ANG HALIK na pinagsasaluhan nina Ria at Izaak ay madaling naputol nang makarinig si Ria ng tunog ng makina ng helicopter. Parang dumaan iyon sa itaas nila. Kumawala siya sa pagkakayakap ni Izaak saka humawak sa gilid ng wooden basket at tumingala sa ulap.
“Ano `yon?” puno ng pagtataka niyang tanong nang makakita ng dalawang anino sa ulap. Parang may malapad at mahaba na nahuhulog mula sa ulap.
Ang pagtatakang nararamdaman ni Ria ay napalitan ng gulat nang makita nang malinaw kung ano iyong akala niyang nahuhulog kanina.
A tarpaulin rolled down from the helicopter. It was connected to the helicopter’s landing skid.
“What the—” Naputol ang iba pa niyang sasabihin nang malinaw na mabasa ang nakasulat sa tarpaulin. It was written in huge bold letters. “Oh, my God!” Iyon lang ang tanging nasabi ni Ria. Nasapo ang bibig sa sobrang gulat sa nabasa. “That was…” She was stunned, her heart melting at the words “So sweet.”
Marry me.
Ria came out of her reverie when she felt Izaak hugging her from behind, his chin on her shoulder.
“Ria,” masuyong sabi nito sa pangalan niya. Itinaas nito sa harap niya ang kamay na may hawak na singsing. “Will you?”
Napakurap-kurap siya at nakaawang ang mga labing humarap kay Izaak na hawak pa rin ang singsing.
“Will I what?” wala sa sariling tanong niya habang nakatitig sa singsing na hawak ng lalaki.
Ria was mesmerized by the beauty of the ring. It looked simple yet elegant and expensive.
Izaak chuckled nervously. “Ahm, will you…” Iminuwestra nito ang kamay na walang hawak na singsing sa tarpulin na ngayon ay nasa ibaba na. “Marry me?”
Her eyes darted towards the tarpaulin on the helicopter and then they returned to look at Izaak. “Sa `yo `yan?” tanong niya. Ang puso niya ay unti-unting bumibilis ang tibok, para iyong sasabog sa sobrang lakas ng kabog. “P-para sa akin `yong tanong?” Ria was shocked, stunned at the idea that it was for her.
Tumango si Izaak. “Yeah. Dapat may pangalan mo sa dulo, eh. But when Izrael sent it to me this morning from the city, walang pangalan mo sa dulo. Ayoko namang ibalik para baguhin, I’ve decided to ask you today and that’s what I’m doing.” Pagkatapos ay hinawakan nito ang kanyang kamay at inilagay sa nakabuka niyang palad ang singsing na hawak nito.
Umawang ang mga labi ni Ria. “That was for… me?”
“If you love me enough to marry me, put that ring on your finger and say `I do,” sabi ni Izaak na malamlam ang mga matang titig na titig sa kanya. “If not, well, I won’t let you go.” He inched closer to her and caressed her cheek. “I love you, Ria. Gusto kong makasiguro na akin ka na talaga, na hindi mo ako ipagpapalit sa iba. I know that being my fiancée won’t guarantee that you won’t leave me if you want, but I just want to ease my heart that’s so scared of losing you. Natatakot ako na maagaw ka ng iba, na baka iwan mo ako, na baka dumating ang araw na hindi mo na ako mahal—”
“Izaak?”
He stilled, nervousness was written on his face. “Yes, baby?”
“Stop talking.” Masuyo niyang inilapat ang mga labi sa mga labi nito saka bumulong. “And yes, Izaak. I do.”
Napatalon sa tuwa si Izaak at sumuntok pa sa hangin ang kamao dahilan para gumiwang na naman ang hot air balloon. “Fuck!” Mahigpit itong yumakap sa kanya saka ibinaon ang mukha sa leeg niya. “I hate heights.”
Mahina siyang natawa saka ito niyakap. Habang yakap siya ni Izaak, pinakatitigan ni Ria ang singsing na nasa palad niya. Her heart swelled with happiness when she read the words engraved inside the ring.
To the Captain of my heart.
Isinuot ni Ria ang singsing sa daliri niya saka yumakap kay Izaak. “So…” She bit her lower lip. “I’m the captain of your heart?”
Gumalaw ang balikat nito dahil sa mahinang pagtawa. “Is it cheesy?”
“Kinda,” sagot niya habang nakangiti. “But I like it.”
“Good.” Izaak kissed her neck. “Because I think I can’t stop my cheesiness when it comes to you.”
Mahina siyang natawa. Nanatili silang magkayap ni Izaak hanggang sa makalapag ang hot air balloon sa malawak na clearing. Magkahawak kamay silang lumabas sa wooden basket ng hot air balloon. Panay ang tingin ni Ria sa singsing na nasa daliri niya.
Fiancée… She liked it very much.
Ihinilig niya ang ulo sa balikat ni Izaak. Ito naman ay nakaakbay sa kanya habang naglalakad sila pabalik sa gold cart nang bigla siyang may naalala.
“Oh, God. I forgot.”
Napatigil sa paglalakad si Izaak saka bumaling sa kanya. “Ano’ng nakalimutan mo?” He looked at the hot air balloon and then to her. “May naiwan ka sa hot air balloon?”
Mabilis siyang umiling saka kinuha sa bulsa ang dalawang pregnancy test at iniabot kay Izaak. “Here. Nakalimutan kong ipakita sa `yo kanina,” sabi niya na nakangiwi. “Pasensiya na.”
Tinanggap ni Izaak ang dalawang pregnancy test saka tinitigan iyon, pagkatapos ay nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya. “Ano ito? What’s with two red lines?”
