9:30 AM.
January 7, 2013
Richard
straightened his back as he gripped his phone tighter. His eyebrows met as he
counted the 6th ring the he heard on the other line. Why isn’t she picking this call? Kanina lang
busy, tapos ngayon ayaw sagutin. He got into his signature bugnutin look.
Ring.
“Goms…” he
finally heard her angelic voice on the other line.
His throat
turned dry.
“Dawn… Hi…
G… good morning.” He can’t help it, her voice made him startle. Bakit ba ako nauutal. Richard wanted to scold himself.
“Good
morning… Uy, are you okay? You seemed to be anxious.” She asked. Ako ata kinakabahan sayo eh. Her inner
voice would tell her.
“No… Yes!
Yes! I’m okay.” He answered back, then slapping his forehead. Umayos ka, ikaw may gustong tawagan siya.
“No then
Yes? Pwede ba yun? Goms ha, kilala kita. Ninenerbiyos ka ba?” She said
addressing him directly.
“Ako?
Hindi… ano kasi, masama lang pakiramdam ko. May konting sinat.” He answered,
which is partially true because half of it he was really nervous.
“Bakit?
Nilagnat ka sa napanood mo kagabi?” She teased. “And by the way, kita ko nag
blush ka nga!” She added while giggling on the other line.
“Ikaw kasi
eh, masyadong honest!” He shot back, he smiled upon the memory.
“At ikaw,
masyadong echos! Sus, Love lang di mo maalala? Ewan ko sa yo Goma… O ba’t ka
napatawag?” She asked, she’s clearly enjoying this conversation.
“Promise
hindi ko talaga maalala… Sorry…” Of
course, I do remember. It used to be the only word that I only knew at that
time for it used to be my term for the woman that drove me crazy in love. And
it was you, only you. And you know what; it almost killed me when I acted like
a fool for not remembering it. I know it pained you too, I saw it in your eyes.
When you said “nagtampo”, I brought you closer to my side for I knew; whether
you’ll admit it or not a part of it was true. Nagtampo ka nga nung hindi ko
maalala. At gusto kitang yakapin dahil gusto kong mag sorry.
“Sus, eto ang hilig mo pa din mag
sorry. Oo sige na…” She retreated. Alam
ko naman na alam mo pa, but I also knew that pride of yours is eating you. I
knew you were just acting up. It was your defense mechanism because all the
time during that GGV taping, between you and me you were the obvious one Goms.
Your eyes, your smile and the way you look. And by the way, I missed that
smile. It was like after 23 years that once again, I saw that genuine smile.
And it never changed, even a bit.
“O ba’t ka
napatawag?” Dawn repeated. It was a moment of silence for Richard. Dawn cleared
her throat. It was as if Richard has something to say.
“Goma, may
sinat ka ba o napipi?” she joked. “Uy kinakabahan ako pag ganyan ka.” She
added, this time she wasn’t joking. She knew something was bothering him.
“Wala, na
miss ko lang boses mo.” Richard answered softly.
Honestly,
he meant it. He did miss her voice.
“Wala ka
talaga magawa ano? Napatawag ka na rin lang at mukhang ginu-good time mo ako,
ako, meron akong sasabihin.” She stated, refusing to believe what she heard.
“Ano? Na
miss mo rin ako? Umamin ka na kasi…” Richard responded in a playful tone.
“Gwapong
gwapo ka talaga sa sarilo mo no? Teka seryoso to, about your INC movie.” She
said.
“O, what
about it?” He straightened his back and turned serious.
“The
producers called Viv early this morning, they offered me the role to be your
character’s wife. I have yet to know the details and I still have to decide.”
Dawn explained.
“Really?”
He answered almost yelping. He couldn’t hide his excitement upon hearing it
straight from Dawn. “And you are having second thoughts about it?” he added
almost whispering.
“No, I’m
not having second thoughts. Nagaalala lang ako kay… Anton. I mean, he still has
a say with this.” She honestly answered.
Richard
fell silent again, this time Dawn understood why.
“Goms,
don’t ever think…” She tried to explain but Richard cut her short.
“Alam ko.”
