Final Chapter

One year later...

"Come on Louise!" Binaltak ni Rhea ang kamay niya upang sapilitan siyang itayo sa kinauupuan. Pasigaw itong muling nagsalita "what for are we here if you're gonna spend the evening sitting there!" Protesta nito.

She took a sip from the cocktail she's drinking bago sumagot "ano?" Pasigaw din niyang sagot. It was 12 midnight at malakas ang dagundong ng maharot na musika sa bar, halos hindi niya marinig ang kaibigan sa kabila ng malakas na tinig nito.

Inilapit nitong bahagya ang mukha sa kanyang tainga "Ang sabi ko, ang KJ mo!"

Natawa si Louise sa sinabi ng kaibigan. Hindi naman talaga siya mahilig mag bar, at wala siyang kabalak balak na pumasok sa lugar na iyon kung hindi lamang sa pagpipilit ni Rhea.

Rhea was her friend from San Francisco at katrabaho sa publishing house. Half Filipina ito at kahit pa laking Amerika ay matatas mag Tagalog.

Since her return to San Francisco a year ago, she and Rhea had grown much closer. Ito lamang ang naging hingahan at outlet niya noon ng kalungkutan.

Dalawang araw na ang nakalilipas ng dumating siya ng Pilipinas kasama si Rhea. For Rhea, it was only for a vacation, ngunit para sa kanya, it was a permanent move. Napangiti siya ng maisip ang dahilan ng pag uwi. Gael. She's finally ready to give her whole self to him again. She's healed her wounds and gained back the confidence to be happy again, as well as the confidence to make him happy.

Last year has been a difficult year for her. She lost her child and had to endure days and nights without the man she loves. God knows there were days that she thought she couldn't bear it and was very tempted to run back to him. But she did what she had to do, in order to find herself again...in order to be whole again.

Kumusta na kaya si Gael? Kung minsan ay natatakot siyang isiping maaaring nagbago ang damdamin nito sa kanya sa nakalipas na taon. Paano kung mayroon na itong iba? Ang tangi lamang niyang pinanghahawakan  ay ang pangakong pag ibig nito sa kanya. She has faith in their love. Balak niyang puntahan ito sa makalawa upang sabihin ditong handa na siyang muling magsimula.

"Kung ayaw mong sumayaw, I guess I'll go alone then!" Muling sabi ng kaibigan at nakataas pa ang isang kamay na nagtungo sa dance floor.

Louise took another sip from her cocktail nang hindi sinasadyang mapatingin siya sa bandang kanan ng bar. Amidst the chaos and all the different faces in that bar, hinding hindi niya maipagkakamali ang mukhang iyon. Ilang ulit niyang ikinurap ang mga mata just to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

Like the first time she saw him at the school campus some 8 years ago, it's as if her world spun in slow motion while she stared at his every little move. She felt her heartbeat intensify. God! How she missed him! Agad ang pamamasa ng kanyang mga mata. Tumayo siya sa kinauupuan upang lapitan ito. Ngunit hindi pa siya nakakahakbang ay nakita niya ang paglapit ng isang babae dito. She saw him smile broadly, the kind of smile she hasn't seen from him in a long time. He seemed to be enjoying the woman's company.

She slowly went back to her seat, ngunit ang mga mata niya ay nanatiling nakapako sa binata. Ramdam niya ang pagkirot ng puso sa nakikita. Did Gael forget about her? Does he have someone new in his life? At kung magkagayon man, mayroon ba siyang ibang dapat sisihin kundi ang kanyang sarili?

Sinenyasan niya ang waiter at umorder ng mas matapang na inumin. She would need a much stronger drink than a cocktail!

*******

Gael inhaled sharply nang mamataan ang babae sa di kalayuan. Of all places that he'd expect to see her, the bar would be the least of them. Kilala niya si Louise, wala itong hilig sa mga ganitong lugar.

Nakabalik na pala ito ng Pilipinas? For the past year he tried to remain in contact with her ngunit madalas ay nararamdaman niya ang pag iwas nito sa mga tawag niya. Gusto man niyang magdamdam sa dalaga ay hindi niya magawa sapagkat alam niya ang bigat ng pinagdadaanan nito, kaya kahit gaano man kahirap at kasakit para sa kanya na lumayo ito, pilit niyang inunawa. Maybe she really needed to find herself? Maybe in time she will realize she wants him in her life and maybe she'll come back to him. Gaano man katagal ang kailangan nito para muling buuin ang sarili, ay nakahanda siyang maghintay.

