Lunch

Ramdam ko ang pamamanhid ng aking panga dahil sa pagtagisan ng mga nigipin ko. Who would feel calm after seeing your husband with another woman? And, what's worst? Both didn't look like they made something so upsetting.

"Attorney Gab, I should go. I'll die from your wife's hands if I stay any longer," paalam nito at sandaling sinulyapan si Gab pagkatapos hilain ang kanyang clutch bag mula sa mesa.

Hindi ko maiwasang suriin ang kanyang kasuotan. Dalawang beses pa lang kaming nagkatagpo ngunit masasabi kong she's way very far from the Cyra I first met. She could carry any style of dress with so much elegance and poise. Ngayong nakasuot siya ng white coat and pencil skirt, mas lalong umangat ang ganda nito at masasabing career woman.

Gab pressed his palm on his forehead, closed his eyes, and released a heavy sigh. He bit his lower lip bago ako ginawaran ng mapagkumbabang tingin like he's asking for an apology.

"Jealousy is an emotional disease. Get well soon," nakataas na kilay na bulong ni Cyra nang nilagpasan ako at sandaling huminto.

I turned to her. Kinuyom ko ang mga palad, huminga ng malalim at taas noong hinarap siya. "Be safe on your way, Cyra. Thank you for entertaining my husband while I was away," sabi ko sabay ngiti ng abot-tenga.

Bahagyang nagulat ito sa reaksyon ko. She probably thought it would shake me and make me lose my cool. I saw the side of her lips rose into a smirk. She held the strap of her bag and looked at me over her shoulder before walking out of the room.

I heard the door shut before me. Mabilis na pinatong ni Joriel ang bag sa mesa at nagmamadali ang mga hakbang na lumabas.

I smirked. "Lahat ba talaga ng mga babaeng pumapasok dito sa opisina mo nasa armrest nakaupo?"

Tiim ang anyo ko nang inangat ko ang tingin kay Gab na ngayo'y nasa harap ko.

"Nothing happened, okay?" maingat niyang sabi. "Cyra just came to say hello."

I let out a deep sigh. Humakbang ako palapit sa kanyang mesa habang nakasunod sa likod ko. Bahagyang umawang ang bibig ko nang masilayan ang wallpaper ng laptop niya. It was our prenup photo taken in the hacienda. I was wearing the flowy dress he personally gave to me. I was looking up at him while holding the side of my summer hat. At the background is my dear Pocahontas. Hawak ni Gab ang renda habang masuyong nakatitig sa akin.

He rested his palms on both my shoulders and lowered down his head. "Please, believe me."

I tilted my head to the side and gently smiled at him. "I know. Don't worry about it. I understand," totoo sa loob na sabi ko.

I promised not to make a fuss over her blunders because I will choose to understand her, didn't I? Gusto ko lang naman makipagtarayan kay Cyra pero naiintidihan ko rin naman siya.

Kumunot ang noo nito. Banayad na pinadausdos ang mga daliri sa aking mga balikat at hinaplos ang aking mga palad. "Really? Hindi ka galit?"

"Mayroon ba akong dahilan para magalit?" makahulugang tanong ko.

He shook his head. "Wala naman."

I nodded. "I'm fine, okay! I'm sure whatever her reason for coming is not something to be disclosed, right?"

"Dumaan lang naman siya dito pagkatapos nilang mag-usap ni Joriel," paliwanag niya.

I smirked. "Joriel made it seem like you're hiding a dirty little secret. And he's quite supportive of your escapades."

"I told you Cyra and I were not doing anything," he firmly stated.

"May sinabi ba akong may ginagawa kayo?"

"Joriel perhaps thought that you'd think otherwise when you catch us alone together. She just came to ask about Joriel and Brianna. She's an ex-girlfriend of your cousin. Pumasok lamang siya ng opisina ko para mang-usisa tungkol doon at mangamusta tungkol sa akin... tungkol sa atin. Natagalan ang pag-uusap namin hanggang sa nabanggit niya ang tungkol sa kasal. She couldn't believe that we really got married so I showed her the photos from our prenup and our wedding."

"Ah. Okay," tipid kong sagot.

He sighed. "You don't look convinced at all."

"I never doubted you. Fine, I'm a bit taken aback when I saw you together earlier. But I believe you, okay? You once told me that Cyra sees you as her brother. Nothing changed that fact that you told me yourself."

"I would rather you be mad at me. Your being so calm doesn't sit well with me, to be honest."

I rolled my eyeballs. "Then, deal with it."

Kinuha ko ang bag at nilabas ang lahat ng laman no'n. "I just dropped by to give you these."

"You prepared these for me?" manghang wika nito at isa-isang tiningnan ang mga pagkain.

"Yes. I just thought that you'd like to eat homemade food for lunch."

He smiled widely. "Oh. I would prefer to eat what you cooked over the food in the cafeteria. Tamang-tama, gutom na ako."

"Okay. Eat well. I must go now," sabi ko at umambang aalis.

