Territorio de los Hombres 1: Burt Sullen (Published by PHR, COMPLETED)

Chapter 19

NASA waiting area ng NAIA si Fate. Kanina pa siya roon. Ang hiling niya, sana mag-boarding na. Hindi na rin naman siguro siya maghihintay nang matagal. In fifteen minutes, malamang puwede na siyang sumakay sa eroplano.

She felt so sad, so miserable. Ang unang plano niya nang magpunta sa Pilipinas ay gantihan lang si Burt. Pero bakit siya pa ang naisahan nito? Life was so unfair. Burt was so unfair.

Mayamaya ay sinabi na nga sa PA system na boarding na. Isa si Fate sa naunang pumila. Napapitlag pa siya nang may humawak sa kanyang braso. Nang lumingon ay nakita niya si Burt. Pawis na pawis ito, hinahapo.

"What are you doing here?" malamyang tanong niya.

"Can I talk to you?"

"No. You hurt me enough. Hindi ka pa ba masaya?" Inabot na niya ang ticket sa ground attendant.

Biglang lumuhod si Burt doon mismo. Ipinagdikit pa nito ang mga kamay. "Please, please, Fate?"

"What...? For God's sake, stand up! Jeez!" Napilitan siyang umalis ng pila at harapin ito. Hindi tumayo si Burt. Nakaluhod pa rin ito at pinagtitinginan na sila ng mga tao. "Stand up. Don't make a scene."

"I deserve to kneel here. I've been so stupid."

"Yes, you have."

"No, you don't understand. I thought, I thought you gave Antonio head."

Napalinga agad siya sa paligid. Napatingin ang ibang pasahero sa kanila, lalo na ang mga banyaga. Mukhang interesado pa ngang makinig ang iba.

"I'm not gonna get sucked into this, Burt, I'm telling you!" Tinalikuran uli ito ni Fate pero nahagip nito ang kanyang kamay.

"It's true." Bago pa ito makapagsalita uli ay hinigit na niya ito patayo at palayo sa mga tao. Baka kung ano pa ang sabihin ni Burt, nakakahiya.

"Ang kapal talaga ng mukha mo, ano? Gusto mo na naman akong ipahiya. What is it about me that makes you—" Natigil sa pagsasalita si Fate nang halikan siya ni Burt. But she was so angry she pushed him away. "I'm gonna call airport police unless you leave!"

"Fate, I love you. But I heard you and Antonio talking the day after we made love." Iyon lang at mabilis na ipinaliwanag ng binata ang mga pangyayari na parang kung hindi ito magsasalita nang mabilis ay aalis na siya. Nang matapos si Burt ay nasampal niya ito.

"How dare you!"

"I deserved that. And yes, I've been so stupid. You're right."

"I cannot believe you actually thought all that, you dirty-minded son of a gun."

"I know. I'm sorry. Please, don't go."

"How could you?!"

"You're so perfect, you know. And me, I'm just me. I mean, not a lot of people respect models. Most people think we're stupid and they're probably right, considering the way I acted. I don't have great excuses. All I have on my defense is that I'm dumb and that I got insanely jealous. Jealousy and being dumb, it's not exactly a good combination. And yeah, add insecurity to the list." Lumaylay ang mga balikat ni Burt kasabay ng pagbuntong-hininga. "Well, with all that, I guess I've been dumb again to think I could ask you to stay, huh?"

"You got insecure about your 'banana'?" ang tanging nasabi ni Fate mayamaya. How could Burt possibly be insecure about that? He was so well-endowed. Napabungisngis na siya. "Oh, you're so dumb!"

"I know."

"And you got jealous." Napangiti siya.

"Yeah."

"And you love me."

"Yes."

"And I love you."

"What?"

"I love you, dumb ass."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Pinandilatan na niya ito. "I think this is the point where you hug me and kiss me and tell me you won't ever do that again?"

Napangiti na si Burt. He hugged her, kissed her, and told her: "I will trust you with all my heart. And I will try my best to stop being stupid. Oh, I love you so much, Fate."

"You're not stupid. You were, but you're really not. You're smart. You only got jealous because you're so in love with me." Mayabang na ang asta ni Fate. Nagsimula na namang tumulo ang luha sa kanyang mga pisngi. Ikinulong niya ang mukha ni Burt sa kanyang mga kamay. "And I'm so in love with you."

"I'll make it up to you."

"How about Rosanne? I don't want to see her face anymore."

"You won't. She resigned. Got an offer somewhere. And I only kissed her that one time. Ain't no good compared to you. Phew!"

Napahagikgik siya at niyakap ito nang mahigpit. She was overjoyed.

"I thought people were gonna applaud us or something. Didn't happen," sabi ni Burt habang magkaakbay silang nagpunta sa airline counter.

Napahagikgik uli si Fate. She had her bags delivered to Territorio once they arrived again. Pagkatapos niyon ay magkaakbay pa rin silang lumabas ng airport, parehong nangingiti. May kotseng naghihintay sa kanila sa labas.

"So, how's Mr. Banana Man?" tanong niya, saka malakas na natawa.

"Why you...! Don't worry your pretty head, you'll see him tonight."

"Oh, will I?"

"Tonight and every night we're married."

"Burt?"

"Yes, I will marry you. You've got another thing coming if you think I won't."

That was having her cake and eating it, too. Life was beautiful.

***WAKAS***