Bridgetine Squad III Slipped Away

Chapter 3

Chloe

Sinalubong ko ang mga mata nyang nang aakusa na may halong pagkalito. 

"Whatever you decide, I just want to make it clear -- I don't want a DNA test done. He will be hurt." Sabi ko sa kanya. "If you can't claim him as your son, just walk away now and I will just make up something. Ako na ang bahala."

What was I thinking coming in here taking CJ with me? Napahilot ako sa sentido ko at tiningnan ang anak ko. Naramdaman ko ang mata ni Carter at nag iinit ang pisngi ko sa titig nya. I looked at him. Wari ko ay tinatantya kung nagsasabi ako ng totoo.

He conceded. "If you say he is mine then fine, I believe you. I want to get to know him. Leave him to me." He said with a firm voice.

Nasisiraan na ba ng bait ang lalakeng ito? "LEAVE HIM TO YOU?? Are you crazy? I am not leaving him with you! He's my son!"

"He's mine too!" Para kaming nag aagawan ng laruan kung mag usap kami. 

Napataas ang kilay ko. "Kanina lang sabi mo hindi sa iyo. Tapos okay na. Tapos ngayon gusto mong iwan ko sa iyo? He's not a toy you dimwit!" Gusto ko na syang sakalin sa inis ko!

Napahilamos sya sa mukha nya. "Let's have dinner together first at magpalamig muna tayo saka tayo mag usap ulit. I'm sleeping over tonight."

"What? Sleeping over?? Ang lapit lapit ng bahay mo!"

"I'm sleeping in your bed because we are getting married. Tonight." 

Confirmed. Baliw na sya. 

"What the f*ck are you talking about now?" Tuluyan ng nakalas ang turnilyo nya.

"Don't you want him to have a complete family?" Now he's using CJ to get back at me. 

I folded my arms on my chest. "Sino ba ang may ayaw? Pero hindi naman iyon ang pinag uusapan natin ngayon. Gusto ka lang nyang makilala. Hindi natin kailangan magpakasal. Carter naman! Mag isip ka nga." I am so frustrated with him. 

He has changed. Gone is my bestfriend who succumbs to everything I want. The man I have in front of me is an impossible, arrogant, irritating — napalunok ako, he looked more handsome now that he's older. Sh*t! Layo ka ng konti Chloe, baka mabuntis ka na naman.

"I'm serious Chloe. Think about it."

"Hi — hindi mo b —ba naisip na baka may —" I cleared my throat. "boyfriend na ako or worse may asawa na ako?" That's the best I can come up with nauutal pa ako. F*ck! Chloe naman, get a grip. 

Napatawa sya. "Why are you stuttering?" He took a step  closer to me and I stepped back. But he kept taking a step until he was a little close to me. Hinapit nya ako sa baywang ko. "First of all, you're not wearing a ring. And boyfriend? Who cares?! May asawa nga naaagaw yung boyfriend pa lang kaya??"

Tamo itong lalakeng ito. Magpapakasal tapos i-cocontradict ang sarili.

Napabuga ako ng hangin. "Let go Carter. You are not making any sense. We are not getting married." Pilit kong tinatanggal ang braso nya but this time, pinag lock na nya ang dalawang braso at wala na akong kawala.

"Fine, if that's what you want. But don't blame me if you get knocked up again." I heard him whispered in my ear. As his last word again came up, he lightly bit my earlobe and I gasped. I heard him chuckle. "I missed you."

Pakiramdam ko ay kinuryente ako ng libo libo sa pinag gagagawa nya at sinasabi nya. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" May ilang sutil na hibla ang nalaglag sa mukha ko at malakas ang hangin. Pero hinuli nya yun at ikinipit sa may tenga ko. Pakiramdam ko ay pinangangapusan ako ng hinga. 

"Stop flirting with me." I hissed at him.

"Ayaw mo?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong nya at pati ang sulok ng bibig. He is clearly teasing me. 