He answered in a tone that almost crushed Dawn’s heart.
“Iba na
nga pag usapan natin…” She tried to divert the topic for clearly she doesn’t want
to end this conversation yet. Wag mo muna
ibabababa please.
“Uy Goms,
nag trend tayo last night actually hanggang nagyon pa daw sabi ni Viv…” Dawn
tried to be cheery as possible in her tone. She heard him took a deep breath.
“Goms,
please… alam mo dapat masaya tayo kasi successful ang GGV guesting natin.
Masama na yang pakiramdam mo, wag mo na dagdagan… please? I’ll be the reason
kung bakit di ka gagaling. Sige ka, ako na magtatampo niyan, baka di ko na
talaga tatanggapin ang INC project…” She threatened.
“Kung ikaw
ang magiging rason kung di ako gagaling buti nga siguro lagnatin na lang talaga
ako…” Richard answered in a tone weary tone yet smirking.
“Whaaaaat?!
Yan naman ata ang di ko kakayanin… Uy, sige na Goma… please? For me?” Dawn
pleaded.
Finally,
Richard gave in. “Ikaw ha, that’s bribery… Kung di ka lang kita…” Richard
didn’t finish his statement. Kung di lang
kita… His mind would then finish the thought yet he didn’t entertained the
idea and he still kept his mum.
Dawn
waited for him to finish yet he didn’t. She choosed to ride on with him
prodding him to say what he intended to say.
“Kung di
mo ako, ano?” She challenged. “Alam ko naman na di mo ako matitiis eh.” She
added proudly grinning from ear to ear.
Alam mo pala eh, tulad ngayon… Di ko matiis na
di ka tawagan. Di ko matiis na di ko marinig boses mo. Pero di ko rin ata kaya
na tanungin ka kung kasama mo Siya nanood kagabi kasi baka di ko rin kayanin
ang sagot mo.
“Naku loko
ka talaga, teka masama ba talaga pakiramdam mo?” Her voice turned serious.
“Eto
naman, Dawn ganyan na ba talaga ako ka bolero na di mo na kayang maniwala
sakin?” He asked in a “nagtatampo” tone.
“Aba malay
ko ba kung trip mo lang and to answer your question oo bolero ka naman talaga,
diba Mr. Gomez? Ano may lagnat ka ba talaga kasi parang okay ka naman.” She
shot back. She didn’t know what to feel but clearly this discussion kept her in
high spirit. She always enjoyed talking to him.
“Opo may
lagnat po talaga ako 38.8°C nga po kanina temperature ko. At nag bago na po ako
din a ako bolero, Mrs… Lagdameo.” Richard felt a pang when he uttered Dawn’s
last name. It should’ve been my last name. His mind would tell him.
Dawn heard
his pause. She cleared her throat and acted as if she heard nothing. Marami na nga nagbago sayo Goma, siguro nga
what you’ve been through made you mature. Sayang lang I was not there to
witness it pero alam ko binago ka Niya. And I can see she made you better, a
better man. She was a good catch. She’s a good wife, Goms. Please don’t break
her heart. Then she wondered where Lucy was.
“38.8°C?
Have you taken your meds already? Breakfast?” She asked.
“Meds
check, breakfast check. Mahirap pala na magkasakit na mag isa.” He said.
“Mag-isa?
Where’s Lucy?”
“She’s in
Ormoc, she’ll be home by Wednesday pa.” He said.
“Ah ganun
ba. Drink a lot of water and rest. And fruits and eat on time. Don’t skip a
meal kahit walang gana or else you can’t take you meds on an empty stomach.”
She said. She can’t help not to worry.
“Dawn,
relax okay? As if you hadn’t seen me handle this. Wala pa ito noong nagkasakit
ka remember?” He tried to enlighten her memory. Truth is, he didn’t have to for
she vividly remembered what happened that day.
As they
both fell silent recalling every detail of that fateful day somewhere in 1991.
November
1991.
Richard came home right after from his taping.
He was so exhausted for all the heavy scenes were intentionally shot today. He
was expecting to see Dawn at the living room waiting for him like the usual yet
he found nobody.
“Love?” He called out as he put his bag down.
