Kaden woke up realizing that he actually spent the last five hours of his life sleeping on Hope's lap. Tulog pa ito. Hindi ito komportable base sa bahagyang pagkakayuko ng ulo nito and yet she just let him rest sacrificing her own comfort.
Maingat siyang bumangon para hindi ito magising although that would be a next to impossible thing to do.
Hope stirred but didn't wake up. He carefully helped her lie on the sofa so she could rest well, too. Tapos naupo siya sa center table and watched her sleep peacefully.
Hope is a strong woman. He admires how she handles his presence very well. Alam naman niya na nakikita nito sa kanya si Rain. Kahit sabihin nito na nakamove on na ito, iba naman ang sinasabi ng mga kilos nito.
Minsan nahuhuli niya itong nakatingin lang sa kanya. And he hated it. But it wasn't in a way na ayaw niyang tinitingnan siya nito.
Ang hindi niya gusto ay ang pagtalon nito sa isang relasyon na hindi nito pinag-isipan para lang pagtakpan ang totoo nitong nararamdaman. Nagsisisi siya sa hostility na ipinakita niya kay Kevin Tiu. The latter used it to his advantage. At gusto niyang magalit because he didn't like him for Hope.
When they first met before his mother's operation, gumawa pa ng eksena si Kevin sa ospital. He said he knew him and he was not a Surgeon but a housekeeping staff at some remote hotel in the middle of nowhere. That he might endanger his mother's life kapag siya ang magperform ng operation.
He was tempted na 'wag ituloy ang operasyon sa ina nito. But Kaden wasn't like that. Professional siya. Kevin called him Rain Sanchez many times, insulted the guy and wished he never saw him. Syempre nagalit din siya dahil kahit hindi niya nakilala si Rain, he knew that he was a good person.
Hope wouldn't love him so much if he wasn't. So primarily, ang galit na naramdaman niya ay para kay Hope. Kevin insulted the very man the Chef used to love with all her heart. He practically insulted Hope too pati na rin ang lugar na ayaw iwanan ng dalaga.
Tapos malalaman niya na boyfriend na nito ang Kevin Tiu na 'yon? Hope certainly could use some enlightenment.
Binawi niya ang tingin sa natutulog na dalaga.
Watching her sleep wasn't right. Si Zoey lang dapat ang bukod tanging babaeng pagmamasdan niya hanggang sa pagtulog nito. He stood up and turned towards the bathroom. Pero hindi pa siya nakalalayo ay nilingon niya ulit si Hope.
A faint smile curved his lips. Nakakatawa ang itsura nito sa damit niya but when he saw her wearing his shirt and pants for the first time last night, he found her really sexy despite his clothes being oversized to her.
'D*mn it, Kaden,' he cursed himself as he withdrew his gaze from the sleeping Chef.
*****
BREAKFAST with Dr. Kaden Aragon would have been nice. But if only his fiancee didn't join them. Unfortunately for Hope, she had to endure the jealous feeling the whole time.
Dinaanan nila sa boutique nito si Zoey kung saan ay nag-overnight ito for some rush designs she needed that weekend.
"Why are you outside so early in the morning, guys?" Zoey asked, smiling but her eyes reflected otherwise. Hope could say easily that she wasn't so pleased that she was with her boyfriend so early in the morning.
"It was raining hard last night so we spent the night in the condo." Casual na sagot ng binata.
"My cousin here said that it's safer if we do," sabad niya, ayaw niyang ma-upset si Zoey. The three of them knew that they haven't warmed up yet to the fact that Kaden and her were cousins. Naging mabait si Zoey sa kanya kaya kailangan niyang makasiguro na hindi nito pagseselosan ang presensya niya.
"Of course, you're cousins," pagak itong tumawa. "I'm done eating. Ihatid mo na ako, Kaden."
Kaden stood up without arguing as to why Zoey would want to leave.
"I'll come back for you, Hope." Sabi nito bago siya iniwanan. Hindi nagpaalam si Zoey sa kanya kaya hindi niya maiwasang mag-guilt trip noong mag-isa na lang siya.
Zoey wasn't an insecure girlfriend. Nakita niya ang confident version nito sa San Gabriel. So bakit ito nagpapaapekto ngayon kahit alam nito na magpinsan sila ni Kaden? Besides, okay naman sila kahapon. Baka pagod lang ito. With that, she calmed herself at nagpasyang tawagan na lang ang kanyang ina.
"Uuwi na po ako bukas," sabi niya matapos mag-speech si Charity at how she was badly missing her.
