Tamed by the Billionaire (LOB series #2)

Chapter 7

Pumunta ako sa lugar na sinabi ni Edwin. I found him sitting and looking nervous. Well, I'm nervous too. Sa tagal ng relasyon naming dalawa, ngayon lang ako kinabahan ng ganito.

"Hi." Bati ko ng makalapit ako sa kanya. He stood up at pinaghila ako ng upuan. That's a good sign right? Dahil kung wala na siyang pakealam hindi niya yun gagawin. But then again, Edwin's a true gentleman. "Thanks."

"I already ordered our dinner. Is that alright?" Tumango ako. Unang beses ito nangyari dahil palaging ako ang pinapa-order niya ng pagkain kapag nagde-date kami. Yun lang ang sinabi niya pagkatapos ay hindi na kami nag-imikan. Hanggang sa dumating ang order namin.

"How have you been doing Jaqie?" He started. I forced a smile.

"Fine, I guess. You?" Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at ilang segundog hindi umimik. He sighed.

"I missed you." Pinakawalan ko na ang hindi ko namalayan na pinipigilan ko na palang hininga. I held his hand and smiled.

I didn't say anything and just smiled at him and he smiled back.

Nagkwentuhan kami ng nangyari sa amin this past few days, nagtawanan, nag-asaran. He told me about his patients, Ed's an  anesthician doctor in Wrights Medical Hospital. Until I remembered something..

"I saw you and Brenda a while ago." Para naman siyang natigilan sa sinabi ko. Is it me or he looked nervous for a second?

"She was a good companion." Yun lamang ang sinabi niya, but then he smiled at me na parang sinsabing wala yun. I believe him so I shrugged it off and ate. A second later he said, "I'm going tomorrow."  Kaya napaangat ang tingin ko sa kanya.

"To where?" I asked. Parang kakaayos lang namin ngayon tapos sasabihin niyang aalis na agad siya.

"To a seminar in Singapore. We'll stay there for a month. I'll be with my co-doctors." For a month?! He held my hand. "Kinausap kita ngayon dahil ayokong umalis ng hindi tayo nagkaka-ayos. I'll call you, okay?"

"Ed," I took a deep breath. Ito ang gusto kong itanong sa kanya. "Are we still, okay?" He hasn't been contacting me so I'm not so sure about us.

"I... don't know, Jaqie. I just think we still need some time, you know, a cool off. We need it to think our feelings through." I already know that we're on a rocking boat that's why I wanted it to be clear. Tumango nalang ako sa kanya. Then I asked, "What time is your flight?"

"5 am. Baka hindi na kita madaanan bukas. You understand me right?" Tinitigan niya ako sa mata. Maybe this time I should be the one to understand him, and besides it's for work. After that we just talked. Nag-enjoy akong ka-usap siya, I really missed his presence.

"Thank you, Ed." I said. Gusto niya sana akong ihatid but I brought my car, to be sure you know. You'll never know what'll happen. Mabuti na yung handa.

"Goodnight, Jaqie." He kissed a smack on my cheek. I smiled at him.  It was a bit awkward. Pagkatapos ay naghiwalay na kami ng daan.

Tinignan ko lang siya habang nakatalikod at naglalakad palayo.  I actually thought it will be us in the end. We've been a good companion to each other for years, but I guess he's right, we need to rethink our feeling through because as much as I wanted to feel said. I do not. I only feel... more alone now.

Napakunot noo ako ng may makita akong lalaki na naka-higa sa grass sa tabi ng gate namin. Tumingin ako sa loob ng bahay at nakitang wala ng bukas na ilaw maliban sa may gate at sa may pinto. Tulog na siguro si nanay.

Nagpark na ako sa harap ng gate. Nakatira lang kami sa isang maliit na village at hindi gaanong malaki ang bahay kaya sa tapat lang ako nagpa-park. Huminga ako ng malalim at inilabas ko rin ang pepper spray na palagi kong dala. Binuksan ko na ang pinto ng kotse ko at nagsimulang tumakbo.