No answer.
Akala ko ba wala siyang taping today.
“Love?” he repeated as he searched for her in
the kitchen. He went upstairs and opened their room.
“Love asan ka… Dawn!!!” he shouted as he
rushed to her side. He saw her lying on their bed in a C-shape position. Her
eyes were shut as she continued chilling. She was warm to touch yet Richard hugged
her tightly.
“Love ang init mo, ang taas ng lagnat mo!”
Richard said as he caressed her face. His voice cracked as he held her. “Love,
gising...”
“Babe…” She could hardly speak a word yet she
tried to when she heard Richard’s cracked voice. She slowly opened her eyes.
Richard hugged her again and cried. He was so
frightened upon seeing her that way. He felt her tears as he hugged her even
tightly.
“Love shhhhh… andito na ako…” He kissed her
forehead.
He
straightened her position as he draped her with blanket. He took a basin of
water and a towel and patted her. He took her temperature. 39°C. He kissed her
forehead again.
Dawn opened her eyes slowly. She was sure she
had fallen asleep for she felt much better now. She smiled as she saw Richard
sleeping next to her. He was hugging her. She blew a light kiss on the top of
his nose hoping not to wake him up. She smiled as he slowly lifted his head and
rubbed his eyes. “Babe…” She said.
Richard felt a kiss as he opened his eyes and
winked several times trying to clear his vision from merely waking up. He saw
his lady love smiling next to him completely different from what he saw
earlier. She stroked his face and kissed him again on the lips this time.
“Love kamusta ka na?” He asked as he placed
the back of his palm unto her forehead trying to feel her temperature. He was
relieved that she was cooler now.
“Medyo okay na Babe…” She answered smiling.
“Wag mo na ako takutin uli ng ganon ha, akala
ko kasi…” He intended not to finish what he was saying. He pinched her nose and
kissed her on the cheek.
“Ano mamatay ako? Sira! Natakot ba kita Babe?”
She asked giving him a puppy look.
“Oo, kaya wag mo na ulitin yun, pag sasama
yang pakiramdam mo tapos ikaw lang mag-isa I-beep mo agad ako o si Vivian.
Mabuti na lang maaga natapos ang taping ko.” He said lifting her chin tucking
several strands of her hair to her ears.
“Opo.” She said as she tugged him closer.
“Love gutom ka na? Ano gusto mo kainin? Dapat
kang kumain ng mabuti para gumaling ka na.” He said as he planted light kisses
on her neck.
“Kahit ano Babe…” She said giggling like a
happy kid.
“Sige I’ll make you dinner.” He shot back as
he slowly crawled out of bed.
Dawn was wearing his t-shirt that looked baggy
into her small frame. She was squatting in bed as she looked unto him. She was
like a child in so many ways. She looked so beautiful and fragile.
“Teka pa kiss nga Love…” He added playfully.
Richard leaned down and kissed her, he stopped
in the middle as he felt her smile. He caressed her face and kissed her once
again. I’ll never get tired of doing this. His mind added.
Richard
opened his eyes when he heard her giggle on the other line.
“Oo
naalala ko! Nataranta ka nun!” Dawn said laughing.
“Kasi ikaw
eh, sino ba hindi matataranta na pag dating ko wala kang malay tapos ang init
init mo.” He shot back in defense.
Dawn only
laughed on the other line. She found it amusing as they both remembered every
detail. But before she could speak she heard Juiana’s voice on the other line.
“Dad?
Dad?”
“Oh Goms,
it’s almost lunch time na pala andyan na si Juliana…” Dawn said.
“Oo nga…
Di ko rin na malayan ang oras… So paano I’ll hung up na…” He sighed.
“Yeah, me
too baka anytime parating na rin si Anton and Jacobo. Pagaling ka ha. Bye.” She
said almost in a weak tone.
“And
Dawn?” He said catching her.
“Yes?”
“I hope
you’ll consider the project.” He said as he meant every line of it.
“Sige I’ll
call you back once I have my decision.” She said. “Bye then?” she then added.
“Bye for
now…” he answered back smiling.
I’ll get you back even just for reel’s sake.
