Chapter 11

When Steve rides Monalisa in his car, he thinks it doesn't seem to be on her own. He even put on the seatbelt for her. He started his car. "Where are you going, Monalisa?" he asked the woman. Steve glanced at her. "What happened?" he asked again. He thinks there is a misunderstanding between the couple.

Hindi sumagot si Monalisa, bigla na lang siyang napaiyak. Nataranta naman si Steve."Bakit? Ano bang nangyari sa iyo, did your husband hurt you?" sa tingin ni Steve nag away ang dalawa.

Monalisa didn't respond and then sobbed. Steve couldn't understand what was going on. Steve believes the two are fighting. "Why? What happened to you? Did your husband hurt you?"

Monalisa remained deafeningly quiet, as if her throat had been shut. She's been terrified of Archie up until now. She might not have survived today if she hadn't pushed him earlier.

"Ihahatid kita sa bahay ninyo, Monalisa."

"Huwag!" mabilis na sagot nito.

Napatingin si Steve kay Monalisa."Nag away ba kayo nang asawa mo?"

Oo nag away sila dahil nagseselos ito. At siya ang pinagseselosan nito. Tumango si Monalisa."Ayoko ko munang umuwi, dahil mo ako kahit saan huwag lang sa bahay namin."

Steve looks at her, thinking this is his chance to get really close to her. She responds by saying he could take her anywhere. This is a significant chance for him. He can brought her to his place first to rest. If he took it to the hotel to rest, it would be unsightly. What if a friend of hers saw them and informed her husband? They may then quarrel much more.

Hininto muna ni Steve sa gilid ng kalsada ang kotse."Bakit ka huminto?" tanong ni Monalisa.

"Look at me, Monalisa," utos niya rito.

Umiling si Monalisa makikita kasi nito ang pasa sa mukha dahil sa sampal ni Archie sa kanya kagabi.

At that moment, Steve reaches for Monalisa's face and touches it. He looked at her. "Steve, huwag." Tinakip ni Monalisa sa mukha ang kamay. Pero inalis din ni Steve ito.

"He hurt you, damn him! "Yeah, he's angry. He shouldn't hurt a woman. He caressed her pretty, blackened cheek."Women should not be harmed especially if you love!"

When Monalisa looks at him, she can say that Steve is lucky to have a woman who he will fall in love with. She can feel that he's kind because of his words. He knows how to treat a woman nicely.

Walang ibang alam na lugar si Steve na puwedeng pagdalhan kay Monalisa maliban nga sa bahay niya o kaya sa hotel."Okay lang ba sa iyo na sa bahay ka muna, Monalisa?"

Tumango si Monalisa, kung sa akomudasyon naman siya nang pinatra-trabahohan restaurant, tiyak malalaman agad ito ni Archie.

Wala pang kalahating oras narating nila ang condominium ni Steve. Palinga-linga sa paligid si Monalisa habang sila ay naglalakad patungo sa elevator. Tiyak niyang mayaman ang kasama dahil mga bigating tao O may sariling kompanya ang maaaring tumira rito luxurious condominium kasi ito.

Nang marating na sila sa unit ni Steve. He opened the door, nauna siyang pumasok."Halika Monalisa, pasok ka. Feel at home, okay." Steve felt like he had opened the door for his wife.

Kiming pumasok sa loob si Monalisa. Nahiya siya bigla nang makita ang loob nito. Super ganda, super linis, super maayos pa. At ang nakatira rito super guwapo rin. Perfect ika nga.

Nahalata naman ni Steve, si Monalisa."Huwag kang mahiya, huwag kang mag-alala walang ibang tao rito tayo lang." Tinungo ni Steve ang kusina para bigyan ng tubig ito.

Kanina kalmado pa si Monalisa. Pero nang marinig na sila lang ang tao rito. Bigla siya nakadama ng kaba, bakit hindi siya kakabahan. Sumama na lang siya basta, kanina kasi blanko ang isipan dahil sa nangyari kanina sa kanila ni Archie. Dalawa lang sila, paano kung masama pala ang ugali nito tinatago lamang nito sa magandang itsura? Paano kung may gagawin masama ito sa kanya? Paano kung...?"Huwag ka ngang mag-isip nang kung ano-ano, Monalisa. Isipin mo na lang na mabait siya," sabi ng isip sa kanya.

Napukaw ang pag-iisip ni Monalisa nang lumapit sa kanya si Steve na may dalang tubig."Here drink it, Monalisa." Inabot ang baso rito.

"Salamat." Kinuha naman ang inabot nito sa kanya. At sumipsip ng kaunti lamang.

"Kumain ka na ba, Monalisa?"

