Chapter 5: Playing Mr. and Mrs.

Herbie thought it wasn’t the best time to bring up the kiss, the kiss that still lingered in his mind, the kiss that he craved for, the kiss that made him forget all the other kisses he had received and given. At that moment, he just wanted to make up for lost time. He just wanted to cheer her up.

He was able to convince Mandy for a trip out of the city.  They could use the time to unwind and forget all about the worries that kept their minds preoccupied. So with little or no sleep for both of them, they packed their bags early morning with no clear destination. They both figured, it would be exciting to make decisions on the fly.

Seated side by side in a bus, Herbie gave up his favorite window seat for Mandy. At that point, he would give up anything and everything for her. Now that he was sure he was falling in love with her ex-girlfriend’s sister, if he hasn’t already fallen, every touch just felt different, for this time he knew it wasn’t just physical, it was emanating from deep within him.

There was silence for the first few hours of the trip. Mandy had always been like that when she had no sleep while Herbie took the time to sleep though shallow.

Hours of watching the scenery through the bus window, Mandy felt sleepy, too. She pulled Herbie’s left arm and rested her head on his chest as she usually did. Herbie gladly wrapped his arm around her, as he usually did, only this time, he could feel his heart beating too fast and hoped that she would not take notice.

Eyes closed and with her head still on his chest, Mandy sniffed Herbie’s cotton shirt. That familiar scent - citrusy and fresh, sent signals to her brain that made her smile and brought peace even for just a while.

Still far from their intended destination, the bus stopped. Herbie thought that it was the usual stop over. The bus had stopped several times for restroom breaks and for snacks but this time, it was because of some machine trouble, the bus conductor announced.

“Sir, Ma’am, we have already radioed the office and they are sending a back-up bus but it will probably take hours before it gets here so, you have two choices, you can stay here inside the bus while we wait or you can stay in at Queen Elizabeth Inn about three kilometers from here. The fee, however, if you stay there, is to be shouldered by you. We will just stop over at the Inn once the other bus arrives.”

“What’s happening, Herbie?” Mandy asked while rubbing her eyes.

“The bus stalled. We can either wait for the new bus here or we can stay in the Inn three kilometers from here. What do you want to do?” Herbie asked.

“What DO you wanna do?” Mandy asked back.

“Well, it’s not really a long walk. I mean, we’ve walked even longer than three kilometers back in the city.”

“So you wanna stay in the Inn?” Herbie saw that crinkle in her nose again that would always drive him crazy.

“Yeah. I want to stretch my back on a soft warm bed… And it’s Queen Elizabeth Inn. We might see her there!” Herbie said.

“You’re right!”

“That we might see Queen Elizabeth?”

“Haha, you’re very funny… I said I wanna stretch my back, too.”

Some passengers opted to stay in the bus while some also headed to the Inn.

At the check-in counter, Herbie and Mandy gave way to some elderly passengers that they ended up second to the last in line.

Before checking-in Herbie and Mandy, the receptionist called the attention of the man behind them.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but we no longer have any room available for tonight.”

“Even just a single room?” the elderly man asked. “I am with my wife.” he said pointing to another elderly woman sitting on a chair.

“I’m sorry, Sir but they got the last double room.” the receptionist sadly replied.

Herbie and Mandy watched the man as he walked slowly towards his wife. The man looked like he was rehearsing what he was about to say to his wife, who, on the other hand, looked so assured that she was about to receive some good news.

Herbie and Mandy looked at each other and even in the absence of words, they agreed on a plan.

“Hey, Sir?… I’m Herbie.” He said extending his hand for a handshake. “If you want, we can share the room with you. I mean, it’s a double room so there will be two twin-size beds in there.” he said with his raised eyebrows.

A smile suddenly formed on the man’s face. “Ramon Cuevas here.” the man said as they shook hands.

“Come, I’d like you to meet my wife.” Mr. Cuevas told Herbie.

“Lucy, this nice young man just agreed to share their room with us!”

Lucy stood up putting both hands together up to her chin - “I told you, you can find a room for us!… Is that your wife over at the counter?  Oh I just love seeing new couples like you. .. Reminds me when Ramon and I were young.”

Before Herbie could answer Mandy came and said - “Excuse me, Herbie, I think the receptionist needs our details now.”

“Oh, come here sweetheart,” Lucy told Mandy as she pulled her by the hand. “Let the boys do the checking-in.”

“Oh, look at him. Your husband looks like he’s so in love with you! He just can’t keep his eyes off of you.” Lucy told Mandy as they both look at Herbie and Ramon.

“Oh but…” Mandy’s reply was cut short when the men fetched them from their seats to go to their room.

Mandy woke up first among all four in the room. She took her camera and took photos of Herbie in his sleep. She then went to the balcony and was overwhelmed by the breathtaking view of nature. As she took pictures, she was thinking how funny it was that Ramon and Lucy mistook them as a married couple. It was not the first time actually. Often times, they would even play along with it. There wasn’t an effort to correct people who would think that about them.

Meanwhile, Herbie opened her eyes to a Mandy in her shorts and tank top taking pictures by the balcony. He was thinking how nice it was to wake up with her being the first person in his sight.

If she were his wife, he would have crawled from behind her and give her a hug so they could look at the view together. He shut those silly and sometimes dirty thoughts in his head as he felt his excitement going down south that early morning.

“Good morning!” Mandy said followed by the flashing of her camera.

Herbie immediately covered himself with a pillow.

Mandy pretended not to notice and just turned her attention at the elderly couple who were also awake.

“Good morning, Mr. And Mrs. Cuevas!” she greeted.

“Good morning, you two.” the couple replied.

The Cuevas couple caught up with Herbie and Mandy right in the middle of breakfast. They found Ramon and Lucy quite endearing that they did not see the need to make an effort to avoid them.

“Herbie, Mandy, thank you once again for sharing your room with us. It really means a lot, especially to me. I’m sure you can understand how we, husbands, would like to give the best for our wives.” Ramon said as he looked at Herbie and then Mandy.

“Oh, it’s really nothing. I’m sure you would do it for us if the situation is the other way around.” Herbie replied.

“Oh, I don’t know.” Lucy jokingly said.

“Oh, is this your camera?” Ramon asked when he noticed the camera on the table.

“Oh yes! Would you like me to take a picture of you?” Mandy said.

“You’re wife is a photographer, Herbie?”

“Oh, yeah. She is.” Herbie said proudly looking at Mandy.

Mandy pointed the camera at Ramon and Lucy who gladly posed. Afterwhich, Lucy requested for a picture of the four of them in one frame.

Mandy set the timer on and took about two or three shots with the four of them in it.

Ramon and Herbie exchanged calling cards before they boarded the bus again, taking their original seats as in the old bus.

“So, what can you say, my missus?” Herbie teased Mandy.

“I know. How many times have people mistaken us for a married couple?” Mandy replied.

“I think it’s a prediction.” he whispered.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. I said, it’s cute.”