Agad na tumugon sa aking distress call ang co-members ko sa PPGNG, kaya narito kami ngayong apat sa loob ng aking opisina. We were discussing the latest complication in my relationship, a.k.a. ang terminally-ill na ex-girlfriend ni Vren.

"Okay, let's get this straight. 'Yang jowa mo, may ex-jowa na nagbabalik sa eksena, at ang alas nito ay ang kanyang leukemia?" nakakunot ang noo na tanong ni Alexia.

Tumango ako bilang sagot.

"At ang ex-girlfriend na 'yon ay walang iba kundi ang may-ari ng Café Isabella na nasa tapat ng AMMC?" pagkumpirma naman ni Mavi.

Muli akong tumango.

"And what's worse, game na game naman si Sir Vren sa pagpapaka-caretaker sa malanding babaeng 'yon?" pagsingit naman ni Hannah.

For the third time, I nodded.

"Saan kamo naka-admit ang Isabella dela Merced na 'yan, ha?" gigil na tanong muli ni Alexia. "Sa AMMC ba kamo? Tara, paikliin pa natin ang tatlong buwan na taning niya!"

"Kumalma ka nga, Baklita. Makaasta ka riyan, parang ikaw ang girlfriend, ah. Daig mo pa ang reaksyon ni Mira." Inirapan siya ni Hannah. "But I can't believe na pati si Vince, hindi agad sinabi sa'yo ang tungkol sa ex ni Sir Vren. He should have known better! Lagot sa akin 'yon."

"Aba, what did you expect? Naturalmente, pagtatakpan ng kalandian mong doktor ang kapatid niya. Dapat lang na sermunan mo 'yon, Chinita!"

Sa gigil ni Alexia ay kinurot niya sa Hannah, na gumanti naman ng isang pagkalakas-lakas ng hampas.

"Girls, hindi ko alam ang gagawin," I morosely confessed to my three best friends.

"Anong hindi mo alam ang gagawin?" Pinandilatan ako ni Alexia, which looked even more freakish dahil sa neon-green-colored false eyelashes niya. "Wala kang ibang dapat gawin kundi ipaglaban ang karapatan mo bilang girlfriend ni Sir Vren! Sabihin mo sa malantod na Isabella na 'yan, back off!"

"May sakit 'yong tao, friend. Nakokonsensya nga ako dahil sa mga sinabi ko kay Vren kanina. Hindi dapat ako nagsasalita ng ganoon tungkol sa isang tao na malapit nang bawian ng buhay," sagot ko naman.

"Mira, you don't have to feel guilty." Mavi held my hand and squeezed it consolingly. "Normal lang ang naging reaksyon mo. Hello, we're talking about Sir Vren's first love here."

"'Yon na nga ang masakit, e," mangiyak-ngiyak kong sabi. "First love siya, friend. First love. Siya ang unang babae na sineryoso ni Vren. Kahit anong gawin ko, may parte sa puso ng boyfriend ko na para lang sa kanya. Tingnan niyo, kahit niloko niya noon si Vren... hindi pa rin siya nito magawang tiisin. She'll always have a hold on him, no matter what."

At tuluyan na akong napaluha habang iniisip ko kung gaano kaespesyal si Isabella kay Vren.

"Friend naman... Nasaan na ang palaban na Mira na kilala namin? E ano naman kung first love siya ni Sir Vren? Nandiyan pa ang tinatawag na greatest love. Kaya nga dapat, ipaglaban mo ang boyfriend mo, para ikaw ang makakuha ng title na 'yan," pang-aalo sa akin ni Hannah. "It's okay to help, but you need to remind Sir Vren na dapat, may boundaries din."

"Korek! Sabi nga ng paborito kong DJ sa radyo, walang matatag na relasyon sa malanding may determinasyon. Pak!" linya naman ni Alexia.

An idea struck me, one that might ease the pain a little. Or make it worse, depending on how I look at it. "What if hayaan ko na lang muna si Vren kay Isabella? Tatlong buwan lang naman, e. Sabi ng boyfriend ko, magiging kaibigan lang naman siya sa mga natitirang araw ng ex niya. Kesa naman ma-witness ko pa ang laging pagdikit ni Vren kay Ms. I Have Cancer. Nalulunod ako sa selos."

"Oh, no!" sabay-sabay na sabi ng tatlo kong kaibigan. "Bad decision, Mira! Erase, erase!"

