Sunday is a nice resting day for Kim, she stay in her cottage cleaning and relaxing. She reads her book all day away from the crowd. Snuggling on the hammock reading, she can feel as if someone is watching her, she get up and look around to be aware of her surroundings but she found nothing. Ignoring her thoughts, then she smile thinking she is being paranoid again.

About 15 meters away, a pair of eyes is watching her. Head wearing a baseball cap cover with his hood and eyes hiding from a pair of dark sun glasses, Gerald is acting like a stalker. Watching her from far, admiring her beauty, He can’t get his eyes off of her; gather his hesitant guts, he come closer.

Aware of her surroundings, Kim jump into a stance ready to give Him a hook kick as He come closer clearing his throat to get her attention.

Aww….. Hold it there Bruce Lee! … Gerald shouts as he steps back.

Goodness Ge, what are you doing here? How did you find me?

Gerald gives her a funny look…..

Okay, wrong question…. Kanina ka pa diyan?

About 15 minutes, hindi kasi ako sure if you are sleeping, until tumayo ka nga.

Kay, so what’s up? Need anything?

Nothing, I guess gusto ko lang kamustahin ka. So, how are you? What are you been doing for the last two years that you don’t have time or bother to reply to my emails, text, msn, Facebook messages, calls at sa lahat lahat na mga messages ko in all forms.

Want to come inside and have some tea with me?

Kim, I don’t do tea, but yes, I would like to come inside and have a chat with you to catch up.

Kim welcome Gerald into her cottage, it’s a one bedroom with small receiving area, a wraparound terrace made from bamboo, a huge bathroom with large bath tub and a good size kitchen for one person. From the living room, Gerald open the sliding door going out to the terrace and go around it, notice a clothes line full of laundry, and a nice wild English garden.

How did you find this place?

Through a friend, she stay her 2 summers ago with her boyfriend, nakita ko ang picture nila so she help me booked the place.

Very nice, may privacy and malayo sa gulo. Standing from outside, hindi kita ang cottage parang woods lang. So, you cook?

Yes I do every day I like to eat healthy as much as possible.

Wala kang washer, you do your own laundry or someone else do it for you?

Oh no, I do my own laundry.

By hand?

Yes by hand….. Look Ge, I don’t think you search for me to find out how I do my laundry. Just give it to me straight. What do you want?

Gerald turns around and looks at her straight in the eyes, holding his emotion. You know, I don’t understand.

Which one you don’t understand? That I do my own laundry?

That and all other things, I don’t understand why you love to live like this, pretending to be somebody you’re not.

How do I pretend Gerald? Living like a decent human being, work and got paid is pretending to you?

Yes Kim. First you don’t have to work; you have more money than your boss. You don’t have to stay in place like this, you have mansions. You keep running away from me and keep me in the dark, haven’t heard from you for two years. I know what happened to your parents is un-imaginable, but happened everyday people learn to move on.  

That’s it? That is the reason why you are here? Gerald you have no right to judge me. How dare you to come here and act like you got me all figured out. I come to this place because I love ocean and I love to dive. Just happen that I am a peace lover, I hate parties and the only way to get that is if I stay low and hope that no one will recognize me before I end up in someone’s column again as one lonely millionaire orphan hoping to get laid. And what’s wrong living like this?

Kim, I don’t mean it that way. All I am confused is why you have to go through all this were there are other options. You want privacy, that’s fine, everyone does. You can have a bodyguard; you can buy your own island, for goodness sake.

Look Ge, there is no point of arguing, obviously we have different views. This is what I want, just give it to me. I won’t ask you to understand because I know you can’t but please just keep it to yourself, no one has to know who I am, 6 more weeks and I am out of here. About the two years of no reply, I was thinking that by not in any contact with   you, I am doing you a favor by letting you live your normal life without me who is a reminder of your coming life sentence and also for me as well.

We can’t run away from it, can we? .. And give Kim a soft smile. Gerald starts to enjoy the serene surroundings. Do you mind if I lay down in your hammock for a while?

Go ahead, looks like you needed a good rest, you must be stalking me all night. Hahaha she noticed that Gerald didn’t say a thing, she look back and found him peacefully sleeping.

10 minutes before 6 pm. Kim finishes her cooking. She makes fresh clams soup with radish, chicken cooked in young coconut juice, grilled blue marlin and mango salad and a nice macaroon left over from last week. She was about to go and wake him up when she met him at the front door.

Wow, what is that smell? That smells so delicious.

Oh good you’re up, dinner is ready.

Gerald enjoyed Kim’s cooking, first time he ever tasted and learn that she is ended a good cook. They spend 5 hours at the dinner table chatting and laughing as they share stories, Gerald manage to find out what is going on with Kim’s life, he is determined to know her better. While Kim dig deeper into Gerald’s dirty laundry. After a while Gerald noticed that Kim start yawning, getting used of early morning she normally hitting the sheets by 9 pm that 30 minutes after 10 pm is really late for her. Gerald gets up and starts putting away the dirty dishes and offered to clean-up to let her ready for bed.

After 45 minutes, she came out with her pajamas, while Gerald standing at the terrace looking up the sky.

Ge, ready to go back to your hotel?

You know after so many years, this is the first time again I look up to the sky. I forgot how beautiful it is.

Kim just look up, Gerald catch himself looking at Kimmy’s neck as she stretch it out looking up. Gerald watching her so attentively, looking at her y neck, smooth silky skin and her chest going up and down breathing.  The sites wake-up his body like electricity running through his blood stream.

Kim, do you mind if I stay here tonight?

Hah? Surprise with Gerald’s request but immediately composed herself not to send out a wrong impression. No I don’t, but I only have one bedroom, so if you don’t mind sleeping in the living room, on the couch.

That’s fine, I can take the couch.

Okay then, let me go get you some blanket and pillow.

But before Kim can turn around, Gerald took her by surprise hold her neck and pulls her closer to his mouth, inches before their lips touch, Kim pull away from him. Ge, please don’t…….then walk away.