My Abductor and I (Filipino)

"Hon, stop...this isn't the place for this," I mumbled in between his wild, secretive kisses as I slightly push the width of his body away from me with great desperation. Hindi siya tumigil at nagpatuloy lang sa paghalik, his veined hand now tracing my curves beneathe the spaghetti strap black sheath dress I'm wearing. His grey orbs have been eyeing me earlier, giving away his thirst and insinuating that he wants it with me tonight. I couldn't protest. Dijon Bosco in his mid 30s is a kind, generous man. However, he was a divorced business tycoon to a cheating wife. He watches me closely, keeping me at arms length. He may not be physically with me all the time but his men monitors me 24/7. May access din siya sa accounts ko and he knows where I'm spending whatever it is the money was used for. Mahigpit siya at takot nang maloko. Sa akin nagre-reflect ang trauma niya with his past relationship. If I say no to him, he would automatically jump into a conclusion that I have an affair. His musculinity that is almost 7 feet tall towered over me. Napasandal ako sa brick wall ng cartoon designed na archway entrance ng theme park. Dijon's symmetrical face lined with light stubble beard appears like a spy movie actor in Russia, guwapo, tigasin. Tumigil siya sa paghalik, his lips fully ripened with the kissing. "Let's take this somewhere else, Leslie." he said hoarsely, his voice implying impatience. "You know we can't, Dijon." "We're here for the theme parks' grand opening. I know that." "This is a very important day to me. Us Hendersons might have been known major shareholders of a leisure corporation in the U.S. pero iba pa rin na nakapagtayo ako ng sarili kong amusement park dito sa Pilipinas. You know full well how much this means to me, right?" His eyes follow my lips' every movement. Napatiim bagang siya, namumula ang tenga tanda ng pagpipigil. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Dijon, please. Focus." "I am focusing." "With the agenda at hand not on my lips!" "Alright okay." he laughed sexily and kissed me on my forehead instead. He then reached for my hand and held it tight. "Let's go. Ayokong pigilan ka sa mga ambisyon mo sa buhay." Napangiti ako sa naging sagot niya. This is what I like about him the most. He might be ten years older than my age pero sinusuportahan niya ko sa lahat ng gusto ko. He was never once opposed to me. In fact, hindi ko mararating ang kinalalagyan ko ngayon kung hindi rin dahil sa impluwensya niya. His connections if it didn't made things easier for me, at least made the construction of this amusement park fast-moving. In just a span of two years natapos ang pagtatayo nitong lugar when it usually takes up to five! We intertwined our fingers, crossing the Lightning McQueen archway together so we could once again enter the theme park and check how well the rides, attractions, and booths are doing. The ribbon cutting ceremony ended and the place had started operating two hours ago at sunset. The Pacific Merry Land located in the heart of the metro were filled with patrons consisting of families and groups of youngsters who were eager to try everything the amusement park offers. Nariyan din syempre ang media doing a live telecast of the grand opening. Pacific Merry Land is currently the country's largest theme park anyway. I take pride in that. "We should ride the Splash Rapids." his voice is guttural, deep. The Splash Rapids has the same elements of a typical roller coaster, only that it mimics a journey across the ocean with all the sea monster chain lifts and waterfall steep drops na sinamahan pa ng boat-based waterways at splash-down landings para mas exciting. "I'm not a child. Don't be such a gentle old man hindi ko naman gusto sumakay eh." "You're 25 and young. No matter how old you aged you're still my baby. Now pick a ride." Hindi ko gustong sumakay. It's just that, a memory came to mind after seeing the oceanic design of the water coaster. May naalala akong tao at hindi siya iyon. I couldn't voice it out. "The atmosphere is lively, everything seems to be doing fine as well. I'll hand it over to the theme park manager to oversee the operations and customer revenue, I'll have it reported directly to me on a daily basis, too. Alis na tayo." His grey eyes squinted, questioning my sudden disinterest. "Nagmamadali ka yata? Akala ko ba gusto mong tingnan maigi ang lahat. You're not the type to leave things undone." "I'm starving. It was a hectic day ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang pagod at gutom." pagdadahilan ko. "Let's dine somewhere, shall we?" "You should've have said so sooner. Ayokong nagugutom ka." he tsked, disturbingly sexy. His bony fingers slid down my hips securing my steps as we walk pass the crowd. He is sturdy and strong, his body was like my shield to every strangers' accidental push. Inayos niya ang seatbelt ko nang makasakay kami sa Cadillac niya. He responded to my 'thank you' with a genuine smile revealing his perfect set of teeth. We went to a nearby restaurant and had our fill with a sumptuous meal. We talked a lot despite being together the whole day. Our subject was mostly about their aerospace company situated in Russia, his business trips, and future plans. There were a lot of catching up to do. He is a busy man after all. Kahit nakatira kami sa iisang bubong, hindi kami gaanong nagkikita at nagkakasama. I was lucky he's very committed to me para i-cancel ang mga plano niya ngayong araw at samahan ako sa grand opening ng Pacific Merry Land. What could have gone wrong for his wife to cheat? Palagi ko iyang naiisip. Dijon is a good provider, a responsible father figure to my son, and a loving partner. For sure hindi na-experience ng babaeng iyon ang mga paghihigpit sa'kin ni Dijon ngayon. She traumatized him. She turned him into a distrustful, paranoid man. Sinayang niya siya. "Well, why can't you love him still?" my best friend asked over the phone a few days after. "Sa'yo na nanggaling. He's too good of a boyfriend and surely a prospect husband, too. So, anong problema? Dalawang taon na kayo, may anak ka, bakit hindi pa kayo magpakasal?" "It's too soon for marriage, Tabi. Gusto ko lang munang mag-focus sa pagpapalaki kay Silvr. I can't afford to be distracted, this is his most crucial years. Gusto ko all out ako pagpasok niya sa preschool this summer, no distractions of some sort. And please, stop it, mahal ko si Dijon ilang beses ko ba iyan sasabihin sa'yo?" "Until you tire yourself out with that lie. Girl, hindi ka si Pinocchio huwag mong career-in ang pagsisinungaling hindi ikakatangos ng ilong mo iyan. You're obviously not over with /that man yet." "I don't know what you're talking about. The only men I have in my life right now is Dijon and Silvr, wala nang iba pa." My son tugged my skin tight jeans and pulled me to the department store's toys section. I know just what caught his attention; cars. Sa hilig niya doon, isinunod ko ang tema ng amusement park sa Pixar's cartoon na Cars. His golden hair appears like that of Hercule's; long and wavy. It bounces as he walks in haste. Place a cape on his back and he would certainly look like that greek g*d. Napakagat ako sa labi, hindi gusto na unti-unti na siyang nahahawahig sa papa niya na nang-iwan sa'min. He raised his head and eyed me disapprovingly. Nabagalan siguro siya sa paglalakad ko. "G*d you're persistent, Leslie. Your son is already two and a half years old. He is growing so fast. You do realize na kailangan niya na ng amang kikilanin, right?" "Then I will be his mother and father. I'll be both his light and strength. Aside from a man and woman's anatomy iyon lang naman yun, 'di ba? Hindi ako magkukulang, Tabitha. I certainly won't grow a peni*s but I won't fall short of emotional or financial support for my child." "Mum." Silvr called on to me. His tiny hands holding the zipper of his shorts. I knew then that he has to pee. Nagpaalam na ko kay Tabitha at agad sinamahan ang anak sa pinakamalapit na women's restroom. He still couldn't do it alone, and without Dijon here, it's up to me to do the task. "Better?" He nodded quietly afterwards. He took his backpack from me and lifted it like he is his own man. Lumabas na kami ng restroom. I was about to carry him when he stepped back, avoiding my touch. "I can walk." he mumbles with pride. He pretty much speaks a lot better than an ordinary 2-year old kid. "I understand that you're capable but let Mum help. It's not bad to ask for assistance, Silvr." "I don't want you tired. You make me milk and you put clothes on me. I can walk." I smiled weakly. "Look at you acting all grown up." "I have to grow up fast. I don't like it when you cry at night because you're tired, Mum. I pretend to be asleep but I know you're crying." Without a second thought, I hugged my little Hercule. Hindi ko alam na hindi nakakatakas sa matalas niyang pakiramdam ang mga pag-iyak ko sa gabi. Tabitha was right. He is growing so fast. He matures earlier than most kids of his age. Kailangan