Craving for Love (Cougar Series #43) - SPG

Chapter 9

That day, wala kaming ginawa ni Erick kung hindi ang hanapin si Nash sa kung saan-saan. Nagpunta kami sa tindahan ni Mang Nestor at tinanong kung dumaan siya roon pero ni anino raw ay hindi niya nakita ngayong araw.

We also went to this particular apartment where there were billiard halls, and other sports like Ping pong. Pero miski ang mga tao roon ay hindi raw nakita si Nash noong araw na ‘yon, even the day before this. Hindi naman daw nagsabi sa kanila kung saan pupunta o kung ano ang nangyari. He just vanished just like that.

I was starting to worry about him when I thought of their house. Agad kong tinuro kay Erick ang dereksyon ng bahay nina Nash na agad naman niyang pinuntahan.

Erick kept on telling me to relax. He kept on insisting na magiging ayos lang ang lahat and probably, Nash is just having a bad day.

“You know, guys have episodes, too, just like girls. Only it is different. Sometimes we just want to be alone with our thoughts, and sometimes we need someone to be there for us.”

“Are you saying that he needs to be alone right now?”

“I think so. But since you are so worried about him, the only choice we have is to look for him.”

Hindi ako nakapagsalita dahil sa sinabi niya. I do not know anything about him yet, but I think he is a patient man. Hindi siya nagtatanong kung ano ang maaaring problema, but he still wants to help me find Nash. Hindi ko pa siya gaanong kakilala pero sa tingin ko ay mabuti siyang tao at pasensiyoso.

Nag-scroll ako sa contacts ko sa phone at tiningnan kung sino ang maaari kong tanungin. Obviously, I can’t contact Amanda. Pupunta lang ako roon para mangamusta, without mentioning Nash. Pero mas maganda sana kung may iba pa akong pwedeng mapagtanungan bago pumunta sa bahay nila. I do not want to cause suspicions.

Malalaman niya agad na may tampuhan na nangyayari sa ‘min ni Nash o kung ano pa man. Hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang problema niya. Baka nga nagtatampo talaga siya.

But I should be the one who should feel it. He left me at the bar. Ni hindi ako iniwanan ng message para sabihing ma-le-late siya o hindi kaya naman ay hindi na makababalik. So, he does not have the right to be acting like this towards me. But he is still making me worried.

Napahinto ang daliri ko sa pag-scroll nang makita ang pangalan ni Lucas sa phone ko. He is one of Nash’s friends na pinakilala niya sa ‘kin noon. This Lucas guy is a good man, and a caring friend. He must know something. Lagi siyang nakatambay sa kubo malapit sa bahay nina Amanda. Kung hindi umiinom ay mga nakatambay sila roon para maglaro ng card games and chess.

Nash might be there.

I dialed his number and heard it rang. After a couple of seconds, sumagot ang lalaki sa kabilang linya. Gaya ng inaasahan ko, medyo hindi na deretso ang pagsasalita niya. He must be drinking with his friends. I hope he is with Nash.

“Ms. Nathalie!” bulalas niya sa kabilang linya. Halos mabingaw ako sa biglaan niyang pagsigaw kaya nailayo ko ang phone sa tainga ko. Napatingin din sa gawi ko si Erick. He probably heard the voice even without the loud speaker on.

“Lucas,” I called, “you don’t have to shout. Umiinom ba kayo?”

Malakas siyang natawa sa hindi malamang dahilan. “Ang cute mo talagang mag-tagalog, Ms. Nathalie. Pero paano mo nalamang umiinom kami? Ah, lagi nga pala kaming umiinom.” Muli siyang tumawa. I also heard some guys laughing on the background, too. Probably because of what he said.

Mahina rin akong natawa. “Good thing you are aware of that, Mr. Lucas. So, kasama niyo ba si Nash?”

“Si Pareng Nash? Nako, ito, nakatulog na yata sa sobrang kalasingan. Hindi nga namin makausap eh kasi mukhang may problema. Tinanong ko kung bakit pero ayaw naman sabihin. Kaya ito, dinaan na lang namin sa inom.”

I sighed, kind of relieved that he is there. Pero hindi lang ako nakapansin na may problema siya. So, he must really have a problem that he is not telling anyone. “Okay, papunta na ako diyan. Do not leave him alone until I get there, okay?”

“Oo naman, Ms. Nathalie. Mag-iingat ka po!”

I can imagine him saluting at me when he said that. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi mapangiti dahil isa ito sa mga gusto ko sa mga kaibigan ni Nash. They are so fun to be with. Their wittiness and kakulitan are unstoppable. Pero iyon ang dahilan kaya sobrang naka-e-enjoy sa tuwing may handaan sa lugar nila. They are lives of the party.

“Let us go at their house,” ani ko. “According to his friend, he is currently so drunk. I think it has something to do with his problem. I wonder if Amanda knows about this.”

“Okay, just point me in the direction.”

I was biting my nails when we got to Nash’s compound. The houses were too close to one another and were only separated with a single wall each. Kung mayroong nag-aaway sa kabilang bahay, tiyak na rinig na rinig ng buong kapit-bahay ang pinagtatalunan nila.

Kaliwa’t kanan ang mga bahay habang sa gitna ay may halos tatlong metro na daanan. There are kids playing Chinese garter there. Some were playing Piko, tumbang preso, and other filipino street games.

Nash once thought me how to play them kahit na mga bata ang kalaro namin. It was not that complicated to play, but it is definitely tiring, especially Moro-Moro. How I wish I could get to play with them again. Masyado yata akong naging busy lately to even visit here.

Nang tumigil ang sasakyan ni Erick ay tinanggal ko na ang pagkakasuot ng seatbelt sa ‘kin. Some people were staring at his car like it was some celebrity’s car or something. Madalang naman kasi ang kotse rito. Mostly, there are only motorcycles and tricycles. Kung may kotse man ay madalas kotse ko ang pumaparada rito. But people are already familiar with mine.

Seeing a stranger's car must be a surprise.

“Thank you so much for giving me a ride here, Erick.” Humarap ako sa kaniya at ngumiti. “I don’t know what his problem is yet, but I wish it is nothing serious.”

“I hope so, too. I can take it from here. You must have a lot of work to do that is more important than this.”

“Not really. I can wait for here until you are finished. You said not to leave you here.”

I immediately shook my head. “No need. I do not want to disturb you more than this already. I will just take a tricycle later. I know almost everyone here, so I am safe. Plus, Nash’s house is just around the corner. I can sleep there.”

He nodded. “If you insist, then.”

Nang makalabas ako sa sasakyan niya, binati ako agad ng mga bata. Nagtatalunan at sinisigaw nila ang pangalan ko kaya napangiti na lang ako. Niyakap nila ako sabay-sabay kaya halos tumawad kaming lahat. It has really been a while since I visited. Na-miss ko ang mga batang ‘to.

Pinanood kong umalis ang sasakyan ni Erick. He beeped the car’s horn twice, saying that he is leaving. Kumaway ako kaya nakikaway rin ang mga bata.

Nang makaalis ang sasakyan niya ay saka ako naglakad papunta sa kubo kung saan madalas tumambay ang mga trop ani Nash.