She was truly starving. But she nodded to let him know she'd eaten, but her stomach betrayed her with a sound that sounded like a hint that the nice pets within were hungry as well.

Steve burst out laughing. "Your stomach can't lie, Monalisa!" Steve returned to the kitchen to see what could be prepared. He slid the cabinet open. There was tinned food available. He snatched up the ham and tuna. He opened yet another cupboard. He took the pasta with the intention of making carbonara.

Sa tingin ni Monalisa magluluto si Steve, nakakahiya naman kung siya ay nakaupo lamang at hinihintay na tawaging kumain. Tumayo siya sumunod siya kay Steve sa kusina.

"May maitutulong ba ako sa iyo, Steve?" tanong niya.

Steve opens the refrigerator."It's okay, Monalisa. I can handle it. I'll just cook pasta. " Steve only put garlic and onion in the refrigerator to see if they were spoiled because he knew they had been in the refrigerator for a long time and they were already growing a bit. "Do you like pasta?"

Lumapit si Monalisa sa may lamesa kung saan nakatayo si Steve. Magkaharap silang dalawa."Oo naman." tugon niya.

"Good, dahil ito lang ang puwedeng maluto, maybe later pupunta tayo mag grocery."

Ano raw mag grocery sila, aba ibabahay ba siya nito? At feeling mag sing-irong sila.

"Tulungan na kita."

"Are you sure?"

"Oo naman, marunong din akong magluto niyang pasta."

Steve smile."Really, hmmm. How about you cook para naman matikman ko ang luto mo. Naiisip ko palang alam kung masarap ito."

Monalisa laughed. It was nice to hear what he said. Steve stared at Monalisa. He believes his wife is still alive in her body."So beautiful," he said.

Sa narinig ni Monalisa. Bigla siyang nagseryoso. Alam kasi niyang para sa kanya ang tinuran ni Steve, siya lang naman ang naroon. Yumuko siya nararamdaman niyang nag blush siya.

Nakita ito ni Steve ngumiti siya."Let's cook," aniya hindi pinahalatang nakita ang pag blush nito.

Tumango naman si Monalisa.

While Steve boiled the pasta, Monalisa cut the garlic and onion. After she finished cutting, she took the canned ham. It wasn't easy to open, so she tried to open it with a knife. Steve looked at it.

"Monalisa, no!" Steve quickly approached her from behind. He took the knife and held it. Monalisa's body stiffened because it looked like he had given her a back hug. "It's dangerous. Next time don't use a knife. Okay, use a can opener. It's safe."

Monalisa close her eyes because she smell his breath my goodness ang bango naman ng hininga nito. His breath different from Archie. Hindi naman bad breath ito pero masasabi niyang magkaiba sila ng amoy.

Monalisa closes her eyes because she smells his breath my goodness the scent of his breath. His breath different from Archie. It's not bad breath but he can tell they smell different.

Steve doesn't know if he's leaving behind Monalisa. Her heart dictated that she hugged it from behind so he did it."Sorry, Monalisa. I can't help it myself and my heart tells I want to hug you!"

Meron pa naman natitirang katinuan sa isipan ni Monalisa. At hindi tama ang nangyayari."Ang niluluto mong pasta baka umalpas na ang tubig." Aniya at mabilis na kumawala sa pagkayakap sa kanya ni Steve tinungo ang lutuan. Yeah kailangan niyang ilayo ang sarili kay Steve. Kung hindi niya gagawin ito my gosh baka magkakatotoo ang sinabi ni Archie sa kanya na meron siyang lalaki.

Steve made a snapping motion with his fingers while holding out his hands. When he feels strange about himself, he feels like this. To be okay, he must relish it.

While watching Monalisa cook, Steve smiles. Because of her, he felt that his house was coming back to life. He moved closer. He commented, "Hmm, it smells delicious and yummy."

"Tikman mo kaya para masabi mong masarap siya." Kumuha ng kutsara si Monalisa nilagyan ito ng sauce hinipan dahil mainit. At inilapit ito sa bibig ni Steve.

Steve taste it."Hmmm, perfect!" para sa kanya masarap ang sauce na ginawa nito. But it's a little bit salty.

"Oh, Talaga?" Tinikman ni Monalisa ito sa tira ni Steve."Ahhh! Naman, ang daya mo. Maalat kaya, perfect ka diyan."

Steve was laughing. Monalisa got infected. They laughed together. For Steve, this is the most happy moment that has happened to him since his wife disappeared from the world. And Steve's wishes: that what happens right now is for a lifetime. And he thinks that the clock should have stopped turning at that moment. It is for them to be together for a long time.

That day, Monalisa temporarily forgot that there was an Archie in her life because of Steve. And she will admit to herself that she's having fun with Steve. Even though they had just met, she felt relieved to be with him.