ko na talagang irekonsidera ang pagpapakasal kay Dijon. I can imagine my son in class having difficulty filling up his family tree dahil wala siyang papa. I can't bear it. "No, no, I wasn't crying because I'm tired taking care of you. Mommy will never ever get tired of that." "Then who is making you cry?" Kinarga ko siya kahit ayaw niya. Although, he didn't protest this time, his baby limbs just cling onto my neck in favor to me. I'm afraid my eyes would betray me and cry. I don't want him to see it. His father left even before he was born. Hindi ko maharap ang parents ko at ang buong pamilya namin sa sobrang kahihiyan noon. Hinintay ko siya. I gave him the benefit of the doubt pero hindi siya bumalik. My family is always on the spotlight. The media swarmed on us after my unexpected pregnancy and it was horrible. My life had a hundred and eighty degree turn after officially being labeled as a single parent. People in the U.S. might not care at all pero rito sa Pilipinas, hindi, magiging tampulan ka ng tukso. Filipinos care about the false issues. They prioritize wrong and that is why they don't progress. "I was just having a terrible headache and it made me tear up a little, Silvr. Do you want to go eat some chicken taco now?" He didn't say a thing. His chubby cheek rested on my shoulder, dropping his big boy act a few minutes ago. Pagof na nga talaga siya. Pumihit ako papunta sa favorite Mexican diner niya rito sa mall. I used to feed Silvr American food but he seemed to instinctively like Spanish more. It is a huge slap to me who's a New Yorker. Nakuha niya nga sa'kin ang blonde hair, pero maliban doon ay wala na. As much as I want him to resemble me all over, I can't make it happen dahil lahat sa kanya ay nakuha niya sa papa niya, even his tastes for food. I struggled when I tried reaching the doorknob of the diner's large wooden door upon arrival. Hawak ko sa isang braso si Silvr at medyo mabigat siya. Natigilan ako sa pag-abot nang salubungin ng isang maugat na kamay. The broad shoulders of the shadow tells me right away that the hand was of a man's. Before I knew it, I was faced with the father of my child— Silvestre Hugo. He stood 6 feet tall next to me, his hazel eyes widened and are just as shocked as my pale-blue ones. Sa naging reaksyon niya, it is safe to assume na wala siyang intensyong hanapin ako o balikan tulad ng pinangako niya noon. This is purely an accidental meeting na hindi niya ginusto. His piercing eyes landed on my son... our son. Instinct ko nang ilayo sa kanya ang anak ko at protektahan ang pagkakakilanlan nito. Sure, Silvr is his own flesh and blood pero wala siyang karapatang malaman iyon. He completely lost his claim to my son when he left. Mas tumindi ang panggagalaiti ko nang tingnan niya ang anak namin ng may halong pagkadisgusto. He looked at him as if he's a chunk of bubble gum under a greasy fast food table... as if he's a piece of filth! Tinalikuran ko siya. Mas pinili kong umalis, lumakad, at magpakalayu-layo kaysa makipag-away. There's no need for me to associate myself with him anymore. Hindi ko siya kailangan at lalong hindi ng anak ko. Hindi pa ako masyadong nakakalayo nang hilahin niya ako sa braso. I bounced off his firm chest and abdomen from the impact. He doesn't care at all na may hawak akong bata! "Ano ba?!" His jaw tightened. Natahimik ako. He looks so intimidating wearing a tight fitting black long sleeves shirt rolled up to his elbow, revealing his strong, veined forearms. "Es cierto que ya tienes un hijo." Silvestre's husky voice explicitly growled in Spanish, leaving my mouth slightly opened. I was never good in his mother tongue. Hindi ako marunong magsalita pero kaya kong umintindi. 'Totoo nga, may anak ka na', iyon ang sabi niya. Fear crawled through my skin when I realized what could possibly happen. Kapag nakita niya ang mukha ni Silvr madali niyang malalaman na sa kanya ito. Magkamukha kasi talaga sila. Kung sakali, guguluhin niya kami at hindi patatahimikin. I can't let that happen. Ako lang ang kailangan ng anak ko at wala nang iba pa. "Mum, is he bad? Should I call papu Dijon?" Silvestre's face darkened upon hearing that. His thin lips frowned sharply and his brown eyes speak a thousand curse I don't need to hear in order to feel bad. