GIRL FRIDAY (Completed)

Chapter 43 - Restraint

Good morning my dears. Monday coding situation again so I'm posting early as usual. Hope you all had a good weekend and are raring to face the workweek.  Still on a holiday mode, our couple is enjoying their time together, and the issue of Clive has not been brought up yet. I know some of you want me to draw blood for what he did to Maine and that will come in the next few chapters. 

For now, let's just allow Richard and Maine to enjoy each other's company, away from the usual restraint they need to pull up in the office. They will, however, be faced with a different kind of restraint in this chapter. Read on and find out what that is. 

We're now #2, can't believe it! Thanks for reading up to this point, hope I keep you engaged with the future chapters :)

What was a source for worry to Maine's mother was good news for both Maine and Richard. Their house had only four bedrooms; the master's bedroom used by Maine's parents but now turned into a guest room for AirBnB, the boys' room for Dean and Nico, the girls' room for Maine and Nicole, and the guest room for Nikki and her husband, when they were still living in Bataan.

The boys'room had only two beds and adding another bed for Richard to sleep there was not possible. Nikki and her family were now staying in the new guest room because it was the only room that could fit baby Matti's crib. Maine's mother and Nicole were now sharing the old guest room, which contained one double bed only. With the way things were, Richard's only logical sleeping quarters would have to be Maine's room, which was, of course, a source of concern for her mother.

"RJ, anak, pasensya na ha, puno ang bahay eh. Hindi kita mabigyan ng sarili mong kuwarto. Hindi naman kasya si Maine sa kuwarto ko kasama ni Nicole, isa lang kasi kama doon. So, wala akong choice kung hindi patulugin ka sa room ni Maine na kasama siya. 'Nak, may tiwala ako sayo ha. May folding bed naman kasi diyan na pwede kong ipalagay sa room, pero pag sarado na pinto at tulog na kami, ang dali naman para sa inyo na magtabi na lang sa kama."

"Nay namaaaan nakakahiya."

"Hoy don't you 'Nay namaaaaan' me. Nanay mo ako at gusto ko lang naman liwanagin ang mga bagay-bagay. If gusto niyong magtabi sa pagtulog, may magagawa ba ako? Nasa tamang age na kayo pareho so bahala kayo. Umaasa na lang ako na magiging responsible adults kayo. Kasi RJ, kung mabuntis mo si Maine—"

"Juskooo. Tama na po. Hindi po namin ginagawa yun. Pwede niyo pa po akong ipagmalaki. At mabait si RJ, malakas ang self-control niya."

"Ay naniniwala ako don, ikaw actually ang ikinakaba ko eh."

"Grabe ka sakin, 'nay."

"Oh? Bakit, mali ba ako? Ang baba kaya ng EQ mo. Kaya RJ, ikaw na ang bahala ha? Kayanin mo ang control."

"Wala na, wala na akong mukhang ihaharap kay RJ. Binenta mo na ko, 'nay."

"Sus. Sige na, mag-a-alas dose na. Ayusin na natin yung mesa. Sina Nico I'm sure nasa labas nagpapailaw na. Maine, dalhin mo muna si RJ doon, pasamahin mo kina Nico."

While Richard, Nico and Dean were installing the fireworks, Maine and her mom were busy in the kitchen, while Nicole was setting the table. Five minutes before twelve, they all went out of the house to watch the fireworks. As the countdown started, Richard pulled her close to his side. They all started reciting the countdown, and as they all yelled Happy New Year, Maine felt it was surreal that she was pulled into Richard's arms and kissed on the lips right in front of her family.