The first few months without her were pure hell for Gael. Hindi niya maayos maging ang sarili, maging ang kumpanya ay hindi niya napag ukulan ng pansin. Siguro ay hindi alam ni Louise na higit din siyang nasaktan sa mga nangyari, lalo sa pagkawala ng anak nila. As the months went by, he forced himself to get up and live without her. The Esteves' sold him their company shares matapos ang pangyayaring kinasangkutan ni Patty, marahil sa takot ni Manuel Esteves na makalabas sa media at publiko ang eskandalo.

Patty went back to the States to continue her treatments, wala na siyang nabalitaan pa tungkol sa babae.

"Wow! Kurt was really drunk!" Nakangising bulalas ni Nadine sa kanya ng bumalik ito mula sa dance floor. Nadine is Kurt's fiancee, nakatakda nang ikasal ang mga ito a few months from now. Nag-aya ang mga itong mag bar ngayong gabi, well, sa totoo lang ay mahilig mag bar ang dalawa at palagian siyang nais isama, iyon lamang ay hindi siya makumbinsi ng mga ito, except for tonight.

Tumawa si Gael "nasaan mo iniwan ang nobyo mo?"

"Hay naku! Ayun he ran to the washroom like a batshit crazy person!" Tumatawang sabi nito at iniangat ang baso sa kanya "cheers!"

Gael discreetly looked at Louise's direction. Nakita niya ang sunod sunod na paglagok nito ng ilang shots ng inumin. Damn it! She doesn't handle alcohol well! What is she doing?

"Type mo?" Tanong ni Nadine sa kanya, ipinatong pa nito ang baba sa balikat niya at sinundan ng tingin ang babaeng pinagmamasdan niya.

Tinungga niya ang laman ng shot glass "that's Louise"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Nadine "you mean the Louise?" Eksaheradong sagot nito. Nadine knows the story between him and Louise.

"Uh-huh" tango niya.

"Wow! She's pretty! Kaya pala baliw na baliw ka sa kanya eh! well what are you waiting for? Puntahan mo na!"

He sighed at muling uminom. For heaven's sake! he feels nervous!

Malakas na tumawang muli si Nadine "whoa! Don't tell me the mighty Mr. Gael Aragon, President & CEO of AG group is feeling chicken?!" Pang aasar nito.

Bago nakasagot si Gael ay narinig niya ang malakas na paglapag ng isang baso sa kanilang mesa. Gulat siyang napatingin sa babaeng naupo sa katabing upuan niya. Louise!

Oh God! She looks drunk already! Namumungay ang mga mata nito at kahit madilim ay kita niya ang pamumula ng mukha nito.

"Well, well, well!" Louise exclaimed "if it isn't Gael Aragon!" Muli nitong dinala ang shot glass sa bibig at tinungga ang laman niyon. She then grabbed the bottle in front of her at akmang muling magsasalin sa baso ngunit pinigil ni Gael ang kamay nito.

"You're drunk, Louise"

"Psh!" Iwinaksi nito ang kamay niya at nagsalin "ano naman ngayon sa'yo? Close ba tayo?" Humagikgik pa ito.

Damn! She's really drunk!

"Hi! I'm Nadine" pakilala ni Nadine sa sarili at inilahad ang kamay.

Inabot ni Louise ang kamay nito "hi! I'm Louise. Gael's wife" she emphasized the word wife.

Natawa si Nadine sa sinabi ni Louise "well then, I think I better leave the two of you alone"

Iningusan ito ni Louise at muling naupo. Gael couldn't take her eyes off her. God! He missed her so much all he wanted to do right now is cage her in his arms and crush those lips with a kiss.

"So..." she pointed her index finger at him "mukhang nag eenjoy kang mabuti sa pagka binata mo? Tsk tsk tsk..." pumalatak ito at halos nakapikit na umiling "too bad, dahil HINDI ka binata. And know that I have no intention of making you one!"

"Let's get out of here. Lasing ka" aniya at hinawakan ang kamay nito.

"Ako? Lasing?" Dinuro pa nito ang sariling dibdib na parang hindi mapaniwalaan ang narinig.

"Yes! Let's go" hinila niya itong palabas ng bar.

