Chapter 43: CHAPTER FORTY-TWO — ALL HE EVER NEEDED

Elaine woke to the penetrating sunlight in Tan’s room. Her eyes opened wide when she realized the time. It was past nine in the morning, said the clock that was hanging on Tan’s bedroom wall.

Her original plan was to wake up early so she could prepare breakfast for Tan. But as she was about to get up, she was stunned to find Tan’s huge hand around her shoulder.

She looked up to Tan who was still sleeping. She took few deep breaths to calm the beating of her heart. This was her favorite sleeping position. Lying on Tan’s chest and clearly hearing his heart beating.

In a long while, it was just last night when she truly felt peace, security and love again. She fell asleep fast and slept easy on his arms. After all the nightmares that passed and tested their life, she felt as if she just truly awakened last night.

Carefully, she removed herself from Tan’s embrace. She sat by the side of the bed, watching over her deeply sleeping husband. She was about to stand when the picture from the side table caught her eye. She didn’t notice it last night.

It was their wedding picture taken inside the church where they exchanged their self-made wedding vows. She thought Tan already burned all the stuff that relates to her.

She smiled. Continued to stand.

Elaine left Tan with a lingering glance. She carefully pulled the door shut as she stepped out. She spent the next few hours preparing something for breakfast. She made chicken mami credited to some vlogger’s YouTube channel which could hopefully help Tan’s hangover-if he had one.

Elaine felt light. No worry occupied her thoughts. It was occupied with hope and thoughts of becoming happy again with Tan.

She was washing apples when she felt Tan hug her from behind. She took a deep breath when he pulled her body closer to his. She heard him breathe deep too.

“What time is it?” he asked softly as he drew her nearer. Sinking his face into her soft hair before he gently turned her to face him. Before she could answer anything, Tan already lifted her and sat her on the counter.

She swallowed, and his dark eyes seemed to penetrate all the way to her soul.

“Nine…I think,” she managed to answer.

Tan was looking into her eyes while she was lost in his. Her heart started to race when his gaze dropped to her lips. He was just staring as if he really wanted to kiss her passionately, but he was holding back.

“You’re okay with hugging and cuddling. But I don’t know if kissing would be okay. You see, I want to…I need to…I mean, I need you—”

Elaine knew Tan was worried she might relive her traumatic experience with the kidnapper that is why he is hesitating. But they both knew it was just Tan, aside from her psychologist, who could remove the doubts in her chest.

“I’m okay with cuddling and kissing, Tan. I’m totally okay with everything. As long as I’m doing it with you.” Elaine sighed then smiled. “Would you like to totally heal me, kiss me, make love with me, Mr. De Marco?” she asked, uncertainty laced her voice.

The light of lust was flaring in Tan’s gaze. His body buzzing with love and lust and anticipation. And when he leaned forward to kiss her, she closed her eyes and welcomed the kiss.

It felt like they were freezing in a moment in time. Along with the butterflies in her stomach was a pang of excitement and yearning that rushed through her.

This was her husband, Tan De Marco. He loved her. He would never hurt her. Those were the things she kept whispering in her heart. She wouldn’t let an ugly memory get in if she could help it.

Elaine slipped one arm around Tan’s neck. She was totally melting in his arms. The kiss was consuming, hungry yet passionate. She can’t possibly mistake it for somebody else’s kiss.

Without leaving her lips, Tan easily swept her into his arms. Automatically, her legs went around his hips. A few moans made their way out of her lips, but no words of protest came out of her mouth when Tan carried her back to his room and laid her down his bed.

For Tan, to hell with his grumbling stomach that woke him up a while ago. He won’t die instantly of a grumbling stomach.

Food? He will momentarily forget what the word meant. Right this very moment, and forever, Elaine was all he ever needed.

“I’ll pick you up at eight,” Tan told Elaine. His car was parked in front of The Palace Mall and Elaine was getting out. They decided to share rides, so they’d only be apart for exactly eight hours.

For one whole day, he didn’t go to work. They spent the whole day with each other. They ate together, slept together. He let Elaine talk about everything. And he just listened to her for hours. Cuddling in the couch or resting on top of his bed.

Elaine told him she had been seeing Sandra for weeks now for her cognitive processing therapy. The therapy could help her take into account all the things that were beyond her control. She had to accept and understand that it wasn’t her fault no matter how right or wrong her decisions were before.

He wanted her to fully get her life back. He decided to accompany Elaine to every session with Sandra.

