Kabanata 14

Together

Kaya naman kinabukasan din ay agad na nagpunta sa supermarket sina Belle at Sam para mamili ng stock para sa kanilang tirahan ngayon.

"We should get the kitchen basics first," Belle said while looking around inside the big supermarket. While Sam on the other hand was pushing their big grocery cart as well.

Napatingin naman si Belle sa husband niya habang si Sam naman ngayon ang nagtitingin sa malalaki at matataas na shelves ng grocery.

At bumaba pa ang tingin ni Belle sa mga braso ng asawa habang tinutulak nito ang malaking cart nila. At napuna niya lang na malalaki rin ang mga braso ng captain. And it has veins in it...

Bahagyang napalunok si Belle ay nag-iwas na lang ng tingin.

It started earlier this morning when she just woke up and head straight to the bathroom, while Sam was also still in the bathroom and didn't bother to lock the door like he usually does since he's just alone in his house all this time. At mukhang nakalimutan na rin yata nila na kasama nila ang isa't isa dahil parehong bagong gising pa lang at sa totoo lang ay hindi pa sanay na kasama na nga nila ngayon ang isa't isa...

"Isabelle?" Sam looked shocked as well. Mabuti na lang at kakahubad pa lang niya sa damit niya and he was only half naked inside the bathroom.

While Belle's eyes really widened when she saw the Captain half naked in his own bathroom.

"I'm sorry!" Sam apologized right away and returned his T-shirt back on his body.

Kakagising niya lang at dumeretso siya sa banyo ng kaniyang kwarto just like what he usually does. He really slept on the sofa in the receiving room. Pero nasanay na rin kasi siya na ang bathroom sa kwarto niya ang talagang ginagamit niya palagi kahit may isa pa naman malapit sa kitchen that he just usually offers to his guests.

While Belle was just also about to use to bathroom as well. She needed to pee after she just got out of bed, too...

Belle could only sigh now as she just remembered it. And it was just this morning at the Captain's residence. Where she's also staying now. Pero nakapag-usap na rin naman sila ni Sam kanina pagkatapos ng nangyari. It was only an accident. And after that they had a bit of an awkward breakfast and they were just quietly eating back in the house. But other than that everything's fine between them now.

At hindi niya lang din maitatanggi na nakita niya na rin nga ang hubad na upper body ni Sam kaninang umaga. And it was probably the first time that Belle saw the gorgeous captain naked... Although he was not totally naked but only his upper body since he just removed his shirt when they met in the bathroom earlier just this morning. Pero hanggang ngayon ay talagang medyo gulantang pa rin si Belle...

Maybe because she didn't expect that her husband had such really nice body just underneath his always formal army uniform...

"Belle? Isabelle?" Sam called to his wife who was a bit spacing out as they were inside the supermarket.

"Oh. What is it?" Belle was startled.

"What else should we get?" Sam asked her.

Parang nabalik naman ang ulirat niya at tinuro na ni Belle kay Sam ang mga kailangan pa nilang bilhin sa grocery bago sila tuluyang natapos.

And their simple errand to the supermarket that day had actually made Belle feel happy as well. Kahit simpleng gawain lang naman iyon ay natuwa pa rin si Belle that she could spend time together with her husband like that...

At pagkadating pa nilang dalawa sa tirahan ay nagluto na rin sila ng makakain nila at sabay na nagsalo sa pagkain sa lamesa. And they also cleaned their place. And it was refreshing for both Sam and Belle.

At bukod pa roon ay nagsimba na rin silang dalawa na magkasama. Mahilig din kasing magsimba si Belle and it was Sunday just the next day so they decided to go to church together.

Napatingin si Belle sa tabi niya kay Sam habang nasa loob na sila ng simbahan at nakikinig sa sinasabi sa harapan. And while she's looking at her husband she truly felt glad that he was here with her now...

"Do you also want to go and watch a movie?" Sam asked her.

Bumaling naman si Belle at napatingin sa asawa niya. "You want to watch a movie?"

"Ikaw? Gusto mo ba manood sa cinema ngayon?"

Belle slowly nodded her head at her husband. And so they also decided to watch a movie together that time for the first time as well...

Happiness does really come from the simple things, too.

Just simple but pure happiness, and not that much complicated...

And sometimes we also hope that life can be just like that... but it doesn't...

Aside from watching movies the couple also went out one day for even the simple food trip at the chinatown. Napag-usapan lang kasi nila na noong college pa si Belle ay minsan din siyang dinala ng ilang mga kaklase noon doon and she liked the food so Sam became curious of her little story about that until they decided to go and eat there together.