"Bakit naman?" I wiped the tears off my face. "Hindi ko naman talaga ipapaubaya si Vren – ipapahiram lang. At ang bawat hinihiram, ibinabalik. It's not as if maisasama pa niya si Vren sa libingan niya, if ever."

"Bathala!" Tumingala si Alexia na para bang gusto niyang makipag-one-on-one talk sa Diyos Amang Makapangyarihan. "Pakituktukan nga po itong kaibigan namin! Hindi marunong makinig!"

"Mira, hindi maganda ang Lend My Boyfriend idea mo na 'yan, ha?" nakataas ang kilay na sabi ni Hannah. "Sige, let's assume na after three months, sumalangit na nga si Isabella. Do you think that things will still be the same between you and Sir Vren? I highly doubt it. Marami ang pwedeng mangyari sa loob ng tatlong buwan. What if ma-in love ulit si Sir Vren sa babaeng 'yon?"

"I agree with Hannah," Mavi said, looking at me squarely. "At ito pa ang isang possibility. What if, by some miracle, gumaling si Isabella? Saan ka pupulutin, Mira?"

"Uhm... sa dulo siguro ng Andromeda Galaxy?" mangiyak-ngiyak muli na sagot ko.

"Exactly!" Alexia slammed his hand on my office table, causing the rest of us to jump in our seats out of surprise. "Kaya nga sinasabi ko sa'yo, Mirathea –"

Kung ano man ang gusto niyang sabihin sa akin ay hindi na naituloy ni Baklita, dahil biglang bumukas ang pinto ng aking opisina.

"Hey," said the newcomer, no other than Vren. His eyes were on me as he asked, "Can we talk?"

Bago pa man ako makasagot ay nilapitan na ni Alexia ang boyfriend ko at dinuro-duro. "You!" he exclaimed dramatically, obviously forgetting that he's talking to his employer. "What are you doing here? Bawal kang lumapit kay Mira!"

Vren sighed in exasperation. "Alexia, please get out of the way. I need to talk to Mira."

"Nope! Access denied!" Alexia answered in a shrill voice. "Back off, Mr. Montevilla!"

"You are the one who might want to back off." Vren scowled. "Need I remind you that I own this place, Mr. Pinpin?"

"So what? That doesn't scare me!" matapang pa ring sagot ng kaibigan ko sa kanya. "FYI, we already know what you did to Mira. Malaki ang atraso mo sa friend namin! Doon ka na lang sa ex-girlfriend mong haliparot!"

"Friend, tama na," saway ko kay Alexia. "Baka mawalan ka pa ng trabaho nang 'di oras. Ako na ang bahala sa isang 'yan." Tinapunan ko ng masamang tingin si Vren.

"Sigurado ka ba, Mirathea? Okay lang na masisante ako, marami naman akong sugar daddy!"

Kung hindi lang talaga ako down na down ngayon dala ng tampuhan namin ni Vren ay siguradong tumawa na ako dahil sa sinabi ni Baklita, just like Hannah and Mavi who had to stifle their giggles.

"Oo, sigurado ako." I gave Alexia a tight-lipped smile, hoping to convey how grateful I was for his display of loyalty to me. "Pwede bang iwan niyo muna kaming dalawa ni Vren?" I then asked my three friends, sparing each of them a glance.

"Of course." Mavi gave me a sympathetic smile before vacating her seat. Hannah, meanwhile, patted my shoulder before following suit. Si Alexia naman, walang takot na inirapan muna ang boyfriend ko bago tuluyang lumabas ng aking opisina.

Once my friends had left, I turned to Vren with a frown. "Anong kailangan mo?"

Vren occupied the seat that Mavi had vacated. He tried to hold my hand that rested on the table, but one glare from me was enough to make him withdraw.

"Mira, this is silly. I swear, there's no reason for you to get jealous over Bella. I'm just helping a friend – that's all she is to me. I just want to look after her until her parents come back from abroad."

"In other words, nag-volunteer kang maging caretaker ng ex-girlfriend mo, gano'n?" Tumaas ang kilay ko. "Sana pala, nag-Nursing ka na lang. Sayang ang double degree mo sa Accountancy at Law."

Bumuntonghininga si Vren. "Babe, this conversation will get us nowhere if you'll just keep on throwing sardonic comments at me."

