Chapter Twelve
S A IILANG pagkakataong naaalala niya ang ginawa ni Millie ay hindi maaaring hindi makadama ng galit si Karl. Subalit sa pagkakataong iyon ay gusto niyang mangiti dahil ang nanatili sa isipan niya’y ang sinabi ng ama.
“ On a starry night, make one wish from your lucky star for the right girl to come along...”
At pumasok sa isip niya ang pangyayaring niyakap siya ni Lora mula sa likod at ipinasok ang mga kamay sa bulsa ng shorts niya. She had wished from a star.
A tender smile formed his lips. Did Lora really wish for something that night or the witch just wanted to have her ways with him? Ano kaya ang gagawin niya kung ang mga kamay ni Lora ay bumaba pa nang kaunti sa... well... He grinned at the thought.
“Anton Karl, are you there?”
Napabalikwas si Karl sa tinig na nagmumula sa speaker ng computer niya. Nasa monitor ang mukha ni Iris.
Mabilis siyang bumangon at naupo sa computer stool. Pressed a key and snapped, “What!”
“You gotta work on your manners, my dear.”
“Why should I work on my etiquette gayong alam kong ikaw ang nasa screen?” he asked, stretching his legs and yawning at the same time. “Gabi na, bakit gising ka pa?”
“Nagpatawag ng board meeting si Kuya Nathaniel, on Saturday. And that would be three days from now. Sa Esmeralda office. Nag-aambang mag-strike ang union sa processing plant sa Laguna. Ipa-fax ko sa iyo ang mga tatalakayin. I cannot cover your gorgeous butt anymore, my dear, kung hindi ka darating.”
“Dammit, Iris! I’m on leave!”
“Up until two days ago. At kung iniisip mong mag-extend, no way, baby. Your father will slash my neck. Where are you, anyway?”
He sighed, flexed the muscles in his back and shoulders. “Two miles off Romblon coast...”
“Matapos mong ihatid sa Anilao si Krista at ang mga guest niya, sino ang nakatalilis pabalik sa yate?”
He couldn’t help feeling amused. “Paano mong natiyak na may kasama ako sa yate?”
Humalakhak si Iris at pagkuwa’y, “I was five years old when you were born, Karl. I knew you too much para hindi ko malaman ang bawat kilos at galaw mo.”
“Damn you, Iris...” he said, half amused, half irritated.
“Ouch.” Iris pretended to be hurt, pagkuwa’y mabilis na idinagdag, “Now who’s the lucky woman? Paano siya nakalusot? Itinago mo ba siya sa closet mo habang abala sa mga bisita niya si Krista?”
“Nakilala ko siya sa gitna ng laot...”
“Oww.” Umangat ang kilay nito. “A mermaid! Gaano kahaba ang buntot at paano ba nakikipag-make love ang half fish-half human?”
Malakas na humalakhak si Karl. “You’re incorrigible. But kidding aside, sa laot ko talaga siya nakilala. A boat rower. An educated boat rower from somewhere in Calapan who’s great interest is photography. She transported local and foreign tourists to and fro the islands.” Ikinuwento niya ang paraan ng pagtatagpo nila ni Lora.
“My god, Anton Karl!” manghang bulalas ni Iris. “Kahit ba naman sa laot sinusundan ka ng babae! Sigurado ka bang hindi sirena iyan?”
Muling humalakhak si Karl. “I invited her to sail with me. And mind you, isinama niya ang matandang tiyahin niya. Descendant ni Tandang Sora...”
“Why, that boat rower must be something para maakit ang atensiyon mo! And, my dear, a legion of aunts couldn’t stop you from doing your wicked ways with any woman.”
Karl smiled. “She’s pretty and unaffected... with a killer smile and peaches and cream complexion sa kabila ng trabahong nasa dagat lagi. But you know me, I’m scared of young virgins...”
“Oh!” Iris exclaimed genuinely. Tuluyang napukaw ang interes.
“And this young virgin’s a dreamer...” patuloy ni Karl, “believed in love, in marriage before sex stuff... and yet,” he paused, his smile gone and then added drily, “she likes rich men... awed by the luxury she saw at the yacht.”
“I was awed by your ship, too... and I love the luxuries money can offer... And with my heart’s condition, I couldn’t imagine being poor, darling.”
“Shut up. Maliban sa pangalan ko’y hindi niya ako kilala. Sinabi kong kaibigan ko ang may-ari ng yate at na naka-leave ako...”
“Why, that’s even more interesting!”
“At wala akong intensiyong makipagkilala. At least, for once, may babae akong kasama na hindi nakatingin sa salaping nakabalot sa pamilya.”