"Bitawan mo nga ako!" Singhal nito sa kanya sabay hatak ng kamay. Medyo bumuway pa ito sa pagkakatayo na tila matutumba.

"Ikaw! Akala mo kung sino kang loyal! Yun pala, isang taon lang...isang taon lang, may nakuha ka na agad iba!" Halos nakapikit ito habang nagsasalita ngunit nakita niya ang paglalandas ng luha sa mga pisngi nito.

Marahas nitong pinahid ang luha at suminghot na parang bata "kung alam ko lang... kung alam ko lang... sana hindi na ako bumalik!"

He looked at her entertained, his heart overflowing with joy. He chuckled at inabot ito at marahang dinala sa dibdib. He kissed the top of her head "I missed you so much sweetheart"

Walang lakas na hinampas nito ang dibdib niya "sabi mo...mahal mo ako...sabi mo..."

"Let's go home, sweetheart..." A huge, contented smile painted his lips. Louise is back.

She's back in his life.

*******

Tumagilid si Louise sa pagkakahiga. Damnit! Her head was pounding like crazy. She should have gone easy on the tequila last night! Hindi naman kasi talaga siya umiinom kung hindi lang niya nakita si Gael kagabi.

Gael.

Biglang bumalik sa huwisyo niya ang pangyayari ng nagdaang gabi. She got drunk and approached him. What the hell was she thinking?! Ipinikit pa niya ng mariin ang mga mata at muling tumagilid sa kabilang bahagi ng kama, only to bump into something.

She slowly opened her eyes at daig pa niya ang nasabugan ng bomba ng makita sa kanyang tabi ang lalaking laman ng isip!

Hindik niyang tinignan ang paligid sabay check sa sariling katawan sa ilalim ng kumot. Shit! She's in her birthday suit! Si Gael ay mukhang ganoon din! Did something happen between them last night? Napangiwi siya nang kumirot ang ulo.

"Morning..." he said huskily. Ang kamay nito ay pumulupot sa kanyang baywang at hinatak siya palapit sa katawan nito. A gentle scream escaped from her throat lalo na ng madikit ang kanyang katawan sa init ng katawan nito. She tried to wriggle away from him but his arms tightened even more.

"Stay still, will you love?"

Louise gently looked up to see his face, his eyes were still closed, a gentle smile was on his lips.

"A-anong ginawa mo sa akin?"

"Like I always say sweetheart..." he opened his eyes and naughtily looked at her "nothing that you wouldn't want me to" pilyo itong ngumiti.

For the first time in years ay muli niyang naramdaman ang pamumula ng pisngi dala ng pinaghalong hiya at kilig. Itinulak niya ito at mabilis na umalis ng kama. Sa kabila ng hiya dahil nakahantad sa paningin nito ang katawan niya ay hinagilap niya sa sahig ang mga damit na nahubad at nagmamadaling isinuot ang mga iyon.

"This was a mistake"

"Why would it be? You're my wife" saad nito, naupo sa kama at iniunan ang mga kamay sa likod ng ulo, pasandig sa headboard. Tila nag eenjoy itong panoorin ang pagkapahiya niya.

"Your ex-wife...soon" pagtatama niya.

"Who said I wanted an ex wife?" Nakangising tanong nito.

She exhaled "Alam ba ng nobya mo ang tungkol sa akin?"

"Yes"

Bastard! So girlfriend mo nga ang babaeng iyon kagabi! Her heart ached at the thought na mayroong ibang babae sa buhay nito. But then again, hindi ba at kasalanan niya ito?

She sat at the end of the bed while strapping the sandals on her feet. Dahil sa panginginig ng kamay ay lalo namang hindi niya maitama ang pagkakalagay ng strap.

Mula sa kanyang likod ay naramdaman niya ang paglapit nito. She was speechless when she felt him place something around her neck. Natigilan siya sa ginagawa at kinapa iyon.

It was her necklace. The one he gave her when she was 16, at the prom night. A simple gold necklace with a heart shaped pendant with their initials engraved.

Nagtatanong ang mga matang nilingon niya ito "y-you... still have this?" She asked. Agad na nangilid ang mga luha niya.

He smiled at her at hinawi ang buhok niyang bahagyang nahulog sa kanyang noo "of course sweetheart..."

"B-but why?"

"Hindi ba halata?"

