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For Kim and Gerald, 

Stay happy!

“What did you just say?” Kim asked although she heard clear what Gerald had said.

Gerald simply smiled back at her, handing her his cell phone. “It’s Ken.”

Kim held her breath as she pressed the answer key.

“Hello Kuya! Are you still at Ate Kim’s?” He asked.

Kim didn’t answer but placed Ken on speakerphone instead. Gerald sat beside her as they waited for Ken to go on.

“Oh no!” Ken’s voice raised a few octaves higher. “Don’t tell me you just chickened out once again? Come on Kuya, I know I’m younger than you are but really, I don’t think it should be that way. You both have waited so long and you know what I mean, right?” He paused.

Gerald and Kim were about to burst out laughing.

“Don’t you think it’s about time that you…you know what I’m saying.”

Gerald had to fake a cough.

Ken went on.

“Yeah right! Now you’re not saying anything …Are you still there?”

“Uh oh…” Gerald answered.

“Uh oh…” Ken mimicked. “Is that a yes or a no?”

“Hi Ken!” Kim was the one who answered this time. “It’s a yes.” She winked at Gerald who sat even closer beside her.

There was no answer from Ken except for the loud clunk that they both heard. Ken must have dropped the phone.

“Ooopss…” Ken’s voice lowered. He was obviously surprised to hear from Kim. “Ate Kim, is that you?”

“Yes..o ano? Don’t you have anything else to tell me?”

“Oh my! I’m really sorry Ate. I knew you were worried and all but it’s Kuya who told me to…wait.” He paused again. “He’s right with you, isn’t he?”

“Right where I should be, Bro.” Gerald answered honestly. He meant what he said both literally and figuratively. He placed an arm around Kim. “And I’m not going home tonight.”

The piercing look that Kim threw his way did not have the expected effect as he also saw in them a certain twinkle.

“Thank God! My brother has finally seen the light…and may I just say, you too, Ate.” Gladness was evident in his voice.

“Yes, finally. But Ken, you still owe me one.” Kim chuckled, half-kidding.

“Alrighty, I know I do. Anything to make it up to you. Malakas ka sa akin eh.”

“Aba! Gumagaling ka ng mag Tagalog ngayon ah! Sige ba, pag-iisipan ko yan.”

“Bet you can’t tonight!” Ken teased. “O sige, you lovebirds, I know you both have a lot of catching up to do, I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Kim and Gerald were still grinning from ear to ear from that conversation with Ken when they heard someone by the door.

“Ehem! Ayoko sanang makaistorbo pero…”It was Ate Tata, looking straight at Gerald. “ Pero Ge, yang si Kimmy, kaninang tanghali pa yan hindi kumakain..”

Gerald shooted Kim a worried look.

“Ate Tata naman, isumbong ba ako.” Kim countered. “Kumain….”

“O wag na mag-deny pa, Kimmy. “Gerald helped her up before she could even redeem herself. “You have to eat, okay?”

“Ikaw rin, Ge. Kailangan mo ding kumain, Naku, kilala kita. Alam ko hindi ka pa nag di-dinner. Kayong dalawa talaga, oo.” She shook her head, but was laughing. “O sige, sumunod na agad kayo sa dining room ha?”

“Ang dami namang pagkain nito!” Kim exclaimed when they got to the table. All her favorites were there. “Ate Ta, saan galing ang mga ‘to?”

“Dala lahat ni Ge.”

“Ge?” She looked at Gerald.

“Para naman talaga sa’yo lahat ng yan. Akala mo naman hindi ko alam na matakaw ka sa mga yan.” He laughed and made her sit. “Now, let’s eat.”

“Hindi ko naman kayang ubusin lahat to…”

“Okay lang yan, yung hindi mo mauubos, ako ang kakain.”

Kim couldn’t help but ask. “Ikaw ha, sabi mo kanina wala ka naman talagang planong magpakita and yet…” Her voice trailed.

“A basta, wala nang bawian.” Gerald took a deep breath. “You already told me that you love me and as far as I’m concerned, tayo na, finally.” He looked into her eyes.

Kim felt like melting that instant. Those eyes would be the death of her. Her heart was so full that she could barely breathe.

“Hindi na ba talaga ako pwedeng mag-back out?” She kidded, her cheeks burning.

Gerald shook his head. “Never.”

“Sabi mo eh.” She smiled. “Eh di never.”

“I need to tell you something…”

Kim turned more nervous, she could not tell why. “What?”

Gerald held her hands in his. “The truth is, kahit na hindi pa kita narinig kanina, kahit na hindi mo pa inaming mahal mo rin ako, na mahal na mahal mo pa rin ako…” His voice was teasing and nervous at the same time that his heart was going to pop out of his chest anytime. “…I’d still stay and wait for you even if it would take you forever to come around and realize that you also love me.” He was almost in tears but he couldn’t have said it any better for it was the plain truth.

