CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN — JEALOUS

It was four o’clock in the afternoon when they reached Ranger’s Station. Like before, Danielle and the group chose Vizcaya trail. After tipping the tour guide, Tan came up to her.

“The police station is close by. I’ll go with you to file a complaint and blotter Richard before we go home.”

“I don’t have plans to file a case against him,” she replied.

Tan crunched his forehead. “After what the guy did to you…You were almost…”

Elaine was stunned. She raised her eyes at him and studied him nervously. Did he witness her panic attack last night? She can’t remember. And she wasn’t at ease since last night. She is disoriented. She doesn’t even know how long the episode lasted until it ended.

“There were witnesses,” said Tan. As if he could read the questions in her head. “That asshole assaulted and harassed you. He deserves to be in jail, but you won’t put him there?” he asked her with a wrinkled brow.

She looked away. How would she explain it? “But what would people say when they find out…I just don’t want your name to be dragged.”

“I don’t remember giving a damn what other people would like to think, Elaine,” he said gently but with firmness in his tone. “You need not worry. Compared to my brother, I’m a nobody. Get in the car.”

Tan pressed the car key fob to unlock the car. He looked back at her while standing his ground.

“B-but it’s Danielle’s birthday and Richard is her friend. N-nothing bad happened anyway. I’m okay. I was just surprised last night.”

He didn’t answer. He looked at her for a while then breathed a deep sigh. “Just get inside. It is cold out here.” He opened the door for here and she followed what she was told.

Silence flooded when they were both seated inside. After a while, Tan started the car’s engine.

“You have a meeting tomorrow. So, you need to be able to get back early. Maybe Danielle and company are also on their way. I’ll just wait for them at Ranger’s Station.”

She suddenly held her breath when Tan leaned over to stop her hand from opening the door. He could have pressed his back on her seat’s backrest when she turned to look at him.

“We go home to the same house. You are coming with me,” he said.

Elaine tried not to gulp when she felt Tan’s warm breath on her cheek. Blood rushed to her head and spread all over her face.

“A-aren’t we going to wait for Danielle? She might come look for us,” she asked as Tan sat straight and started the car again.

“I might murder someone if we are going to wait for them,” he said with clenched teeth. “Rest. It’s a long way back.”

It was eleven o’clock in the evening when they arrived home. Elaine went ahead and entered the house while Tan locked the gate. She went straight to the kitchen to fetch herself a glass of water.

She was about to leave when she saw Tan walking towards her. She stepped back. He stopped in front of the refrigerator, opened it, and got some water.

She couldn’t get out of the kitchen as Tan was blocking the way.

“A-are you hungry?” she asked.

“Are you going to work tomorrow?” he also asked. She noticed him watching her.

She cleared her throat. She was more nervous at nighttime. “There are things I need to attend to,” she answered.

Tan nodded. Turned his back and taking the mineral water went inside his room. She followed him with her eyes. Does she need to worry that he is being civil with her?

Tan sat down by the side of his bed when he got into his room. Eyes fixed on the closed door as if his eyes could penetrate it and he could still see Elaine in the kitchen.

After she left, he didn’t look for her. He was in pain. Heartbreak and anguish and anger were eating him simultaneously. He was hurt by what she did, so he was able to make himself believe he had nothing more for her but anger.

For three years, he did nothing but forget her every single day. Only to one day get slapped with the reality. He didn’t succeed. He still loved Elaine. He realized that the moment he laid his eyes on her after three years. It was unfair, why wasn’t all he did enough to totally eradicate his love for her?

But he couldn’t tell or show her that. He is afraid to wake up one day and find that they just returned to the old time. What happened between them then was a nightmare he didn’t want to remember. Until this very moment, it still hurts. He can feel it in his bones and every part of his being.

But Tan knows, he can’t help it. He had to find out what really happened to her no matter what.

Elaine woke up at eight. She knows Tan leaves early, before six in the morning. His meeting is at eight as Gilda rescheduled.

She picked up her cell phone from the side table. Drew sent a text. Asking how she has been and when she is coming over to visit. She promised to drop by that afternoon.

Before ten in the morning, Elaine was dressed. She went out of the house carrying her bag. She was walking towards her car when some teenage girl called out. She was wearing a black baseball cap by the gate.

She waved at her, smiling. She walked towards her. Opened the gate. She is wearing jeans, black loose shirt, and a pair of black sneakers. She doesn’t recognize her, but she does look familiar, although she couldn’t quite put it.

“Are you my cousin’s girlfriend?”

Her brow furrowed. “Your cousin?”

She nodded.

“What is your cousin’s name?”

“You don’t know?” she asked wondering. Thinking, “Is he having an illusion again?”

“Or you have been to the wrong house, what do you think?” she asked with a friendly smile.

“He asked me to watch over your house for two days now. He said I should make sure you are okay and safe because you will soon be my sister.”

Elaine was shaking her head, but she had a wide smile. This girl’s thick eyebrows, black eyes and facial features resemble Marco’s.

“Where is this cousin of yours?”

“In the police station.”