"Sigurado ka bang hindi ka na nila pipigilan? Anak, naisip ko, malaki rin ang nagawa kong kasalanan sa kanila. Ipinagkait kita sa pamilya mo, anak," she sobbed.
"Naman eh," naiyak na rin siya. Hindi pa siya sanay na tinatawag siya nitong anak kaya kapag naririnig niyang binabanggit nito iyon, naluluha siya. "Miss na po kita. Ayaw ko na rito."
"Bakit? Inaapi ka ba nila r'yan, Hope?"
"Hindi po. Pero hindi ko naman sila kilala," hindi niya pwedeng sabihin na dahil sa pinsan niya kaya ayaw na niyang magtagal. Hope didn't mention to Charity na nakita na niya ulit si Rain. She would be sad too kasi itinuring din nitong pamilya ang boyfriend niya noon.
"Anak, kilalanin mo sila. Hindi ako magagalit kung d'yan ka muna."
"Hindi po. Uuwi po ako, mama."
"Sabihin mo nga ulit?"
"Ho?"
"Iyong itinawag mo sa akin."
Napangiti siya sa pagitan ng mga luha.
"Mama," ulit niya at lalong napaiyak. "Mama... Mama," paulit ulit niyang bigkas "Mama," hanggang sa marinig niyang tumatawa na sa kabilang linya ang kanyang ina. "Mahal na mahal po kita..."
"Mahal na mahal din kita, Hope... Nagsisisi ako na hinayaan kong 'di mo makilala ang iyong ama."
"Ma, tapos na 'yon. Isa pa, parang nakilala ko na rin naman siya sa mga kwento nila sa akin dito."
"Iba pa rin sana kung nakilala mo siya. Patawarin mo ako sa naging desisyon ko, anak."
"Mama... Ginawa mo 'yon kasi 'yon ang sa tingin mo ay tama noon. Hmn?" Natanaw niyang papasok na ulit sa restaurant si Kaden. "Ma, tawagan po kita ulit. I love you. Lagi kayong mag-iingat d'yan," hindi na niya hinintay na sumagot ang ina. Tinapos niya ang tawag at nagmamadaling tumayo. Kaden's wearing an angry face. He was trying to conceal it pero kilala niya ito para hindi mabasa ang nararamdaman nito. "Kade -- I'm sorry."
"Sit down, Hope," he said bago naupo rin sa tapat niya. "Are you done eating?" kunot noong tinignan nito ang pancake niya na halos 'di naman niya nagalaw.
"Y-yeah."
"Finish your food," tumawag ito ng waiter at um-order ng kape. "Coffee, Hope?"
"Yes, please"
Silence.
"Don't mind, Zoey. She's just being a brat," Kaden said after a while.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"You shouldn't be fighting because of me."
"We're not fighting," he answered, Hope regretted what she said. Napaka-assumera ba niya for thinking that the two would have a misunderstanding because of her? "She's just--- tired. But don't think na galit siya sa'yo."
"I'm leaving tomorrow anyway," sabi niya. "Please tell her I'm sorry," dugtong niya kahit nasa ibinababang kape sa table nila ang atensyon nito. "My mother already missed me. So, if I don't see Zoey again, please extend my best wishes for your upcoming wedding."
He just shrugged and didn't comment. Inokupa na ito ng kape.
*****
THE family dinner tonight wasn't really something Hope was looking forward to. Gusto na niyang bumalik sa San Gabriel.
Hindi na siya kinibo ni Kaden kanina. Umuwi sila ng bahay na hindi na nag-uusap. Pagdating naman doon ay pinadiretso ang binata sa opisina ng kanilang lolo.
Alam naman niyang hindi tama ang nagiging reaksyon niya. She shouldn't be feeling hurt or demanding of Kaden's attention. Pero kahit anong gawin niya, ayaw tumatak sa puso at isipan niya na pinsan niya ang binata at wala siyang karapatang maramdaman ang kahit na anong nararamdaman niya ngayon.
Bukod pa roon, may kasintahan siya. So why couldn't she keep her mind off Kaden and think of Kevin instead?
Speaking of her boyfriend, hindi pa sila nagkakausap mula kahapon. Nakakatawa how she could easily dismiss the thought by assuming that he's busy. But with Kaden, ang sama-sama ng loob niya.
