KABANATA 60

Draco Torres

"Boss, di ba iyon 'yong babae sa cellphone mo?"

I knotted my brows with the girl Didoy pointed out. And I don't know why I stop on my track and observe her quietly. She is indeed the girl I have been searching. I got hooked on how her lips parted and quivered. I guess they will be tasteful with mine.

I smirked at the thought and turned my gaze to the small child who resembled myself when I was younger.

My daughter.

I wanted to use that time to run towards her and get her back home to Guimaras, but then, my attention got glued to the woman who took care of her. I am not that heartless to just run away with my daughter.

I have been receiving pictures of her and helping her to make life easier, and maybe that is working since she doesn't look stressed. She is somehow still looking fresh.

"Uhm. M-magkano ang isang kilo?"

Damn that voice! It seems like it's been making me wanna sleep in her arms.

I didn't know that I had been looking at her intently and almost forgot her question, so I said what initially came to my mind.

"Isang daan na lang," I tried to make my voice strong so she wouldn't notice how she lured me a little.

"Uy bos- Drake. Hindi ka ba lugi do'n?" Didoy said, but I ignored him.

For my daughter, and for this woman, there's no called expensive.

"Sige. Mareng, ibigay mo na ang plastic," she commanded Mareng.

"This, Mimi?" My daughter even lifted the plastic.

And I guess from there, she nurtured Mareng rightly. She took care of her, probably in the best way.

"Yes. Akin na. Bayaran natin."

I kept staring at her, noticing how her hand shook when she gave me the plastic. And I didn't even bother to weigh the mangoes.

"Pare! Padagdag pa ng isa. Perfect score ako kanina, baka naman."

Pare? My daughter called me as if she were someone at my age, and I don't know why, but that made me melt and smile inside. And maybe that endearment will start my bond with her.

Verona, If I am not mistaken, declined a lot of times, and I found that interesting. I found it funny how she scolded Mareng, trying to teach her a lesson. My heart even jumped in happiness when my daughter said "sorry" afterwards.

I conclude that Mara chose the right person for Mareng. Though I am thankful she didn't abandon Mareng, I still feel sorry for her having to sacrifice a lot of things. And she won't go unpaid; I made sure she got every penny she lost.

School. Work. Food.

That day, I decided to follow them and rent the small house next to them. I even gave them mangoes to start the connection I am trying to make to get my daughter. But I was in awe when she faced me without wearing any brassiere, and damn! My insides were shaken. I don't know how to focus my eyes on her face when all along they want to look down at her chest.

She even wanted to decline the rice cooker I gave her. Worse, she doesn't want to accept the refrigerator.

"Bakit? Saan mo ba binili 'yan?"

I was caught off guard and didn't expect her to ask that.

"Don't tell me, ninakaw mo? Mukhang bago pa at hindi pa nagagamit."

The way she arched her brow challenged me. I want to laugh because she thinks I'm a thief, despite the fact that I bought the fridge from the mall and scratched it up a little to make it look old.

"Hindi. Hindi naman ako magnanakaw. Binili ko sa junkshop. Pinaayos ko lang."

Those are the safest words I can say. I want to use that time to just tell her the truth about Mareng so she will not refuse everything I give, but then, her luscious breasts are waving at me. So I offered her a brassiere. And once more, damn! How I got hooked on her flushed cheeks, and that made me want to tease her more to see if they would redden.

My goal is to just get Mareng and pay the woman, probably millions, for her hardship, but things have changed. When she called that night, I don't know, but I felt excited. And when she struggled with her dysmenorrhea, I did the dumbest thing that made me drown in her.

Because of that, I now have two goals. To get Mareng and to get Verona. I mean, why not? She's a dauntless and fearless woman.

Taming Mareng is easy, but taming her Mimi is kind of hard and painful. I had to endure her foul words and judgement, but never the less, I survived. There's only one person I hated, and that was that Christian boy who was trying to steal my untamed woman.

Oh boy, a good guy is not for Verona, but an asshole who can give her butterflies is perfect for her. I am not saying it's me, but yeah, it's me.

I like that she's jealous of Kim. Na-huh, the teacher is good, but I don't like cozy and luxurious women. My Verona is enough.

Or all that I thought, because when I offered her marriage, she doubted me.

"Kapag pinakalasan kita ano'ng mangyayari? Wala di ba? It's nonsense, Drake. Kung gusto ko mang magpakasal ngayon, mas gugustuhin ko nang sa Tatay ni Mareng. But I do not know where to find that man. See, Drake? Tatay ni Mareng-"

I wanted to tell her that it was me, but I shut my mouth. I am afraid now to tell her the truth, for she will surely get mad and probably shoo me away. Even my secrets aren't safe anymore. And I'm right. I saw fear in her eyes when she found out that I was an ex-convict.

For a while, I felt the searing pain inside me that she would soon reject me. And so I did the dumbest thing, which was to chase Kim. I found peace in her but not enough to make me stay, unlike to Verona.

I took a break and promised to bring my daughter when I returned, regardless of whether Verona still liked me or threw me away.

"Boss, bumalik na naman dito. Hinahanap ka, nagbabanta pa," si Didoy mula sa kabilang linya.

That's my cue. Her nonstop messages also bugged me too much. And I know how afraid she was when she saw me with my blue eyes. She's declining again, but I want to be real and not hide anymore in Pareng Drake's cape. There's no other way to get them but this.

And I made it. I found my home in her, plus that Mareng accepted me. I don't know if I deserve them, but I would like to think I do. However, I felt a little like a traitor to Mara. I apologized profusely for her urn just to get rid of the guilt I was feeling.

Through all the struggles we have been through, I'm glad she still gave me a chance to be with her. I found my life incomplete even if I had Mareng, but I found it whole when we had Verona by our side.

