Chapter 7

Steve breathed quietly, attempting to slow down his heartbeat. His heart is pounding so hard right now. Now that he was in front of the woman.

"Bakit po, Sir?" magalang na tanong ng babae kay Steve.

"Pasensiya ka na, Miss. Akala ko kasi ikaw iyon kakilala ko," alibi ni Steve.

"Okay lang, Sir. Kung ganon maiwan na kita," hahakbang na sana ang babae.

"Miss, sandali lang," awat ni Steve. He must do something para makilala ito."Puwede bang malaman kung ano ang pangalan mo?"

Ngumiti ang babae."Sir, style mo bulok."

Natawa si Steve, sa sinabi ng babae get niya ang sinabi nito."Maybe yes. I'm Steve Velarde." Mabilis sabi niya at nilahad ang kamay sa babae.

Napatingin lang ang babae sa kamay ni Steve. Alam niyang nagdadalawang isip ito kung makipagkilala ba ito sa kanya."Don't worry, Miss. I'm not a bad person kung ito ang iniisip mo."

"Wala naman sa itsura kung masama ang isang tao, meron nga diyan kaguwapo at kaganda pero mga mangloloko pala di ba, Sir?"

"Yes, I'm agree with you, Miss. Para maniwala kang I'm good not a bad person." Kinuha niya ang wallet at cell phone."Hawakan mo ito para maniwala ka."

Sa tingin ng babae nagsasabi ng totoo ang lalaking kaharap."Ano bang gusto mong malaman sa akin, Sir?"

"Your name," walang gatol na tugon ni Steve.

"Okay, I'm Monalisa Revilla."

Ngumiti si Steve."Nice to meeting you, Monalisa." Binulsa muna ang hawak na wallet at cell phone, saka inilahad muli ang kamay sa babae.

"Ang kulit." Pero kinuha nito ang kamay ni Steve."Nice meeting you too, Sir."

When they were handcuffed Steve feels the same when he meets his wife. The electricity between their hands is too strong.

Hinila bigla ni Monalisa ang kamay. Oo, siya rin parang dinaanan ng kuryente ang palad niya paakyat sa braso. Dapat hindi niya madama ito ng may asawa na siya. At pakiramdam niya nagkasala siya sa asawa."Ma... maiwan na kita, Sir." Nautal na siya kailangan niyang makalayo sa lalaki, isa itong malakas na tukso. Mabilis siya naglakad papalayo rito.

Steve just let the woman get a little farther away from him so that she wouldn't notice that he was going to follow her. When the woman was quite far away, Steve walked fast to catch up with it. And when he saw her enter a coffee shop, he waited for her to come out. It was only a matter of time before the woman came out with the man with her at the Subway restaurant.

Magkahawak kamay ang dalawa habang naglalakad. Ewan ba ni Steve he feel really jealous kahit na hindi tama. Sinusundan niya ang dalawa hanggang sa sumakay sila ng jeep, mabilis na tinungo ni Steve ang kotse na nakaparada sa hindi kalayuan.

Bumaba ang dalawa sa may Manggahan St. Steve park his car in one side mabuti na lang kahit papaano may naparadahan siya. Nang makitang naglakad papasok sa isang iskinita ang sinundan. Bumaba agad siya sa sasakyan niya, at lihim siyang sumunod sa dalawa. Sa isang up and down na bahay pumasok ang dalawa. Lumapit si Steve sa bahay. Ngayon talagang napatunayan na hindi nga ang asawa ito.

Steve's mind kept asking, Who is she? And does the woman have a relationship with the wife? Are they still twins? He wanted to knock on the door to talk to the woman. But he thinks he needs to control himself. It is not yet time to know the truth. He needs to know this woman first. Yes, he will find a way to get closer to it.

