Where the Heart Simmered

CHAPTER 14

ISANG NGITI ang sumilay sa labi ni Zayden nang makita niya ang pangalan ng kaniyang ina sa screen ng kaniyang cellphone.

“Mom,” pagsagot ni Zayden sa tawag ng kaniyang ina.

“Anak,” may bahid ng ngiti na pagbati ni Mylen kay Zayden. “Kumusta ka sa probinsiya?”

“I’m good, Mom. Na-i-enjoy ko naman po ang pag-stay ko rito.” Sabi ni Zayden sabay tingin kay Luna.

Nasa porch silang dalawa at masayang nagkukwentuhan. It was just 8 in the morning and the sun was rising from the East. Of course, Luna was holding her tablet. She was drawing on her tablet.

“What?” Luna mouthed.

Zayden smiled and shook his head. He pointed to his phone. Luna only nodded.

“Mom, napatawag po kayo?” tanong ni Zayden saka ini-loudspeaker ang tawag upang marinig ni Luna kung sino ang kausap niya.

Mylene sighed. “Anak, kailan ka uuwi? I miss you, and even Zane keeps on complaining; he also wants to see you.”

Zayden chuckled. “Mom, nakalimutan niyo na ba na bago minahal ni Zane ang asawa niya, ako ang mahal niyan.”

Natawa na rin si Mylene sa pagbibiro ng kaniyang anak at napailing na lamang.

“Pero mukhang hindi ka na niya mahal, anak. Panay na ang reklamo niya sa akin na pauwiin na raw kita kasi napapagod na daw ang kamay niya na hinihiram mo.”

Doon na malakas na natawa si Zayden. “Hayaan mo siya, Mommy.”

Napangiti naman si Luna habang nakikinig sa usapan ng Zayden at ng ina nito. Halatang maayos at maganda ang relasyon ni Zayden sa ina nito. Sana ganito ang lahat ng ina sa anak. From the gentle voice of Zayden’s mother, she could think that Zayden’s mother was a warm person.

“Kidding aside, anak. May iuuwi ka na ba na magiging manugang ko?” Pabirong tanong ng ina ni Zayden pero may halo ring katotohanan.

Sa tanong ng ina ni Zayden, nagkatinginan ang dalawa.

Nagkatitigan silang dalawa. Parehong mabilis ang t***k ng kanilang mga puso.

Si Luna ang unang nag-iwas ng tingin saka nagpatuloy sa kaniyang ginagawa.

Ngumiti naman ng tipid si Zayden.

“Anak? Are you there?”

“Mom, nakakagulat naman ang tanong niyo.” Aniya saka binuntutat ito ng tawa.

Natawa na lamang si Mylene. “Oh, sige na, anak. Tumawag lang ako para kamustahin ka.”

“Salamat, Mommy.”

After the call ended, Zayden looked at Luna. He smiled and stood. He kissed Luna on the forehead.

“I’ll sleep for a few minutes.”

“Inaantok ka?” tanong ni Luna.

“Yeah. Hindi ako makatulog kagabi ng maayos.”

Kumunot ang noo ni Luna. “Bakit?” tanong niya. Kung siya ang tatanungin, naging maayos naman ang tulog niya kagabi.

Napangisi si Zayden. “Want to know the real reason?”

Tumango si Luna.

“Nasa tabi kita.”

“Ano namang kinalaman ko?”

Zayden caged Luna in his arms. Napaatras pa si Luna sa backrest ng upuan na kinauupuan niya.

“A-ano?”

“Baby, you were sleeping beside me last night. I’m a man, okay? I wanted to slip my finger inside you last night, but I stopped myself.”

Lumaki ang mata ni Luna. “B-bakit hindi mo ginawa?”

Zayden let out a breath. “Self-control, I guess,” he said and smiled. Dinampian niya ng halik ang labi ni Luna saka pumasok sa loob ng cottage.

Napasunod naman ng tingin si Luna kay Zayden. So, hindi lang ako ang may gustong mangyari ulit sa aming dalawa?

Natakpan ni Luna ang sariling mukha. Mabuti na lamang at hindi nababasa ni Zayden ang nasa kaniyang isipan kundi nakakahiya ‘yon.

But tonight…

Ngumiti si Luna. It was a good night tonight.

LATE in the afternoon, magkahawak ng kamay si Luna at Zayden habang naglalakad sila sa malagong damuhan. The sun was sinking low over the countryside, casting a warm, amber glow across the hilltop.

They walked slowly, with the gravel crunching under their shoes as they followed the winding path around the hill. Sa kabilang banda naman, parang nakalatag na carpet grass sa berde ng paligid at may may maliit pang mga bulaklak ang tumubo na sumasayaw sa bawat pagbugso ng hangin.

Tahimik ang buong paligid nila. It’s not empty, more like the world was holding its breath, watching them.

Luna let her free hand trail across the blooms beside the path, fingertips grazing yellow petals and purple stems.

Pinapanood naman ni Zayden ang dalaga. “You looked at the flowers like they were trying to tell you a secret,” he said softly.

Sumulyap si Luna kay Zayden. “Baka nga.” Aniya saka bahagyang natawa.

Zayden chuckled under his breath.

They stopped as the path curved toward the open clearing with a wooden bench facing the horizon.