At this point where they weren't just that aware yet that they were already making some good memories together...

"Do you... at least, like me, Captain..." Belle hesitantly asked Sam when they had just returned back to where they currently stay pagkatapos lang din nilang manggaling sa masaya muli nilang lakad na dalawa ngayong araw.

Umawang naman ang labi ni Sam at nanatili ang tingin niya kay Belle. Hanggang sa alam niya rin na kailangan niyang sumagot sa pagkakataon na iyon and it was like as if Belle was already giving him a chance, too...

He bravely looked at Belle in the eyes as well. And then he slowly nodded his head at her. "Yes... I do like you, Isabelle..." he told her clearly.

And if only he could tell her more about his long feelings for her...

Ngayon ay ang labi naman ni Belle ang umawang din. These past few days, kahit ilang araw pa lang naman ay pakiramdam na ni Belle na naging unti-unti ay nagiging close na rin naman sila ni Sam sa isa't isa. Especially these days that she was always just with him. At nakatira lang silang dalawa sa iisang bahay. She felt as though she just grew more closer to her husband...

And she actually liked the feeling.

At nito rin ay palagi na rin na mas iniisip na ni Belle ang relasyon nilang mag-asawa. And it might not have started all well, but she believes that it wasn't yet late either to still talk about it and to really think about them now...

And it was still a little awkward after that. Sam just told Belle that he likes her. And for Belle it was already enough answer from him...

"Dito ka na matulog..." it almost came out like a whisper from Belle's lips.

Pero narinig na iyon ni Sam habang kumukuha lang din sana siya ng ilang mga kumot at unan niya sa kwarto niya para lumabas na rin muli sa living room pagkatapos at para doon pa rin sana siya matulog. Bumaling siya sa asawa.

"I mean, uh, your bed is big anyway..." Sinubukan din ni Belle na tumingin sa asawa niya pabalik. "It might be hard for you na pagkasyahin pa ang sarili mo sa sofa sa labas..." aniya.

She was in bed. And he was standing there halfway to the bedroom's door. And he only stopped because of Belle. Sam looked at his wife. "Is it all right?" He asked her first.

Tumingin naman si Belle sa kaniya. "Well, of course, yes... It's fine, Sam..." she said looking at him.

And his lips just parted a bit for a while. And while looking at Belle he sighed for a bit, before he finally proceeded to the bed as well...

It wouldn't be easy, especially for Sam. He had to control his desires, too. He's also a man, after all. And it was just the first time that the two of them would share a bed together...

"Wouldn't you... really take me... I'm your wife now..." ani Belle na nakayuko lang habang nakaupo pa sa kama nila ngayon.

Natigilan naman si Sam and his eyes widened a fraction as he turned to Isabelle. Parang umakyat ang dugo niya sa ulo niya nang makuha niya kung ano ang ibig-sabihin ni Belle. But then he should know better than just to take her now, just because they're already married, like she said.

Bahagya siyang napailing. "Belle... can I... kiss you? Will you allow me that?" He asked her for her permission first...

Napaangat naman ng tingin si Isabelle sa asawa. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa nang ilang sandali. Hanggang sa unti-unti ay itinango rin naman ni Belle ang ulo niya...

Kailangan pa munang humugot ng paghinga at lakas ng loob ni Sam. He must do it right or else...

Unti-unti naman siyang lumapit sa asawa. At pagkatapos ay marahan at unti-unti niya rin na inabot ang mga labi nito. At unti-unti pa ay naglapat na ang mga labi nila sa isa't isa at marahan nang dinampian ng halik sa labi ni Sam si Belle...

Habang napapikit naman si Belle ng mga mata niya sa marahang halik na ginawa sa kaniya ng asawa. At iyon lang 'yon. Dahil pagkatapos ng isang halik sa labi ay wala nang iba pang ginawa si Sam sa kaniya...

And after the kiss they shared gently they just looked at each other again. At paunti-unti pa ay may lumabas din na parehong marahan at masayang ngiti sa mga labi nilang dalawa.

And it was enough for Belle. Because the truth was she only wanted to feel him more...

She wants to feel his warmth... that makes her feel at ease and safe...

And then Sam just answered his phone one day for a call from someone unknown at first.

"Hello, uh, is this Captain Sam Lazaro?"

"Yes, who am I talking to?" Sam asked over the phone.

"Uh! This is Lawrence Puentevella, uh, Diane's fiancé. I'm Ate Belle's younger sister's fiancé. We've already met at the De Leon house, Captain. I hope you can still remember..."