46 Chapter Forty Six

Pinahid ng magkabilang palad ni Drake ang mga luhang malayang naglalandas sa magkabilang pisngi niya bago banayad na hinalikan nito ang kanyang noo.

"Aimee lied to you big time. Hindi ako ang ama ng batang dinadala niya."

"How are you sure?"

"For fuck's sake! I haven't touched the tip of that woman's fingers in more than a year! Paanong ako ang magiging ama?!"

Isang "oh" ang nasambit ni Cali. Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa naririnig.

"Aimee schemed and made her parents believe she was pregnant with my child para ipilit na maipakasal kami," paliwanag ni Drake. "Kaya huwag mo akong ipagtabuyan sa iba, sweetheart... please don't leave me again."

"B-but what about the company? S-she said-"

"It's been taken cared of," he said in a reassuring voice, "kaya hindi kita agad nasundan dito dahil sa kinailangan ko munang isaayos ang lahat bago ko muling iharap ang sarili ko sa iyo."

"Paanong nangyari?" Naguguluhan pa ring tanong ni Cali.

"After you left me that letter, I had a hunch that Aimee weaved a series of lies. I hired a detective at doon ko nabisto ang itinatago niya. She was pregnant with another man's child at gusto niyang mapakasal kami bago lumabas ang katotohanang nagdadalang tao siya. I had to track down the real father. It took some convincing but after I offered the bastard a huge amount of money, he agreed to come out and tell the truth to everyone, including Aimee's parents." Mahabang paliwanag ni Drake.

"Naniwala ang parents ni Aimee? Paano kung gamitin pa rin nila ang bata para pilitin kang pakasalan ang anak nila?"

Kinintalan ni Drake ng halik ang dulo ng kanyang ilong bago sumagot. "That's why I made sure they can never do that. I'm not proud of it but I resorted to...threat. I told them that I will have the media involved in their daughter's fiasco kung ipipilit nila ang kasal na gusto nila. You see, they're scared of scandal because it will negatively impact their business and reputation."

"Oh Drake!" She buried her face in his chest, her eyes welled up, hindi dahil sa kalungkutan kundi sa kaligayahang pumalit roon.

"So then tell me, why are you giving up on us so easily again?" Hinawakan nito ang baba niya at itinaas upang mapatingin siya rito.

"I didn't want to be a daddy snatcher, you know..." sumisinghot na sagot niya, "and besides, I didn't want you to lose the company because of me."

"You silly woman! You should know by know that nothing matters to me more than you," muli siyang ginawaran ng halik nito sa mga labi. "You are my world, Calista Rodriguez. Even when I thought you betrayed me, that didn't stop my foolish heart from loving you," puno ng emosyong pahayag nito.

"Betrayed you?" Pag-uulit niya sa sinabi ni Drake. What does he mean? Kung mayroon mang naagrabyado rito ay walang iba kung hindi siya.

"All these years I thought you left me for another man..."

"What?!" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Cali sa narinig. "Left you for another man?!"

Nakangiting tumango si Drake. "But now I know the truth, sweetheart and I'm sorry I ever doubted you." Akma siyang muling hahalikan nito ngunit mabilis niyang ihinarang ang kamay sa pagitan nila.

"Wait. I need to know why you thought I left you for another man? Hindi ko maintindihan?"

Nagkalambong ang mga mata ni Drake habang nakatitig sa kanya. "Do you remember the time when I had to go to Hong Kong?", he paused as if letting her refresh the event in her head. Nagptuloy ito, "when I came back home, you were gone, and for the life of me I didn't know why!"

"It's because-"

"Wait, let me finish sweetheart," agap ng binata sa nais niyang sabihin. "When I came back and you weren't there, I thought I was gonna go crazy. I searched for you everywhere, begged everyone to tell me where you were but I wasn't able to find you," he chuckled at the thought, "daig ko pa ang asong ulol noon Cali. I was hell bent on finding you and bringing you back... and then Aimee and my mother said you left me for another man...of course I didn't believe them, but Aimee said she's seen you with another man who spent the night at our house."

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ni Cali. Another man? Sino? Ni hindi niya maalala na mayroon siyang nakasamang ibang lalaki, let alone one that would spend the night at their place?

Tumiim ang mga bagang ni Drake at may hinugot mula sa bulsa ng pantalong maong nito bago nagpatuloy. "...but then they showed me this, Cali," iniabot nito sa kanya ang larawan.

"D-Drake this is not what you think it is! Kaibigan at kababata ko si-" she stared at the picture with wide eyes. Nasa loob siya ng sasakyan ng kababata at yakap siya nito. That was the night Derek gave her a ride home dahil malakas ang buhos ng ulan.