"Ayaw ko." That's a big fat lie. I like his advances but I am not going to show him that. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko sa kanya. "And why the hell would I get knocked up again?" Para akong nasa twilight zone ngayong oras na ito na kausap ko sya. 

"Because we are bound to sleep together AGAIN." He simply put it like it was nothing. And he was so sure of himself.

Nanggigigil na talaga ako sa kanya. "Ang dami mong self confidence, tirhan mo naman yung ibang tao. And just so you know, I am not interested in sleeping with you AGAIN." I moved my eyes upward and rolled it.

"We'll see." Nakangising sabi nya. "You can't resist me no matter how hard you try, babe."

Aba't talagang ginagalit nya ako. "Don't you babe m--" I was about to say something back when my son called me. "Mom, who's he? I forgot to ask his name earlier. Is he your friend?"

"He's — uh —" Sh*t! Anong sasabihin ko. Bumulong sa akin si Carter. 

"Tell him I'm your husband." Pinanlakihan ko sya ng mata.

"You're crazy!" I hissed at him. 

Tatawa tawa syang lumapit sa anak namin. "Hi CJ, I'm your Dad. So your mom is obviously my wife."

Nalaglag ang panga ko. I could kill Carter for this.

Natigilan si CJ. Ang gulat sa mukha nya ay bumaha at pagkuway unti unting lumawak ang ngiti. "You're my Dad?? You came to see me!!!"

Bumitaw sa akin si Carter at hinarap ang anak namin. He opened his arms at ng takbuhin sya ni CJ ay lumuhod sya sa buhanginan para yakapin ang anak namin. Not caring that he's wearing an expensive suit. "Come here bud." Ang mukha nya ay puno na ng pagsuyo at pananabik sa anak namin. 

Mahigpit na niyakap ni CJ ang ama at pinagsalikop ang braso nya sa leeg ni Carter. "It's so nice to finally meet you. Why didn't you come see me? I waited for you everyday." Narinig ko ang mahinang hikbi ni CJ habang nakasubsob sa leeg ng ama nya.

Pumatak ang luha ko at pinahid ko agad iyon. It was my fault -- all of it. And it's breaking my heart to see my son cry. But there was never a good time to tell Carter, he hated me. I could not forget the coldness  in his eyes that day after we slept together. That's a story for another day. He told me, it was a mistake sleeping with me. That we just f*cked and it didn't mean anything to him. 

Nakita ko syang nagtagis ang bagang at tiningnan ako ng matalim saka nagpaliwanag sa anak namin. "I'm sorry Dad was away for a long time but I am here now, hindi na tayo maghihiwalay."

Nag angat ng mukha si CJ at hinarap ang ama. "You promise?" Pinahid ni Carter ang luha ng anak namin.

"I promise. You and your Mom are going to live with me now."

ANO DAW? LIVE WITH HIM?! IS HE FOR REAL???? OH MY GOD!!

"Do you have a pool?" tanong ni CJ. He has always loved the water. Kamukha na nga nya si Carter, nakuha pa lahat halos ng ugali ng ama. Ako ang nagdala ng syam na buwan, pag labas ay ang ama ang kamukha.

"Yes, at the condo. Why? You like swimming?"

"Yeah, but we don't have it at home and plus we only have 3 months of summer. Even the lake is too cold at that time." He was telling his Dad while smirking. 

Natatawang hinawi ni Carter ang buhok ng anak. "You'll like it here. I will teach you how to surf. Would you like that?"

"You mean ride the waves? Yes! Yes! I want to learn that."

"I'll buy us a house so we have our own pool."

"Really? Good idea Dad! I will swim everyday!"

Ang dami na nilang naplano. My God! Where do I fit in all this?

Nakita ko syang tumayo at kinapitan ang kamay ni CJ pagkatapos ay hinarap ako. "Let's check out and go to my place. Bukas na bukas din ay bibili ako ng bahay natin."

NATIN??? I mentally facepalmed. Argh!!! Carter!!!

***