I rolled my eyes but said nothing.

"I already got in touch with Tito Arkin and Tita Ivana – Bella's parents," he continued, taking advantage of my silence. "Ngayon lang nila nalaman ang tungkol sa sakit ng anak nila. They'll be home in a week."

"Wow, common denominator niyo palang dalawa ng ex mo ang pagiging secretive. Bagay na bagay talaga kayo," sabi ko na may kasamang pag-ismid.

"Are we seriously going back to square one?" Vren sighed again. "I've already apologized, over and over, for not telling you about Isabella sooner. Just how many more times will you chastise me for that?"

"Anong magagawa ko kung hindi pa kita tuluyang napapatawad dahil do'n?" mataray na tanong ko sa kanya. "Alam mo kasi, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung bakit napaka-big deal ni Isabella para sa'yo. Ganoon na ba siya kaimportante sa'yo na nagawa mong ipagpalit ang tiwala ko? My God, Vren! The entire time we're together, I've been nothing but completely honest with you. Kulang na lang, pati kulay ng bra at panty ko, i-report ko sa'yo on a daily basis para lang masabing wala talaga akong inililihim sa'yo. Tapos ikaw..." I trailed off and shook my head in utter disappointment.

"I'm sorry. I really am. From now on, I'm never keeping a secret from you again." Vren gave me a long, searching look. "Bati na tayo, please? I can't stand it when you're mad at me."

Ako naman ngayon ang bumuntonghininga. Try as I might, hindi ko talaga kayang magalit nang matagal sa isang tao, lalung-lalo na sa gwapong mokong na nasa harap ko.

"Siguraduhin mo lang na hindi ka na ulit maglilihim sa akin, dahil kung hindi ay mawawalan ka ng girlfriend at accounting department head," parang bata na pagbabanta ko kay Vren.

A smile started to form on his lips, but he managed to curb it. "I never want that to happen. I swear, there'll be no more secrets between us. Not even a single one."

Muling tumaas ang kilay ko habang nagpipigil din ng ngiti. "Weh? Not even a single one talaga?"

"Yes." Vren finally allowed himself a grin, sensing that it's already safe to do so. "And to prove it, let me tell you stuff about me that not another soul knows. For starters, right now, I'm wearing blue underwear. And tomorrow, I'll probably wear a grey one. How's that for a daily report?"

I giggled. "Siraulo."

"And here's another one," my boyfriend continued, looking pleased that he finally managed to get back on my good side. "I hate lizards."

"Seriously?"

"Yes." Vren pulled a disgusted face. "They're gross. I'd rather die than hold one."

"Alam ko na kung paano makakaganti sa'yo kapag may ginawa ka ulit na kalokohan sa akin." Tumawa ako. "Hahagisan kita ng butiki."

"Don't you dare, Ms. Custodio." He narrowed his eyes threateningly at me, pero pagkaraan ng ilang saglit ay tumawa na rin siya.

"More secrets?" I prompted. "I love being the only one who knows these things about you."

"Sure you do." He reached for my hand again, and this time, I finally allowed him to hold it. "Alright, here's the third – I used to tell people that my favorite color is blue. But it isn't. My true favorite color is white."

"Interesting," I remarked. "But not surprising. Unang tapak ko pa lang sa condo mo, I already knew you're a neat freak. Hindi na nakapagtataka na paborito mo ang kulay puti. It suggests order and clarity."

"That's exactly why it's my favorite." Vren smiled. "Now, for my last secret... it involves my greatest fear. Wanna hear it?"

I nodded. "Of course. Ano nga ba ang pinakakinatatakutan ng isang Vren Andrei Montevilla?"

"My greatest fear," he began, his gaze holding mine, "is losing you, Mira. I couldn't even bear the thought of it."

I felt my face heat up. Sigurado akong pulang-pula ang mga pisngi ko ngayon dahil sa kilig. Ni hindi ko nagawang sumagot at bagkus ay tinitigan ko lang si Vren habang nagpipigil ng ngiti.

My boyfriend stood up from his seat, grinning, his hand still holding mine. "Come on. We're going out."

"Saan tayo pupunta?" tanong ko habang tumatayo rin mula sa aking pagkakaupo.

"It's your call," sagot naman ni Vren. "I just want to spend the rest of the day with you. Today started on a bad note, but we can still end it beautifully."