"Didi, is she my real Mom?" Mareng asked while staring intently at Mara's portrait.

This day has come, Mara. Finally, I am now with our daughter. And thank you for leading me to Verona.

"She's gorgeous," Mareng whispered as her eyes glistened with tears.

"She is, Baby. I know how she wants to hug you right now."

"I want that too, Didi. I want to see her personally and thank her for leaving me with Mimi."

I smiled at that. Finally, she is no longer skeptical of her Mimi. I once dreamt of a complete family with Mara, and yet it didn't happen. But with Verona, a big family is what I am looking forward to. Maybe Mara isn't the one for me, even if we have been together for how many years. Because Verona is the owner of the spot, the owner of my heart.

"Baby, can you ask Mimi to go to the hill? Ask Manong to drive the pick-up, Please."

"Huh? What if she decline, Didi?"

"Just tell her I will date Miss Kim-"

"Didi! Don't make Mimi mad!" she arched her brow and gave me death glares.

Geez. Hindi ko na sigurado kung sa akin ito nagmana o kay Verona.

"Just make her go with you on the hill, Baby."

She still stared at me dangerously, but then nodded her head. I can't help but wear my smirk, especially when I fixed everything on the hill.

"Torres, matagal pa ba? Ang daming lamok," si Severino na may hawak na cardboard.

"Hindi ko 'to ginawa kay Celeste kaya bakit pinahihirapan mo ko?!" maktol ni Callisto.

"And so am I. Avyanna didn't even request an engagement party," Castor added.

"What about you, Rigs? Don't you have protest?" I knotted my brow and looked at him simply cutting the grass with his hands.

"It's fine with me, as long as you'll buy a truck of mushroom chicharon." Then he smirked.

"Damn! I don't wanna be poor," mahinang bigkas ko.

"Matagal pa ba, Draco? I-diretso mo na lang sa simbahan si Verona. Sisipunin lang siya sa lamig ng gabi rito," ani ni Mama Emel.

Yeah, she doesn't want me to call her Mama Emel, but I want to.

"Para naman 'to sa anak mo, Emel. Maghintay ka," si Papa Lito.

I wanted to tell them to wait a few minutes, but then the pick-up headlights were already shining in our view. Tumigil iyon kaya naman pinagmadali kong mag-ayos sila Severino.

"The fuck man?! Wala namang tataguan dito!" Castor exclaimed.

"Hide on the grass," I absentmindedly suggested, and that earned me curses from them.

Wala na ang atensyon ko sa kanila kun'di kay Verona na nangungunot ang noo habang hawak sa palapulsuhan si Mareng.

"Ano'ng pakulo 'to, Draco? Nag-a-aksaya ka lang ng kuryente. Pinaglagyan mo pa ng ilaw ang burol," reklamo niya ngunit mas napangisi ako roon.

I do love her tigress side. That's the side where she's obviously showcasing her hate towards me.

"Magsalita ka na gago! Ang daming lamok dito," rinig kong reklamo muli ni Severino na kinalingon ni Verona.

"Did I hear a man's voice, Draco?" Salubong na ang kilay niya at humakbang na palapit.

And now, I don't know how to explain anymore.

"Uhm, no, Baby. That is-"

"Namamakla ka na?! Ano? Nagbago na isip mo? Bibitiwan mo na ako?" hinanakit niya.

And damn! These are the things I want her to overcome.

"Baby, I am not-"

"Verona naman! Su-surprise ka ng asawa mo tapos ganyan ka?" Lumabas na mula sa punong mangga si Mama Emel kaya naman napakamot na lang ako sa batok ko.

"Huh? Surprise? You could have told me earlier!" she protested.

I closed my eyes tightly and wanted so badly to curse, but I calmed my nerves.

"That's not a suprise then," I breathed and clapped my hands, "Come out, guys."

"Buti naman, Torres. Ang dami talagang lamok." Ngisi ni Severino.

I shoot them death glares for the ruined surprise. I saw Rigel abruptly raise his cardboard, followed by the rest.

Doon ko lang tinuon ang atensyon ko kay Verona na nakaawang ang mga labi at nakatitig lamang sa mga letra.

"I am not good with surprises, but still tried to make one, though it's ruined. Anyway, I have been watching you from afar ever since you had my child. I may be too brave to try to hit on you, and I may be bad at hurting you, Verona. But that didn't change the fact that you got me. You hit me with thousands of hearts that jailed me in the dream that you'd end up with me, together with my daughter. I know it sounds absurd or unethical that I want to marry the woman chosen by my daughter's mother. But ever since you shot me with those squinting glances and awe in your lips, you already owned a part of me. And I don't think we'd be happy without a seal."

Without a ring means freedom. And I want to give her the security she needs to stop her insecurities.

I breathed, then smiled at her nervously," Baby, I just want to ask, will-"

"Yes, Draco! May choice pa ba ako kung ang nakasulat sa cardboard ay "You will marry me", pwede pa ba akong tumakbo?" mataray niyang sagot.

Napakurap ako at halos mamura ang apat na may hawak ng cardboard. Baliktad nga iyon at hindi nagtatanong.

I chuckled, nervously," I guess, you really need to marry me."

Behind her fierce look, I saw how her eyes glistened. How she looked at her Mama and Papa before she turned her gaze on me.

"I have been waiting for you to ask me this, Baby. And I'm glad you did," she murmured, "You made me happy."

I tried to gasp for air to stop myself from crying. I realized at that point that I had almost lost her trust and that she might have seen something negative in me. But I thank God that I am still lucky. She is still into me. And I can't wait to spend my life time with her and with my two daughters.

"I love you, Baby," I whispered.

She chuckled, then winked at me, "I love you too, Pareng Drake."