Reason

Chapter 10. Reason

"YOU don't like single mothers because you don't want to father their kids, but, I'm fine with single mothers. So I think Jinny is fine, too. Mabait na, maalaga pa."

Sinamaan ng tingin ni Timo si Rexton dahil sa sinabi nito. It's not because single mothers had excess baggage just as what other said—and for him, that's a bad connotation—but because he's afraid he'd just be a rebound if he fell for a single mother again.

"Kung hindi mo naman pala popormahan, ako na lang."

Umigting ang ka nyang panga dahil alam niyang hinuhuli lang siya ng mokong na ito kung mapipikon siya o hindi.

"I guess you're fine with it. I am really going to court her."

"Then fucking court her! Bakit parang nagpapaalam ka pa sa 'kin?"

Rexton just smirked triumphantly. "See? You like her."

What if I do?

"You move on fast. Why don't you move on from that experience as well?" Tunog nagbibigay pa ito ng payo. Naikwento niya na rito nang minsang mag-inuman sila ang ilan sa mga naging karelasyon niya kaya may basehan ang bagay na tinutukoy nito, na mabilis siyang mag-move on.

"Fuck you." Dahil hindi siya naka-move on sa naging resulta mula sa relasyong iyon. Hanggang ngayo'y naiisip pa rin niya ang nangyari noon.

Rexton was pertaining about when Timo once fell in love with a single parent when he stayed abroad in his early twenties. But that woman spit on his face that she's just trying to love him so she could finally forget the father of her child.

Damn her! He loved her and her child, and yet, she just told him that thing. And that, she's only trying to love him because she wanted Bill, her child, to have a father figure, and he was the fucking perfect candidate for that position.

That's bullshit. Since then, he made sure that the woman he's going to pursue, or even bed, was really single. Not a single parent and definitely not married or in a relationship. He started hating the thought of having a relationship with a single mother, too.

Inaamin niya na noong una ay sinubukan lang din niyang mahalin si Orange dahil gusto niyang kalimutan ang babaeng iniwan niya sa Pilipinas na siyang minahal niya nang husto noon, pero kalauna'y natutunan niyang mahalin nang totoo si Orange o Rhay, ang ina ni Bill.

Subalit pagdating sa huli ay isinampal nito sa kaniya ang katotohanang ginamit lang siya para sa pansarili nitong kapakanan.

"Fuck, Orange, you're just drunk."

"No, Timo. I am not drunk. I'm perfectly sane and I'm telling you this because it seems like you don't have any plans on marrying me! I don't—" She hiccuped. "—want to wait anymore! I want to have a complete family for Bill."

Didn't she know how he prepared for that night? Na nasira lang dahil umuwi itong nakainom na at tinungga ang bote ng tequila bago pa man niya maisakatuparan ang pinlano... He even asked Orange's parents to take care of Bill that night so he could have an intimate moment with her.

"I always tell you that I love you but I don't really mean it..." Humagulgol ito at isiniwalat ang lahat.

Timo thought Orange would be the one who'd finally complete his now shattered life. But she only shattered it more, leaving him a piece of those memories with her that'd be added to his previous heartbreaks.

"I was about to propose to you tonight, Rhay," nahahapong pag-amin niya.

His bloodshot eyes never left hers so he saw how she gasped, and regret immediately filled her teary eyes.

"I... I love you..." She blinked twice. "Let's get married..."

But he had heard enough. He left that night and booked a hotel. The following day, the two of them talked about it when she was already sobered up, and there she told her that everything she said were true.

She apologized and asked for a second chance and he gave her that, but their relationship had never been the same anymore. It wasn't fixed so they decided to just break up.

And he went back to the Philippines to pursue his career.

Ang dami pang nangyari nang makauwi siya—

"I'LL just set another meeting for this. Go home or get drunk, and make sure you'll focus when you get back here," pukaw ni Rexton sa atensyon ni Timo kaya natigil siya sa pagbabalik-tanaw.

Hindi siya natinag. "Fire away," wika niya't sumandal sa upuan.

Bigla naman niyang naalala ang babaeng dahilan kung bakit bigla niyang naalala ang ex-girlfriend niya. Ngayo'y hindi mawala sa kaniyang isipan ang dismayadong mukha ni Jinny kanina. He's still thinking about why was she disappointed, and there was more than that. Her face was showing that she's also disgusted with what he said.

With what I said... He said in his mind, realizing the reason why Jinny reacted that way. Napatuwid siya ng upo sa naisip.

"So, that was the reason..." Hindi niya maintindihan pero sinisisi niya ang kanyang sarili. She wasn't disgusted, but, she was insulted. Damn himself for saying that thing. Now that he had thought of it, that's kind of below the belt. He couldn't help but think about how did Jinny feel upon hearing that, or what kind of things were running up on her mind. If disappointed and insult were visible in her beautiful face... what was on her mind, then? Ang hirap ispelengin.

"Dude, you better get laid off tonight."

Shit! Oo nga pala, nag-uusap sila ni Rexton para sa bagong trabahong inaatas nito sa kanya. He was hired once again to look for the young dela Costa's mother. He only knew the latter had his child during late teens, and he didn't know more than that. Hindi naman na niya kasi pinagtuunan ng pansin. Maybe one of these days, if he got bored, he'd do a deep background check about his friend.

Or he would just ask him directly because he's doubting if he'd get bored especially with Jinny occupying his mind.

Shit!

Ilang sandali lamang ay tumayo na siya't dire-diretsong lumabas ng opisina. He'd go bar hopping to distract himself.