Rugged Men Series 5: Kayden Gonzales (TAGALOG)

Chapter 6

SUMIPAT si Kayden kay Patrice na tahimik na nakaupo sa kama. He just stare at her for a minute until she saw her smile and happily lay down above the bed. Hindi alam ni Kayden kung bakit napangiti na lamang din siya sa nasilayan. Patrice seems to be doing fine despite her disability. Bumalik na rin ang kulay sa mukha nito. She was also smilling. It gives him relief to know but also made him wonder that if he didn't lie about Ayden, would she even smile like that?

He bet, she wouldn't. Those smiles will surely be tears. Those energy around her would turn into grief. And he cannot witness that. What he is seeing now is better.

“Oh, I miss our bed, baby...” wika ni Patrice at dumapa at niyakap ang kama. “Even though I cannot see it, I can feel what we did in this bed. In this very room.”

Pilit na napangiti si Kayden. “M-Me too...”

“I remember the first time you take my purity...” pagkuwento ni Patrice habang malaki ang ngiti sa mga labi. “It was on our honeymoon.”

Well, he expected that. Kung gaano kamaginoo ang kanyang kambal na si Ayden ay siya naman ang kanyang ikinabaliktaran. He beds women and sends them off the next morning. And he doesn't believe in love. Marriage is the last thing he would do in this world. He even promised to not get married because he only sees women as ornaments and a user that can satisfy his needs. And he sees Patrice like that before.

The first time Ayden told him he was in love with Patrice, he didn't understand. It was so sudden. Love at first sight. It was absurd. Life has never been fiction and it will never be, no matter how many would dream to have one. But for Ayden, he believes that his life with Patrice is better than fiction, it was a fairytale for him. And when it’s a fairytale then the story will not be complete without a villain. He was the villain in their life and since villains are also human, he has given a chance to prove that a villain can be hurt, too. And God knew how much he regretted being one... Patrice made him realize that villain is capable of having emotion, especially guilt...

Nang marinig niya ang pagsarado ng pinto ay napatingin siya kay Ayden na nagtatanggal ng coat. Sumimsim siya sa basong hawak habang sumisipat dito. “You didn't show up again? We promised to be on Elijah’s first concert...”

“Oh, brother, I know. And I'm sorry, I couldn't make it,” wika ni Ayden at napaupo siya sa pinakamalapit na upuan at nagdekuwatro.

“You didn't make it or you didn't purposely make it?” nanunukat na tanong ni Kayden sa kambal at dismayado na sumipay dito.

“It's just that I helped in the school today and I didn't notice the time. I got carried along with the kids and stuff,” wika ni Ayden at umupo sa kanyang tabi. “Come on, brother. I will make up for the lost time, I promise.”

“No, you won’t...” wika ni Kayden at inilabas ang mga litrato dahilan para mapatingin dito ang kambal. “Because you are so busy with this girl and this is the second time around, Ayden. Tell me honestly, is the kids making you happy or this woman?”

Bahagya na natawa si Ayden at tumingin sa kanya. “Brother...”

“Answer my question, Ayden. Did this woman has captured your heart?” tanong ni Kayden para matigilan ang kambal.

Nanahimik si Ayden nang ilang minuto bago itong napabuntong-hininga. “Yes, brother. Patrice is the preschool teacher in our school and she's extraordinary. She’s not like my other ex.”

“Bullshit!” sighal ni Kayden at marahas na inilapag ang baso sa marmol na mesa. “Hindi ka pa ba nadala, ha? Hindi pa ba pumasok sa isip mo na pera lang ang habol ng mga babae sa atin, ha?”

“I know I've been with a lot of issue but you don't get to judge Patrice like that,” mariing wika ni Ayden at puno ng hinanakit na sinalubong ang kanyang mga tingin. “You don't know her.”

“Maybe I don't and I don't have a plan on knowing,” sagot ni Kayden at nanunukat na tiningnan ito. “This woman will only give you sorrow one day, brother. Hindi mapagkakatiwalaan ang mga babae. Kagaya ng mga ex mo na nasilaw sa pera, hindi nalalayo ang babae na ‘yan. Papatunayan ko ‘yan sa ‘yo.”

“If you cannot respect her then it means you don't respect my choices,” mariing wika ni Ayden at maangas na itinaas ang ulo. “I don't need your validation with this one. This is my life, Kayden. You don’t get to say anything about it because it is mine and not yours.”

“We are nurture in our mother's womb together so your life is mine as much as my life is also yours. If you are hurt, the pain inflict with me, Ayden,” paliwanag ni Kayden at hinagod ito sa balikat. “Kambal kita at hindi ko hahayaan na masaktan kang muli. You don't deserve to be in pain.”

“I will not be in pain with her, brother, have faith in me about this one. Patrice is my life. I am happy with her. Patrice is the one I wanted to be with until I die...” pagbibigay-alam ni Ayden at umiling-iling sa kanya. “And you can't tell me not to be happy because I am. I already am. I hate to break it to you but I am happy with Patrice, truly.”

“What the f**k?” tanong ni Kayden at pagak na natawa. “I heard that a lot from you. They end up leaving you for money. And since when did a woman makes you happy, huh? Since when? ”

“Since when?” balik-tanong ni Ayden. “Since I met Patrice and be loved in return. Huwag mo akong itulad sa iyo na galit sa mundo, Kayden. Magkaiba tayo. I see good in everything while you see the opposite. Hindi palagi na parehas tayo ng pakiramdam.”

“You are vulnerable, Ayden and I’m not. You always believe that in this unfair world, there will still be out there for you, no matter how much the world wanted you to accept that there isn't a happy ending. That’s why I exist in this world to slap you with reality,” pagbibigay-diin ni Kayden at mayabang na ikiniling ang ulo. “That’s why you have me to fix you back up.”

