The Mafia Don's Affection

CHAPTER 6

WHEN JOSEPH opened his eyes, he found himself in an unfamiliar room. His eyes immediately scanned the place and saw that it was a girl’s room. The room was small. There’s a closet and a dresser where some feminine stuff was placed. May bedside table rin ang nasa loob ng kwarto.

“Why am I here?”

Ang maalala ni Joseph ay nakarating siya sa isang alley at wala na siyang maalala. Ngunit sa mga oras na ‘yon, isa lamang ang pumasok sa kaniyang isipan. Someone helped him.

Sinubukan ni Joseph ang bumangon pero sumakit ang mga sugat niya. Napahawak siya sa kaniyang tagiliran. Alam niyang malalim ang sugat niya dahil kumirot ito.

“Damn…”

Napatingin siya sa pinto nang bumukas ito. Bahagya siyang nagulat nang mamukhaan ang babaeng pumasok sa kwarto.

“Gising ka na pala.” Wika ni Iris saka tipid na ngumiti. Inilapag niya ang hawak na pitcher na may lamang tubig at baso sa may bedside table.

Joseph was just staring at the woman in front of him. Hindi siya makapaniwala na nandito sa harapan niya ang babaeng pinahanap niya kay Andrew.

“Okay ka lang?” tanong ni Iris. “Gusto mong uminom?”

Isang tango ang itinugon ni Joseph.

Naglagay ng tubig si Iris sa baso. Tinulungan niya ang lalaki na bumangon saka niya ito pinasandal sa headboard ng kama. Pinainom niya ito ng tubig.

“Thank you…” mahinang wika ni Joseph.

Tumikhim si Iris. “Sir, I found you in the alley. Gusto kitang dalhin—wait, do you understand tagalog?” Kumunot ang nuo niya. “Oo nga pala, naintindihan mo ang tanong ko kanina.” Tipid siyang ngumiti. “Ano na nga ulit ang sinasabi ko kanina? Oh, oo nga pala, sabi ko pala na gusto sana kitang dalhin sa hospital pero sabi mo ‘no hospital’. So, I didn’t take you to the hospital.”

Joseph looked at the girl in front of him. “What’s your name?” he asked, even though he already knew her.

“Iris. And may I ask who you are, Sir?”

Ngumiti si Joseph. “Joseph Alejandro De Luca. Just call me ‘Joseph’, not ‘sir’, please.”

Medyo natawa si Iris. “I’m just asking your name, not your whole name.” Sabi niya saka napailing. “Anyway, do you have anyone you can contact to inform them about your condition?”

“Ahmm…can I stay here for a few days? My parents would get worried if they saw me like this.” Sabi ni Joseph.

“Pero hindi kita kilala. Yes, I know your name, but I don’t know about your character. Hindi ko alam kung mabuti o masama kang tao.” Sabi ni Iris. Yes, sinabi niya talaga kung ano ang nasa isipan niya.

Joseph smiled. “I’m…” a bad man. “Wala akong gagawing masama sa ‘yo. You helped me, and I am grateful for that.”

Hindi napigilan ni Iris ang matawa nang marinig niyang nagtagalog ang kaharap niya. “You’re not that fluent in speaking tagalog. May accent ka pa rin pero kapag nagtagalog ka ng nagtagalog, mawawala ang accent mo.”

Tumango si Joseph.

Umupo si Iris sa upuan. “Now that you’re awake. I would like to ask what you do for a living?”

“I…”

Itinaas ni Iris ang kamay para patigilin si Joseph sa pagsasalita. “Forget it. Hindi ako interesado na malaman. When you recover from your injury, leave this place. Ayaw kong madamay sa gulo kung sakali man.” Aniya saka tumayo. “I’ll prepare something for you to eat.” Then she walked towards the door. “Your phone is in the bedside table.” Ani Iris saka tuluyang lumabas ng silid at pumunta ng kusina.

Tinignan naman ni Joseph ang bedside table. Nakita niyang naroon ang cellphone niya. Inabot niya ito saka tinawagan si Andrew.

“Milord, is it really you?” tanong ni Andrew mula sa kabilang linya.

“It’s me, Andrew.” Ani Joseph sa mahinang boses.

“Milord, are you okay? Where are you? We will get you.”

“I’m fine. I’m at a safe place. Don’t worry about me. I’ll come back after I recover. Don’t tell anyone about this.” Seryosong saad ni Joseph.

“Yes, Milord. But are you really fine? You sounded weak.” Nag-aalalang wika ni Andrew.

“I’m fine, Andrew. Just wait for me until I come back.”

“Yes, Milord.”

Joseph ended the call and blew a loud breath. Napangiwi siya nang maramdaman niyang kumirot ang sugat niya. Tinignan niya ang sarili. Doon niya lang napansin na wala siyang suot na pang-itaas at may benda ang katawan niya.

Malalim na napabuntong hininga si Joseph. This was unexpected. He didn’t expect that he and Iris would meet unexpectedly. Is this fate?

Hindi niya alam kung ano ba dapat niyang maramdaman sa mga oras na ‘to. He had mixed feelings. He was attracted to Iris at first sight, and he wanted to approach her, but he didn’t know how. Maybe fate has already brought them together.

