Perfect Timing

[19] Decisions

"O, ba't gising pa kayo?" I asked the guys when I saw them waiting at the couch. I have just said goodbye to Sam after we had 'the talk.'

"Hinihintay ka namin," said Ben. "Nag-aalala kasi kami kay Sam. Kumusta na sya?"

"She's better now. At least before I left, she was smiling already."

"And?" prompted Ben again, truly the most concerned of the lot.

"And that's it. Just... let Sam tell you what happened in her own time. I don't think it's right na ako ang magkwento sa inyo ng nangyari. It's Sam's tale to tell, not mine."

"Pero..." Rich started then quited down when I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Dei, hindi mo naman siguro kami masisisi kung mag-alala kami at magtanong sa iyo. Kaibigan din naman nya kami," Ryan, the most emotional of the three countered, sounding hurt at the fact that I wouldn't share what Sam and I talked about.

I sighed and answered, "Ganito na lang. Something nasty did happen. Sam is no longer with her fiancé. Pero for the details, wait for Sam to share it. Is that better?"

"Anong ginawa ng boyfriend nya? Gagong yun! Pupuntahan ko sya sa Amerika para lang mabigyan yan ng leksyon!" Ben burst out in anger.

I rolled my eyes at Ben and said, "O, hindi pa nga ninyo alam ang buong istorya, ganyan ka na. Kalma lang."

"Bakit, may chance ba na may ginawa din si Sam kaya sya pinaiyak ng gagong yun? Kahit ano pa gawin ng girlfriend mo, di ka dapat papatol. Bakla lang ang pumapatol sa babae!" Ben continued his rant, his cheeks flushed in anger.

I sighed and was about to respond when Rich stepped in. "Pare, tama na. Pagod na tayong lahat, wag na tayo magpadala sa init ng ulo. Sabi nga ni Dei, yaan na natin si Sam ang magkwento sa atin ng buo."

I looked at Rich and smiled in gratitude for his help. He smiled to show off his dimple then winked at me.

Umm, what are we talking about again?

"...pasensya na ha. Sige matulog na nga tayong lahat. Maaga pa tayo sa trabaho bukas," Ben concluded as he stood up. I truly didn't get the first part of what he said. My brain and body must truly be more tired than I thought.

I was about to enter my room when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My heart sped up a bit (na-surprise lang ako, pramis) and heaved a sigh when I saw that it was Ben.

"Dei, pwedeng sumabay sa inyo ni Sam bukas? Um, maaga din naman kasi ako kailangan sa opisina bukas. Pwedeng taxi na tayo tatlo. Ako na magbabayad."

"Ah, okay lang naman. Better nga yun kasi makakapag-drive thru pa for breakfast. Wala na akong energy magluto ng breakfast bukas e," I replied.

To my surprise, Ben hugged me tight and whispered, "Thank you for taking care of Sam."

"Um, okay, sure. No problem. We're a family here," I replied as I patted his back awkwardly. I stepped back after a few seconds and smiled at him as he turned to go into his room.

My shoulders slumped in relief as soon as he left.  Hay salamat, now I can rest.

But before I can turn to go back inside my room, Rich went out from their room and approached me. Oh Lord, what is it now?

"Rich, pwedeng bukas na lang kung ano yung itatanong mo sakin? Pagod na---" He stopped my tirade with a finger on my lips. What the hell?!?

My eyes widened with his first action but they widened even further when he held my hand and turned it over, palm-up. "Lagyan natin ng ointment yung paso mo kanina. Baka kasi mamaga o magpaltos."

He remembered my burn from earlier! Wag kang kiligin, wag kang kiligin. Wag. Kang. Kikiligin!!!

He gently spread the salve on the parts that were singed. I forced myself to keep still and stared elsewhere to distract myself from the feel of his fingers on my hand.

Uy, asan na yung white hair nya? Wow, nagpa-dye!
Hmm, ano kayang grado ng salamin nya?
Ay! Wag nga pala hihinga ng malalim, ayan naamoy mo na naman pabango nya!
Cute talaga yung dimple nya; lumalalim habang nagco-concentrate sya sa ginagawa nya.

"Ayan! Tapos na! Wag na nating balutin sa gasa. Mas mabilis gagaling nang ganyan. Bukas uli, lagyan natin ha?" he said with a bedimpled smile.

Uh, repeat this again tomorrow?!? No way José!

"Ah, ako na lang maglalagay bukas. Baka nga okay na rin ito bukas. The healing powers of sleep and all that di ba? Speaking of sleep, antok na talaga ako so pasok na ako ha?

"Thank you nga pala ulit for the help earlier. Sa food saka sa pagpapakalma kay Ben. Masyado affected si Sir, kung di lang ako sure na faithful yan sa girlfriend nya, iisipin ko may crush yan kay Sam e," I ended my monologue on an uneasy laugh.

"Hindi naman dahil may girlfriend na ang tao, hindi na pwedeng magka-crush. Pwede pa rin yun. As long as walang gagawin para mang-two time, okay lang yan."

Wow ha, sa dami ng sinabi ko, yun lang talaga sinagot nya.

"Cute mo, Rich," I teased him. "Pinagtatanggol mo talaga si Ben ha. San ba galing yan, personal experience?"

"Goodnight, Dei. Sweet dreams," was his only response.

Before anyone else could stop and talk to me, I went inside my room and locked the door. I sighed in relief. Finally, I can already sleep!

I lie down on my rollaway bed and stared up the ceiling. And then I suddenly remembered... KIM! Oh good Lord, we were supposed to talk tonight but then the fiasco with Sam and her boyfriend happened and, and...

Grabbing my phone on the side of the bed, I opened it and found 20 new messages and 10 missed calls! Shoot!

I quickly read through his messages - the first few were asking how I was doing and what time was our call. Then the tone became worried after I didn't respond. The last one was already frantic and that's when the missed calls started.

I quickly send him a text message telling him that I had to help Sam through an issue and left my phone in the room. I apologized profusely for missing our "date" and promised to make it up to him tomorrow night.

Within a few minutes my phone beeped with an incoming message.

KIM
K lng, no prob. Glad nothing bad happened to u. Make it up to me? Go out with me on a daytrip on Saturday - I'll visit you there. Yes?

Aarrgh! I promised Sam that I'll go with her on Saturday and go on a girls' day out. I can't say no to either of them - what do I do?