“You mean, if I let you sweat it out a bit, you would…” Kim was trying to find the right words to say.

“If you’re asking me kung liligawan ba kita, then yes. I would have sweat it out just for you.”

Kim bit her lower lip. “Do you really mean that?” She asked.

Gerald nodded.

“Oh talaga? Then I should have made pakipot pala…” She kidded. A smile formed in the corner of her lips.

“For your information...” Gerald made puppy dog eyes. “ Matagal ka na pong nagpapakipot. Matagal na po tayong nagpapakiputan.”

They both laughed.

“Ganun?” Kim was still laughing.

“Opo, ganun. Pero eto na, there’s really no turning back now, Kim.”

“Dapat lang, because if you do…ayoko na talaga sa’yo.”

Gerald kissed her hand. “Don’t bet on it. You know I’m all yours.”

It was at around ten o’clock in the evening when Kim started to feel sleepy. She was happy and her heart was so full that she really wanted to stay awake but exhaustion from the day’s work gave in.

“Inaantok na ang baby ko…” Gerald commented. They were sitting on the garden set on their lanai.

Kim jerked at what she heard. “What did you just call me?” She was barely able to hold still to hear the answer.

Gerald held her gaze. Even in the dusk, there was no doubt in his mind that he was looking at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

“Baby…” He almost whispered. “No…” He corrected himself. “My baby…”

“Then that makes two of us…baby.” Kim smiled, as she gently Gerald.

“Wag kang ganyan..or else…” Gerald’s voice trailed.

“Or else, what?” Kim asked playfully.

“Or else….” He held his gaze on her still but carefully, gently, lowered his face so their lips could touch.

Kim felt lightheaded. They had several on screen kisses before but they were all nothing compared to what just took place.

“Ikaw ha?” Her face was tomato red. “Nakakadalawa ka na. Nawala tuloy ang antok ko.”

Again, they laughed. It was something that they both missed doing together. Gerald remembered how they would laugh at just about anything and it felt good that they were able to do such thing again.

“I should let you sleep kasi maaga pa tayo bukas…”

“Maaga? Tayo?”

“Yes. It would be our first official date kaya I wanted it to be very special so we have to be early.” He winked.

Kim sighed. She was excited to spend a day with Gerald but she thought of her previous commitments.

“But I have a meeting with Miss P and Ate Imee tomorrow…”

“I’ll take care of that, ako na bahala magpaalam sa kanila.” Gerald stood up. “I’m telling you baby, once they know na tayo na, they’d gladly postpone the meeting. Ako na tatawag sa kanila. Okay?”

“Okay pero tatawag na din ako mamaya…so paano?” She asked again.

“Paanong ano?”

“Uuwi ka na?” It was as if those words fought a long battle just to escape from her lips. The thought of Gerald going home made her miss him right that instant.

“You want me to stay?” Gerald must have read her mind.

“Hep….” Kim pinched him on the cheek. “Hindi po pwede yang nasa isip mo, Mr. Anderson.”

“Why are you so defensive? I was going to say that I could sleep sa sala or sa guestroom…”

Kim didn’t know what to say now.

“Wala naman kaya akong sinasabi…” She tried to redeem herself.

“Alright, alright. I’m just kidding.” Gerald turned serious in just a second. “Alam mo, ito yung mahirap eh…” He said as they walked towards the gate.

“Anong ibig mong sabihin?”

“The thought of going home.” He replied. “Kung pwede nga lang na hindi na ako uuwi pa eh. Alam mo, kaya siguro yung ibang tao, nagpapakasal kasi nahihirapan silang magpaalaman pag uwian time na.”

Kim had to laugh. Gerald must be kidding.

“Di nga. I think it’s really one of the reasons why they decide to tie the knot.”

“Hay naku, akala ko ba ako ang inaantok? Ikaw yata itong kulang pa sa tulog eh. O sige na baka kung saan pa mapunta ang usapan na to.”

Gerald stopped walking and then turned to her.

“Well, you have tonight to think it over.” Gerald raised his brows and smiled. “I’m tired of going home to an empty house.”

Suddenly, thunder rumbled from a distance, Gerald took it as a cue to leave, even though he really wanted to stay.

“O sige, baby. I’ll be here at around four a.m, rain or shine, okay?”

“That early?”

“Yes dear.”

“Okay…”

“Good night, baby.” Gerald finally opened the gate.

Kim smiled. “It was a good night, baby. Thank you.”

Then as if they won’t be seeing each other again in just a few hours, Gerald enveloped Kim in a tight hug and gave her one last toe-curling kiss.

As Gerald drove home that night, a terrible storm was raging. The lightning cracked across the sky, the thunder boomed but he drove happily.

Kim slept peacefully for the first time in a long time. She slept in the midst of pleasant dreams. No matter what transpired in the ominous sky, for Gerald and Kim, that particular storm was finally over.