The Marriage Solution

Chapter 2

Napansin ni Kate ang taong umagaw sa pwesto niya na kanina pa ito nakatitig sa kanya. Kunwari nakatingin siya sa menu pero ang isa pala niyang mata ay napasulyap sa lalaki.

Fiel gave a half-smile, at pinagmasdan talaga niya ng maigi ang kabuuan ng babae.

"Good Eve!"he murmured.

Pero nagpatuloy lang si Kate sa pagpili ng oorderin niya at dinedma ang lalaki. Hmmp! bulok na ang estilo mo Mister.

"Good Evening." sabi nito ulit.

At sa oras na yon ay napalingon na rin si Kate. Nag abot naman ang mga titig nila. Wow! ang ganda naman ng pares ng mga mata nito. Ang haba ng pilik mata at namumungay pa. Pero teka lang hindi naman siya mukhang Singaporean, parang ngang may Spanish blood ito. Wow handsome! He was ruggedly handsome. Pwede ng pang ulam niya sa hapunan. At ang mga labi nito kay sarap kagatin. Pakiramdam niya tumutulo na ang laway niya kaya naman bigla siyang natauhan.

"Are you speaking to me?" kalmadong tanong niya.

Inilibot naman ni Fiel ang paningin sa paligid at nakita niyang wala namang ibang customer bukod sa kanilang dalawa. "Well, I'm not in the habit of talking to myself."

"And I'm not in the habit of striking up conversations with complete strangers." walang emosyong pahayag niya. Oo nga naman, kahit magkamukha pa sila ni Chris Banchero pero estranghero pa rin ito, and worst baka serial killer.

"I'm Fiel Delos Arcos." nakangiting pakilala nito. Wow naman, killer smile.

She raised her brows. Pa hard to get lang ang peg, baka mag akala pa ang mokong na ito na easy to get siya. "Excuse me?"

"My name's Fiel Delos Arcos." he gave her a slow smile. Noon naman makukuha lang niya sa isang ngiti ang babae, ba't ngayon parang hindi yata gumana ang karisma niya rito. Tinuringan pa naman siyang check magnet.

She didn't move. Nor speak. If this was a chat-up line, then she simply wasn't interested.

"You know my name already, but I don't know yours." he persisted.

"That's because I haven't given it to you." tugon naman ni Kate.

"And are you going to?"

"That depends." ani Kate.

He raised his dark brows. "Depends on?"

"On whether you'd mind moving."

"Moving where?"

"Swapping tables."

"Swapping tables?"

"Do you always make a habit of repeating everything and turning it into a question?" Ikaw na Kate! ginamit mo talaga ang iyong pagka columnist.

"And do you always behave so ferociously towards the opposite s*x?"

Natigilan naman siya ng marinig niya ang salitang opposite s*x. Ayaw naman niyang mag mukhang bitter - because that was the last thing she wanted to be. Aba eh, kever nalang kung ipinagpalit man siya sa iba ng kanyang boyfie. Pero ang totoo, in denial lang si Kate.

Sinuklian naman niya ng titig ang mapanuring mga mata ng lalaki. "If you really saw me ferocious, you'd know all about it."

"Well, now, wouldn't that be an arresting sight to see?" he murmured. He narrowed his eyes in question.

"No. That's because you're sitting at my table." ani Kate na ikinabigla naman ni Fiel, at hindi nga niya ito masisisi sa naging reaksyon nito. "I know it sounds stupid, but I've been here every night sitting at that table."

"Not stupid at all." malumanay na saad ni Fiel. "A view like this doesn't come along very often in a lifetime - not even where I come from."

May dumaan naman na bulalakaw sa mga sandaling iyon, at nakita iyon ni Kate. "I know." turan ng dalaga.

"You could always come and join me." he said. "And that way we can both enjoy it..Why not right?"

Why not, indeed? Anyway last day naman niya bukas, so e-enjoy nalang niya ang gabing ito. Kaysa naman magmukmok siya dito sa isang tabi at isipin ang kataksilan sa kanya ni Prince.

"Promise! I won't bite." he added softly, napansin siguro nito ang pag-aalinlangan sa mga mata niya.

Sinamaan ni Kate ng titig ang lalaki. He looked as though he easily could bite, kahit sa kabila pa ng kanyang friendly manner. Pero kung mangangagat nga ito, willing naman siyang magpakagat at mahawaan ng rabies nito.

"But I still don't know you." she pointed out.

"Is that the reason why you don't like to join me?"

"Yes. You're right. It was." But his eyes were fixed on her face, kaya tuloy naku-concious si Kate.

