RUMBA

'"I'll stay upstairs and rest." With her few tottering steps, Mom climbs up to her room. I want to assist her, but she insisted that she can carry herself well.

I'm not sure nor trusting about that doctor's opinion. He did not try to make a few tests on mom. No laboratory test nor scan or something to make sure she's alright. He said she's just a little stressed and by the look of her, I am surely not convinced.

"Mom, why don't we try to ask for a second opinion? With another doctor?" I put it forth before she can enter her room.

She stops and looks at me with her tired eyes, over the railings. "Cloe, stop worrying about me; I'm fine. Go now, do your stuff; I know you're busy." Then, without waiting for my reply or looking back at me, she turns around and enters her room.

I know I am busy, but I can't stop being anxious about her with how she looks.

In less than no time, my phone rings, and it is Dina.

"Hello, besh thanks goodness, you finally answered." Dina sounds relieved since with my preoccupied mind, I didn't notice her missed calls.

"Sorry Din, we just arrived home from the clinic."

"Oh, sorry, besh, how's Tita?" Her tone changes to some apologetic.

"She said she's fine, although I'm not sure. by the way, any problem?"

"Yes, besh, we definitely need you here. We need to finalize the program for tomorrow's event. We're already out of time. And maybe, if you can bring Bree with you, we can use some muscles for stage decorating."

"I'm not sure if he's free; maybe he's on duty, but I'll be there in a bit."

*****

Everyone in the decorating committee is busy, moving to and fro, passing by me mostly with a nod, and some say hi. I go straight to the program committee, where Dina is waiting, waving at me. She didn't wait for me to reach them. Instead, she walks promptly to meet me with her troubled expression.

"Besh, we still got a problem with our finale dance."

Yes, the finale dance, it supposed to be me and Ziggy's number. Now my shoulder slumps down, sharing the same trouble with Dina. Knowing the truth that I don't know how to resolve that problem.

"Why don't you ask Bree to be your partner?"

"Bree, yes, Bree." I take out my phone and straightaway, I call him.

He answers with just a few rings. "Hey sunshine, missing me?"

"Sunshine, where is that from?" I giggle over it with the flutters in my belly.

"Because you remind me of the sunshine after the storm. Don't you like it?"

"No? I love it." My face beams, almost forgetting all the troubles, and Dina, who's now covering her lips with her hands and chuckles at me teasingly. "By the way, Mr. Navigator, I'm in a...just slight trouble. I don't know if you can help me, but there's no one else I can ask and--"

"Anything for you, my sunshine, what is it?" He's truly unhesitating when he says it right away, not needing my further explanation.

"Uhmm, do you know how to do the rumba?" I close my eyes, saying it with a little prayer for a 'yes.'

"I've seen it, but I've never tried it. Why?"

"About the festival's finale dance it's supposed to be--"

"You and Ziggy? I will do it." How come that he always knows my words.

"Are you sure? The presentation will be tomorrow."

"Perfect timing, the boat is on the dry dock right now, for some repair that would last maybe two days or three. Why don't we turn the night into day and practice our way to perfection?"

"Really?!" I bounce cheerfully, and Dina is joining me. While repressing our happy shrill.

*****

"Replace to the right then; you step side on the left. Then your right foot rocks back. Replace to the left, and you step to the side on the right. Ouch! Bree, you stump my foot. You should step to the right this time." I pout after I flinch over the pain of my big toe. We are practice in our living room after we had our dinner, and as soon as mom went upstairs for an early rest.

"I'm sorry, Cloe, I promise I will do it right this time." He looks so cute when a bit worried and apologetic.

"I know you can do it and if you can. You'll have a reward from me." Hopping that little word would inspire him.

We repeat those basic steps several times before we made it almost perfect. And proceed to the last basic step.

"And two, three, four, one...two, three, four one, and you can release and hold my right arm in your left, release as two, three and give me a little hug. Then switch... switch... Bree, I said switch."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I sooo loved the hugging part that I forgot to switch." He snickers with a wink.

"Do you want the reward or not?" I smirk at him teasingly.

"Okay, okay, I'll swear no dabbling from now on; I'll be serious as a writer."

I'm happy that he still did fine, not perfect like Ziggy, but at least we did it. I glance over our wall clock, and it's passed one am. I think Bree is right when he says that we will turn night into day. Anyway, he had already decided that he will stay for the night.

"I think it's enough, and I think we can surely perform well tomorrow." I tie my hair in a ponytail and noticed Bree staring at my nape. "Bree, you'll melt me with that stare."

"I'm just actually waiting for your reward."

"Yeah, that reward. What's your wish?" I raise my brow with a smile.

"Do I really have the right to wish anything?" He smiles brightly, excited, but mischievous.

"Uhmmm, yes?" Why do I sound so hesitating when I'm offering it to him in the first place. Maybe I'm just scared that he would ask something more than I can give.

"Okay, first of all, I really need a midnight snack. Those little worms in my tummy are grumbling loudly. Secondly, you stay with me here until the sun shines?" He pouts his lips and bats his eyes like a little kitten, begging for food; he looks cute and funny.

"Your request is granted, Mr. Navigator." I smiled at him with a vow.

*****

We blow and sip together with that big bowl of the hot instant Samyang ramen. We both have our own chopsticks and race over to who can scarf more of the noodle. Together we sip a bunch of tangled noodles from the same plate, and slowly, we realized in the last minute that we have sipped one same noodle connecting both of our lips in each end. I'm slightly taken aback. But Bree didn't stop; he continues sipping the noodle while locking eyes with me and deliberately goes on until he reaches my lips.

The kiss is long and hot-blooded, and I can feel his hands on my knees, moving towards my inner leg. I didn't stop our osculation, but I hold his hand to desist, whatever plan he has, without offending him again. Yet, he comes closer, and with his muscular arms, he yanks at me and carries me to the couch. He lays my back on our soft couch while he's on top of me. I'm starting to shiver, I don't want to guess what he's about to do, and on what I had observed on Bree, he easily gets disappointed every time I cut him off. He's going down to me again and starts kissing my neck; it's ticklish and stings a bit, oh! He's sucking my neck.

I immediately pull back. "What are you doing? Are you trying to make a hickey on me?"

"Why? Don't you like it? I just want to show to the people that I own you now."

"What did you say?" I slightly raised my voice, together with one of my brow. I can't believe that he actually says that. I breathe deeply, trying to relax."Bree, it's a taboo. I will look like a flirty young lady with that." I twist my lips feign mad. Now I have the reason to push him back.

"I'm sorry, I think I need to repose myself harder next time. And it's tough to do that if you don't ... you know. I also think I better not look at you, 'coz every time I do, I doubt if I can control myself and dancing with you this whole time, looking at you sways your hips...ugh." He whispers with his breathy and husky voice, "that will surely ignite anybody's sexual appetite." And he ended his words with a deep disappointed breath.

I sit slightly embarrassed and guilty. Am I such a teaser?