BURNING MIDNIGHT WITH UNCLE (SPG)

"I'm back, Philippines!" bulalas ni Sapphire habang nakatingin sa labas ng lumapag na ang eroplanong sinasakyan niya.Halos isang araw din ang biyahe niya mula sa London papunta ng Pilipinas dahil ilang airports din ang dinaanan niya, and she even had to wait for a few hours before her next flight. Pagod na pagod na ang katawan niya at gustong-gusto nang magpahinga. Sa totoo lang, ayaw niya sanang umuwi pa ng Pilipinas. Komportable na ang buhay niya sa London. She was living a good life there, not until when her mom was diagnosed with leukemia and died just a month ago and she was left alone.Wala siyang pamilyang malalapitan. She can’t live alone. Wala siyang alam kung paano mamuhay nang mag-isa dahil lumaki siyang nakaasa lang sa Mommy niya at mga kasambahay. Their finances aren’t that good either, dahil mostly sa savings nila ay nagastos sa treatment ng Mommy niya. So she can no longer afford to live the life she used to have. So she had no choice but to go back to the Philippines

Pagkababa ni Sapphire ay agad siyang sinalubong ng isang kasambahay. The maid sweetly smiled at her and guided her to where her Uncle Ares was. Akala niya sa dining area siya dadalhin, pero lumabas sila ng mansyon at dinala siya sa garden. And there, in the middle of blooming red roses, sat her Uncle—his leg over the other, his right hand holding a cup of coffee and his left holding a tabloid.Hindi niya mapigilang mapatingin sa tiyuhin. He looked like a prince straight from a fairy tale book. Ang amo talaga ng mukha nito. His deep obsidian eyes looked so gentle, while his nose stood regal with a defined tip, complementing his naturally kissable, crimson lips. But what really caught her attention was his defined jaw that seemed to mirror his strong and sharp character.She was fantasizing over him again! Kakare-mind lang niya sa sarili niya na titigil na siya!“Oh, you’re here,” ani Ares nang mapansin si Sapphire. He pointed to the seat in front of him. “Sit down.”Tumango si Sapphire

"U-Uncle..." Napakapit si Sapphire sa kama habang kusa nang kumikilos ang balakang niya. Napapaliyad siya sa sarap habang nararamdaman ang mainit na dila ni Ares na humahagod sa guhit sa pagitan ng mga hita niya.Napakapit siya sa buhok nito at mas isinubsob pa ang ulo sa gitna niya. "There... Yeah, eat me like a main course, uncle! Oh, God!"Rinig niya ang mahinang tunog ng pagdila nito sa basang parte ng katawan niya. Para iyong musika sa pandinig niya.Nakakabaliw. Nakakakiliti. "F-Faster..." hiniling niya, sabay buka pa ng mas malawak para mas lalong magkalapit ang bibig nito at ang pagkababae niya."Ravage me like a beast hungry for my flesh!" gigil niyang ungol, habang mas diniin pa ang ulo nito sa gitna ng hita niya.Ngunit bigla ring naputol ang sarap nang marinig niya ang alarm. Napadilat siya, inis na inis, at nahampas ang unan sa tabi niya. Nandoon na, eh. Halos marating na niya ang rurok.Napabuga siya ng hangin at kinuha ang cellphone sa gilid ng kama. Tiningnan niya ang

Napabuga na lang ng hangin si Ares nang maalala niya ang naging pag-uusap nila ni Sapphire kanina. He thought she was just joking when she told him she’d go party, but she was dead serious. Nasa bahay pa lang siya ay nagbibihis na ito at naghahanda. She even wore such a revealing dress that would surely attract any predators around.“Ares, are you okay?” tanong sa kanya ni Veronica. Papunta na sila ngayon sa restaurant kung saan sila magdi-dinner. “Kanina ka pa bumubuntong-hininga. May problema ba?”Tumingin siya rito at umiling. “Wala. I'm just worried about my niece,” sagot niya at muling tiningnan ang cellphone kung may reply na ba si Sapphire sa kanya. But he was left on read. She saw his message but she purposely left it on read. Hindi niya tuloy mapigilang mapahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa cellphone.“You have nothing to worry about. I think she can manage herself,” sabi ni Veronica bago hinawakan ang kamay niya. “She's old enough, Ares.”“No…” Umiling siya. “She didn’t grow up

Halos paliparin ni Ares ang kotse makarating lang agad sa location na s-in-end sa kanya ni Jeffrey. He did not know what got into him that he was so worried about her when Jeffrey was already there to protect her in case something happened.Maybe he just did not like the idea of her being with other guys. It irked him. It scratched the possessiveness in him, but he did not want to acknowledge it. He did not want to.Pagkarating niya sa lugar ay agad niyang tinawagan si Jeffrey. He asked him about their whereabouts and just a few seconds later, Jeffrey sent him the location of the bar they went into. Dali-dali siyang pumunta at pumasok."Where is she?" tanong niya kay Jeffrey pagkalapit na pagkalapit niya rito.May itinuro itong direksyon. She's at the bar counter. "Akala ko ba may mga kasama siyang lalaki?""Kanina po," sagot ni Jeffrey. "But as soon as they went inside, iniwan na niya ang mga ito and went on her own," paliwanag nito. "Should we approach her?""No. We can't," mabilis