Chapter 33: Come back home.

"What was that, Nate?" She asked Nate who closed the room's door behind him.

Elisha was now out of earshot as Adam took her with him after much convincing that her mommy wasn't going anywhere.

"Can't you stay for Eli?" he asked back. Lumapit ito sa kinauupuan niya at ipinaghila ang sarili nito ng upuan sa tapat niya. Then he started to gently press a cold compress on her swollen cheek.

"You know that I'd do anything for Elisha," mabilis ang tibok ng puso at naiilang sa proximity ni Nate na sagot niya, mas nararamdaman pa nga niya ang kamay nito kaysa sa yelo na idinadampi-dampi nito sa pisngi niya. "Pero ikaw? Is it okay with you?"

"What do you think, Hannah?" Inihinto nito ang ginagawa para salubungin ang mga mata niya.

"I- I can't really tell," amin niya.

He sighed before pulling away.

"Please do this for Elisha. I want her to be happy," pakiusap nito.

"It's not like I can say no. I'm still working for you, 'di ba? I'm obliged to obey you." She smiled faintly. "But I really need to know if it's okay with you. I don't want to assume na okay lang tapos in the end, you'll get mad at me for intruding." Bakit hindi na lang nito sabihing gusto rin nitong manatili siya? Because surely if he would just say he wanted her to stay, then she would be more than willing to stay.

"Hannah, Elisha needs you," he continued, still not answering her question. "Please don't break her heart again. It's difficult to make her understand why you can't stay."

"How? I mean I can't bring Eli with me in the hotel, right?"

"Come back home," he said seriously.

'Come back home,' ulit niya sa isip niya, was his home her home? Napakasarap pakinggan no'n. That he wanted her in his home again.

"Are you sure? But Olive, surely she won't consent to this."

"It's my decision to make, Hannah." Mariin nitong sabi. "And I promise you, she couldn't lay even a finger on you again," he added as he gently touched her cheek.

Pinigil ni Hannah ang mapapikit as his touch sent tiny bolts of electricity throughout her being. Samantalang ang puso naman niya ay naloka na na 'di malaman kung paano titibok sa loob ng dibdib niya. She could almost hear her heartbeat.

"Nate, Olive is my friend. She's Eli's mother. Y-your girlfriend. I cannot hurt her feelings by going back to your house."

"She's your friend? Alright. She's Eli's mom? Certainly she is. But my girlfriend?" He smiled sarcastically. "She ceased to be when she ran away with somebody else."

"Can't you forgive her? After all she's back for you and Eli."

"Do you want me to forgive her?" Mataman siya nitong tinitigan, as in his full attention was on her.

"O-of course, Nate. That would make her happy." Napalunok siya at parang gusto niyang malunod sa mga titig nito.

"What about you? Would that make you happy?"

"I-if you're happy, I'll be happy." That was a matter of fact. She was that selfless. Pero hindi ibig sabihin no'n na hindi siya malulungkot nang sobra. She loves Nate. And seeing him happy with somebody else would certainly break her heart.

"Really, Hannah?" He moved closer while maintaining his intense gaze.

"Y-yes."

"Then let me tell you this. I don't care if she's back for good. She wants to be part of Eli's life? Fine. I'll give her that. She's her daughter. But," his hand on her cheek made its way down her neck then gently rested it below her ear, the gentle caress almost making her shiver. "to be part of my life again? That's not gonna happen again…"

"Why not?"

"Because I no longer love her, Hannah. So, don't think that I'd care if she won't agree with my decision."

"I- I want to know," she almost gasped as Nate moved even closer to her. "How long do you intend to keep the set up–"

"For as long as I want to," his hand moved to her nape, preventing her head from moving as he continued to draw closer.

"T-that is unclear– Nate." Sinisikap niyang idiretso lang ang tingin sa mga mata nito but she proved that to be difficult when Nate himself was stealing glances on her lips. Was he going to kiss her? She felt her whole body tensed as her pulse raced like crazy, making it hard for her to breathe.

"I'd like to keep it that way, " he said, his warm, minty breath fanning her face. "So. you. will. have. no. reason. to. run. away. again," he continued, saying each word with emphasis.

"--Nate," thinking straight was a hard task to do when she could already feel the movement of his lips against hers and moving backward wasn't an option.

