PAGMULAT ng mga mata ni Niccola ay puting kisame at amoy ng antiseptic ang bumungad sa kanya. Sandali siyang nagtaka kung bakit siya naroon, nang maramdaman ang pananakit ng katawan ay doon pumasok sa kaniyang isipan ang nangyari sa kasukalan.
Hindi niya maigalaw ang kaliwang braso at nang tingnan niya ay naka-cast iyon. Maging ang kanyang kaliwang binti ay hindi niya maigalaw. Swerte na kung maituturing na nakaligtas siya mula sa pagkahulog sa hagdan at sa kamay ng sindikato.
Bumukas ang pinto ng kanyang hospital room kaya lumipad doon ang kaniyang mga mata, pumasok si Mason na walang emosyon ang mukha. Kasunod nito ang pinsan niyang si Achilles na ganoon rin ang bukas ng mukha. The two men were so much alike, maybe that was the reason that they hit it off.
"Hi?" she asked and grimaced at the same time.
"You need to stop being like this, Elize Niccola Villarama! Quit your job!"
"No way, Aki! Hindi maiiwasan ang ganito, okay? At kasalanan ko rin kung bakit ako nagkaganito. I fell in the stairs." Hindi niya sinabi ang naramdaman niyang pagtulak sa kanya ng kung sino man. Kung hindi dahil sa taong iyon ay hindi sana siya mababalian ng buto.
"I'll call Tita Ally."
"No! Please, Achilles! Hindi niya puwedeng malaman. I want to keep my job, please..."
Bumuntong-hininga ang kanyang pinsan, sandali siyang tinitigan kapagkuwan ay muling lumabas sa silid. Naiwan silang dalawa ni Mason na matamang nakatingin sa kanya.
"What?" Nakatingin lang ito sa kanya sa mahabang sandali at hindi niya mabasa ang iniisip nito. "Bakit ka pala naroon sa gubat?"
He sighed then answered, "I followed you there."
"Why?"
"You broke your left arm and leg. Your body is full of bruises," anito sa halip na sagutin ang kanyang tanong. "What will I do to you, Niccola Villarama?"
"Were you worried?"
Humakbang ito palapit sa kanyang kinahihigaan at kinintalan ng mabilis na halik ang kanyang labi. "Do you have to ask that?"
"I'm... good."
"Yes, you are..." Mason muttered in sarcasm.
"What happened to the three men? Why is Aki here?"
"Your comrades are safe... and I called your cousin."
"Thank you," she muttered while staring at his face, he looked so virile and perilous with his growing stubbles.
She was genuinely thankful for him. Kung hindi dahil dito ay malamang napahamak na siya.
"YES, MOM. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you earlier... Yeah... Mason and Xylona are here with me. We've been planning to stay here for a few more days... Yes, I'll take care, you too. Bye, I love you."
Pinatay niya ang tawag pagkatapos magpaalam sa inang nasa kabilang linya. Sa halip na magtampo ang ina dahil sa limang araw niyang pagkawala ay nasiyahan pa ito nang malamang magkasama sila ni Mason.
Sa mga panahong nasa loob siya ng ospital at nagpapagaling ay sa telepono lang niya nakakausap si Alessandra. Ang alam nito ay nasa bakasyon siya kasama si Xylona at Mason. Hindi totoong kasama nila ang dalagita dahil nasa poder ito ng ama nito pansamantala. However, she wasn't sure if she can consider this as a vacation.
Kakalabas lang niya ng ospital at doon sa lugar na iyon siya dinala ni Mason. The place was peaceful and quiet. It was a paradise. Pagdating pa lang ay nakita na niya ang mga ligaw na bulaklak na tumutubo sa paligid ng isang bungalow. Sariwa rin ang hangin doon at malayo sa polusyon na malalanghap sa lungsod.
Simple lang ang bahay ngunit maganda ang pagkakayari. It was a two-bedroom house with a kitchen and a spacious living room.
Hindi siya makauwi dahil baka makita siya ng pamilya sa ganoong kalagayan. Tanging ang pinsang si Achilles lang ang nakakaalam na kanyang kapamilya. Wala rin siyang trabaho dahil naka sick leave siya sa presinto.
Malaki ang pasasalamat niya kay Mason dahil sa ginagawa nito upang matulungan siya. He had been nursing her these past few days. Nakaramdam din siya ng hiya dahil sa halip na asikasuhin nito ang kapatid at ang negosyong kakatayo palang nito ay siya ang inuuna nitong alagaan.
"Are you good? Comfortable?"