Lumunok siya. Maybe this is asking for too much but she wants to be sure "but I want to hear why"

"Louise, hindi ka na nagbago" anito na tila bata ang kausap. "Simula ng makilala kita, I always have to spell out everything for you kahit pa nakikita mo ng malinaw sa harapan ng iyong mga mata..."   he lovingly wiped her tears away with his hands and continued  "it's because there's no other woman for me, dahil ikaw lang ang mahal ko, ikaw ang buhay ko, ikaw lang ang nandito sa puso ko. Kulang pa ba ang mga dahilan? I could give you a million reasons why, pero isa lang ang magiging suma total...ikaw lang ang nag iisang iniibig ko, since the day I met you when you were 16"

Napasinghap si Louise sa pagtatapat na iyon ng binata. Her stupid tears kept falling, this time dala ng kaligayahan at hindi kalungkutan.

Gael continued "alam kong hindi ko maibabalik kung ano ang nawala sa atin...but let me, please, let me be a part of your future and forever. Hindi ko na makakaya ng wala ka"

Louise stared into those piercing set of eyes and saw only love. On impulse ay inilapit niya ang sariling mukha dito at hinagkan ang mga labi ng binata. Gael's hand went behind her head at tila pareho silang uhaw para sa halik na iyon. What a fool she's been to waste a year of her life without him. She can never be completely whole without this man. Hawak nito ang puso niya, ang malaking bahagi ng kanyang pagkatao.

"Mahal na mahal kita Gael. All these years, nothing was able to change that. Not even when I thought you betrayed me" she confessed. Dinama niya ang mukha nito.

"Oh God sweetheart!" Hinila siyang payakap nito "you have no idea how I missed you. How I longed for you. Don't leave me ever again...hindi ko na makakaya" Gael said emotionally.

Louise smiled through her tears "No. Never again! So you better dump whoever that girl is!"

Gael laughed "hindi ko girlfriend si Nadine" seryosong siyang tinignan nito  "she's Kurt's fiancee. But it's true that she knows about you" he pinched her nose.

Tila nabunutan ng tinik ang puso niya sa narinig. Muli niya itong hinalikan "I missed you so much. Wala ring kuwenta ang buhay ko kung wala ka"

"Ikaw lang eh. Iniwan mo ako, eh sa gandang lalaki ko, marami kang magiging kumpetensya kung hindi lang ako loyal" biro nito.

"Ah ganon?!" Kinurot niya ito sa tagiliran at pagkatapos ay sabay silang nagkatawanan.

Maya maya ay may kinuha ito mula sa drawer ng nightside table. Hinawakan nito ang kaliwang kamay niya at marahang isinuot ang singsing sa kanyang palasingsingan.

"Gael!" She exclaimed as she looked at the ring on her finger. It was her engagement ring. Ang wedding ring ay nasa sa kanya dahil hindi niya ito ibinalik kay Gael ng umalis siya, na para bang sa paraan na iyon ay palagi niyang kasama ang presensiya nito. She was not prepared, and she will never be prepared, to not be Mrs. Nina Louise Aragon.

"I will marry you again, Nina Louise Saavedra. This time, for all of Sta. Martha to see. I want everyone to know that you are mine"

She nodded her head in agreement. She must have done something wonderful in this life to deserve him.

"I'm sorry that I didn't see your pain back then, when we lost the...baby. I was selfish and-"

Pinigil ni Gael ang mga sasabihin pa niya ng mga halik nito.

"Let's not talk about the past. I love you, no matter what" he kissed her again. His lips trailed down her neck, pinigilan niya ang ulo nito "G-Gael..."

"Let's start over again sweetheart... you and I..."

Kung totoo man ang paraiso, this is her own little perfect paradise, right here in his arms.

*******

Makalipas ang ilang buwan ay nasaksihan ng buong Sta. Martha ang isang engrandeng kasal sa pagitan ng isang Saavedra at Aragon, ending the long standing feud between the two families.

"I love you, Mr. Gael Aragon" she sweetly said.

"And I love you more, Mrs. Aragon" sagot nito as he bent his head to kiss her again  "always and forever"

Hawak kamay nilang nilisan ang dambana, looking at the bright future ahead of them.

                            -     Wakas. -

Maraming, maraming salamat po sa pagbabasa at suporta! I hope you enjoyed Gael and Louise's love story as much as I enjoyed writjng it.

-April