"Stay, Hannah. This time don't leave unless I ask you to. Don't disappear again the way you did–"

Hannah closed her eyes instinctively the moment Nate's lips captured hers. It wasn't like the first when he was angry and the kiss was like confusing more than anything else. This time, Nate seemed to be taking his sweet time with the way his mouth moved almost slowly against her mouth.

"Hannah," he said her name before pulling her closer to intensify the kiss. He cupped her face with his both hands then slid one onto her back keeping her pressed against his body. His mouth eagerly demanding access.

"N-Na–" he took that as a cue to invade her mouth and Hannah thought she would run out of air as her whole body burned with the foreign sensation brought about by Nate's kiss. They kissed almost hungrily that when Nate pulled away, his eyes were already dark of desire.

"Hannah—" he said between unstable breathing, idinikit nito ang noo nito sa noo niya while his hands were back holding her face. "You're hot."

"H-huh?" litong tanong niya. Ano raw? Hot?

"You're hot. Fever." Idinampi nito ang likod ng palad nito sa noo niya, his eyes flashed real concern in them. "D*mn it! Are you sick?!"

"N-no," she suddenly felt dizzy as she struggled to see him eye to eye, mainit nga ang pakiramdam niya but she wasn't sure if dahil nga iyon sa may lagnat daw siya o dahil sa halikan nila kanina lang.

"You're sick, Hannah," he said, muttering a curse under his breath. "You got it from me!"

"But it was—" the other day pa. I couldn't have gotten it from you. 'Yon pa dapat ang sasabihin niya pero mabilis siya nitong hinalikan sa labi para isara ang bibig niya bago walang pasabi na pinangko siya nito, again, that bridal style. "Nate," anas niya.

Siguro nga may sakit siya. Because all of a sudden wala siyang lakas na magprotesta para ibaba siya nito.

He didn't say a word again. But the way he carried her out of the room was with utmost care and that was enough for Hannah to feel better. She closed her eyes with a little bit of smile on her lips.

------

Just a couple of days ago, siya ang nag-aalaga kay Nate. Ngayon naman, ito ang nag-aalaga sa kanya. Pero ang cute, may kasama itong maliit na nurse. Elisha stayed by her side as well. Natatawa na lang siya na hindi ito masaway ni Nate. In the end, pinagsuot na lang nito ang bata ng face mask.

"Mommy, are you feeling well now?" worried na tanong ni Eli nang magmulat siya ng paningin. "Are you well?" sumampa ito sa kama niya.

"How are you feeling, Hannah?" naupo naman ang binata sa tabi niya na dinama ulit ang kanyang noo.

"I'm fine." She managed a smile, ang totoo kahit hindi pa siya okay, sobrang okay na sa pakiramdam niya na makita ang dalawa na nasa tabi niya. "Thank you." Iniikot niya ang paningin at napagtanto niya na nasa kwarto niya siya sa bahay ni Nate.

"Welcome back," napansin ni Nate ang reaksyon niya "Hannah," he continued with a smile, his first genuine smile since Hannah saw him again.

'I'm super okay na,' she thought, at last, Nate's smiling again. She missed his smile so d*mn much.

"I'm so happy, mommy!" yumakap sa kanya si Eli.

Ginantihan niya ito ng yakap gamit ang isang kamay niya dahil 'yong isa, hawak ni Nate. She looked at him and found him watching her and Eli. Their eyes met and he smiled again while she had to avert her gaze at once. The memory of their kiss sending pink colors on her cheeks.

"I'm going back to the wake," Nate said. "Be back tomorrow after dad's cremation." He bent and kissed Eli's cheek first before kissing her as well– sa lips! It was a quick kiss but still a kiss nonetheless. At sa harap ni Elisha! "Have a rest."

Before she knew it, Nate was already out of the room while Eli was looking at her with a big grin on her face.

"Mommy, daddy loves you more than mama," sabi nito while she struggled to keep herself relaxed.

"What made you say that, Eli?" Bumangon siya nang kaunti at sumandal sa headboard ng kama.

"Because I've never seen him kiss her," tugon nito na sumandal sa kanya.

"Anak, it wasn't like that," sabi niyang nangangapa ng sasabihin.

"Is daddy going to marry you? And then you're going to be my mommy for like forever?" humarap ito sa kanya and looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"I would love to be your mommy forever," she answered, ignoring her first question. Would Nate marry her? Hindi nga sila eh, that's kind of overboard.