"Yes, yes. Now I know. But you could imagine the rage I felt at that time sweetheart, makakapatay talaga ako ng tao."

"Kung ganoon, paano mong nalaman ang totoo?"

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan ni Drake. "In the midst of all the ruckus that was happening dahil sa kasal na ipinipilit ng pamilya ni Aimee at sa kumpanya, I actually overheard her and mama talking. Aimee was threatening my mom that she would tell me the truth kapag hindi nito nagawang mag materialize ang kasal." Inabot nito ang mga kamay niya at ikinulong ang mga iyon sa mga palad nito. "I'm sorry that my mom was a part of it. Alam kong ayaw sa iyo ni Mama simula't simula pa but I never expected her to go that far! I could never forgive her too!"

Cali was dumbfounded. All these years, naniwala si Drake na pinagtaksilan niya ito! What about Drake and Aimee's relationship then? Kasinungalingan rin ba iyon? Halo-halong mga tanong at nagsalimbayan sa kanyang isip.

"And then I saw you at the airport that day Cali, leaving with another man. God knows I would've killed that bastard right there and then, kaya lamang ay hindi ko na kayo napigilan," tumawa ito, "did you know the security had to taser me back then dahil sa pagpipilit ko?"

"Oh Drake! I didn't even know you were there! And it was Matt I was with at the airport." Siya na mismo ang lumapit at yumakap sa binata, burying her face on his chest. "I left because I thought you and Aimee got back together in Hong Kong! She had this picture of you together...kissing..." aniyang tiningala ang binata.

"I found out about that too... I swear I wanted to strangle Aimee's sweet little neck nang malaman ko ang lahat ng ito!"

"Pero saan nanggaling ang larawang 'yon Drake?"

"I remembered that it was the night that we attended a dinner party of one of the clients. Aimee was already drunk, at ako rin ay nakainom na. All of a sudden, she just grabbed me by the collar and kissed me! Ngayon ko naisip na planado ang lahat ng iyon Cali. A photographer she hired was probably on standby waiting for that perfect moment to snap a shot. And you know what else is interesting?"

"W-what?"

"Your so-called childhood friend was a part of Aimee's plan all along. And he is the father of Aimee's love child."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Cali sa narinig. "Derek? Are you serious?" hindi pa rin makapaniwalang tanong niya.

"Yup. It turns out Derek was a long time suitor of Aimee. Head over heels and mokong kay Aimee so he was willing to do whatever she asked him. I guess they were also sort of FUBU's, you know."

"FUBU?" kunot noong tanong niya.

Yumukod si Drake at ibinulong sa kanya ang kahulugan niyon. Naitutop ni Cali ang mga kamay sa bibig.

Drake playfully pinched her nose. "My naive little wife."

"Correction! I'm not your wife anymore Mr. Lustre," ganting tukso niya rito.

"Well, not yet but you will be very soon!" Sinikmat siya nito sa baywang at binuhat ng walang sabi-sabi.

Cali's laugh echoed, "Ibaba mo muna ako, ano ba?!"

"I love you, Calista Rodriguez. Then, now, and forever," he emotionally declared. Nangungusap ang mga mata nitong may ningning ng kaligayahan.

"I love you too, Drake. So very much. More than you'll ever know..."

Unti-unting inilapit ni Drake ang mukha sa kanya, and Cali eagerly anticipated the kiss he was about to bestow unto her nang bigla siyang may maalala.

"But how did you find me here?" she softly asked. Isang pulgada na lamang ang layo ng labi nito sa kanya. His minty fresh breath was so intoxicating.

"Si Matt." Maikling tugon ng binata at akma siyang muling hahalikan.

"Oh great! Even my friend betrayed me huh!" she rolled her eyes upwards, pretending to be annoyed.

"Well, he had to tell me otherwise I would've beat him to death."

"Don't tell me binugbog mo si Matt?!" gilalas na tanong niya.

"I was actually about to beat him up because I thought he was the guy you were referring to in your letter. But then the poor guy shrieked like a damsel in distress!" Malakas na tumawa si Drake, "ni wala akong ideya na babae rin pala ang kaibigan mo. You fooled me good there, Ms. Rodriguez!" Drake exclaimed in an amused voice.

Malambing na ikinawit ng dalaga ang mga bisig sa leeg ng binata, "Matt actually helped me a lot, Drake. I owe him a lot. Everything that I have achieved so far, it was because of his help, so please, don't threaten him too much."

"I know, and that is why I am planning to award him another project. Overseas. I'm sure he'll be thrilled." Kinindatan pa siya nito.

