Semper Fidelis

Untitled Part 34

"AKALA ko ay hindi mo pauunlakan ang imbitasyon," dugtong ng lalaki. She tried to smile and appear calm.

"I owe it to Lolo Claro. Kung mayroon mang isang tao na dapat magbigay sa kanya ng tribute, ako 'yun." Pakiramdam ni Sari ay nag-iba ang tinig niya. Hindi rin niya maipaliwanag kung bakit nagawa niyang pakiharapan nang maganda si Steve Rios, ngunit si Aldon ay hindi.

Magsasalita sana ulit si Aldon nang may lumapit ditong isang babae. Sa tingin ni Sari ay kasing-edad lamang niya. At kung siya ang tatanungin, hindi ito maganda. Ngunit tiyak niyang sa mga mata ng mga kalalakihan doon, kaakit-akit ang babae dahil sa masyadong prominente ang dibdib nito at balakang.

"Excuse me," anito at hinila si Aldon sa braso.

Hindi maintindihan ni Sari ang sarili sa nararamdamang inis na naghahari sa kanya. Inis na hindi niya kayang ipaliwanag. Kaparis ng iba pa niyang nararamdaman sa mga oras na iyon.

Mayamaya ay bumaling sa kanya si Aldon. "Excuse me for a while." Then as an afterthought, "Stay away from that TV man." Hindi lamang paalala ang nabasa ni Sari sa expression ni Aldon, naroon din ang pagbabanta at pag-uutos.

Kumunot ang noo ni Sari. Ano'ng karapatan ni Aldon na pakialaman ang buhay niya? At bakit siya nito inuutusan na kaparis noon?

"We're—" not married! nais niyang idugtong. Ngunit nahila na ng babae si Aldon. Sa inis ni Sari ay awtomatik na hinanap ang kinaroroonan ni Steve. Ngumiti siya nang makita ang lalaki. "Two highballs, please," aniya sa kasalubong na waiter at itinuro dito kung saan dapat dalhin ang alak.

Nilapitan niya si Steve.

"Akala ko ay nakalimutan mo na ako," anang lalaki.

"Don't be silly. You are my escort, remember?"

Hindi siya makapaniwala that she was actually flirting with him—flirting with a man she was not a bit interested in.

Mayamaya ay inilapag ng waiter ang dalawang baso ng alak sa mesa nila.

"And you know my favorite drink," wika ni Steve at itinaas ang baso. Ganoon din ang ginawa niya. "Here's to a great beginning!"

"Beginning of what?" tanong ni Sari bago inumin ang alak na parang hindi niya kayang ilapit man lang sa bibig.

"Of a long, lasting friendship," saad ng lalaki, looking straight into her eyes.

Tumawa si Sari. Sapagka't wala siyang maisip na sabihin. Wala siyang kabalak-balak na makipagkaibigan sa lalaki. At para sa kanya, pagkatapos ng gabing ito, wala na siyang pakialam kay Steve.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"

Na-straight ni Sari ang highball nang umali-ngawngaw sa paligid ang tinig ni Aldon. Nilingon niya ito, kaparis ng ginawa ng lahat ng bisita.

She felt proud for a fleeting moment. And then sad. Talking in front of them was a tough, distinguished-looking man in navy blue suit, whose stance emitted power and raw sex appeal. She was proud, sapagka't minsan ay naging bahagi ito ng buhay niya. Malungkot sapagka't hindi siya kailanman itinuring nitong bahagi.

Gayunpaman, kataka-taka ang biglang pagiging subdued ng mga ingay sa paligid nang magsimulang magsalita si Aldon. Lahat ng mga mata ay naka-focus dito. Ngunit batid ni Sari na hindi sa sinasabi ni Aldon interesado ang mga babae, young ang old, kung hindi sa lalaki mismo.

She could sense those raging hormones just looking at the ladies' faces. Lalo na kapag gumuguhit sa mukha ni Aldon iyong lopsided grin. The very smile that melted her tender heart.

No other man smiles that way, she sighed. And cursed herself because his smile did the same thing to her heart that was not so tender anymore—melting it!

She tried to look away. Ngunit bumabalik at bumabalik ang mga mata niya kay Aldon. His commanding presence made her feel like a little girl—fascinated, amazed, starstrucked.

"... and I'd like to call a lady who's been part of our family since she was eight. And she brought so much joy to my grandfather in his later years. I couldn't forget what Gramps told me when this lady turned eighteen.' He said: 'Too bad I'm past the courting years. And I said to myself, 'good for me.' Because had he been my age, wala akong kalaban-laban sa kanya..."

Nagtawanan ang ilang bisita.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Miss Sari Sideco. The brain behind S&A Advertising!"

Hindi kaagad makatindig si Sari. Nanginginig ang tuhod niya. Ngunit pinilit niya alang-alang kay Lolo Claro. She was accompanied by applause habang palapit siya sa kinaroroonan ni Aldon. It wasn't stage fright or whatever. Dahil matagal na niyang nakalimutan ang pagiging mahiyain. It was being near her ex-husband.

And she froze when he handed her the microphone.

He was wearing his wedding ring!

"Don't be nervous, I'm right behind you," bulong sa kanya ni Aldon.

The very reason I am nervous! Nais niyang isigaw sapagkat damang-dama niya ang presence ni Aldon sa likuran niya at nararamdman din niyang pinagmamasdan siya nito. Tuloy ay tumatayo ang balahibo niya sa batok!

"G-good evening..." Just do it, Sari. So you can get out of here, utos niya sa sarili. Huminga siya nang malalim bago nagpatuloy. "I was eight when Don Claro took me under his wings. I know that many people hated him. Some still hate him. Because of what he was—imposing, arrogant, unforgiving—but beneath those, he was a man. A passionate man who never had another woman after his marriage. People failed to see that part of him and he was lonely. And he needed a child's faith. A child's eyes to see him... the man that was him. I was that child. I looked up to him and adored him and loved him... because I needed him, too, for I was lonely. I needed all the love and security I could get... and he gave them all to me.

"No. He never gave me money. He was a businessman, remember?" There was laughter. Nagpatuloy si Sari. "It was love...the security of being safe—the safe knowledge that whatever happens to me, there was someone who would understand and give me comfort..." Hindi niya namamalayan ang pagpatak ng kanyang luha. Ang mga tao ay tahimik na tahimik. Lahat ay nakatitig sa kanya.

"This foundation was his dream. And I am proud to say that I am its first graduate. And to Lolo Claro..." She smiled and bit her lower lip. "... I love you and thank you very much." Ibinalik niya ang mikropono kay Aldon.

"Don't leave, Sari. I want to talk to you," bulong sa kanya ng lalaki.

"Good night," aniya at tumalikod kay Aldon, pabalik sa mesa nila ni Steve. Ang sumunod na nagsalita ay isang politiko. Ngunit hindi na interesado roon si Sari.

"I'm leaving," deklara niya kay Steve.

"Let me take you to your car," ani Steve at tumindig. Hawak ang kanyang siko na inalalayan siya nito palayo sa pagtitipon. Patungo sa kinaroroonan ng mga elevators.

Kitang-kita ni Aldon na umalis sina Sari at Steve. At naghihimagsik ang kalooban nito. Ngunit hindi niya maiwan ang party.

Damn! He was waiting for this night. Pagkatapos ay mawawala na lang si Sari na ganoon na lamang? Ngunit wala naman siyang magawa.

Sinubukan niyang habulin ang dalawa, ngunit nakapasok na ang mga iyon sa elevator. At tinawag na naman ito ng secretary nitong walang iba kung hindi ang babaing malusog ang dibdib na tumawag dito kanina.