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin, hindi ko siya kayang tingnan. He makes my stomach churn not with anger but with something else. These unnamed feelings are terrifying. Gusto ko itong ibaon sa pinakailalim-laliman ng puso ko at doon pawalain. He left wordlessly. All eyes are on his strong, domineering Adonisian figure exiting the mall. He's that attractive. He looks one of those Telenovela main lead. Nevertheless, he's guilty and it shows. Magaling lang siya sa pagtakas, sa pagtakbo, tulad ng ginawa niya noon. Hindi man lang siya ng nagtanong kung kanino itong bata. Wala siyang pakialam sa'kin, sa amin. My nights were sleepless after that unexpected encounter. I was wrong to think na okay na ko, na I've moved on. Alright, I no longer love Silvestre but the anger, the bitterness... they were all stockpiled in me. Nung nakita ko siya uli, it all went caving in. Bumuhos lahat ng alaala sa'kin at nanariwa. Iyong ilang taon na ginugol ko para buuin ang sarili ko ay nasayang. Sa isang pagkikita lang namin nabasag ako uli. Bakit niya ako iniwan nung pinaka kailangan ko siya? Sabi niya mahal niya ako, bakit siya umalis? Hindi ko maintindihan. Gabi-gabi ko pinag-isipan ang tanong na iyon sa loob ng dalawang taon. Nauuwi na lang ako sa pag-iyak dahil wala akong makuhang sagot. It's frustrating not to know anything. At the very least, hindi ako nagkulang sa kanya sigurado ako dun. Yun siguro ang pagkakamali ko. Binigay ko sa kanya lahat. "Good morning, hon." Dijon refreshingly greets with a charming smile. He's by the kitchen frying bacons, its meaty aroma filling up the air. Nakakagutom. I went down the penthouse suite's stair and saw the mess that he is; food stains are in his apron, condiments have spilt all over the cooking area, and dishes are overflowing on the sink. Wala naman akong naaamoy na sunog o pagkaing tutong, makalat lang talaga ang kusina. "How's your sleep? Nagising ako ng ala una ng madaling araw wala ka na sa tabi ko. Nakita na lang kita sa balcony, umiinom ng tsaa." "Nahirapan lang ako matulog. The sleep itself was ok, I guess." "Morning, Mum!" Nagkukusot pa ako ng mga mata nang halikan si Silvr na nakaupo sa dining table, magiliw na hawak ang kubyertos at naghihintay ng almusal. His tiny feet are happily swinging, too short to reach the floor. My eyes glanced at Dijon's pajama bottom after. Hindi ko iyon napansin agad. "Bakit hindi ka pa nakabihis? It is past nine. Late ka na sa trabaho. Hinayaan mo na sana iyong maid na maghanda ng breakfast. Wait, na saan nga ba si Carla?" "She had a day off and so was I. Nagpaalam siya sa'kin kahapon bibisitahin niya raw ang lola niya somewhere in Binangonan, seventieth birthday, she wanted to celebrate kaya maaga ko na ring pinasuweldo." I took a glass of water and consumed it. "Dinoble mo na sana." "I knew you'd say that kaya tinriple ko na." The bread toaster /ting-ed! I was then impressed to see a couple of perfectly toasted sliced breads popped up. Dumiretso iyon sa plato na dala ni Dijon na guwapong nakangiti sa'kin. He knows me well to tell when I'm pleased and when I'm not. My cheek rested on my palm, smirking at him placing the breakfast platter on the table. Dinala niya ang plato ng sausage, pancakes, at omelette ng sabay-sabay. Pasikat talaga. The strength of his neck and angular collarbone along with his beefy chests ripping his white shirt boasts a hunky fine man. "See something you like?" his naturally red lips curved teasingly. Nangingiti kong binigyan ng pansin si Silvr na nahihirapang hiwain ang bacon sa plato niya. "Haven't I told you that you can ask Mum for help when you need it?" "You are busy with papu. A big boy shouldn't interfere." Dijon raised his head, funnily nodding in agreement with my son. He went behind Silvr's seat and poured an orange juice on his empty glass. "Mum I'm going to Hendrix. He promised to teach me drive an electric car." "Ikaw ba ang nagturo sa kanya niyan, Dijon?" tumaas ang boses ko. He and Silvr really get along so I wouldn't be surprised. Hindi ko lang gusto na humihingi siya minsan sa anak ko ng kaunting oras para masolo ako. My son won't forever be a child. I want nothing more but to be with him every second of my life. He's my utmost priority and he knows that. "Mum don't get mad at papu, today's special. You should be happy." Kwestyonable kong tiningnan ang anak. I noticed the sudden drop on Dijon's energy as he took his apron off, revealing his glorious six pack abs on the hem of his shirt. My son threw me a suspecting gaze, it's almost as if he's mad. And then it hit me; the breakfast of his own cooking, him graciously let Carla take a day off, and Silvr going to his classmate's place. It is Dijon and I's second year anniversary at nakalimutan ko iyon.