Kinunutan niya ito ng noo. “Hindi mo alam kung ano `yan?” Ria sighed, shook her head and spoke. “That’s a pregnancy test, dummy. And two lines mean positive.”
Namilog ang mga mata ni Izaak. “What?”
Nginitian niya ito. “I’m pregnant, Izaak,” imporma niya.
Izaak stilled at the bombed that she just dropped. He didn’t moved a muscle, didn’t even blink. He stayed shocked and unmoving for a couple of seconds until she heard voices.
“Hey, Davidson! How did it go?”
“Did she say ‘yes’?”
Napatingin si Ria sa pinanggalingan ng mga boses. It came from two gorgeous men entering the clearing while running towards them. Nakasuot pa sa katawan ang safety gears.
“Hey, Davidson, how’s your proposal?”
“Did she say no?”
“You’re welcome to the hot air balloon, you bastard.”
Napakurap-kurap si Izaak nang makita na ang tatlong magkakapatid na Monasterio pala ang palapit sa kanila.
“What happened to him?” nagtatakang tanong ni Lucifer saka tinapik ang balikat ni Izaak. “`Oy, Davidson, ano na?”
Napakurap-kurap si Izaak at isa-isang tiningnan ang kalalakihang bagong dating, pagkatapos ay itinaas nito ang pregnancy test na ibinigay niya. “I’ll be a dad soon,” sabi nito na parang nagmamalaki.
Cusses and howls erupted around them.
“Lucky motherfucker!” sigaw ni Lucian saka tinapik-tapik ang balikat ni Izaak. “Ninong ako, ha?”
“`Kapal ng mukha,” sabi ni Lucas saka tinapik ang balikat ni Izaak. “Anyways, ako ang kunin mong ninong. Kung hindi, hindi ka na makakabalik dito sa isla.”
Lucifer waved at her and winked. “Godfather material here.”
Natawa na lang si Ria saka napailing-iling. Si Izaak naman ay ibinulsa ang pregnancy test niya saka siya hinawakan sa pulsuhan at hinila papunta sa golf cart.
“Hey!” It was Lucifer.
“I’ll be expecting my invitation for the christening!” habol na sigaw ni Lucian.
“If I didn’t get an invitation for your child’s christening,” pahabol naman na sigaw ni Lucas. “There will be no invitation for you, too, to come back here!”
Hindi pinansin ni Izaak ang tatlo. Basta pinaharurot lang nito ang golf cart hanggang sa makalayo sila. Then suddenly, he stopped the golf cart, face her, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her senseless.
“God, I love you,” sabi ni Izaak saka pinupog ng halik ang buong mukha niya. “Thank you so much, baby. Thank you.”
“Para saan?” nagtataka niyang tanong.
“For the baby,” Bumaba ang isang kamay nito sa tiyan niya saka iyon hinaplos. “In here.”
Ria smiled at Izaak and caressed his handsome face. “Thank you, too, for wanting to marry me and for loving me and for accepting me even when I’m not pure and all that.”
Kumunot ang noo nito sa huli niyang sinabi. “What do you mean by not being pure and all that?”
“You know…” Nahihiyang nagbaba siya ng tingin. “N-not a virgin.”
Izaak cupped her chin and forced her to look up at him. “Hey,” sabi nito nang magtama ang mga mata nila. “I don’t care about that, okay? I love you and nothing about your past will change that. And anyway…” Izaak smirked. “I’m no virgin, too, so I think we’re even.”
Mahina siyang natawa saka pabirong tinampal ang balikat nito. “Hindi naman ako katulad mo na marami nang natikman.”
Tumaas ang kilay nito. “You mean to say…”
“I only did it once.” Binasa niya ang nanunuyong mga labi. “College party. Drunk. And when I woke up in the morning… wala na, tapos na. The deed was done and bye-bye virginity for me.”
Nawala ang ngisi sa mukha ni Izaak. “Who was it?”
Nagkibit-balikat si Ria. “I don’t remember a damn thing. Nang magising ako, tulog pa siya at nakatalikod. I think he’s drunk, too, and has passed out.” Kinagat niya ang ibabang labi saka nahihiyang tumingin sa mga mata ni Izaak. “I regret what happened. Lucifer also scolded me after I told him what happened to me. From then on, hindi na ako um-attend ng mga parties o kung pumunta man, hindi ako umiinom. Drunkenness can really ruin someone, especially women. Kaya naman hindi na ako umiinom ng ganoon karaming alak, maliban na lang noong sinundo mo ako sa bar. That was it.”
Dumukwang si Izaak palapit sa kanya saka masuyong hinalikan sa mga labi. “We all did something in the past that we regret. I did, too. But don’t let it pull you down, okay? I don’t care, Ria. I love you and sometimes, I think that I don’t deserve you.”
“Don’t say that,” sabi niya.
“Baby…” Napailing-iling ito. “You don’t know how many women I’ve fucked in my life before I met you. So who am I to judge you and not love you just because your hymen has been ripped off?”
“`Di ba, pride n’yo `yong mga lalaki?” tanong niya. “Kailangan dapat kayo ang makauna?”
“Pride?” Izaak chuckled like she cracked a joke. “Baby, to me, pride is looking at you while you walk on the aisle of the church towards me. Pride is when you look me in the eyes and say ‘I do ’ and that you love me. Pride is when you put a ring on my finger as you say your vows. And pride is when the priest announce that we are husband and fiancé.” He stared at her lovingly. “That, baby, is my pride. You… are my pride.”
Tears fell down from her eyes. “God, I love you much, Izaak.”
He kissed her again then pulled away. “I love you. I love you. I love you. So much. Don’t you ever forget that, baby.”
Tumango si Ria habang naiiyak pa rin. “I won’t.”
With that, their lips met and Ria felt complete. Finally, she found where she belonged.