Ibinaba ni Joseph ang paa sa sahig at sinubukan niyang tumayo. Nakaya naman niya pero hindi siya nakatagal. Napaupo rin siya agad sa kama. He already gets used to getting shot. Many people wanted him to die and when he goes out, he may die anytime because someone might shoot him. But this time, he was thankful to those who shot him. Because of what happened, he met Iris.

But she’s too young for me. Then he retaliated his own thought. She’s already at the legal age. There’s no crime for it.

THAT day, Iris didn’t go to work. Kinabukasan na siya pumasok. Tinanong siya ni Rose kung bakit hindi siya pumasok. Sinabi na lamang niya na tinamad siyang pumasok.

“Ikaw? Tinamad pumasok? Hello, sinong niloko mo?” Sabi ni Rose habang nakataas ang kilay.

Umiling si Iris. “Bahala ka kung ayaw mong maniwala.” Aniya.

Nang sumapit ang hapon, nagmamadaling umuwi si Iris na pinagtataka naman ni Rose.

Iris bought medicine for Joseph at the pharmacy before she went home. Pagdating niya sa apartment niya, naabutan niya si Joseph na nagbabasa ng magazine sa may sofa.

“You left your apartment so easily. I’m still a stranger. Hindi ka ba nag-aalala na baka may manakaw rito?” Tanong ni Joseph saka itiniklop ang hawak na magazine.

Iris smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “There are no valuable things here.” Aniya saka umupo sa sofa. Inilapag niya ang gamot na binili niya para kay Joseph. Kapagkuwan napansin niya ang pagngiwi ni Joseph. “Is your wound aching?”

Joseph sighed and nodded his head.

“Let me change your bandage.” Sabi ni Iris saka tumayo. Kinuha niya ang first aid kit at umupo sa tabi ni Joseph. Itinaas niya ang damit ni Joseph. Napailing na lamang siya nang makita niyang may dugo sa bandage ni Joseph.

“Are you living alone?” Joseph asked.

Tumango si Iris. “Yeah. I don’t have a family. So, I’m living alone.”

“That must be sad,” Wika ni Joseph. Since he became the Mafia Don, he’s been living in his private villa, separate from his parents. But he had his subordinates with him. May mga kasama siya kumpara sa dalaga. Iris was all alone.

Umiling si Iris. “Hindi naman. Sanay na ako.” Aniya. Tinapos niya ang paglalagay ng bandage sa sugat ni Joseph. “Don’t move too much. Baka bumuka na naman ang sugat mo.”

“Thanks.”

Iris just nodded her head. “By the way, when will you leave?”

“You’re kicking me out?”

“No. It’s just that, I’m not comfortable living with someone in my apartment. I don’t trust you.” Seryosong wika ni Iris. “Sorry if you’re offended, but I’m just saying what I feel.”

“So, honest.” Ngumiti si Joseph. “It’s okay. I’m not offended. It was understandable you don’t trust a stranger like me.”

“Magluluto lang ako ng hapunan.” Iris went to the kitchen and cooked dinner. Habang si Joseph naman ay nanatili sa sofa.

Hindi na nagtaka si Joseph na kahit mabait sa kaniya si Iris, wala itong tiwala sa kaniya. Naiintindihan niya ito. A smile appeared on his lips. But there were many days ahead of them. He can make Iris trust him.

Ngunit hindi niya pwedeng ipakita rito ang tunay niyang pagkatao. He couldn’t act like a Mafia Don in front of Iris. The life of a Mafia Don is chaotic. He will only drag Iris into his chaotic world if he appears as a Mafia Don in front of her. This time… let me forget that I am the Mafia Don when I am with her.

He’s been living in Iris’ apartment for three days. And he is living in her apartment for free.

IRIS sighed while eating lunch with Rose. Ang nasa isipan niya si Joseph na nasa apartment niya. Ito ang ikalimang araw na nasa apartment niya ang binata. Sa totoo lang wala naman siyang ipinag-aalala dahil nakikita naman niyang mabait ito pero hindi talaga siya komportable kay Joseph. Sometime, when Joseph smiled, there was something in his smile, as if there was a hint of danger which made her uncomfortable.

Napabuga na lamang siya ng hangin.

“May problema ka ba?” tanong ni Rose.

Umiling naman si Iris. “May iniisip lang ako. Don’t mind me.”

“Oo nga pala. Pinasasabi ng Director natin na ikaw daw ang mag-assist sa mga estudyante mamaya na gagawa ng activity nila sa laboratory."

Tumango si Iris. “Okay.”

Iris became busy the whole afternoon, and she forgot about Joseph, but when she got home, she noticed that the door of her apartment was locked. Nagtaka siya dahil simula ng nandito si Joseph hindi na niya inilo-lock ang apartment niya sa tuwing aalis siya.

She opened the door and went inside. Ramdam niyang wala ng tao sa loob pero nakita niya na malinis ang apartment niya at nakaayos ang mga gamit.

“Did he leave already?”

Iris found a note on the sofa.

‘Thank you for your hospitality these past few days. I’ll come back to repay you.’

Gumuhit lamang ang matipid na ngiti sa labi ni Iris.