After the Sorrow 2 ✓

Kabanata 34

Gail's Point of View

NAKAHIGA ako sa kama habang naglalaro ng Candy Crush.

Napasulyap ako sa pintuan nang biglang bumukas ang pinto. Pumasok si Jetty na tanging boxer lang ang suot. Ibinalik ko ang atensyon sa aking nilaro. Playing Candy Crush has been my time and boredom killer.

Biglang humiga si Jetty sa ibabaw ko at yumakap sa akin.

"What are you doing?" tanong niya.

"I'm playing Candy Crush."

Hinalikan niya ang gitna ng mga didbib ko. "Put down your phone."

"Wait lang. Tatapusin ko lang ito. Malapit ng lumevel up."

"Just exit it. Matagal pa iyang matapos. Since limited ang moves kaya alam kong tititigan mo pa ang lahat bago gamitin ang moves."

Hinalikan ko ang kaniyang ulo. "Madali lang ito."

"Pansinin mo ako. Please. Put down your phone." nanlalambing niyang sabi.

Kahit hindi pa ako tapos ay ibinaba ko ang cellphone sa kama. Inikot ko ang aking mga paa sa kaniyang baywang.

"The coffee competition was moved next week." aniya.

"Bakit daw? Akala ko nga last week iyon tapos nakalimutan ko, ayun pala iniba ang petsa."

"Two judges were not present. Sa susunod na linggo sila darating."

Sinuklay ko ang kaniyang buhok. "Are you ready?"

Itinukod niya ang kaniyang baba sa dibdib ko at tiningnan ako. "I'm always ready as long you're with me."

"I'm always with you. Hindi ka ba magpa-practice sa paggawa ng coffee?"

"Hindi na. You said to believe in myself. Alam ko na rin kung ano ang gagawin kong timpla ng kape. Hindi na kagaya noong mga kape na ipinatikim ko sa iyo. This time, I know, masasarapan ka na at makakatikim ka ng ibang lasa."

Ngumiti ako. "Wow naman. I'm sure you'll gonna win the competition."

"We never know. We're not sure. International competition ito. For sure may mga taga ibang bansa na sasali rin sa competition na ito."

Hinalikan ko ang kaniyang noo. "I am also confident that you'll bring the victory. That you'll bring the pride of every Santillan."

He kissed my chin. "Gusto kong ikaw ang una kong patitikimin sa kapeng gagawin ko."

"I would love to, but I guess it's a bad idea."

"And why? Why is it a bad idea? I want my wife to be the first one to taste the coffee I originally created."

"Baka mapansin ng mga judges na may una ng nakatikim tapos pangalawa na sila. Baka ma-disqualified."

He let out a soft chuckle. "You're my first judge. Secondhand lang ang mga judge na iyon."

Hinawakan ko ang likod ng ulo niya at nilaro laruan ang kaniyang buhok. "By the way, Jetty, why did you planned to join this competition? Making different drinks is your passion. Is joining competition your greatest dream?" tanong ko.

"Nope. It's not. Do you know what's my greatest dream in life?"

Tumango ako.

"Marrying you. Fulfilling all our goals. Making you happy always in all different ways. Building a huge family with you."

Are his dreams simple? It's heartwarming. It melt me.

"Then why did you join this competition?"

"I wasn't able to make our goal to study business Ad. come true, since I was pursuing education before. I failed on that part. I'm joining this to make you proud of me. If I'll win, our shop, by any chance, will become famous. Dudumugin ng mga tao. Tapos makakapagpapatayo tayo ng maraming branch. In that way, kahit hindi natuloy ang pangako natin na mag-aaral ng business Ad. ay para na rin tayong nakapag-aral talaga, since we are managing business. I am the president and you are my vice president."