ANOTHER tiring yet progressive day for Niccola. Ginabi na siya ng uwi dahil sa trabahong tinapos nila sa presinto kanina. Mabuti nalang at nakuha na niya ang kotse mula sa kanyang kakambal.
It's been a week and her punishment was lifted. She's not a child anymore but her brother treated her as if she was. He punished her if she does wrong and scolded her for her actions that Lucas considered drastic and immature. Her brother was worse than her parents in terms of discipline. Don't anger Lucas Nicholai Villarama or you'll be sorry. Kung noong mga bata sila ay nakakaya niyang utos-utosan ang kapatid at awayin ay hindi na ngayon. But he was the best brother ever, just strict and overprotective.
Ang kanyang condominium unit ay mas malapit sa pinagtatrabahuan kaysa sa bahay ng mga magulang kaya roon siya dumiretso upang makapag-pahinga na. Nasanay narin ang kanyang pamilya sa kanya. Just like Lucas who sometimes spent the night in his penthouse, every now and then she also slept at her unit. She just had to text or call her parents or any of her siblings and notify them that she won't be coming home. Ganoon ang kanyang ginagawa kapag hindi nakakuwi para na rin hindi mag-alala ang mga ito. With her job as a policewoman, her family can't help but be anxious whenever she's out of reach.
Her eyes were fixed on her phone 'cause she was texting her mother when the elevator door opens. She stepped in without looking if there's someone inside who was also taking the lift aside from her.
Pagkatapos magpadala ng mensahe ay ibinaba niya ang cellphone at ipinasok sa bulsa ng pantalon.
Nang iangat niya ang mga mata ay lumarawan ang pagkagulat sa mukha ni Niccola nang makita ang isang pamilyar na lalaki na sakay ng elevator bukod sa kanya. The last time she had seen the man was from a week ago.
Is he also a resident in this condominium? Niccola thought.
Nagkasalubong ang mga mata nila ni Mason. Her back was still facing the elevator's door while he was leaning at the wall with his arms crossed around his broad chest. Just like the first time she rode the elevator with him.
He looked virile, rugged and brawny.
Naputol ang tinginan nila ng binatang kaharap nang bahagyang umuga ang sinasakyan at tumigil bago namatay ang ilaw. "What the heck?!" bulalas ni Niccola dahil sa nangyari. "Seriously?!" aniya na hindi malaman kung maiinis o mamamangha. It was the second time she was trapped in the elevator with him.
Mabilis na inilabas ni Niccola ang cellphone mula sa bulsa ng pantalon at binuksan iyon. She turned the flashlight on. Mabuti nalang at hindi pa siya nalo-lowbat.
Humakbang ang dalaga patungo sa gilid at sumandal sa pader ng elevator.
Katahimikan ang namayani sa loob dahil walang nagsasalita sa kanila ng lalaking kasama. Ang tanging ilaw na maa-aninag ay ang ilaw mula sa kanyang selpon.
Ilang minuto na silang gano'n ngunit hindi pa rin nagbubukas ang ilaw at hindi umaandar ang sinasakyan. She will give the management a piece of her mind regarding this exasperating disturbance. She paid a huge sum to this condominium for goodness' sake! The first time she was trapped, she almost died! Paano na lang kung s'ya lang mag-isa ang sakay no'n?
"This is crazy...!'Yong totoo, may balat ka ba sa p'wet?" kanyang tanong sa lalaking tahimik lang sa isang sulok. "Okay! You're not talking to me. Great!" Niccola exclaimed in sarcasm, then rolled her eyes.
Napabuntung-hininga ang dalaga ng ilang sandali pa ang lumipas ay hindi parin ito nagsasalita. "You're Mason, right?" Still no response from him. "I heard you're thirty-three. A Filipino-American, Irish-Spanish. That's a lot of cultures you got there. And an ex-navy seal, huh?" she taunted and grinned.
Napakunot ang noo ni Mason sa narinig at bumaling sa direksiyong kinaroroonan ni Niccola. "That's classified!" he snarled, gritted his teeth in a half anger half wonderment.