Elaine turned off her car engine after parking in the parking space in front of the station. She already tried calling him twice and Marco isn’t answering her call.

If not for Gigi, her teenage girl visitor a while ago, she wouldn’t know Marco is assigned in Guadalupe. Well, she never really asked him about his job.

Gigi is Marco’s cousin. Only child of their landlord. She found out that Gigi’s father was a former policeman and has just retired two years ago.

Elaine got off her car. She is dialing Marco’s number when she noticed a group of guys walking and about to get in the police mobile parked in front of the station.

Of the three men walking together towards the vehicle, it was the tallest one who caught her attention.

Marco looked cool and dignified in his cop uniform. There’s just a number of policemen she saw, who could carry and actually looks good in a cop uniform. No doubt Marco is one of them, and he takes the number one spot among all of them. She can’t help but smile.

When she saw Marco ride the mobile, Elaine cancelled the call. Her timing was wrong. Cardo Dalisay is busy. She once again went inside her car and maneuvered out of the parking lot.

She was already out on the road when her phone started to ring. Marco is calling.

“May I know the meaning of your three missed calls?” he said.

“I came from the station just now. I saw you ride the mobile.”

“Where are you now?”

“I just left. I’m near EDSA.”

“Park somewhere safe. I’ll go to you.”

“what?”

The call was disconnected before Elaine could protest. She had no choice but to park the park and wait for the guy.

She got off the car so she could easily see him. In just a while she saw a mobile car parking on the other side of the road. She saw Marco get down and how his eyes went straight to her as if knowing right away where she was.

Almost all eyes were on him. Feasting on the masculinity of the handsome policeman who is walking in certain and big strides towards her.

He stopped right in front of her. Looked at her for a while before speaking.

“You got me worried. Where did you go? I can’t reach you for two nights.”

There was no signal in the mountain and I didn’t bring my power bank. She was just able to charge her phone when she got home.

“Why did you have to come?” she asked instead.

Marco crossed his arms. He raised his eyebrows, smiling mischievously at her.

The people around were all looking at them, including the two policemen looking out the mobile’s window.

“Aside from the fact that I badly wanted to see you, I wanted to know what those three missed calls meant. Make sure to explain it well, I easily assume things.”

Elaine just shook her head. “What else could it mean besides thank you and I’m sorry?”

“Thank you and sorry? For what?”

“Thank you for bringing me home the other night and sorry because I wasn’t able to say thank you right away.”

Marco sighed. Appearing really disappointed with her answer. “Is there no other meaning?”

It was her eyebrows’ time to raise. “Such as?”

“Such as ‘I’ve missed you’?”

She rolled her eyes. She opened her car door and went in. She started the car and set it in motion. She glanced in the side mirror. Marco was still standing by the road, sending her off with his eyes.

Elaine smiled. It was nice having someone like Marco around. In front of him, the real and natural her comes out.

Elaine checked her wristwatch. It was past six in the evening. She had to pass by Baclaran to visit Mang Chito. She bid Anne goodbye after signing the papers and transaction records that needed her signature.

She was already carrying her bag when Marco called her phone. She answered the call while walking towards the elevator.

Elaine was surprised that he was at The Palace and is just looking for an empty space to park his car.

“It’s my uncle’s and aunt’s wedding anniversary on Thursday. I’m buying them a present. Come with me.”

She remembered, it’s also Tan’s birthday next Thursday. “Just charge me the bill. I’ll pay you back. I just have somewhere else to go,” she said.

“I thought you wanted to thank me?”

“Yes, I do. And I already did a while ago.”

“‘That was it? I don’t think it was sincere enough, Elaine. This would’ve been your chance if you really want to make it up to me. You have to treat me to the most expensive restaurant you know. I’ll come with you wherever you want to go after you accompany me to buy my gift.”

“I’ll just wait for you in the restaurant downstairs.” She surrendered right away. She always loses to the policeman’s annoying persistence.

She rode the elevator. She went straight out of the mall when the elevator stopped and opened on the first floor. When she entered the restaurant, she was welcomed by the maître d’ in uniform.

“Table for two, please,” she said when greeted by her The maître d’ went and guided her towards the back of the restaurant. Paying Marco for debt of gratitude is really going to cost her a lot, she thought while shaking her head. But if you ask her, all this wouldn’t suffice to payback all the help he has given her.

“This way, Ma’am.”

As they were approaching the back of the dining area, Elaine’s attention was caught by a pair seated at a table for two at the corner. Two tables away from the table the maître d’ was leading her to.

She stood still. She can’t take her eyes away from the pair. It’s Tan. And it’s Janine. In the table the two occupied are a bottle of wine and a plate of steak that remain untouched.

Elaine’s heart beat so fast when Tan unwittingly turned his head towards her. She held on to the handle of her handbag a little bit tightly when she knew he saw her.

She felt like crying. She didn’t have the right. As Tan stood from his chair, Marco appeared right beside her.

She was even caught off guard when he put his arm around her shoulder. He gently pulled her on the shoulder closer to his body.

Tan clenched his jaw. He gave Marco the dagger look.

.