My Heart Is Yours

Chapter 72

When they arrived in Manila, they've decided to inform both their parents immediately. The drive home was strained, with Richard turning paler as they neared their home. Maine reached out and placed her hand on top of Richard's hand that was holding the gear shift.

"You seemed nervous, RJ," she said as she squeezed his hand.

"Because I am."

"We're not announcing that were engaged, RJ," Maine giggled as she tried to lighten the mood. "We're just telling our parents that we're together."

"It oddly feels like the former," Richard sighed. "God, we're just telling them we're together and I already feel like this. I could see it now, I'll be a total wreck when I ask you to marry me. I never feel like this when I play at Gian Carlos. It's really unsettling."

"Why?" She asked. "You know how much my parents like you."

"It's different now, Maine," he replied, taking a quick glance at her. "You're my girlfriend. And honestly, I'm just afraid how Tito Ted would react. It was only last week that we've confirmed that I was courting you. We come back a week later and I'm your boyfriend now."

"Should I not have said yes to you then?" She remarked, worry etched in her face.

"Please don't joke like that," Richard retorted with a sigh. "That's not what I meant. Maine, I have never been this happy in my life. You just don't know how happy you've made me when you said yes. This has been the happiest I've been since I've lost Rich. I just don't want to screw this up. I respect your parents too much. I also love you too much that I can't help but worry. You're their baby girl. They would want the best for you."

Touch by his words, Maine took his hand and kissed the back of his palm. She kept hold of his hand as she replied, "you are the best for me, RJ, and I don't want to screw this up either. But we're together in this, right? So we'll make it work. We're partners in this. A team. We'll prove every tragic, cliche, conflict driven love stories wrong."

"We can start by you agreeing that I can opt not to finish 'Twilight'," he said with a devilish smile that Maine laughed but shook her head.

"Sorry," she replied. "You promised to finish it. So you need to finish it. Where are you in the story anyway?"

"That part when the guy, Edwin, stopped going to school," he answered.

"It's Edward and you're a slow reader," Maine pouted and withdrew her hand from his. "How many pages do you read in a day anyway?"

"I read other books aside from 'Twilight', Maine," reasoned Richard. "I finished 'Inferno' before we left for Sao Paolo. And I've started reading 'Fire and Ice' series and Gaiman's 'Norse Mythology'. I can only take reading 'Twilight' a few paragraphs at a time. The longest I've read was when I visited Rich."

"When was the last time you read 'Twilight'?"

"Frankfurt. And it was a sentence or two before someone knocked on my door telling me to stop reading and get some sleep."

"What is it with guys and Twilight?" She muttered but a blush started to form on her face from the memory.

"Maine," he said with a chuckle. "It's chick lit. Be scared if I actually started gushing over the book. There are really some books that's meant for girls only. I mean, really. Do you want me to start reading books by Fabio? Or maybe 'Fifty Shades'?"

Maine started laughing as she tried to imagine Richard reading those books. She just relented that he had a point but still didn't allow him to stop reading when he asked again. She reached out to hold his hand once more, trying to appease him.

They drove in silence for a while when suddenly Richard broke the silence with a question.

"Do you think our parents would impose rules on us?" He asked with a smirk as he took a quick glance at her before concentrating back on the road.

"I hope not," she replied with the same smirk. "We're not teenagers. But let's keep the PDA to a minimum when they're in the vicinity."

"Oh, how you test my willpower, Maine!" He exclaimed switching their hold so that he was now holder her hand. He gave the back of her palm a kiss keeping it in place for a few seconds longer than necessary before letting go.

"Aww...How is my RJ holding up?" She asked in a fake pout as she reached out to brush his hair with her fingers.

"Hanging by a thread, My Heart," he replied softly. "I'm hanging by a thread."

"'My Heart'?"

"I've told you I've already given you my heart, Maine," Richard explained. "You have my heart...well...you are my heart. I feel that I won't survive without you. No one survives without a heart."

She cocked her head to the side and thought about what she said before replying.

"If I'm your heart," Maine stated as she once again reached for his hand and held it with both of hers. "Then you're 'My Home'. Your heart is already home, RJ."

Maine leaned so that her head was on his shoulder, her hand resting on his lower arm but not enough to hinder him from driving. Richard stole a quick kiss on her head, then focused once more in driving.

"I love you, Heart," he said softly as if trying to test his new pet name for her.

"I love you too, Home," she replied just as softly as well.

A smiled formed on Richard's face as he continued to drive in silence, enjoying each other's comfort before they faced the inevitable.