"There, finally, you are talking to me." Her grin grew wider in victory. She intentionally said that to capture his attention. "So, how was it? Being in the navy I mean," she asked as if they've known each other for a long time.
"Try it yourself," he answered coldly.
"Not so friendly, huh? Anyways, what are you doing here? Visiting a friend? Do you live here? Or— That's it," she muttered when the lights suddenly turned on and the elevator starts moving.
Paglingon ni Niccola kay Mason ay nakita niya itong nakatingin nang diretso sa pintuan ng elevator habang nakahalukipkip at nakasandal pa rin sa malamig na dingding. Looks like he had no intention of talking to her.
Muling umikot ang kanyang mga mata, kapagkuwan ay inirapan ang lalaki bago inalis ang tingin rito.
The man was impossible! He was cold-blooded and aloof.
She steps out of the lift when the door opened on her floor, she was surprised when she felt him following after her.
Tumaas ang isang perpektong kilay at pumihit paharap sa lalaki at namaywang. Napatigil naman si Mason sa paghakbang.
"Stalker ka ba? Bakit ka nakasunod?"
Lihim na napasinghap si Niccola nang bahagyang umangat ang sulok ng mga labi ni Mason bago ito pumihit patalikod at binuksan ang pinto ng unit na katabi ng sa kanya.
"Goodnight, neighbor," he managed to say with a smirk on his face before he closed the door.
Nalaglag ang kanyang panga nang mapagtantong ito ang umuokupa sa katabi niyang unit. There were only two units on that floor. One was hers and the other was owned by... him!
When she bought the unit years ago the other unit was empty since then. Ngayon lang niya nakitang may nakatira roon. Dati ay solo niya ang buong palapag ng gusali. Bakit ngayon lang niya nalamang dito nakatira ang lalaki?
Nakatulalang binuksan ng dalaga ang pinto ng kanyang unit at pumasok. Pagkapasok ay tinungo niya ang mahabang sofa at naupo habang tulalang nakatutok ang mga mata sa malaking flat screen TV.
Pagkaraan ng ilang sandali ay pinagsisipa niya ang carpet na para bang nagwawala. She was waggling her body while pulling her hair in frustration.
"Nakakahiya ka talaga, Niccola! Buwesit naman kasing lalaking 'yon! Ba't hindi niya sinabi kaagad na roon siya nakatira. Buwesit talaga! Jeez..."
PAGKAGISING kinabukasan ay naratnan niya ang inang si Alessandra sa kanyang kusina at inaayos ang mesang puno ng pagkain.
"Good morning," Alessandra greeted.
"Morning, Mom." Lumapit siya sa ina at hinalikan ito sa pisngi bago naupo sa harap ng mesang may lamang mga pagkain.
"Here, eat this. There's also food in the refrigerator. You eat it, okay?" anito na inaasikaso siya habang kumakain. Her mother was the sweetest.
Tumango lang siya rito habang ngumunguya. The food was sumptuous and she was pretty starving.
"I've met a handsome American man out there." Ally giggled like a teenager. "I've run into him at the parking lot and he helped me carry my stuff up here. What a gentleman, not to mention his sexy blue eyes."
"Blue eyes you say?" Nakataas ang isang kilay niya habang nakatingin sa ina. "You've been married for a long time, Mommy, and you're old, my god! Stop giggling... Aww!" hiyaw niya ng bahagyang kurutin ni Alessandra ang kanyang tagiliran.
"I'm just being appreciative," nandidilat na dipensa nito. Bagaman ay hindi pa naman masyadong matanda ang kanyang ina sa edad nito na fifty-two. Her mother also looked younger than her age.
"I am just reminding you in case you forgot. Baka nag-iba na ang perspective mo and you prefer younger men now," she teased her mother while eating her breakfast. She playfully wiggled her eyebrows while staring at her flushed face.