“Umupo muna tayo,” ani Zayden. Masuyo niyang hinila si Luna patungo sa may upuan na gawa sa kahoy.

They settled down side by side. In front of them, the sun dipped behind the far-off hills, casting streaks of gold, rose, and violet across the sky. The clouds caught in the light, glowing like they were lit from within.

Walang nagsasalita sa kanilang dalawa at pareho nilang pinapanood ang paglubog ng araw.

Ihinilig ni Luna ang kaniyang ulo sa balikat ni Zayden. Naramdaman naman niya ang pag-akbay sa kaniya ng binata. His thumb was tracing gentle circles on her side.

Nanatili sila sa ganoong posisyon hanggang sa hindi namalayan ni Luna ang pagtulo ng kaniyang luha.

Mabilis niya itong pinunasan bago pa man ito makita ni Zayden. Pero nakita pa rin pala ito ng binata.

“Luna, why are you crying?”

Again, her tears fell. “I wish I could stay with you like this forever.”

Napatitig si Zayden kay Luna.

“I wish that I had this time forever.”

“Pwede naman kung gusto mo,” sabi ni Zayden.

Umiling si Luna. “Gusto ko pero hindi pwede, Den. I’ve been tied to the responsibility that my parents put on my shoulders. I can’t shake them off.”

Hindi umimik si Zayden pero hinalikan niya si Luna sa noo. “You have a few more weeks before you go back to your family, right?”

Tumango si Luna.

“Then I will make you happy for those remaining weeks,” he said, promising.

Luna looked at Zayden. “Gagawin mo?”

“Oo naman. We can do everything you want. Basta magpapasaya sa ‘yo gagawin natin.” Wika ni Zayden. Sinapo niya ang mukha ni Luna. I want to make you happy, and I will make you fall for me too.

“Baby, don’t think about your responsibilities and your damn fiancé.” Ayaw mang banggitin ni Zayden ang tungkol sa fiancé ni Luna pero kailangan. “Ako ang kasama mo kaya ako dapat ang isipin mo. Don’t think of anything else. Just me. I’ll make you happy.”

“Pero parang ginamit na rin kita?”

Natawa si Zayden. “Bakit? Hindi ba? You told me that when we had made love for the first time.” Then he leaned toward her. “And we will do it again.”

Luna blushed and slightly pushed Zayden away, but Zayden held her hand and kissed it. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Baby, I am willing to be used by you.”

“Bakit?” tanong ni Luna.

Ngumiti si Zayden saka hinalikan ang dalaga sa labi.

Luna closed her eyes and kissed Zayden back. Hindi naman siya nag-aalala na baka may makakita sa kanila dahil walang masyadong tao ang pumupunta sa lugar na kinaroroonan nila.

While kissing torridly, Zayden pulled Luna onto his lap and his hand slipped inside her thigh, caressing them like fragile porcelain.

“Damn…” Zayden muttered after their lips parted.

Tuluyan ng lumubog ang araw at nagsimula ng mag-ingay ang mga kuliglig.

Zayden looked into Luna’s eyes. “I want you, Baby,” he said, breathless.

Luna bit her lower lip. “I want you too.”

And that ended Zayden’s self-control. Tumayo siya at pinangko si Luna. “Let’s go back to our cottage."

Yumakap si Luna kay Zayden.

Mabilis na naglakad si Zayden pabalik ng kanilang cottage.

When they entered the cottage, Zayden walked straight into their room and lay Luna on the bed. Tumayo siya sa paanan ni Luna at hinubad ang lahat ng suot na damit saka pumatong sa dalaga.

He kissed her like there’s no tomorrow. At habang patuloy ang kanilang halikan, unti-unti niyang hinubad ang suot ni Luna na damit at itinapon ito sa kung saan. His hands rubbed on her soft skin as their kiss became more passionate. He nimbly removed her bra and rubbed her breast with his hand as he nibbled her neck.

“Zayden…”

Ngumiti si Zayden.

Luna threaded her fingers through Zayden’s hair as she felt him nibbling her skin while removing her undergarments.

“Baby…”

“Den… Hmm…”

They were both moaning and calling each other’s names.

Napahawak si Luna sa braso ni Zayden nang ipinusisyon nito ang sarili sa kaniya. She closed her eyes as she felt him slowly entering inside her.

She moaned.

He groaned.

Zayden moved, and Luna began to moan softly.

He moved a little faster and harder.

Luna’s moans get louder with her eyes closed.

“Baby…”

Mas lalo pang binilisan ni Zayden ang pagbayo sa dalaga hanggang sa mapahawak ito sa bedsheets. And her moans turned to screams of “yes” and "harder". He grabbed her hips and moved harder and deeper.

“Zayden!”

They both climaxed.

Binagalan ni Zayden ang pagbayo saka hinihingal na bumagsak sa tabi ng dalaga. He kissed her deeply.

“Den… hmm... that was good.”

Ngumiti si Zayden. “Ulitin natin?”

Nagmulat ng mata si Luna. Lust lingered into her eyes. “Pwede ba?”

Zayden grinned and went on top of Luna. He kissed her and said, “Of course, Baby. Pwede kahit anong oras na gustuhin mo.”

And with that, they once made love again and again.

Nakalimutan na ni Luna na engaged siya. Basta ang nasa isipan niya sa mga oras na ‘yon si Zayden at ang langit na nararanasan niya sa bisig nito.