Blood Between Us

CHAPTER 21

IT WAS SUNDAY MORNING. Esther and Ciaran went to church before going to the supermarket. Habang nasa loob sila ng simbahan, tahimik lamang si Ciaran sa tabi ni Esther. Hindi naman sobrang puno ang simbahan pero sapat lang para maramdaman ang katahimikan. The kind of quiet that settles into your chest.

Ciaran had told Esther he didn’t grow up religious. But when Esther asked if he wanted to come to the church today, he smiled and said, “lead the way, sweetheart.”

Nakatayo si Ciaran sa tabi ni Esther at nakalagay ang kaniyang mga kamay sa magkabilang bulsa ng suot na pantalon habang si Esther naman ay nakaluhod at nagdadasal. He doesn’t know how to response, pero tahimik lang siyang nakikinig habang pinagmamasdan ang paligid. Hindi na niya maalala kung kailan ang huling pasok niya sa simbahan pero sa pagkakatanda niya ay noong bago namatay ang kaniyang ama. And that was when he was a kid.

Esther caught Ciaran a few times stealing glances at her.

Paglabas nilang dalawa, hindi nagsalita si Ciaran. Naglalakad lamang ito sa tabi ni Esther habang hawak ang tote bag ng kasintahan.

“What did you pray for?” Ciaran asked, finally.

Ngumiti naman si Esther. “Peace. Direction and clarity. Of course, happiness.”

Ciaran nodded thoughtfully. “I prayed too. I just said thank you.”

“Para saan?” tanong ni Esther.

Tumingin si Ciaran sa dalaga. “For you.”

Napangiti na lamang si Esther.

They went to the supermarket to buy groceries and some personal hygiene necessities. Simple lang dapat… eggs, milk, meats, fruits at konting vegetables. But knowing Ciaran, they ended up with four different kinds of cheese and frozen foods. Dahil ‘yon lang naman daw ang kaya nitong iluto lalo na kapag late siyang nagigising para magluto.

Ciaran was learning how to cook. Pero mga simpleng luto pa lang ang kaya nitong gawin. Mabuti nga at hindi na ito nakakasunog ng pagkain.

Habang nag-iikot sila, Esther was checking out the bread shelf when she noticed that Ciaran wandered toward the next aisle. Sinundan niya ang binata at nakita niya itong may kinuha at inilagay sa cart.

It was sanitary pads.

“Bakit ka kumukuha niyan?” tanong ni Esther habang nakakunot ang noo. “Anong gagawin mo diyan? Mayroon ka ba?” dagdag niya na may halong tawa.

Ciaran looked at Esther, completely unbothered. “Sweetheart, it was for you. Hindi ba period mo this week?”

Napahinto si Esther. “Huh?”

“I took note last month. You were craving fires and tahimik ka for three days straight. I figured baka ngayong linggo na ulit.”

Parang may kumurot sa dibdib ni Esther. Hindi niya alam kung maaaliw ba siya o matatakot. Kasi paano ba naman, Ciaran notices everything.

“Are you okay?” Ciaran askes when Esther didn’t reply immediately.

“Yeah,” sabi ni Esther. “It’s just that… it’s sweet. A little weird but sweet.”

Ngumiti si Ciaran… like it was no big deal.

But for Esther, it was.

Pag-uwi nila sa condo, habang nag-aayos si Ciaran ng mga pinamili nila, pumunta si Esther sa banyo para i-check ang period tracker app niya.

She frowned.

She was delayed by three days now.

Tinignan niya ang kalendaryi. Tama nga. The red dot she marked for this month hadn’t come yet.

Esther didn’t panic.

“Well, this is normal,” bulong na lamang niya sa kaniyang sarili. “Late lang. Stress. Kape and work.”

She tried to shrug it off. But her hand still hovered near the drawer where she kept the box… just in case. Pero hindi siya ang bumili. Si Mira ang bumili no’n para sa kaniya.

Pero hindi niya ito kinuha. Not yet.

Instead, she stepped out and watched Ciaran quietly organize her panty like he belonged there.

And somehow, the possibility didn’t scare her as much as it should.

Esther’s Studio

Esther was busy sketching on her sketchpad when the glass door of her studio opened and it didn’t even chime. She looked up from her drafting table and saw a woman—poised, manicured, and dressed like she walked straight out of luxury bridal catalogue.

Naramdaman agad ni Esther na parang may masamang hangin na pumasok sa loob ng studio niya.

“Hi,” the woman greeted, flashing a sharp smile. “Nice place. I’m Grace.”

“Welcome,” Esther greeted. “May maipaglilingkod ba ako?”

The woman sauntered in, like she owned the place and the air. “I’m Ciaran’s girlfriend.”

Napatigil ang lapis ni Esther sa ere dahil sa narinig. She leaned back slowly in her chair and tilted her head. “The door was open. Feel free to use it on your way out.”

Grace didn’t flinch. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not just his girlfriend,” she added, lips curving smugly. “I’m his fiancée.”