"'Tong batang 'to!" Alessandra exclaimed in horrification. "I will never love and desire another man aside from your father. That man could pass as my son, goodness gracious, Elize Niccola. Makukurot talaga kita sa singit bata ka."
Nilunok muna niya ang kinakain bago nagsalita. "I'm not a child. In fact, I can give you a grandchild... Grandma." She winked at her playfully.
"You better be! You are not getting any younger, my princess. Do you have a boyfriend now?"
Napasimangot si Niccola sa itinanong ng ina. "Why does all of you are calling me princess? Jeez, I am not a princess. I kick asses! And please, to hell with all those assholes!"
"Language. You're a lady," saway ni Alessandra sa anak. "Anyways, do you know him? The color of his eyes is very uncommon, I'm sure you recognize him. His name is Mason."
"He's my neighbor, Mom. He owned the other unit," aniya at tinapos ang pagkain.
"Oh! Give him food. Teka sandali." Lumakad ang ina palapit sa ref at kumuha ng dala nitong pagkain doon.
She cleaned the table and put the plates she used at the sink. Akmang huhugasan niya iyon ng marahang tampalin ng ina ang kanyang pang-upo. "Mom!" reklamo niya rito.
"Dalhin mo 'to kay Mason. Say my thank you's. Go, hurry," utos nito sa dalaga.
Nagdadabog na kinuha ni Niccola ang Tupperware mula sa ina at tinungo ang pintuan. Nakasimangot na lumabas siya sa kanyang unit at tinungo ang kabila. After that shameful encounter with him last night and last week, she was not ready to face him again. But she can't say no to her mother.
Malalim na bumuntung-hininga si Niccola bago pinindot ang doorbell ng kabilang unit.
Mula sa panonood ay napatayo si Mason sa kinauupuan. Nakakunot ang noong tinungo niya ang pinto. Wala siyang inaasahang bisita ng araw na iyon.
Sumilip muna ang binata sa peephole at mas lalong nagsalubong ang mga kanyang kilay ng makita kung sino ang taong nasa labas.
Binuksan nito ang pinto at malayang nasilayan ng kanyang mga mata ang kanyang kapitbahay.
"Here," Niccola, then handed the Tupperware to Mason. Tiningnan lang ng binata ang iniumang ng dalaga sa kanya at hindi man lang nag-abalang kuhanin iyon, kaya inabot ni Niccola ang kamay nito at inilagay ro'n ang dala. "My mom said thank you. She cooked that." Pasimpleng nag-iwas ng tingin si Niccola mula kay Mason. "Sorry for yesterday and... thank you for last week." Pagkasabi ay mabilis na tumalikod ang dalaga at tinungo ang kanyang unit.
Napatingin si Mason sa hawak. Nawala ang pagkakakunot ng kanyang noo at bahagyang sumilay ang ngiti sa mga labi. He remembered the woman he met at the parking lot, she must be in her fifties. He offered to carry her pieces of stuff to her delight
She talks a lot. Sa maikling sandali ay marami siyang nalaman tungkol sa mga anak nito partikular na sa dalagang naghatid sa kanya ng pagkain. The woman must be very fond of her children. A kind of mother he never had.
Marahas na napabuntung-hininga si Mason ng maalala ang inang nasa Ireland. He can't remember her cooking for him. He can't remember her asking if he already ate. Although he lived with her mother for years before he entered the navy, they aren't that closed. He barely had memories with her, or never at all?
Isinara ni Mason ang pinto at dumiretso sa kanyang kusina. Kaagad niyang binuksan ang pagkaing natanggap mula sa kanyang kapitbahay at kinain.
When was the last time he ate homemade food? Perhaps it was years ago when he was still in Ireland and her Yaya, who was a Filipina, cooked for him. He can barely remember the taste of adobo he was eating right at that moment. He felt warm while eating the food she gave.
Busog na busog siya pagkatapos niyang maubos ang binigay ng kaniyang kapitbahay. Mabuti nalang at may kanin iyong kasama na naubos din niya. He never felt this full and satisfied for the past years.