“And that's why I don't need you anymore. Because Patrice and I will get married and prove to you that how you see the world is wrong,” wika ni Ayden at sinalubong ang kanyang mga nanlilisik na mga mata. “I will prove to you that I can be happy without you...”

Malungkot na napangiti si Kayden at napayuko habang naalala ang engkwentro na iyon dahil nagwagi ito. Noon ay ikinaila niya iyon nang palihim ngunit ngayon ay hindi niya na maaring iikubli ang totoo. Ayden became the happiest with Patrice as much as Patrice to his brother. Nagkamali siya sa inakala na habol nito ay pera.

Napabuntong-hininga siya bago napasipat kay Patrice na nakatingin sa gawi niya na para bang nakikita siya nito. It was a good thing he didn't because she would already know that he wasn't Ayden.

“You made my dreams come true when you take it after the wedding,” pagbibigay-alam ni Patrice at mahina na natawa. “I mean, it’s everybody's dream to give their purity to their loved ones. I did the right thing in preserving it until the wedding. It was the best night of my life...”

“It was the best night of my life, too...” ang tanging sagot ni Kayden sa kataga ng dalawa. He didn't know what to say. He uttered the word he thinks Ayden would say.

“I still remember how it hurts the first time you enter me ...” biglang wika ni Patrice para magbigay sa kanya ng kung anong pagkabigla.

Napalunok si Kayden at imbes na baguhin ang usapan ay nakinig siya dito na para bang gusto niya rin malaman ang saloobin nito. And he knew it was wrong... it was immoral since it was his twin’s memory. However, the way Patrice open the topic makes him pinned on his seat and listen instead of leaving.

“It’s like a hundred knife s***h inside me, Ayden... ” dugtong ni Patrice at nakita niya ang pamumula ng mukha nito na ikinalunok niya nang malalim. “But when you started to move... the way you thrust, it gives shiver on my spine making me moan... continuos and then became louder as we give in into each other’s pleasure.”

Natuptop ni Kayden ang bibig at pinawi ang hinuha sa pagkuwento ni Patrice. Para bang bigla na lamang nagkasariling-buhay ang kanyang utak nang maghinuha siya nang pangyayari na iyon. Ngunit, imbes na si Ayden ang kanyang maisip ay siya ang nasa ibabaw sa kama habang nasa ibabaw ni Patrice habang ito ay umuungol.

Nang bahagyang narinig na ang pag-ungol ni Patrice sa kanyang tainga ay napapilig si Kayden at pinawi ang hinuha.

“I remember how my wombs starts tightening and then keeps chanting your name...” dugtong ni Patrice na muling napagpalunok sa kanya, ngunit ngayon sy mas malalim.

Napatingin siya sa labi ni Patrice at hindi sinasadyang nabasa niya ang nakaawang na labi nito bago dumapo ang kanyang mga mata sa leeg ni Patrice hanggang sa dibdib nito na nanatabunan ng makapal na tela ngunit sigurado niyang malulusog dahil sa umbok nito sa damit.

“You thrust faster and faster until I can't think of anything but the sensation filling me... until I came for the first time with you,” pagtatapos ni Patrice na may mga ngiti sa mga labi. “I spasmed underneath you and I remember how you fill me inside. It was the best feeling. It's the feeling I wouldn't get tired of craving, baby. You made me your woman that night and we promised to be with each other with a new life together.”

Palihim na nagpakawala nang malalim na paghinga si Kayden nang matapos itong magkunwento bago iniwas ang mga mata at nanatiling nakinig kahit pa man nararamdaman niya na ang biglang timpla ng kanyang katawan. And he wasn't that dumb not to know. He wasn't pathetic. He was not a litle boy that wouldn't feel anything about that passionate night she shares with his twin. He was having a reaction to Patrice. A reaction he should stop feeling from now on.

“I remember it, too...” pagsisinungaling ni Kayden at nag-alangan na tumingin dito. “All of it, baby. I treasure it forever.”

Nang napangiti si Patrice ay nagbigay sa kanya nang kaginhawaan gayundin ay pagkamasama dahil harap-harapan niya itong niloloko. But that was for her own sake. Ginagawa niya ito para dito. Damn, if this is Nikolas was trying to say then he understands it now. However, he cannot turn back since his act has laready started.

This is the fate he chose.

This is his punishment.

Muling napasipat si Kayden sa dalaga at binawi niya rin ang tingin nang ilang segundo. Napahilamos siya sa mukha gamit ang mga kamay bago tumitig sa magandang tanawin na papalubog na araw mula sa binata na ngayon ay tumama sa kanyang mukha. If Patrice would see it, she will definitely love it.

“You must be watching the sunset, baby...” ani Patrice para mapatingin siya dito. “I know because I can feel the sun rays hitting my face. Will you assist me to go over the window?”

“Of course,” sagot ni Kayden at tumayo siya mula sa wheelchair. Dahan-dahan lamang siya na naglakad patungo dito at inakay ito patungo sa bintana at pina-upo sa wheelchair.

Patrice stay silent as she closed her eyes. Mayamaya ay narinig niya ang paghikbi nito kaya agad siyang yumukod pababa at hinarap ito para pawiin ang mga luha nito.

“I can’t see, Ayden... I can’t see anymore,” wika ni Patrice at dali-daling niyakap ito para kahit papaano ay pakalmahin ito.

“Everything is going to be all right,” ani Kayden at marahang hinagod ang buhok nito. “Don't worry. From now on, I will be your eyes. I will be your guide and I’m going to be on your side, always.”

Patrice sobbed as she nodded. “I may not see anything but I can still feel everything, baby. And now, I feel you.”