Chapter 4

They felt like the time stopped. Saglit silang nagkatinginan pero kaagad na umiwas ang mga mata ni Reina.

"Are you okay?" tanong ni Estefan kay Reina. She walks with high heels most of the time but she trips over a blanket with barefoot.

"I'm fine." Reina tried to get up when she felt the little currents. "It's your fault," yamot na tugon ng babae kay Estefano.

His brows furrowed. "How is it my fault? I don't remember tripping you." He got up and extended his hand to her pero hindi 'yon pinansin ng babae at nagpilit na tumayo mag-isa. Ngumiwi ito at hinilot ang kaliwang paa. "Tsk." In one swift move, Estefan picked her up and carried her to the kitchen. He sat Reina down on one of the bar stools. "I'll get you some ice for that."

Dumating ang isang matandang babae na nasa edad sisenta at may kasama itong isang babae na hindi nalalayo sa edad ni Reina. Morena ito at nakasuot ng isang simpleng bestida. Maayos na naka-ponytail ang buhok at walang bahid na kolorete sa mukha. Sabagay, pribadong isla ito.

Tumikhim si Estefan nang mapansin ang pagdating ng mga kasambahay. "Reina, si Manang Salud at ang anak niya, si Selma."

"Magandang umaga po, Sir at Ma'am. Magluluto pa lang po kami ng agahan," bati ni Manang Salud. Si Selma ay bumati rin pero mahina ang boses at mukhang mahiyain.

Lumapit si Estefan kay Reina at inilapat ang ice pack sa may paa nito. Napaigtad si Reina at kaagad na inilayo ang paa, pero hinuli 'yon ni Estefan at ipinirmi gamit ang isang kamay nito. Whether Reina likes it or not, she's getting the ice pack kaya hindi na siya nagprotesta pa.

"Tiisin mo lang para hindi mamaga. Kung bakit naman kasi hindi tumitingin sa dinaraanan," halos pabulong ang komentong 'yon ni Estefan pero narinig pa rin ni Reina.

"Kung sinagot mo lang ang tanong ko, hindi ako matatakid sa paghabol sa 'yo," gigil na sagot ni Reina sa lalaki.

Si Manang Salud at Selma ay nakikiramdam lang at patuloy sa ginagawa sa kusina. Kahit ano'ng marinig nila ay wala silang karapatang magkomento o sumali sa usapan, unless tinatanong sila ni Estefan.

Napabuntong hininga si Estefan. "I can't answer you because I haven't decided yet."

"But you will let me go eventually, right?" Panay ang paghigit ng hinga ni Reina kapag napapadiin ang ice pack. "Estefan, right?" ulit ni Reina.

But he didn't answer. Instead, iniba ni Estefan ang topic. "You mentioned you need clothes. I'm asking someone to get you clothes. For the meantime, gusto mo bang pumunta sa karatig isla? May mga maliliit na tindahan doon at pwede kang bumili ng mga kailangan mo."

"Looking like this?" nakangiwing tanong ni Reina.

"If your foot gets swollen, we won't go. Kapag magaling na, saka tayo pupunta. You can wear my clothes for now. Do you want coffee?"

Nalukot ang mukha ni Reina. "You are not going to make this easy, aren't you? Kung ayaw mong sagutin kung kailan mo ako ibabalik sa amin, then at least answer this." Naghintay si Estefan kung ano ang itatanong ni Reina. "Are you using me to get back to your brother?"

"Yes," walang gatol na sagot ni Estefan sa dalaga. He is not going to lie about it. Iyon naman talaga ang balak niya kaya niya kinuha si Reina. It's to drive his brother nuts. "Did you know he was planning to propose to you?" He shook his head. "You're not even dating, and yet he's proposing."

Bahagyang nagulat si Reina. Leon won't do that to her. They were just going to share a meal and chat. "That's not true. We are just going out for dinner."

It was hard to talk with all the noise in the kitchen. Estefan figured they can talk about it later. Just then, his phone rang and saw Konstantin's name on the screen.

"Excuse me for a second." Iiwan na sana niya si Reina sa kusina nang maalala na wala pa itong kape. "Selma, pakibigyan ng kape si Reina. Tanungin mo rin kung ano'ng gusto niyang timpla. Salamat." Nagtuloy na siya sa labas ng bahay. "Kons," bati niya sa bagong kaibigan. Kasabay niya ang Russian na ito sa initiation.

"Good morning!" It's Vanessa, Kon's wife. She's using his phone to call him.

"Hey, beautiful," bati niya sa babae. Narinig pa niya ang pag-alma ni Kons sa background pero sinaway ng asawa.

"Bolero talaga kayong magkaibigan, pero salamat. I shopped for her and I am pretty sure it's the right size. Si Ale na ang magdadala sa 'yo bukas."

"Thank you, Vanessa."

"You sent the media into a frenzy. Her face is all over the internet, newspapers and the television." Napatawa si Estefan. "Tsk. She's mad at you, isn't she?" Magkakilala si Reina at Vanessa dahil nasa iisang circle ang mga ito at kahit hindi close— maayos naman ang pakikitungo nila sa isa't isa. However, Vanessa didn't know about his plans about Reina until she accidentally heard Ale asking Kons for help. Mamimili lang ng mga gamit pambabae ay hindi pa marunong ang walanghiya. Palibhasa, ang alam lang ay magtanggal.

"She won't stay mad forever."

"Does that mean you're not letting her go?" tanong nito sa kaniya.

"Who knows, I just might get pregnant so she's stuck with me. Ninang ka," biro niya kay Vanessa.

"Chert vozmi, Estefan." (Holy fuck, Estefan.) Narinig ni Kons ang sinabi ng asawa kaya kinuha nito ang telepono.

"What did you say to my wife?"

"Na bubuntisin ko si Reina at si Vanessa ang magiging ninang," diretos niyang sagot kay Kons. Inihit ito ng tawa at mayamaya ay narinig niyang inaamo nito si Vanessa. She's worried about Reina. "Tell Vanessa that I will take care of Reina. No harm will come her way. Kahit lamok, hindi pwedeng kumagat."

"You hear that, baby?" tanong ni Kons kay Vanessa. He placed the call on speaker.

"Just be gentle with her, Estefan. She's a really nice woman. Pakasalan mo muna bago mo hawakan, please?" pakiusap ni Vanessa.

"Fine. I promise." It was an empty promise, but Vanessa doesn't have to know.

Sinabi sa kaniya ni Kons na naghintay ang mga ito. They waited until their honeymoon night to do the deed. In this modern day and age, hindi mapaniwalaan ni Estefan na may mga babae pa rin na katulad ni Vanessa na ibibigay lang ang sarili sa unang gabi ng pagiging mag-asawa. Kons must have loved his wife to wait that long.

But one thing is for sure, Estefan doesn't have a patience of a saint.