Umupo si Mason sa kanyang tabi sa mahabang sofa, kakapasok lang nito galing sa likurang bahagi ng bahay upang kumuha ng panggatong. Walang kuryente sa lugar na iyon, mabuti nalang at umaabot doon ang signal ng cell sites.
Ipinaloob siya ni Mason sa mga braso at inihilig ang kanyang ulo sa dibdib nito habang nakasandig ito sa sandalan ng sofa.
"Kaninong bahay 'to? Sa 'yo?"
"Hmm-mm. I used to stay here all the time when I was visiting the country. I never like the city."
"Why?"
"I don't like crowded places and noise."
"Why? Battlefields are far from being silent."
"I find peace in silence. The battlefield was different."
"Why chose to live in the city now and live next door to a pretty and verbose policewoman?"
He chuckled softly and kissed the back of her head. "Things changed."
"Why?"
"Hindi ka talaga nauubusan ng tanong?"
Pumihit siya paharap kay Mason kasabay nang pagngiwi dahil sa biglaang pagsakit ang kanyang binti. Natanggal na ang cast sa kanyang braso ngunit hindi pa natatanggal ang nasa kanyang binti na lubhang napinsala.
Lumarawan ang pag-aalala sa mukha ng binata nang makita ang pagngiwi niya. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah... Nabigla lang."
"Sure?"
"Oo nga, ang kulit mo rin no!" He was always like that the past few days. Palagi nitong tinatanong kung okay lang siya. Kunting ngiwi at simangot niya ay hindi na ito mapakali. In the first few days, she found his actions sweet, but she got irritated later on. Itinuwid niya ang pagkakunot ng noo ni Mason gamit ang daliri at tinitigan ito sa mata. "Does it make you like me less? I mean, I talk too much and you said you like the silence better."
"It makes me like you more, Ma'am."
Ang bilis ng tibok ng kanyang puso nang mga oras na iyon. Sinapo niya ang mukha nito at ginawaran ito ng isang masuyo at mabilis na halik sa mga labi. "Thank you for liking me and taking care of me, Mason. I am lucky that I met someone like you. But really, I can't blame you for liking me. I am irresistible, pretty and hot. Saan ka pa?"
"You forgot to say the word conceited."
"The hell! It's true!" Pinanlakihan niya ito ng mata, hindi ito natinag at nakataas ang kilay sa kanya at may ngising naglalaro sa mga labi. "Say it. Come on say it!"
"Say what?"
"That I'm irresistible, pretty and hot! Say it, or no rape for you?"
Lumawak ang pagkakangisi ni Mason at pinisil ang kanyang pisngi. "I can't rape an injured policewoman... You're so cute, Princess."
Sindak na napasinghap siya sa narinig at nakurot ang dibdib ni Mason dahil doon. "I am not cute! I am hot and pretty! And stop calling me princess, I kick asses, FYI! Princesses are prim and proper, boring and vulnerable."
"You're my badass princess then."
"You're getting cornier, Mason Scott." Tiningnan niya ito na tila ba tinubuan ito ng dalawang sungay.
"Uhuh? Well, this corny man will cook for you."
"Marunong ka?" Ang alam niya ay hindi ito marunong.
Ngumiti lang nang makahulugan ang lalaki sa kanya at binuhat siya patungo sa kusina.
"You're smiling more often now. And you've been friendly, the first time I saw you I even branded you as someone impossible and cold-blooded."
"Perhaps I found the reason to change," he then smiled knowingly, that smile that almost took her breath away.
"KUWENTUHAN mo ako." Nakahiga na sila sa kama ni Mason upang matulog ngunit hindi pa siya dinadalaw ng antok. Yakap nila ang isa't isa sa ibabaw ng kama habang ang tanging ilaw na maaaninag sa loob ng silid ay ang ilaw mula sa gasera. Hindi na rin kailangan ng aircon doon dahil malamig na ang paligid.
"About?"
"About how you burnt the egg and the pancake, how's that?" Napahagikgik siya ng maalala ang nangyari kanina sa kusina. He tried to cook but failed, so they ended up opening a can of corned beef and instant noodles, his kind of food. Mabuti na lang at nagawa nitong lutuin ang kanin at luckily hindi nito iyon nasunog sa tulong na rin niya. "Anything you want to share with me. Your family, former work, just anything about you."
Ilang segundo itong natahimik, madidismaya na sana siya nang nagsimulang magsalita si Mason.
"I was twenty-one when I entered the Navy, the training was tough but challenging. It helped me distract myself from thinking of my mother, my family. Unlike you, I didn't have a perfect childhood. My mom and dad weren't on good terms, he left my mother and married another woman, he disregarded the fact that he already had a son with Patricia. Patricia—that's my mother's name, she became alcoholic and depressed. My Yaya raised me. I never had a memory of my mother cooking for me or asking me how my day was.