"Really? We're going to work on another project?"

"Hep hep! Ano'ng we? Si Matt lang, because once we're married, I want to make up for the 5 years that we lost sweetheart. I want to start a family right away."

Isang tikhim ang ginawa ni Cali. Ngayon na ang pagkakataong masabi niya kay Drake ang lahat.

"M-may isang bagay kang hindi nalaman..."

Ibinaba siya ng binata mula sa mga bisig nito at tinitigan, hinihintay ang susunod niyang sasabihin.

She gulped. Why is it still so damn hard to tell him the truth?!

"F-five years ago... you..." she paused and bit her lower lip, humahanap ng lakas ng loob para ituloy ang sasabihin. "...you almost became a father..." nag-angat siya ng paningin at nakita niya ang matinding pagkabiglang gumuhit sa gwapong mukha nito.

"I...I'm sorry I lost our baby Drake..." aniya sa nag-uulap na mga mata. "It was the day that Aimee went to see me for that picture."

Ilang sandaling walang naging kibo si Drake. Nakita niya ang pag-iigting ng mga ugat sa leeg nito, tanda ng pinipigil na galit.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed loudly, isinuklay nito ang mga kamay sa buhok. He paced back and forth, trying to calm himself down. "I'm gonna kill that bitch! I will really kill that bitch!" anito na ang tinutukoy ay si Aimee.

"No Drake. Let's forget about her," she grabbed his hands at hinalikan ang mga iyon."Ang mahalaga ay ang ngayon...us..." she smiled at him tenderly.

Saglit siyang tinitigan nito na tila tinitimbang ang dapat gawin, bago siya muling kinabig payakap. "God! I'm so sorry for everything that you had to go through, sweetheart! I swear I will make it up to you from now on."

"I'm sorry I doubted you too, Drake. I'm sorry for the lost time," buong pagmamahal niyang niyakap ito. God! This is paradise right here in his arms! Wala na siyang mahihiling pa.  She could hear both their heartbeats as one, tila kapwa nangangako ng walang hanggangang pag-iibigan.

"We'll have our whole lives ahead of us sweetheart," he paused to look at her, his eyes were misty like hers. "Pangako, we will have our six kids in no time."

"Six?!"

"Hindi mo na ba naalala? I told you once I want a big  family."

"Huwag naman anim! What about 3?

"Hmm.... 4?" ibinaba nito ang labi sa kanyang punong tenga at hinalikan siya roon. Daan-daang kilabot ang naging dulot niyon sa buong katawan ni Cali. She couldn't help closing her eyes and moaned softly.

"Umpisahan na kaya natin, hmmm?" he continued teasing her earlobes, nibbling it gently.

Iminulat niya ang mga mata at kinurot sa tagiliran ang binata. "Hoy Mr. Lustre, pakasalan mo muna ako ulit noh!" tumatawang bulalas niya.

"Yes ma'am! Sa kahit isandaang simbahan pa!"

Sabay silang nagkatawanan.

Without any word, Drake knelt on one knee along the shore and pulled out something from his pocket. Isang maliit na kahita ang binuksan nito, and the ring inside sparkled so bright against the ray of sun.

"Marry me again, Calista Rodriguez."

Cali laughed and cried at the same time. "Yes! Yes Drake! Yes"

Drake laughed too in ecstacy. Isinuot nito sa kanyang palasingsingan ang singsing at tumayo mula sa pagkakaluhod, "I love you, sweetheart. No one else. Ikaw lang ang narito." Dinala nito ang kamay niya sa sariling dibdib, letting her feel his heartbeat. "As long as this heart is beating...no, kahit na tumigil na ito sa pagtibok, ikaw lamang ang nakaukit rito..."

"And I love you too Drake. So much that I didn't know how I survived five years without you. My life was empty...walang kahulugan ang lahat kapag wala ka..."

Tumingkayad siya at ginawaran ng mabining halik sa mga labi ang binata. It was supposed to be a quick kiss but Drake's arms wound around her waist as he hungrily kissed her with unparalleled passion. Kapwa nila habol ang hininga nang magbitaw ang kanilang mga labi.

"Our forever starts now sweetheart," idinikit nito ang noo sa kanyang noo.

"Yes, our forever starts now." she seconded. She could hardly breath from the happiness welling up in her heart. Just when she thought everything between them was over, destiny has its way of bringing two hearts together again.

Magkahawak kamay nilang binaybay ang dalampasigan, ang kanilang mga paa ay magkasabay gumawa ng mga bakas sa buhangin.

~Wakas

25.08.2021