My Girl Sunday by Rose Tan

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

I’VE GOT nothing on my mind,
Nothing to remember, nothing to forget.
I’ve nothing to regret...
But I’m all tied up on the inside,
No one knows quite what I got
But I know it on the outside,
What I used to be, I’m not anymore...

Tuwing umaga ay pinakikinggan ni Aris ang awiting iyon at sinasabayan sa isip. But this morning, he was tired of it. Pagod na siya sa katititig sa kawalan. He thought he could find peace in this place. He thought sailing could erase all the pain. Ngunit pakiramdam niya, kapag nasa dagat siya, ay pinagtatawanan pa rin siya ng buong mundo. He didn’t care.

Maraming beses na niyang sinabi sa sarili na wala na siyang pakialam. He made a choice. He walked this road to set himself free, but he found out that he had gone on the wrong direction. He hated it when he made a wrong decision. Pinatay niya ang CD player sa pamamagitan ng remote control at tumindig. Nagtataka siya kung bakit hindi pa dumarating ang kape niya.

I’M STUPID. Dumb. Bubbleheaded, wika ni Sunday sa sarili habang iniaakyat ang kape. Hindi dapat makahalata ang kanyang amo na hindi talaga siya maid, kaya desidido siyang magtanga-­tangahan. Nakita naman kaagad niya ang double door. At sa sobrang excitement niyang makita ang itsura ng kanyang amo, nawala tuloy sa isip niya ang kumatok sa pinto. Paa pa ang ginamit niya para itulak ito.

“Aayyy!” tili niya. Kasabay ng pag-­angat ng paa niya ay ang biglang pagbukas ng pinto. Diretso siyang bumunggo sa isang tila pader, ngunit dahil sa lakas ng impact, pati “iyon” ay nabuwal.

“Estupida!” sigaw ng “pader.” Nanlilisik sa kanya ang mga mata.

Natulala si Sunday. Nakadapa siya sa ibabaw ng pader, halos kadikit ng mukha nito ang mukha niya. The pores and the stubbles were magnified, she just stared at him wide-­eyed.

“Get off me, bitch!” sigaw muli ng “pader” na nasa ilalim niya.

Napaawang lang ang bibig ni Sunday. Pati naman si Aris ay natigilan. Napatitig sa bibig ng estupidang maid. And she wanted me to kiss her! His mind screamed.

“Get off me!” he hissed.

Napaatras ang mukha ni Sunday at automatic na naupo. Ooh! She reacted before realizing where she was sitting!

“I don’t believe this!” wika ni Aris. “You’re not stupid! I’ve got a nympho in my house!”

Doon natauhan si Sunday. She was astriding him. At sa kadahilanang hindi niya maipaliwanag, parang ayaw niyang umalis sa kinauupuan. Kanina ay parang naghihingalo lamang iyon, ngayon ay tila buhay na buhay. Pumipintig pa!

“I’m not a nympho!” bulalas niya.

“Then why can’t you get off me!” Natigilan si Aris. His maid just spoke to him in English!

Napagtanto naman ni Sunday ang nangyari.

Mabilis siyang tumindig. “P-pasensya na po, Sir,” aniya.

Naupo si Aris. “Who are you?” he asked.

“S-­si Ingga po. Bagong maid, at your service.” She bowed.

Kunot ang noo ni Aris. “Where’re you from?”

Mabilis namang nakaisip ng sagot si Sunday.

“Dati po akong katulong sa Clark, Amerikano ang amo ko,” aniya.

That explains it, ani Aris, ang tinutukoy ay ang pagsalita nito ng English. Still, hindi maalis sa isip nito na may mali. Hinagod nito ng tingin si Sunday and he had to admit, the new maid was pretty. Her jeans hugged her hips ang legs like second skin, and her waist was so tiny. But her face was something else. Defiant. Yes, that was the word. Small chin. Slightly upturned nose. Pouting lips like she was perpetually having a tantrum.