Rugged Men Series 5: Kayden Gonzales (TAGALOG)

Chapter 1

SINALUBONG ni Patrice ang kanyang asawa nang matamis na ngiti nang makitang nakalabas na ito sa meeting room. Lakad-takbo ang ginawa ni Ayden na paglapait sa kanya at sinalubong siya nang mahigpit na yakap.

“How did the meeting go?” tanong ni Patrice at inayos ang necktie nito. “Did you close the deal?”

Nang hindi sumagot ang asawa ay agad na nagkakutob siya na hindi maganda ang nangyari.

“It's okay if you and Kayden didn't make it,” ani Patrice sabay hinagod ang balikat nito. “It’s not going to be our loss, it's theirs.”

“You’re right,” pagsang-ayon ni Ayden at tumango. “But we did it though. That's right, baby. We did it! We will have an El Trago Bar and Penthouse Branch here in Korea.”

Hindi makapaniwalang napatingin si Patrice sa asawa. “Really? Oh my god, that's great, baby!”

“Yes!” sagot ni Ayden at siniil siya nang halik sa mga labi.

Nang marahil makulangan pa ito ay muling siniil siya nito ng halik para mas lumalim ang kanilang pinagsasaluhan sa gitna ng lobby ng hotel na iyon. Good thing there is no much of a guest or else she wouldn't let Ayden kissed her like that in an open place.

“Oh, I miss you...” wika nito sa pagitan ng paghalik sa kanya at hinapit siya palapit.

Napangiti si Patrice at napaangkla siya sa leeg ng binata. “I miss you, too...”

Nang bahagyang iangat siya sa ere ni Ayden ay napangiti siya sa labi nito. Ngunit natigil lamang sila ng asawa nang marinig ang tikhim na tiyak na galing sa kambal ng asawa niya na si Kayden para humiwalay siya sa halik at pilit na mapangiti dito.

“Kayden...” wika ni Patrice at pinanatili ang ngiti.

Nang malamig na sumipat si Kayden sa kanya bilang tugon ay kumupas ang ngiti niya sa mga labi at napayuko na lamang siya. Well, she expected thst from Kayden. Ever since she married Ayden, his husband’s twin has been giving her an incredulous look. At hindi siya tanga para hindi malaman ang dahilan. Kayden hates her for his brother. However, she didn't mind the thought and still married Ayden because she loves him. Sa halos tatlong taon na kasama niya si Ayden ay hindi man lang ito nagbato ng ngiti. At nakasanayan niya ng ganoon ang ugalit nito.

She will either let it pass or throw his anger out on her big stuff toy, Ayden's first-anniversary gift to her when they were still girlfriend and boyfriend. But now, she gets used to it and she's too busy hating his husband's twin because they have a two-year-old son now.

“Good job...” saad ni Kayden sa kanyang asawa at nakipagkamay. “We can go home now...”

“Well, about that... Patrice and I talked last night about extending the trip here in Korea,” nakangiwi wika ni Ayden at umakbay sa kanya. “Pambawi ko sa kanya since I've been busy a lot lately. So, if it's okay with you, you can go home without us. Susunod na lang kami sa makawala. Don't worry about our son, he's in good hands.”

“Yeah...” pagsang-ayon ni Kayden na ikinagulat niya.

Nagkatinginan sila ng asawa at sabay na kumunot ang noo.

“Is that a yeah that you are leaving us behind to spend time with each other?” tanong ni Ayden at kupas na ngumiti “Or... what?”

“Yeah...” muling sambit ni Kayden at tumango-tango.

“Yeah...” pag-ulit ni Patrice at nalilitong tiningnan ang asawa. “But... that yeah has an additional speech, right? Yeah? Yeah, then what?”

“Yeah, as in yeah, it’s okay with me for you two to spend time with each other,” paliwanag ni Kayden para magkatinginan sila muli ng asawa. “There's nothing wrong about that, is there?”

“No, of course not, we have every right to spend time with each other since we’re married,” ani Patrice at ngumiti kay Kayden.

Kayden just looked at her and glanced at his twin.

“My wife's right, brother. This is the right time for us to spend time with each other. I owe her that,” wika ni Ayden at pagak na ngumiti.

Napatango-tango si Kayden. “Okay.”

“So, are you... you know, going home now?” tanong ni Ayden.

“Uh, no, brother. Sorry to burst your bubble but I actually changed my mind just now. I tend to get bored so I’m going to tag along,” sagot ni Kayden at tumalikod na sa kanila.

“Kayden...” banas na sambit ng asawa bago sumunod sa kambal at iniwan na lamang siya na para bang nakalimutan nitong nasa tabi siya nito.