"Don't leave me again, okay, mommy?"

"Promise, Eli." Niyakap niya ito nang mahigpit.

Maganda na ang pakiramdam niya. Sino ba naman ang hindi gagaling agad kung nayakap ka na ng anak mo, may halik ka pa galing naman sa mahal mo?

Hannah felt blessed na kahit hindi siya m'yembro ng pamilya nina Nate at Elisha, nagkakaroon pa rin siya ng mga ganitong pagkakataon na makasama ang dalawa. Those moments she knew were borrowed would surely be kept in her heart forever.

-----

She didn't leave her room. Si Elisha, sa tabi rin niya natulog. Natatakot pa kasi siyang magkaroon ng komprontasyon kay Olive. Although kung 'andoon ito ay malamang sinugod na siya nito. So baka wala roon ang kaibigan niya.

Last night, bago sila matulog, tumawag pa si Nate para kumustahin siya at i-remind na magtake ng gamot. He was sweet and thoughtful. Na-o-overwhelm si Hannah at the same time, nacoconfuse. Wala naman kasi itong sinasabi tungkol sa nararamdaman nito para sa kanya.

Pero pwede naman niya iyong palampasin. She can wait. Hindi naman siya aalis. He told her not to leave, didn't he? So she probably have enough time to wait 'til he would finally tell her he loves her.

"Yes daddy, mommy and I had breakfast in bed, she's feeling better. Yeah? Me? No, I'm strong and healthy." Elisha giggled. "I won't get sick."

Galing si Hannah sa banyo at pagbalik niya ay kausap na ni Eli si Nate sa telepono. Ang cute-cute panoorin ni Elisha na may hawak na telepono habang nakadapa sa malaking kama.

"I love you too, daddy! Yeah? Uhm daddy, here's mommy." Nagmamadali nitong ipinasa ang telepono sa kanya nang makita siya nito.

"Hannah," he said.

Pangalan pa lang niya ang binabanggit ni Nate ay nag-uunahan na naman ang pulso niya.

"Nate, good morning," she was thankful for sounding normal and not hyperventilating.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. A lot better actually. Thanks for asking."

"Good. That means kaya mo ng lumabas. Adam is coming with me later tonight. Let's dine out. Dadaanan namin kayo."

"Sure," tanging sagot niya.

"See you, Hannah."

"Yeah. See you, Nate."

-----

It was just a goodbye dinner for Adam. Babalik na umano ito sa States.

"Why don't you just stay here, Adam?" she asked him, kahit paano, nalungkot siya na aalis na ito.

"My life is in the US, Hannah," tugon nito. "Besides, I'm actually heartbroken. I cannot stay and watch you love somebody else," he added teasingly while looking at his too formal brother.

"Tsk, cut that out," Nate answered although his focus was on Elisha who was just toying with her food.

Tumawa lang si Adam.

"Seriously, I've got somebody waiting for me back there," he paused. "Don't look at me like that, I honestly felt something for you and that person I'm referring to is not my girlfriend yet. Women, I don't know, you love to keep us guessing if you also like us," umiiling-iling na dagdag nito.

"On the other hand, some men are also like that," makahulugan niyang sabi bago titingin sana nang palihim kay Nate, only to find out he's looking at her! With a smirk on his face! "Or not—"

"That's funny!" amused na sabi ni Adam. "Because I know someone whose good at hiding his feelings."

She just giggled.

"Adam, what time is your flight?" Nate cut in.

"Six in the morning. Yeah, don't bother to get me to the airport. I hate good byes."

"Suit yourself," kibit balikat ni Nate.

Hindi naman sila nagtagal. Nate pointed out na hindi pwedeng mapuyat ang kapatid nito at kailangan din daw magpahinga ni Hannah at baka mabinat siya.

"Bye, Tito Adam," malungkot na paalam ni Eli. "You'll be back and visit us again, right?"

"Of course, little girl. I'm gonna miss you." Hinalikan nito ang pamangkin.

"Bring your wife and Eli's cousin when you come here again," Nate patted his brother's back.

"And I hope to meet Eli's sibling by then," ganti ni Adam. "Hannah, 'til next time." Baling nito sa kanya at ginawaran siya ng yakap.

"Take care," she told him.