Patamad na nagbuntong-hininga si Iris. “There he goes again.” She rhymed the words. “You’re turning to be a bore, Karl.” She faked a yawn.
“And if I’m honest, Iris,” patuloy ni Karl. Undaunted by her mild sarcasm. “I am thoroughly enjoying this wench’s company. I just wish to hell I could seduce her to my bed,” he said, and was surprised by the heat that flowed his body at the thought of Lora in his bed.
“Well, why not marry that wench and have your ways with her and divorce her after twenty-four hours,” wika nito na sinabayan ng malakas at malutong na halakhak. It was a common joke between the two of them.
“Tsk... tsk... you’re bad, Iris. Very bad...”
“Anyway, I want you to sail back home pronto. You’ve missed two board meetings in the past. At kapag hindi ka nakarating ngayon, there’d be hell to pay with your father.”
“That board meeting be damned!”
“Oh, I know you’re joking. Ciao .” At nawala sa screen ang mukha nito.
Isang buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ni Karl at bumalik sa higaan. Iniunan ang dalawang braso at nakatitig sa kisame. Laman pa rin ng isipan ang anyo ni Lora. Now the pain in his neck moved lower... even lower to his groin.
He sighed. He needed a bath in the middle of the night.
Dinampot niya ang intercom at kinausap ang kapitan at sinabing pauwi na sila. Ibinaba niya ang intercom at lumabas patungo sa deck. Sinalubong siya ng haplos ng malamig na hangin, sapat upang maalis ang init na nararamdaman.
Now what?
Well, ibababa niya pagdating sa Batangas port si Lora, o sa Calapan, kung doon man nito gustong magpahatid. End of story... end of adventure...
Subalit may bahagi ng dibdib niya ang tumututol sa gusto niyang mangyari. Hindi siya makapaniwalang may mararamdaman siyang panghihinayang kung sakaling maputol na sa pagdaong sa pier ang pagkikita nila.
After Lydia and Millie, he had sworn that one woman was as good as another.
But since meeting Lora, he felt that something in him was transformed. And he didn’t know why it seemed this young virgin scared a hell out of him.
The witch intrigued him. And definitely he was attracted to her. The attraction was physical, walang duda sa bagay na iyon. But there was something else, something too powerful to be labeled desire.
Tumingala siya sa kalangitan. The sky was magnificent in its starry splendor.
On a starry night, wish upon a star...
“Oh, come on...” He shook his head and smiled at the same time. Muling tinalunton ang daan pabalik sa cabin.
NAMAMANAAG pa lang ang araw sa likod ng mga bundok na natatanaw ni Lora sa ibayo ng karagatan ay maaga pa rin siya nagising. Iniwan niyang tulog si Tiya Lagring sa cabin nila. Gusto niyang salubungin ang pagsikat ng araw. Wondering what a new day would bring?
Though hills and mountains were almost the same she knew they were sailing back. Isang buntong-hininga ng panghihinayang ang pinakawalan niya. Mamayang makapananghali’y nasa Calapan na sila. And what now? Doon na ba matatapos ang pagkikilala nila ni Karl?
May pait siyang naramdaman na gumuhit sa dibdib niya. If she could make a wish, just one wish, she would stop the time. I-freeze iyon at manatili siyang naroroon kasama si Karl.
Tumingin siya sa madilim-dilim pang kalangitan.
Stars hang suspended above a floating yellow moon... Then came the sunrise fading the moon and stars from sight recalling always our wonderland by night...
She smiled sadly. Sana’y naging iba ang sirkumstansiya ng pagtatagpo nila ni Karl. Sana’y naging kapitbahay na lang nila ito... s ana’y nakilala niya sa travel agency... sana... sana...
KARL watched her silently. Nang pumanhik si Lora sa deck a couple of minutes ago ay ni hindi nito napuna na naroroon lang siya sa bahaging madilim, sa likod ng posteng pinagkakapitan ng staysail. Gusto sana niyang ipaalam dito na naroroon siya kung hindi lang sa pagnanais niyang tahimik na mapagmasdan ito.
His senses were full of her. Nakikita niya ang banayad na haplos ng hangin sa buhok nito, he saw the tendril curls behind her nape. At tila dinadala ng hangin patungo sa kanya ang samyo ni Lora. She smelled of rose water and of powder, and more verdant scent that was uniquely her own.
And she still wore his jacket. He groaned inwardly, wishing he were that jacket. Ano na nga ba iyong linya sa kanta ni Bryan Adams? I wanna be your lipstick when you lick it... I wanna be your underwear...
He grinned at the naughty lyrics of the song. And then he moved without any sound and walked towards her.
Napalingon si Lora nang maramdaman ang presensiya ni Karl.
“Karl!”