"How's the night with my brother, huh?" Mula sa likuran niya ay tanong ni Kassey. If Hope didn't know that her brother was her cousin, iisipin niya na tinutukso siya ng babae sa paraan ng pagngiti nito sa kanya. "I heard you spent the night together in his condo."
"We did," simple niyang sagot na iiwanan na sana ito when she remembered to ask her something. "Kas-" she hesitated. "How many condos does Kaden own?"
"That's the one," sa halip ay sagot ni Kassey na tila alam na alam ang gusto niyang tanungin. "That's where he caught Zoey with someone."
"Kaya pala ayaw niyang matulog."
"Hayaan mo siya. Balang araw magsasawa rin siya sa pagmamahal kay Zoey. He would realize na may mga ibang babae pa sa paligid na pwede niyang mahalin."
"But they're getting married, Kassey---"
"I know. Wait." Hinawakan siya nito sa braso. "Can I ask you a favor?"
"What favor?"
"You're friends with kuya. I know ayaw mo rin siyang panoorin na ma-commit ang biggest mistake niya, 'di ba?"
"What do you mean biggest mistake?"
"Marrying Zoey, silly. Marriage couldn't be undone at kapag nakulong na siya ro'n, madudurog ang kapatid ko."
"So what favor are you going to ask me?"
"Help me stop the wedding," determinadong pahayag nito.
"What?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. "Are you out of your mind? Kassey, we can't do that. They love each other!"
"Wrong. It's just that they've been together for a long time. Kaya iniisip nila na mahal nila ang isa't isa," paliwanag nito.
"Kassey," she made her cousin focus on her. "That's not how you judge things. Especially love. They're getting married because they have decided to spend the rest of their lives together. They're getting married because they are in love. Who are we to say otherwise?"
"Hope, I've watched their love story all my life. So trust me when I say that they do not belong together," hindi nagpapatinag na saad nito.
"Okay," suko niya. "But I am not helping you. Uuwi na ako bukas. So, I guess I am not seeing them again."
Nagkibit-balikat si Kassey tapos hinila siya sa kusina.
Dinatnan nila roon ang lola nila at si Agatha na abala para sa dinner mamayang gabi.
"Hope, apo. Would you mind cooking a dish for us tonight?" Malambing na sabi ng matanda na sinigundahan naman ni Agatha.
"Oo nga naman, hija. Cook your specialty. As much as we want you to just wait, gusto rin naming matikman ang luto mo."
"Tita, lola---"
"Please don't say no this time, Hope?"
Ngumiti siya.
"I am not saying no, lola. Hindi po ako tumatanggi kapag pinagluluto ako." She took an apron at isinuot iyon. Moments later ay naabala na siya sa kusina kasama ang mga ito.
She's cooking Rain's favorite - Beef Caldereta.
Lihim niyang pinagalitan ang sarili. But in the end, nanaig pa rin ang kagustuhan niyang pagbigyan ang puso niya. Everything would end tonight.
Uuwi na siya at hindi na siya babalik. Kaya habang may oras pa, kahit na sumasampal sa kanya ang katotohanang hindi sila pwede, gagawin muna niya ang makakapagpasaya sa kanya.
She wanted to see Rain enjoy his favorite food one last time. 'Yon ay kung hindi iba ang paborito nito kay Kaden Aragon...
She hoped not.
"Hmmmn... Smells good!" Kaden exclaimed nang puntahan sila nito sa kitchen. "Let me guess lola, you're cooking my favorite?!" Yumakap ito sa matanda at hinalik-halikan ito sa pisngi gaya ng isang batang naglalambing sa lola nito.
Hope couldn't help but giggle at how cute they looked.
"It's not your grandmother, it's Hope," basag ni Agatha.
"Oh." Napatingin sa kanya si Kaden. "Of course, the Chef is here..." Ngumiti ito, nakakataba ng puso na ngiti.
"I heard that it's your favorite," gumanti siya ng matamis na ngiti.
"I didn't tell her that," hugas kamay ng lola nila, a little bit amused.
"I didn't as well," sabi rin ni Agatha.
Busted. Hope felt her cheeks burning.
"I mean--- well, lucky guess," sinabayan niya iyon ng ngiting may kahalong nerbiyos.
"I'm expecting a delightful dinner then, Chef." Umikot sa likuran niya si Kaden at bahagyang tumigil para ipatong ang dalawang palad nito sa balikat niya. "See you later, Hopie," he whispered close to her ears bago muling lumabas ng kusina. The gesture almost sent her shivering.
'Kalma, Hope,' she offered the two elderly women an unsure smile when Kaden left.