Elaine was removing her seatbelt, but Tan was alert. He stopped her. He didn’t want her to go to work. He tired her with his love the whole day, but his hunger for her remained insatiable.

He would’ve preferred to stay in bed hugging her, rather than go to work.

“Shall we stay at home and just watch movies together?”

An amused smile formed on her lips. “We have finished watching all your favorite movies from Netflix, none we got to finish or understand…” She stopped in mid-sentence. Stared when she realized something. She blushed. Desire flared on her face.

She quickly unbuckled the seat belt and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Hey…” he protested.

“Tonight. I promise,” she said. Then got off the car.

Tan was left, amused as he touched his cheek which just got kissed. Elaine waved then turned to proceed to the mall entrance.

He smiled unknowingly. He followed her with his gaze until she was gone from his sight.

He missed her already. Her soft, slender body, her kisses, her warm embrace. He didn’t want her out of her sight even for a little. Aside from great wanting, he was fearful and worried about the possible things that could happen to her when he wasn’t around.

Tan deeply breathed. If only he could be glued to her side 24/7 just to make sure she was safe, and nobody harmed her.

“Now what…” Drew said. Elaine was facing her friend at a six-seater table in a restaurant inside The Palace Mall. Drew was the one to visit her at Ainsdale in the afternoon to demand payback from her for not going home for two nights. “The heart cannot be restrained, right? You left me alone to sleep in that hotel. You don’t know how long I waited to fall asleep because of fear.”

She pouted. She took her eye away from her wristwatch. Seven in the evening. In an hour, Tan would be here to pick her up. He has called several times during the day just to check on her.

“That’s why I called Macon, ok?”

“So, we’d make up?” Her friend crossed her arms, her face had a sour expression. “No way. I can’t forgive him.”

“You didn’t open the door for him?” she asked.

Drew gave a sullen look. “After everything? Let’s Change topic please. I don’t want to talk about that creature. I lost my appetite.”

She smiled as she is shaking her head.

“So, what happened last night? Could Mang Chito be rest assured because you’re back to each other’s arms or do I need to go to Quiapo for a novena?”

“I’d tell Tatang myself so please bite your tongue, Drew.” She knew Mang Chito would be happy once he found out they were okay.

“Elaine, you seem to be fine somehow. Don’t you have plans to make that guy who hurt you pay?”

Her smile faded. But it surprised her that she remained calm instead of fearful at the memory.

Bearing the weight of what happened that night had been a difficult process. But she wanted to finally move forward. She didn’t want to think about the past only to refresh the anger, pain, and fear in her heart. She is more scared of that memory being a hindrance to the happiness she is having now.

“I believe in the law of karma, Drew. If not me, the Lord would use other people to charge that person of his sins.”

“And the misfortunes that befell my family when you came back, when do you intend to pay them?”

Their heads raised at the same time and gazed at the newly arrived person. It’s Mrs. Crisostomo who still appeared aristocratic despite reigning in her anger. If only her eyes could throw swords, she would’ve been shredded to pieces already.

Elaine started to stand but stopped midway when the woman sat herself in front of her.

Drew automatically shifted, forehead creased and obviously irritated. “Who is this?” she mouthed.

She removed her gaze from her friend and shifted it to the woman who just arrived.

“How much do you need this time to leave Tan and let him be happy with my daughter?”

Her lips thinned. “That’s my husband you’re trying to buy.”

“Why not? Didn’t you give him up in exchange for some money before?”

Elaine sighed. Like mother, like daughter. It’s just like talking to Janine, the older, more wrinkled version.

“Since you returned, everything turned chaotic. Even the name De Marco, you dragged in embarrassment.”

Her forehead creased. “I don’t understand you.”

“You don’t have to understand anything. Just leave my daughter alone!”

“I don’t remember doing anything to her,” she fired back. “I’m not doing anything wrong.”

Mrs. Crisostomo turned red in the face while Drew was trying to hold back giggling that’s been wanting to come out her throat.

Mrs. Crisostomo suddenly stood. She raised her chin up, glared at her. “Talking to you like this made me realize something. You haven’t recovered. You are hallucinating. Still crazy. You should be back in the mental hospital or why don’t you just stay there permanently. I pity you to the hell and back. You’re the product of a selfish person and a murderer—that’s why you turned out that way.”

Drew took a sharp breath. Looked around, every diner in the restaurant heard the old lady. All eyes were pinned on her.

A broken smile was slowly forming Elaine’s lips as she stood up to face the old woman.