Before she turned off her phone,Shelly called mang Eddie para sabihin na si Kim na lang ang maghahatid sa kanya sa condo.Kahit nahihiya siya kay Kim,she needs to grab this chance to talk to her.
"Kim,"mahinang tawag ng dalaga.Tumingin ito sa kanya panandalian to acknowledge na narinig siya nito.Then binalik nito sa kalsada ang mga mata.
"Gusto kong humingi ng advice kung ano ang dapat kong gawin.But bago yun,pwedeng makitawag muna ako sa phone mo?Tinapon ko na ang sim card ko para hindi na ako matawagan ni Alex.I need to call Jake." Nahihiyang sabi niya. Kim just nodded and kinapa nito ang phone sa bag and handed it to her.
"I agree that we really need to talk about this Shelly. But sige, call Jake first." She suggested.
Bago pa makapag-dial si Shelly,Kim's phone started ringing. Jake is calling.
"Kim,it's Jake!" may panic sa boses na sabi ni Shelly.
"Okay,let me answer it first.Ano nga pala sasabihin ko?" medyo tarantang tanong nito.
Ano nga ba? Shelly is asking herself too.Kim's phone stopped ringing.She knows tatawag ulit si Jake.
"Okay alam ko na ang idadahilan natin." Kakasabi lang ni Kim ng mag-ring ulit ang phone nito.
Iniabot ni Shelly ang telepono.Sakto naman na the traffic light turned red.
"Jake.." sagot ni Kim.
Tahimik lang itong nakikinig sa sinasabi ni Jake.Biglang nakita ng dalaga na kinagat nito ang lower lip nito.She is pretty sure na galit ang nobyo niya.
"Nagda-drive kasi ako,sorry...oo pauwi na kami." Kim looked at her with a worried look.
"Nahulog ang sim niya sa sink ng restroom.Ni-rerefresh niya kasi ang phone niya...okay....here she is..." then she passed the phone to her.
Shelly closed her eyes as she got the mobile phone. "B-Babe." She answered.
"Paano mo naman nahulog ang sim mo? And why the fuck are you refreshing your phone in the public toilet? Kanina pa kita tinatawagan dammit!"
"K-kasi babe I heard na nag-riring nga ang phone ko, kaso ng sasagutin ko nag-hang.So tinanggal ko ang battery and sim to refresh the phone.Sa taranta ko siguro kaya nabitawan ko ang sim then nahulog sa sink...sorry." Shelly is starting to have a headache so she is massaging her temple with her right hand.Ayaw niya na nagsisinungaling siya kay Jake pero mas lalong ayaw naman niya na mag-away sila.
"Okay.I'll just call the phone company and ask if pwede pa ding gamitin ang same number mo kahit nawala na yung sim."
"NO!" biglang sagot ni Shelly.
Napatingin sa kanya si Kim na naka-kunot ang noo.
"I mean,huwag na babe."sabi niya sa mas malumanay na boses."Gusto ko na din na palitan ang number ko para hindi na ako tawagan ng stepmother and stepsister ko." Buti na lang mabilis siyang makapag-isip .She is hoping na makumbinse niya si Jake sa sinabi niya.
Jake was silent for a while."Okay." Sabi nito sa wakas.
"Tell Kim to drive you straight home! Baka kung saan-saan pa kayo pumunta!" Pahabol nito bago ibinaba ang cp.
Shelly gave the phone back to Kim.
"Mag-kape tayo sa malapit na Starbucks sa condo niyo para maayos tayong makapag-usap." The older woman told her."Tutal alas tres pa lang. I can get you home before five."
Shelly just nodded.
(In the café)
"Tapatin mo nga ako.May gusto ka din ba kay Alex?" straightforward na tanong ni Kim.
Their coffee has just been served.Shelly was caught off guard by her question.But she is prepared to answer her honestly.
Huminga muna siya ng malalim."Kim,frankly, I find him attractive."amin ng dalaga.
Tumango si Kim," Go on.I guess alam mo na you can trust me kaya you let me in on this secret. Promise, I will not judge you.Sabihin mo lang sa akin lahat.I will do my best to help you get out of this mess." Kim said with sincerity.
"Una kong makita si Alex, magaan na ang loob ko sa kanya.Although before naging kami ni Jake,I didn't want to have anything to do with good-looking men.Maybe one of the reasons why I didn’t dislike him is dahil hindi siya presko. During our first meeting,naramdaman ko na he likes me.Kaya nga sinabi ko sa kanya na may boyfriend na ako. He owns the café sa lobby ng condo ni Jake. Nagharap na silang dalawa.Medyo nagkagulo nga." Shelly frowned as she remembers what happened.She is stirring her coffee as she talks.