She thought that Ayden's parents will be in the way of their marriage. And here she is, holding back in order not to smack Kayden in the head. Hindi lamang ito ang unang beses na ginawa ni Kayden kaya naman hindi niya na mapigilang magalit.

Katunayan ay dinaig pa ni Kayden kastriktuhan ng mga magulang ng asawa dahil nang malaman ng mga ito na magpapakasal na sila ni Ayden wala siyang narinig na kung anumang pagtutol sa mga ito... maliban kay Kayden na palagi siyang binibigyan na masamang tingin. Sa totoo lang ay patagal ng patagal ay hindi niya na naiintindihan ang ugali ni Kayden. Obviously,both of them were asking too much attention of Ayden. And she couldn't balance her rights because the two are tight as gum ever since childhood.

Napabuntong-hininga si Patrice at sumunod na lamang sa mga ito sa lobby. Nang makita niya ang asawa na nakikipag-asaran sa kambal ay lumapit siya dito.

“We should just probably go home,” wika ni Patrice para matigilan ang dalawa.

He saw how Kayden's eyebrows quirked up before his eyes squint. Ayden on the other hand just pat her back gently. Palihim na napaikot ang mga mata ni Patrice sa reaksyon ni Kayden. Kung hindi lamang pumagitna sa kanila ni Kayden ang asawa ay malamang ay may nagaws na siyang masama dito.

“I though you wanted to go Changdeokgung Palace?” tanong ni Ayden para mapangiti siya nang pilit dito.

Napatingin siya kay Kayden at nakita niya kung paano tumikwas ang labi nito. God, he was really getting on her nerves. Hinahamon nito ang kanyang pasensya. Pakiramdam niya ay kaunti na lamang ay masasampal niya na talaga ito nang malutong.

“We can go there next time,” ani Patrice at ngumiti sa asawa. “I just realized I wanted to be with our son, baby. I miss him and I know he misses us, too. And I was kind of tired, honestly. Ang anak lang natin ang makakapaggaan ng loob ko sa ngayon.”

“Okay, baby, if that's what you want then let’s go home...” pagsang-ayon ni Ayden at ipinagsiklop ang kanyang kamay.

He saw Kayden's eyes shot up before smirking that made her blood boils even more. She tried so hard not to moan in annoyance and all she did was secretly scoffed at him. When Kayden saw her reaction, he grinned wickedly. Napapantastikuhan na iniwas niya na lamang ang mga mata at itinuon sa asawa bago pa tuluyang tumaas ang dugo niya dito.

It took them an hour to arrive in the airport and another thirty minutes to settle inside their private airplane owned by the twin's best friend, Cooper. Ngumiti si Patrice nang maramdaman ang pag-angat ng eruplano sa ere at hawak-kamay na nakaidlip. Naging malalim ang tulog niya sa biyahe na iyon hanggang sa marinig niya ang nakakabinging tunog na nagmumula sa loob ng airplane. Galing pa lamang siya sa pagkatulog kaya naman wala siyang alam sa mga nangyayari.

At ganoon na lamang ang kanyang naramdamang pagkabahala nang marinig ang sigawan ng kanyang asawa at kambal nito. Ayden was bickering about the plane and their trip. They were shouting at each other but Kayden's voice is a little bit strained which is kind of new because he used to be the one who is repulsive than Ayden. She slowly rubs her eyes as she gathers her thoughts. Then everything went blurry when the plane crashes and the last thing she saw was Ayden's face before everything turned black and fuzzy.

NAGISING si Patrice na malabo ang paningin. Natagpuan niya na lamang ang sarili na nagtataka dahil wala siyang makita na kung ano kahit anong gawin niyang paglinga. “What’s happening to me? Why am I not seeing anything?”

“I am Dr. Nikolas Morales, and I am sad to say that you lose your sight in a plane crash, Mrs. Gonzales,” wika ng doctor upang gulat na masapo niya ang bibig.

“No, no, no, no...” wika ni Patrice at salat ang mukha na napaluha. “No! Where's Ayden? How's Ayden?”

“Patrice...” wika ng kung sino kaya napalinga-linga siya upang hanapin kung saan nanggaling ang tunog na iyon.

“Ayden is that you?” nababalisang tanong ni Patrice at patuloy na luminga. “Ayden, I can't see... I can't see you, so you have to talk to me. Tell me that it's you and you’re all right. Please... or my heart couldn't take it if something bad happened to you.”

“I-It’s me...” sagot nito na kanyang ikinaginhawa.

“Oh, thank God! I thought I lost you...” ani Patrice at mas lalong napahikbi.