Napakurap si Esther. So, ito pala ang sinasabi ni Ciaran na gusto ng ina nito na pakasalan nito.

“Oh, really?”

Grace shrugged lightly. “Well, his mother wants me to be the next Vireaux matriarch. So, if I were you layuan mo na lang si Ciaran dahil akin lang siya.”

Esther picked up her phone without another word and dialed.

Sinagot naman ni Ciaran ang tawag niya pagkaraan ng ikalawang ring. “Yes, sweetheart?”

Esther kept her eyes on Grace. “Don’t sweetheart me.”

That caught Ciaran’s attention.

“Your fiancée is here,” Esther said flatly. “In my studio. So, I suggest you get here before I lose my patience.”

Then Esther hung up. Hindi niya niya hinintay na makapagsalita si Ciaran/

Umarko ang kilay ni Grace. “You didn’t have to be rude.”

Ngumiti si Esther. “Oh, I was being polite. You will know if it wasn’t.” She stood, walked past her, and opened the small door to her materials storage. “Wait for Ciaran. Mukhang may kailangan kayong pag-usapan.”

Grace crossed her arms. “I will.”

Esther looked over her shoulder. “Good. Now if you’ll excuse me. May totoong trabaho akong kailangang tapusin.”

Hindi sumagot si Grace. But Esther felt her stare, sharp was knife, as she went back to her blueprints.

But whatever this was… it wasn’t over.

But Esther was sure as hell not to be pushed out of her own space. Not by Grace and not by anyone.

Fifteen minutes later…

Dumating si Ciaran. The door opened with a clang. Pumasok si Ciaran na parang may kasamang bagyo. Following behind was his bodyguard, Drake.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Ciaran asked with the coldest voice ever.

Grace stood from the lounge chair like she’d been waiting for her cue onstage. “I just wanted to meet her. The girl you’ve been wasting your time with.”

Hindi nagtaas ng tingin si Esther. She was still bent over her sketch, pencil moving faster now, not from inspiration, but restraint.

Dumilim ang mukha ni Ciaran. He didn’t move toward Grace. Instead, he walked towards Esther.

“Esther,” he called Esther gently. “Are you okay?”

Nagtaas ng tingin si Esther at sinalubong ang tingin ni Ciaran.

“Okay lang ako,” tugon ni Esther sa walang emosyong boses. “But your ‘fiancée’ here has some nerve."

“She’s not my fiancée.” Maydiing sabi ni Ciaran. He said it loud enough for the whole studio to hear, including Grace.

Grace stiffened. “Your mother arranged—”

“Wala akong pakialam kung ano man ang sinabi ni Mommy.” Ciaran’s voice was steel now. “That arrangement was for her, not for me.”

Grace’s composure cracked just slightly. “So, you’d throw everything away for her?” she asked, gesturing to Esther like she was an inconvenience, not a person.

“No,” Ciaran said, stepping closer to Esther. “I will throw everything away because of her. Because she’s the only thing that’s ever felt real.”

Napatitig si Esther kay Ciaran.

“Grace, there is nothing between us. I didn’t agree to the arranged marriage. Si mommy lang ang may plano ‘yon. Moreover, I don’t have any plan to enter a loveless marriage.”

“Pero mahal kita. Matutunan mo rin akong mahalin!”

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Ciaran. Hinawakan ang kamay ni Esther at tinignan si Grace. “Mahal? Do you really love me? Or do you love me because of the name and power I hold?” he asked.

Natahimik si Grace.

“Whatever my mother told you—it ends here. Today.”

Grace’s face hardened. “You’ll regret this. I’m you Vireaux matriarch.”

Natawa ng walang buhay si Ciaran. “A matriarch? But you are not a wife.”

Gustong matawa ni Esther pero pinigilan niya ang kaniyang sarili.

Grace stomped her foot on the ground. “Magsisisi ka, Ciaran!”

“I won’t,” simpleng saad ni Ciaran.

Grace let out a bitter laugh, grabbed her purse, and stormed out with her heels clicking against the tiles like gunshots. And then the door slammed shut behind her.

Tumingin si Ciaran kay Esther. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

“You didn’t owe her anything?”

Umiling si Ciaran habang nakangiti. “Not a promise. Not a future. And definitely not my heart.”

Gumuhit ang ngiti sa labi ni Esther. Tumingin siya kay Drake. “Can you wait for your Boss outside? May sasabihin lang ako sa kaniya.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Tugon ni Drake saka tahimik na lumabas ng studio.

Esther wrapped her arms around Ciaran’s neck. “You really choose me, huh?”

“Of course, sweetheart. Mahal na mahal kita. And I’ve promise you. Ikaw lang at wala ng iba.”

Pinaglandas ni Esther ang palad sa dibdib ng kasintahan. “Tonight, you’re mine.”

Ngumisi si Ciaran. “I won’t say no to that, sweetheart.” Then he claimed Esther’s lips.