"Wait. Are you leaving already?" pigil niya at hinawakan ang balikat ko.

Nilingon ko siya. "May binilin ako kay Via na gagawin at pupunta siya ng bahay para dalhin 'yong mga papeles na kailangan kong pirmahan kaya kailangan ko ng umalis."

He moved closer to me. "What time did you say she will come?"

"Around 2 o'clock."

He nodded. "Kumain ka na ba?"

I shook my head. "Hindi pa."

"Join me for lunch. Nakakalungkot kapag mag-isang kumain," aya niya na ngayo'y hawak na ang kamay ko.

I scoffed. "As if you're not used to it."

"I always eat with everybody during lunch. Dahil dinalhan mo ako, mapipilitan akong kumain mag-isa kaya samahan mo ako."

I wrinkled my nose. "Bakit parang kasalanan ko pa na mag-isa kang kakain?"

"Wala akong sinabing ganyan. Sige na. Sabayan mo na ako. Please?" pakiusap nito.

"Okay."

Marami naman ang pagkain at tiyak na kakasya sa aming dalawa. Dalawang pares ng kutsara at tinidor din ang nilagay ko. Not that I planned to eat with him. Talagang nilagay ko lang doon for no apparent reason. Maybe, I thought he'd never finish all the food at once and he'd save some for later.

"Thank you for preparing lunch for me. Hindi ko talaga inasahan 'to. I thought you went to work."

"I decided not to. I didn't feel like going to the office anyway. Kaya nagluto nalang ako para sa'yo at para kina Edna at Bella."

"Oh, they left already?"

"Yes. Salamat daw pala sa pagtanggap sa kanila."

"I was more thankful to them."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Bakit?"

"Nothing."

Saglit akong tumigil sa pagbukas ng mga niluto ko. "Nothing means something in my vocabulary."

"Why is that?" tanong nito na hindi man lang ako sinulyapan.

"You always play that card when you feel like evading what's on the table... when you couldn't justify your claim. So, I started having this thought that when you say 'nothing', it means there's really something."

He nodded. "So, you did notice that simple detail about me."

"We're always together so it couldn't be helped. Mapapansin at mapapansin ko ang mga bagay tungkol sa'yo."

He sighed softly and looked at me. "The feeling is mutual, Tiff. Ikaw lang ang nakikita ko kapag magkasama tayo at kahit sa mga oras na wala ka sa tabi ko."

I swallowed before speaking. "G-Gab..."

"Let's eat. I'm sure masarap itong mga niluto mo," pag-iiba niya ng usapan. Kumuha na ito ng pagkain at tahimik na tumikim.

"I tried cooking pochero and sinigang na bangus. Naisip ko kasi baka kailangan mo ng sabaw. Minsan lang kasi tayo nag-uulam ng may sabaw," paliwanag ko nang makabawi. I watched him tasting the food. "How is it?'

"It's good!" he said smiling. Sumubo ito ulit at maganang kumain ng mga hinanda ko.

"You can't choose to be dainty about food when you're starving," I reasoned out.

"It's good! It's really good," pangungumbinsi nito. "I couldn't put it into words. But are you sure it's your first time to cook this?"

I nodded. "Oo. Pinanood ko lang sa youtube."

"Really? Nasundan mo?"

I smirked. "Oo naman! Anong akala mo sa akin? Slow learner?"

"Wala akong sinabing ganyan. I just thought you'd like more to be mentored personally."

"Mas okay nga na ganoon. Marami akong natutunan sa'yo pagdating sa kusina. But at times I need to get the job done alone. Hindi sa lahat ng oras may mahihingan ako ng tulong. Kailangan ko ring kumilos at gawin ang mga bagay sa sarili kong paraan."

He sighed again. "You have the point. But it wouldn't hurt to ask for some help from people whom you trusted."

"Coming from you?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Bakit? What about me?"

"Nothing," I simply said.

Gumuhit ang mapaglarong ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.

Narinig kong mahina siyang pumalatak. "It really bothers you to rely on people so much, doesn't it?"

"Parang ganoon nga. Ayoko ng pakiramdam na may naaabala dahil sa akin. Kung magagawan ko lang naman ng paraan na matapos ang isang gawain na hindi ko na kakailanganin ang tulong ng iba ay gagawin ko, hindi lang ako makaisturbo."

"Rely on me if you must. You can lean on me anytime if you ever need a shoulder to cry on." He smiled.

"Talaga ba?" tanong ko at hinilig ang ulo ko sa braso niya.

He chuckled. "Wag ngayon. Kumakain tayo."

"Akala ko ba pwede anytime?" angal ko at prenteng sumandal sa sofa.

"Now is not the appropriate time to use that privilege. Also, you didn't look like you needed a shoulder to cry on. You're just trying me out."

"Edi wag. Ang arte naman nito."

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to spoil the moment." He kissed the tip of my nose. Amoy-sinigang but I liked it.

What's he going to kiss next?