While she walked away, Josh’s gaze went back to her. He wondered the same thing. “Why, Josh, after the way she treated you, are you still hung up on her?”
<3
Naayos ang kaso ni Dakila. Fortunately, menor de edad pa rin si Dakila so nagkaroon sila ng usapan with the Family Court at ng Provost Marshal ng Fort del Pilar para mag-community service na lang ang bata. Hindi na rin pumalag ang ama ng bata sa kagustuhan nyang matuto ng disciplina ang bata – takot din sya na baka sa kung anung underground group lang mapasama ang bata, mapahamak pa lalo. If all goes well, and Dakila passes muster, hindi mag-pre-press ng charges ang Fort del Pilar.
For Kate, it was a relief dahil sya din nahihirapan nang sabihan ang bata na mag-ingat sa mga sinasamahang grupo. The only glitch in the arrangement was that the kids had to be under Josh’s supervision. Ibig sabihin nito, every now and then she would have to be meeting with Josh to check on Dakila’s progress, dahil sya ang available adult guardian ng huli. Kate found this arrangement most unsettling, although she couldn’t really tell why. Aaminin nya, she was attracted to him pero she also found his uber-machismo an issue with him.
Naging palaisipan ni Kate kung bakit ganun na lang ang reaction nya kay Josh. Kung tutuusin mo, wala namang objectionable sa pagkatao ni Josh – except for his overbearing macho act, that is. Kate was, if anything, fair and objective, and by her own assessment Josh is a young woman’s dream – he was a gentleman, he was attractive, obviously educated and someone you can bring home to meet your parents. The fact that he even volunteered to supervise Dakila and the rest of the kids was even a point in his favor. Clearly, he had the patience of Job kung kaya nyang mag-babysit ng mga maiingay at mititigas ang ulo na mga bata.
“Aunty Kate, remind ko bukas me progress report tayo kay Judge,” paalala ni Dakila.
“Okay…e ako naman ang magtatanong…kumusta na nga ba ang community service mo sa PMA,” tanong ni Kate. Bilang community service, part of Dakila’s duty was to take school age children on a guided tour of the Philippine Military Academy. It took some time for him to get used to it, but with Josh’s supervision, natutunan na ding i-enjoy ng bata ang activity na yon.
“I am doing great…see you tomorrow, Aunty.”
Kinabukasan, natapos ang progress report with the judge without incident. Apparently, if all goes as planned, Dakila will be getting a clean bill after three more months. Natuwa naman si Kate sa development na ito. As everybody shook hands at the end of the meeting , in her relief that Dakila will be fine, she gladly shook the hand of Josh. “Thanks, Major… salamat naman po at you were willing to assist the kids with this!”
“It was no big deal, Dr. I only wanted to help,” sumagot naman si Josh with a smile. Whatever devil it was egging him, Josh held her hand longer than necessary and showed her the dimples that his female cousins say turn women to mush. As always, Kate felt her heart leap and plummet. “Dios ko, nakakalaglag panty naman talaga ang mokong na ‘to…will I ever recover from this attraction to you…”
Deliberately, Josh stepped closer to Kate, hindi rin nya binitawan ang kamay ng dalaga. Lalong bumilis ang kabog ng puso ni Kate nag maramdaman nyang humigpit ang hawak ni Josh sa kamay nya. When he started making little circles on the palm of her hand with his middle finger, naramdaman nya ang kiliti to her very depths. “Lokong lalaki to ahhhh…”
Balewala na sa kanila ang mga taong nakapaligid. Tinitigan ni Kate si Josh to show him she knew what she was doing. As if daring her more, he even stepped closer at hinigpitan lalo ang hawak sa kanyang kamay. Nakipagtitigan naman si Josh kay Kate, silently taunting her to react.
Sa isip ni Kate, “Gagooo to ahhh…pero OhhhMyyGoodddd, he smellss soo good…!” Pero dahil sa dalagang Pilipina sya, nag pakipot si Kate at kunwari offended sya sa pana-nyancing ng lalaki. “What do you think you’re doing,” sabay irap nya sa binata.
“Waiting for that left eyebrow to go up… you look adorable when you do that,” sutil na sagot ng lalaki. In truth though, he was only half joking. She did look adorable pag nagtataas sya ng kilay.
“E di ngayong nakita mo na, what do you intend to do about it?”
“Dinner sana, dalawa lang tayo…,” he answered. “C’mon Kate, havent I been good to you for the past two months? Havent I shown you what a fine stand-up guy I am? If I know, pakipot ka pa, gusto mo naman!”
“Kapal mo, alam mu yun…!”
“I promise to be good…c’mon…just dinner…bakit ba takot na takot ka…dinner lang naman! Takot ka ba sa ‘kin? Di mo ba ko kaya?”
Na-challenge ang babae…”Excuse me, baka ikaw ang di ako kaya…sige let’s go have that damn dinner!” Deep inside her, she was enjoying the cat-and-mouse game they were playing.
Pagkasagot nya, as if magic na nasa harap na pala sila ng sasakyan ni Josh. So taken was she with their flirting that she didnt notice he was leading her to his car! Mindlessly, sunod-sunuran syang umupo sa sasakyan ng binata. “Naku Kate, careful ka lang…baka hindi lang virginity mo ang nakuha ni Josh…pati na ata puso mo mahulog sa kanya…,” warning nya sa sarili.
“Teka, san tayo magdidinner?,” gulat na tanong ni Kate nang mapansin nyang lumiko sa isang private compound ang sasakyan ni Josh.
“Bihis lang ako saglit…di pwedeng lumabas na naka-uniform,” sagot ng binata, sabay baba from his car. “Pasok ka na muna…I wont take long.” Without bothering to check kung susunod sya, tumuloy si Josh papalikod ng alley. Sunod-sunuran naman ang dalaga but feeling awkward. First time nyang pumasok sa isang bahay ng lalaki na mag-isa nya. Ganito pala ang napi-feel ng “nagwa-walk of shame”.
Pumasok sila sa isang bungalow-type na bahay. “Bahala ka na muna ha…I’ll be quick. Make yourself comfortable.” Binuksan ni Josh ang kwarto nya (she guessed) pero hindi nya sinara ang pintuan. Para maalis ang nerbiyos, tinignan ni Kate ang mga knickknacks ni Josh sa mga shelves nya. Mga military-inspired novels, at auto biographies. Meron ding mga comics. Sa isang shelf may mga family pictures si Josh.Mga souvenirs galing abroad.
“I forgot to ask…do you want anything…soft drinks, water…” tanong ni Josh.
Lumingon si Kate para sagutin si Josh, pero napanga-nga sya. Naka-balabal lang ng twalya si Josh. “Uhh n-nno…am good…”
Narinig nyang tumawa si Josh. Obviously, nakita nya ang reaction ni Kate. Linapitan sya ni Josh, at sinandal nya ang dalawang braso sa magkabilang side ni Kate. Dinikit nya ang pelvis nya sa likod ni Kate. Bakat sa likod nya ang tambok ng titi ng binata. “Dont worry…nag-promise ako…I will be good…although it depends kung anong good ang gusto mo…,” panunutil nya. And then just like that, iniwan sya ni Josh para magbihis.
<3