Hindi sumagot si Karl. Sa halip ay inilagay ang forefinger nito sa ilalim ng baba niya at itinaas iyon. Lora drew in a soft gasp as Karl gazed into her eyes passionately.
“Lorabelle.” He spoke her name and it sounded sweeter than music. Then Karl’s arms went around her.
And with a swift motion, Karl put his mouth over hers. Sa bilis nito’y hindi nabigyan si Lora ng pagkakataong makapagprotesta. Kung gusto man nga niyang magprotesta. She revelled the feel of him on her lips, his breath sweet around her, and his warmth stealing into her bones.
She could feel her nipples had tightened, pressing against the soft fiber of her cotton blouse. Then her tongue touched his and the kiss between them took on a life of its own.
Their mouths meshed together perfectly. Lora’s kiss was chaste, but there was a seductive quality to it. Napaungol si Karl. Hinapit siyang mahigpit. And he hardened. And a need, ang uring hindi pa nito naramdaman kailanman, welled up inside of him for more... and more... and more.
Every muscle, every fiber of Karl’s being urged him to lift her in his arms, rip her blouse off, unsnap her pants and bury himself deep inside her. His hand moved to her breast and cupped it.
Lora moaned deliciously. She was lost and would have given him more, kung hindi sa biglang pag-uga ng yate na nagpabalik sa matinong kaisipan ni Lora.
Their lips broke contact. She pulled away, at may katalinuhang pinakawalan ni Karl ang dalaga.
Napasandal sa barandilya si Lora. Habang si Karl ay nanatiling nakatitig sa kanya. His heart was racing. Dear lord, but he had never felt desire of that force.
Si Lora’y dinama ang mga labi, which were already slightly swollen from Karl’s kiss.
“You drove me wild...” usal ni Karl.
“W-why are we doing this, Karl?” She was confused. Kahit si Nelson sa loob ng anim na buwan nilang magkasintahan ay hindi niya nabigyan ng ganitong pagkakataong hagkan siya... sa ganitong paraan.
“You mean kissing? We’ve been doing it since you first came aboard. And everytime we kissed, I lost control.” Humakbang itong muli palapit kay Lora hanggang sa gadangkal na lang ang pagitan nila. “Can’t you feel that there’s something between us, Lora?”
She turned to watch the sun rose slowly from behind the mountains.
“That ‘something’ for me, Karl, is love. I must be falling in love with you,” she said softly. Her eyes meeting his gaze. If there was a flicker of surprise in Karl’s eyes, he hid it well. “At hindi ko alam kung ano ang kahulugan ng ‘something’ para sa iyo. It could be purely sex and nothing more... and a one-night stand isn’t my cup of tea. I hope you understand.”
“I could feel there’s something between us, Lora, though I don’t know what. But I do know that I must see you again or I will go mad.”
Nabuhayan siya ng pag-asa. Kung totoo sa loob ni Karl ang sinasabi nito’y magkikita silang muli.
“Then that something must be madness, Karl.” She smiled. Gusto niyang ibalik sa biruan ang namagitan. Tama nang malamang maaari pa silang magkita.
“Madness. Yes,” sang-ayon nito at nagbuntong-hininga. Tinanaw ang kapaligiran. Unti-unti nang sumisikat ang araw. Pagkatapos ay muling tinitigan si Lora. “We’re sailing back. I received a message last night. May meeting ang b—ang sales department sa Sabado at kailangang naroon ako.”
Nakita ni Karl ang panghihinayang at pagtutol sa mga mata ni Lora. He smiled and ran the pad of his thumb across her lower lip. “I will see you again.”
“Will you really?” may pag-aasam niyang tanong.
Bago pa makasagot si Karl ay narinig na nilang pareho ang mga yabag ng tsinelas ni Tiya Lagring papanhik. Parehong natuon sa hagdanan ang mga mata nila.
He pulled her and stole a kiss. “I promise.” At muli siyang pinakawalan. “Later, I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh. What is it?” she asked curiously.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I tell you. Huwag kang mainip, bago ka bumaba’y ibibigay ko sa iyo.”
“Lorabelle!” s i Tiya Lagring na sumungaw mula sa hagdan. “Bakit kay aga-aga’y kasama mo rito sa itaas ang lalaking iyan? At iyang jacket, bakit hindi mo pa isinasauli?”
Hinubad ni Lora ang jacket. “Isinasauli ko na nga ho...”
Karl took his jacket from her. “Magandang umaga, Tiya Lagring,” ani Karl at tinanguan ang matanda habang lumalakad patungo sa hagdanan. “Hihintayin ko ho kayong pareho sa almusal.” Then as he turned, dinala nito sa ilong ang jacket, inhaling her scent na tila nagiging pamilyar na sa kanya.