"I lived with her in Ireland for eighteen years. I moved out because I didn't felt like it was my home. I studied college in America and eventually decided to join the military. I trained for the US Navy for a year until I got my squad."
"Why did you quit?" she asked.
"For twelve years, I've been living on the battlefield, and I grew tired of it."
Hindi na ito nagsalita at naiintindihan niya iyon. Iyon lang ang kaya nitong maibahagi sa kanya at nirerespeto niya iyon. Bagaman hindi mawala ang maraming katanungan sa kanyang isipan. Malaking bagay na ang pagbabahagi ni Mason sa kanya sa naging buhay nito. She had this feeling that he hadn't tell anybody, aside from her, his story. He doesn't have an idea how happy and grateful she was.
"When I was young, I dreamt of being a doctor. But I realized that it wasn't for me. When I entered PNPA, hindi makapaniwala ang pamilya ko. Ang sabi ng kapatid ko masyado raw akong maarte para ro'n. Mas nakikita nilang nakasuot ako ng doctor's robe o kaya ay rumarampa sa runway. I used to be a model, you know? But it didn't last long, I stopped. Sa una lang pala masaya. It doesn't satisfy me anymore.
"I've found what I love. Mom cried a lot when I told them that I want to be a police officer, but it didn't stop me. I love my job now. Pero may mga gabing naiisip kung huminto habang nakahiga ako sa kama at nagmumuni-muni. Hindi ko gustong mag-alala ang pamilya ko, lalo na si Mom."
"I want to tell you to quit your job and work for your family's business. Or you can laze around if you want, but I realize that your job makes you happy, how can I say those things?" He sighed and embraced her tighter. "I don't want you hurt."
"I'm sorry and thank you for staying with me."
"Hmm-mm... You're not sleepy yet?"
Marahang tinapik-tapik ni Mason ang kanyang likod dahilan upang mamigat ang kanyang talukap. Hindi niya namalayang tuluyan na siyang nakatulog.
Sa kalagitnaan ng gabi ay nagising si Niccola. Nilinga niya ang katabi na mahigpit ang pagkakapit sa kanyang brasong hindi pa masyadong magaling sa natamong injury mula sa pagkakahulog. Puno ng pawis ang mukha at leeg nito, umuungol at marahas ang paghinga.
He must be having a horrible dream.
Niyugyog niya ito habang napapangiwi dahil sa higpit nang pagkakahawak nito sa kanyang braso. Nang hindi ito nagising pagkalipas ng ilang segundo ay kinagat niya ang kamay nitong nakakapit sa kanya.
"Are you okay?" tanong niya kay Mason na nanlalaki ang mga matang nakamulat habang naghahabol ng hininga. Ilang segundo itong nakatingin sa kanya at tila wala pa sa tamang huwisyo.
Nang mahimasmasan ang binata ay mabilis nitong inalis ang pagkakakapit sa kanyang braso na nagsisimula nang mamaga. "I'm sorry. I—I..."
"It's okay. Are you good?" Pinahiran niya ang pawis sa mukha nito gamit ang mga kamay. Mason looked different. The stiffness in his was gone. She didn't imagine that he can look like this, like a lost boy specifically.
Sa halip na sagutin ay mahigpit siya nitong niyakap at ibinaon ang mukha sa kanyang leeg. Hindi siya nagreklamo at sinuklian ito ng yakap.
After a few moments of silence, he started to talk in a low voice, but she could hear it clearly. "It was my last mission, we were deployed in the Middle East. I was the platoon leader and the order was clear, kill and survive. We are against a terrorist group, there were children on their side and I shot them, I killed them... We won, we took out every last of them...
"There was this kid from the rebel, he was so young and he was hit, he could've made it. I pointed my gun at him to take him out... his small hand went on my shoes and he was telling me he wanted to live. He kept on telling me, begging me..." Huminga ito ng malalim bago nagpatuloy, "...he kept on begging... but I shot him straight to the head."
Naramdaman ni Niccola ang pagyugyog ng balikat nito at ang pamamasa ng kanyang balikat. He must've suffered a lot because of the decision he made.
"Y-You got orders, it wasn't your fault."
"I killed him. I killed them..."
Nahabag siya nang humagulgol ito ng iyak. Ngayon lang niya ito nakita sa ganoong kalagayan at hindi niya malaman kung paano iyon pakikitunguhan at payapain. All she can do was to be there for him. Mason was a soldier, a soldier had orders that he needed to follow. She can't blame him, she won't.