eau? To have your own family and to live peacefully."

"I'm still young, hindi ko pa naiisip. And maybe, I'll try to find a girl which is related with my field. I don't like weak girls."

"Are you telling me that you want Sous L'eau girls? Like Enna and Hazelle?"

"Nah, not them. Mas malalakas pa yata sila sa akin." He laughed.

Nagkaroon pa kami ng magaang usapan bago dumating si Tristan. Bumili rin naman ito para kay Armando at sabay kamng kumain tatlo.

Katatapos lamang namin kumain nang marinig kong tumutunog ang telepono ko. Bumilis ang kabog ng dibdib ko nang makita kong hindi naka-save sa akin ang numero.

I motioned them that this might be the syndicates. Mabilis kinuha ni Tristan ang mga gamit ni sa drawer.

Laptops, phones and certain device that can easily capture the conversations, locations and voice identification.

Agad ikinabit ni Tristan ang device sa telepono ko. I made it in loud speaker, nasa tabi na rin namin si Armando na biglang naging seryoso.

From regular hospital visitors, Tristan and Armando turned themselves as a keen eye agent haunting their own prey.

"Hummingbird speaking," panimula ko.

"We heard your another success."

"Yes, can I hear my boy's voice?"

Naghintay lamang ako ng ilang minuto bago mangatal ang kamay ko.

"Mama!"

"Theon baby..talk to mama.."

"Mama! Mama!" natutuwa ang boses nito nang marinig niya ako.

"Theon baby..Mama will—"

"We'll call you for skype tonight." Mabilis nitong pinutol ang tawag.

"Damn it! They are locked!" halos ibato ni Tristan ang hawak nitong laptop.

Agad ko siyang pinakalma at niyakap ito.

"Sorry..sorry Tristan.."

"Maybe we can crack the capture data in our headquarters?"

Si Armando na ang nag-ayos ng mga gamit.

"I'll crack this."

"No, we better go. Sasama ako, maybe you'll do something if we use skype. Plus, it is the headquarters. You can ask your main IT team."

"But how about --"

"No Tristan, ayos na ako. Wala na tayong oras, we need to have a good capturing data. Mamaya ay tatawag na sila, we can't let this people slip away lalo na at magkasama na tayo."

Hindi na nakipagtalo sa akin si Tristan.

He processed my hospital bills and everything. Nagpahanda na rin ng chopper si Armando dahil mas mabilis kung ito ang gagamitin natin.

The chopper landed on the hospital's rooftop. Inalalayan ako ni Tristan, naupo naman si Armando sa tabi ng piloto.

Isang oras lamang ang naging biyahe namin sa himpapawid hanggang sa makarating kami sa headquarters ng Sous L'eau.

It was a familiar place at hindi na ako nagulat dito. Papasok pa lamang kami sa main entrance nito ay sinalubong ako ng isang lalaking nakauniporme at mahigpit niya akong niyakap.

"Isabella, my daughter."

Hindi ko man siya nakikilala, I have this feeling that I need to hug him back, dahil ito ang ibinubulong ng bawat tibok ng puso ko.

"I'm sorry father for losing my memories.."

"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart. Buong akala ko ay inagaw ka na rin katulad ng 'yong ina." He held my face and I saw tears on his cheeks.

Pumasok na kami sa loob at hindi ako binitawan ng aking ama. Naupo ako sa mahabang couch habang nakaharap ito sa akin.

Tristan and Armando remained silent. Ipinaliwanag sa akin ni Tristan na wala pa siyang kahit anong ipinaliliwanag sa aking ama dahil hindi niya daw ito karapatan.

It is his daughter who needs to tell him everything.

"When Theo told me that he got you Isabella, oh god. I was the happiest father. Sa pangalawang pagkakataon ay nabuhayan ako. I cooperated with him, he told me that it's better for you to live and recover away from Sous L'eau for a while. I gave you space, kahit gustong-gusto na kitang yakapin anak. How are you?" masuyong tanong nito sa akin.

Wala nang tigil sa pagdadala ng pagkain ang mga nakaunipormeng babae sa gitnang lamesa.

Armando and Tristan looked nervous. Ano ba ang ikinatatakot ng dalawang ito?

"I've been asking Theo about everything but he keeps insisting that it's your role to tell me the whole thing. What happened, Isabella?"

Hindi ko alam kung papaano magsisimula. Lumingon ako kay Tristan na maputla na. This is the first time that I saw him like this.

Hanggang sa biglang bumalik sa mga alaala ko ang mga panahong hinuhuli pa ako ni Tristan. Those times that he's disguising as a Flight attendant, mga panahong nakikipaghabulan at akitan ito sa akin.

Pumasok sa isip ko ang lalaking kausap nito sa telepono. It could be my father!

"No, no. Don't worry, she's safe with me this time. Oh no, that's not my nature Commander. I'm won't attack your daughter, I never did that to her."

He attacked me a lot of times.

"Oh, no way Commander. Birhen ko siyang ihaharap sa altar, you can also ask my cousins. We had that kind of vow."

Birhen? They had that kind of vow? Nakapanganak na nga ako. Anong gustong isipin ni Tristan sa kanya ng aking ama? Honorable man that can wait and let his bride walk in aisle virgin?

Lumingon ulit ako kay Tristan, lalo itong namutla nang mukhang nakuha na niya ang iniisip ko.

"Yeah, I promise. My bloodline can wait, kakaunti na lang kaming mga lalaking marunong maghintay. You are so lucky to have me as your son in law, Commander."

What the hell? Bloodline? According to Florence, muntik na rin daw mawalan ng mamanahin ang asawa niya dahil nabuntis rin siya bago pa ikasal.

"Dad, you already have your grandchild." Nanlaki ang mata ng aking ama at mabilis itong bumunot ng baril at tinutukan nito si Tristan at Armando.

"Ginalaw mo ang anak ko?! You bastard!"

A lot of times. Gusto kong sabihin. Minang-mina ang pinagkakatiwalaan nyo.

Agad lumuhod si Tristan at Armando sa harap ni Daddy na nakataas ang kamay.

"I'll marry your daughter, sir..we can avoid violence."

"Bakit ako damay? I am innocent sir.." nangangatal na ang nakataas na kamay ni Armando.

Aakalain ng aking ama na buntis lamang ako. Mas lalo itong magugulat kapag sinabi kong ang inaakala niyang birheng anak ay nakapanganak na.

"You! I entrusted my daughter on you!"

Nakagat ko na lang ang pang-ibabang labi ko nang halos sabay mapapikit si Armando at Tristan sa sigaw ng aking ama.

Birhen pa, Tristan Matteo Ferell.

--

VentreCanard