Steve stayed up until the morning. He is afraid that if he sleeps, he would miss the woman. He took a look at his wristwatch. Six am. He stretched out his hand. Because he hadn't slept all night, he moved his head left, right, to wake up his spirit. He was becoming bored after an hour. "Ahhh! Isn't she leaving? Or is she unemployed?" Steve wonders.

After five minutes, Steve's impatience disappeared because he saw the woman. Standing on board of the jeep He would have liked to approach it or offer to take her where to go, but he couldn't because her husband was with her. Is it her husband, or someone else? I sincerely hope not. Steve wishes the man was her lover or at the very least a live-in companion. He followed the jeep in which the two were riding. And the woman came down first. It only took five minutes to walk to a restaurant and enter. Steve parks his car in the restaurant's parking lot. He was just as hungry. and remembered that he didn't have dinner last night.

Steve stood outside the restaurant. He read what they offered. It is just right because it has breakfast offered. Some restaurants only have lunch and dinner. He went inside. He looks around. He thinks it's okay here. Nice setting. The waitress approached him."Good morning, Sir," she greeted him with a smile.

Steve smiled at it as well. "Good morning," he replied.

"Sir, may mga kasama ka ba?" tanong nito.

"No, I'm alone."

"This way please, Sir." Sa isang pagdalawang lang na lamesa umupo si Steve.

The waitress handed the breakfast menu to Steve. He looked at it. I want eggs Benedict. And Fresca breakfast, and I want black coffee,"he felt so hungry, so he ordered two.

"Wait for awhile, Sir."

Nang wala ang waitress. Steve eyes look around, nais niyang makita si Monalisa, kung dito ba nagtratrabo, baka naman bumili lang ng pagkain nila. He wish na sana she work here, para may chance siyang mapalapit sa babae. Nang makita niya ang nais na makita, awtomatikong napangiti si Steve. And yes she's wearing a uniform.

Habang nagpupunas ng lamesa si Monalisa, pakiramdam niya may matang nakatingin sa kanya. Pasimple niyang tinignan ang mga taong naroroon. Nang makita ang isang lalaki sa hindi kalayuan sa kanya."Siya?" aniya siyempre namumukhaan niya ang lalaki. Bigla siyang nakadama ng kaba. Paanong hindi siya kakabahan kagabi magkausap sila. Ngayon narito ito sa restaurant kung saan siya pumapasok. Tumingin siya muli sa kinarooonan nito. Tamang nakatingin din ito sa kanya, nginitian at tinangohan siya nito. Nataranta tuloy siya at hindi na tinapos ang ginagawa. Naglakad siya patungong kusina at tamang tapos ng lutuin ang order ni Steve.

"Monalisa, serve mo ito sa table two."

Kinuha nito ito nilagay sa try."Table two, sa kanya ito?" Kinabahan na naman siya, bakit ba siya kunakabahan? Eh, hindi sila magkakilala. Hindi naman niya puwedeng tanggihan ang pag serve. Pag ginawa ito tanggal agad siya sa trabaho.

"Hoy! Monalisa, bakit nariyan ka pa, ha?" puna ng cook.

"Akala ko kasi meron pa," alibi na lang niya.

"Wala na sige dalhin muna, baka lumamig pa iyan."

Kaagad naman tumalima si Monalisa. Todo kabog ang dbdib habang papalapit sa table two. Lihim siyang napabuntong-hininga, ng isang hakbang na lang para marating ang lamesa ng lalaki, inihanda niya ang matamis na ngiti sa labi. Pagkalapit niya."Sir, your order." Inilagay sa lamesa ito.

Steve looked at the woman. She's so much closer to him. And he thinks the wife is alive because they are no different from the woman. They look the same, even with her smile. Like his late wife's smile, Steve closes his eyes lest he can't hold back hugging and kissing the woman. because he really missed his wife. Now the woman was in front of him again. My gosh, she really looks like his wife. The only difference between them is in the voice. The woman's voice is so sweet. Lisa has a bossy and classy voice.