GENTLEMAN Series 14: Ruth Rosales

Chapter Five

He hammered his head at sinusubukang supilin ang kung ano mang bagay na nanahan sa isip niya. That Woman. The woman inside his house bugged his mind. The way how her eyes glow in excitement whatever he talked.

Dahan dahan siyang naglakad patungo sa silid niya. The door next to his room was slightly open. Due to his curiosity, he stepped forward. Sinilip niya ang loob. He slipped into the darkened room---quietly. It was Sheila's room.

He suddenly felt his blood chill when he realized the covers were thrown back and the bed was empty when he supposed, his wife had fallen asleep. The light in the bathroom connecting to his room wasn't on.

Nilingon niya ang paligid. Her bag is still on the couch. He even saw his watch placed at the top of the bedside table. But surprisingly, hindi niya ito makita sa buong apat na sulok ng silid. Alam niyang nauna itong umakyat sa kanya kanina after they had dinner. Dinner that they only ordered from the nearest restaurant from the area.

His eyes caught, when he saw some movement outside the window. A flash of white that captured his attention. His muscles tensed. Fuck! Kinapa niya ang baril na nakasukbit sa likod ng baywang. The handy gun that he'd always carried was licensed and under the authorization of the law.

He focused on the window and pushed it. "T-Trey!"

Sheila's soft voice. "Anong ginagawa mo d'yan?"

A sight of her, bewitching him by the moonlight streaming into the room that silhouetted her body beneath his white shirt. My shirt! Bakit niya suot 'yon? He doesn't want to feel the enormous attraction but it happened. Bakat sa puting damit na suot nito ang bagay na dapat ay itinatago sa kanya dahil isa siyang estranghero. She looked ethereal and too damned sexy!

"I had a bad dream," Sheila said. There's an agonizing pain in her voice. No wonder, she's still awake.

He cleared his throat. "Hindi mo na dapat iniisip ang mga masamang panaginip." He said while putting back his gun on the waist band of his pants. " You should be in bed. Hating gabi na. Hindi ka na dapat nagpupuyat."

He felt worried when he saw how she tightly close her eyes. Umakyat sa ulo nito ang dalawang kamay. Naisip niya ang kondisyon nito. The doctor said, she needs a total bed rest so that she could regain everything so easy. "Do you want some pain killer?"

Umiling ito. "No thanks. It's just a sudden headache after I had a dream."

That what she always said. Nanaginip siya. Posible bang nakakaalala na ito kaya ganoon? Posible bang bumabalik na ang mga nawalang memorya nito?

"A-Anong klaseng panaginip?" Hindi na niya naiwasang itanong. If it is about her memories, he has a concern. Because whatever she may remember ay magkakaroon ng bagay na ikakasangkot niya.

She walked back to her bed and sat down. "Airport. I.. I.. Was in the airport. A-After I checked out my luggage.. May nakita ako.."

His chest was hammering. Tila may mabigat na bagay ang dumagan doon. "S-Sinundan ako ng mga lalaking nakita ko sa p-plane. Hindi ko alam ba't ganoon ang panaginip ko. M-Marami sila, they're all wearing a black shirt. I can't recognize their faces but they're all looking at me. S-Sa parking hinabol nila ako kaya---."

"Ilan sila? Do you remember at least a little recognition about them?" Nakaramdam siya ng takot. Alam niyang may tao siyang nakasunod dito ng araw na maaksidente ito. Iyon ay ang PI na inutusan siya. But he was there and he saw na hindi malapit ang tao niya. Kaya nagtataka siya sa sinasabi nito.

Umiling ito. "I.. ---"

"It's okay. Magpahinga kana. Wag mo na pakaisipin iyon."

To be continued...