And maybe because he had such a dangerous look, with his dark hair and mocking smile. Kung titingnan niya ang lalaki ng maigi mukha naman itong executive. Pero sa tingin niya, hindi naman siguro ganyan manamit ang isang executive. Pero kung isa lamang itong ordinaryo na tao at gustong makipagkaibigan sa kanya, why not? hindi naman siya mamimili ng tao na kaibiganin. "Okay." sang-ayon ni Kate sa wakas. "Thanks."

Fiel waited until she had moved and settled in to the seat next to his. At nang makalipat na ang babae sa tabi niya, naamoy naman niya pinaghalong rosas at honey na pabango nito. "You still haven't told me your name."

"It's Kate. Kate Buenaflor."

"Good to meet you, Kate." He looked out to where the water was every shade of gold and blue, then his gaze back to her. "Exquisite, isn't it?" he murmured.

"Perfect, and I guess it's not your first visit here?"

Napatingin naman ulit si Fiel kay Kate. "You've been checking up on me, have you?"

Aba eh, napaka arogante naman pala ng lalaking ito. haller! ano siya stalker?

"Why on earth should I want to? The waiter mentioned that you were a friend of Kyro Kollitis, that's all."

Napasandal naman si Fiel sa kanyang upuan, his mind drifting back to a long ago summer. "That's right. His son and I met when we were travelling Europe - we ended the trip here, and I guess I kind of fell in love with the place."

"And let me guess, you've come back here every year since?" ani Kate.

He smiled. "One way or another, yes. How about you?"

"First time." sagot ni Kate. At hindi na kailangang sabihin pa niya sa lalaki na ang kaibigan niya ang nag sponsor sa kanyang trip papunta rito, para daw maka pag unwind siya at makapag 'Man Hunting' na rin.

"And you want to come again?" tanong ni Fiel.

"I doubt it."

He heard the finality in her voice. "You don't like the place enough to repeat the experience?"

Napapailing naman siya. Gustohin man niya, pero hindi niya ma afford ang ganito ka expensive na trip, kung hindi nga lang dahil sa mayaman niyang bestfriend. "I just never like to repeat an experience. Why should I, when the world is full of endless possibilities?"

She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself of that. But by then Nick had appeared. "Do you know what you're going to have?" tanong sa kanya ni Fiel.

"Fish and salad." awtomatikong sagot niya. "It's the best thing on the menu."

"You are a creature of habit, aren't you?" he teased.

"Yeah. The same table and the same meal every night."

"But people always create routines when they're on holiday." His gray eyes seemed to look deep within her.

"Something like that." mahinang turan ni Kate.

Nag order na siya kay Nick at nakangiti namang inilista ng waiter ang order niya.

Nag order rin si Fiel, pero Filipino ang ginamit na dialect nito pag order nito kay Nick.

"You speak Filipino!" mangha niya ng marunong managalog ang lalaki. "Filipino ka rin?"

"Well, so do you!"

"haha..small world. Na no-nosebleed ako sayo, tapos Filipino ka rin pala." sabi pa ni Kate.

"So tell me about yourself, Kate Buenaflor?"

"Oh, I'm twenty-seven. Nakatira sa Las Pinas. I like watching romantic movies, strolling in the park, drinking cocktails on hot summer evenings - the usual thing."

Sa maikling denitalye ni Kate tungkol sa kanyang buhay, tuloy mas lalong na intriga si Fiel sa buhay nito. "And what do you do in Philippines?"

Iyon naman talaga ang palaging itatanong ng tao tungkol kay Kate. Ayaw lang kasi niyang ibahagi sa ibang tao ang buong biography niya.

"Public relations," sagot niya, which was partly true. "And how about you?"

"I live and work in Singapore."

"As?"

Fiel was deliberately vague. Self-made property billionaire sounded like a boast, even if it was true. Kaya minabuti na lamang niyang itago ang totoong pagkatao niya para mailayo niya ang sarili sa mga oportunistang babae.

"May konting negosyo lang."

"Ano namang klaseng negosyo? Legal ba?"

"Syempre legal. Bakit mukha ba akong mobster?" anito, tas sabay silang napatawa. The laugh drew attention to the fact that she had the most kissable lips he had ever seen. Nagtaka tuloy si Fiel kung bakit nandito ngayon sa Maldives si Kate.

"How long are you staying?" tanong ni Fiel.

"Tomorrow's my last day."

Parang nadismaya naman si Fiel sa narinig niya. Had he hoped that she would be staying long enough for them to forge a brief holiday romance?

"And how are you planning to spend it? A trip round the island?"

Napapailing lang si Kate. "Been there, done that. Ang plano ko magbabad sa beach buong araw."

"I think I might join you." ika pa ni Fiel. "That's if you don't have any objections?"

*****