Love Me Too

Chapter 22

                                                                      ••••

Nakakailang tingin na si Lance sa kanyang relos. Sa palagay niya'y hindi na darating si Pierce. Isa't kalahating oras na simula nang ipaalam niya dito kung nasaan ang asawa pero hanggang ngayo'y wala pa rin ni anino nito. He knows what he did is a bit unethical pero sa sobrang pag-aalala niya sa attorney na baka malihis at matukso ito sa maling daan, pinilit niyang mag-isip ng paraan para mapigilan ang babae. He has no right to meddle kaya't ipinaalam niya ito sa taong mas may karapatan sa kanya.

Nasa loob siya ng sasakyan at nag-aabang sa labas ng restaurant kung saan naroroon ngayon sina Atty. De Silva at Kurt Barredo. Wala naman sana siyang balak sundan ang abogada doon. Nasa bahay lang siya maghapon habang abala sa pagrereview. Subalit nang sumapit ang dapithapon, he felt like having a break from studying. Niyaya niya si Scarlet na magdinner but she's having a group study too with some classmates. And later on, he unintentionally saw in between the pages of the book he was reading ang isang maliit na piraso ng papel. Siya ang nag-ipit nito sa libro. Napulot niya ang papel na iyon malapit sa working table ng abogada. Nakasulat dito ang araw,oras at pangala't address ng isang fine dining restaurant. It looked like a meeting appointment na dapat sana'y alam niya pero nakakapagduda dahil hindi siya ininform ng abogada. Kaya naman he intentionally kept the piece of paper.

The date says it's today and the time is 7:00pm. The restaurant is not too far from his condo kaya he decided to check the place out of curiousity. He arrived at the place at around 6:45 pm. He parked in front of the restaurant pero hindi agad siya bumaba. He had a moment of realization kung tama ba ang ginagawa niya. Isn't he becoming too protective to his boss? Maaring lumalampas na naman siya sa boundary na madalas banggitin sa kanya ng amo but he's willing to face the consequence later. His intention is for the own good of the said woman.

He was about to get out of the car pero natigilan siya nang makita ang kadarating lamang na kotse ng attorney. She parked not too far from him. Natanaw niya pa ito habang lumalabas ng sasakyan. Inunat-unat muna nito ang suot na coat, huminga ng malalim at saka naglakad papasok ng restaurant. He could see from her face na kinakabahan ito kagaya ng nararamdaman niya dahil sa iniisip na katatagpuin nito.

While watching her walked toward the restaurant, Lance felt a cut inside his chest. He channeled his thought to other things para mawala ang nararamdamang pagkadismaya. Maybe he was worried over nothing. Siguro ay makikipagkita nga lang ang abogada sa nabanggit nitong kaibigan from Singapore. Ngunit wala pang sampung minuto'y parang bigla siyang binuhusan ng mainit na tubig nang matanaw kung sino ang bagong kostumer na naglalakad papasok ng restaurant. It was none other than Kurt Barredo.

Mahigpit na napakapit ang mga kamay niya sa manibela. Nag-init ang kanyang mga pisngi. How dare that man meet with Atty. De Silva secretly after what he'd done to her? Huwag nitong sabihing muli itong nagpaparamdam para saktan at paglaruan ulit ang damdamin ng babae. He's annulment is not even done yet so he's still a married man.

His impulse told him to follow the attorney inside and take her out of the place subalit nang nasa kalagitnaan na siya ng paglalakad papasok ng restaurant, bigla niyang napagtantong wala siya sa posisyon para gawin yun. Natigilan siya at pansamantalang napaisip. The lawyer's husband Pierce came to his mind. Tinawagan niya ito ng ilang beses pero hindi naman sumasagot. He sent messages and he was thankful that he replied. He was hopeful na darating ito but after and hour of waiting unti-unti niya nang nararamdamang hindi ito sisipot. How can a husband be so calmed after hearing a news that his wife is having a date with her ex-fiance?

Samantala sa loob ng restaurant ay komportableng nag-uusap sina Clarisse at Kurt. She never expected na darating ang ganitong sandaling magiging payapa ulit ang loob niya kasama ang dating kasintahan. Malaya na siyang nakakangiti at nakakatawa sa harap nito nang walang halong pagkukunwari sa dibdib . This is maybe what the real forgiveness means.