Treatment (BxB) Completed

Thirty-six

Chapter 36

Jao

I was still at the state of shock when I went back to our table where Yvan's waiting. Nang makalapit ako sa kanya ay mukhang napansin niya agad ang pag-iba ng mood ko. Tumayo siya at hinawakan ako sa braso.

"Okay ka lang? Nakita ko si Faith palabas, nagkasalubong ba kayo?" he asked. I gulped and nodded at him. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi maganda ang pakiramdam ko sa pagbigkas ni Faith sa pangalan ni mama. Para bang kilala niya ito? Para bang minsan na silang nagsama.

Iwinaksi ko iyon sa isipan at tumingin kay Yvan.

"Umuwi na tayo," sabi ko sa kanya. Hindi naman na ito nagtanong at tumango nalang. Binayaran niya ang order namin at sinabing ite-take-out nalang namin iyon. Naghintay ako sa kotse at nang makuha na ni Yvan ang order namin ay sumunod ito agad. Nagmaneho na siya patungo ko sa condo ko matapos kong sabihin sa kanya ag address.

Buong byahe ay tahimik lang ako at nag-iisip. Nakikita kong paminsan-minsan ay napapasulyap si Yvan sa'kin ngunit hindi ito nagsasalita. Tahimik lang ito hanggang sa nakarating kami sa condo ko.

"Should we eat first?" Yvan asked, after he placed the food at the table on my living room.

"Maliligo muna ako," ani ko.

"Can I...

Kumunot ang noo ko sa kanya.

"Ano?"

"Take a bath too? Promise, ligo lang."

Kaagad na namula ang mukha ko dahil sa narinig. Naghintay si Yvan sa isasagot ko at mukhang hindi ito tatanggap ng hindi. Napaisip tuloy ako kung matagal na ba niya iyong gustong sabihin dahil mukhang hindi ito nahiya nang tanungin ako kani-kanina lang.

"S-Sige," nauutal kong sagot. I really appreciate him asking permission first, pero minsan nakakahiya dahil kailangan kong sumagot at oo ang palagi kong naisasagot sa huli.

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"Masyado bang malamig ang tubig?" Yvan and I are both in the tub. Hindi ko alam kung paano kami nagkasya na dalawa. Maybe him leaning on the tub and me leaning on him did saved a space. I am bit awkward with our situation but on the other side, I felt comfort in it. Being near him and our skin ships will never make me uncomfortable. But I won't tell him that.

"You're warm. It's fine," Yvan said. I silently nodded and rested my head on his chest. I think I might enjoy this moment to calm my mind. I can feel Yvan's breathing and then he brushed my shoulders with his hands and kissed the top of my head. He's still silent but I know he wanted to know what just happened a while ago at the restaurant.

"What was your stepmother like to you? When your father's still alive," I asked trying to start a conversation. I thought he won't answer me but he did.

"She's the same as what she is right now. The difference is that, she's bolder after my father's death." My eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"She's kind towards my father. But since she became father's second wife, she haven't showed some motherly-love towards me. Maybe because she's still young that time, younger than my mom. But later on I realized, she doesn't have any intention in becoming my mother. She's just after my father's wealth."

Napatingala ako kay Yvan. "Alam ba ng papa mo?"

He shrugged. "I guess so. Nang mamatay siya, napag-alaman namin na sa'kin halos ipinamana ni papa lahat ng pagmamay-ari niya."