Tahimik lang si Kim na nakikinig with a slight frown on her face.
"Kinaibigan niya si Pat and the rest is history.Ginawa ko namang lahat para iwasan siya.Pero ewan ko Kim,parang ayaw ko siyang makitang nasasaktan."she admitted as she put down the teaspoon and just looked at her coffee.
"I never directly asked you before,but I want to ask you now,mahal mo ba talaga si Jake?" came Kim's direct question.
Tumango ang dalaga."Mahal ko si Jake." Amin niya.
"Sino sa kanila ang ayaw mong mawala sayo?"
Walang pag-aalinlangan niyang sinabi."Si Jake."
Tumango-tango si Kim. “Mahal mo si Jake pero you find Alex attractive.Kung wala kayo ni Jake,nakikita mo ba ang sarili mo as Alex's woman?"
That made her think for a minute but then Shelly nodded.Kailangan niyang maging honest.
Kim sighed."Kaya mo bang sumama kay Alex and iwanan si Jake?"
"Hindi."
"That's what I want to hear." Medyo nakangiting sabi ni Kim which made Shelly chew her bottom lip in confusion.She was about to ask her what she meant by that pero nagsalita na ulit ito.
"May mga katangian si Alex na wala kay Jake.I saw the way he looks at you and treats you.I have to give it to him that he seems gentler than Jake. Baka yun ang dahilan kaya you have become a little attached to him. Jake is the way he is dahil he has strong feelings for you which he hasn't felt for anyone before.Ikaw lang ang nakakaalam how he is with you when he is not jealous.Brusko siya I have to admit,pero I know and I feel na hinding-hindi ka niya pag-bubuhatan ng kamay kahit kinakain na siya ng selos niya.May possibility naman na kapag nakasal na kayo, medyo mababawasan ang pagiging possessive niya." Kim sounds hopeful.
"Hindi man siya ang ideal man ko,mahal ko si Jake.Aaminin ko madalas natatakot ako sa kanya lalo pag nagseselos siya,pero hindi sa kanya mismo ako takot.I am scared na baka sa sobrang galit niya hindi na kami magka-ayos. Hindi man ganito ang ideal na relasyon ko,hindi ko gugustuhing tapusin namin kung ano man ang meron kami ngayon.Alam ko na eventually we will grow together and mas magiging matatag ang relasyon namin.Kaya nga I am trying very hard to make this work.Habang nakakasama ko si Jake,mas nakikilala and naiintindihan ko siya.I feel I love him more each day.Nahihirapan man ako sa pagiging mahigpit niya, I feel in my heart na darating ang panahon na he'll realize na siya lang ang lalaking gusto kong makasama.Even if it takes me 30 years to convince him and change him,gagawin ko,I can't imagine my life without him." Shelly felt na gumagaan ang pakiramdam niya as she talks about her real feelings.
“ That’s the spirit. Don’t give up on my brother-in-law please.” Pakiusap ni Kim and Shelly nodded before nagsalita ulit.
"I met Alex nung time na nakita ko si Jake na kasama yung babaeng modelo na halos lingkisin siya.I was angry and jealous.Kaya siguro nung nagpakita ng interes si Alex sa akin, I was flattered.Sino ba naman ang hindi di ba? Pero never naman akong nagbigay ng motibo that I want us to have a romantic relationship. Yun nga lang,dapat siguro mas naging matigas ako sa pagtanggi sa kanya.But I have to admit na may kilig din kasi akong naramdaman.Pero kanina, na-reaize ko na he is more serious that I thought. Believe it or not,hindi ko ginusto na lumalim ang nararamdaman niya para sa akin." Shelly said sadly.
Kim took hold of her hand and squeezed it a little.
Shelly looked at her,"So please Kim,help me.Ano ang gagawin ko?"
"Sa nakikita ko kay Alex,determinado siya to win your heart.But since si Jake ang mahal mo Shelly, whether you like it or not,masasaktan mo si Alex .Sa ayaw at sa gusto mo din,malalaman ito ni Jake dahil hindi naman natin ito pwedeng itago ng matagal.Hindi man tayo ang magsabi,si Alex ang gagawa nun sooner or later.For sure magagalit at magwawala si Jake.Pero I don't think na magiging dahilan yun para tapusin niya ang relasyon niyo.Lilipas din ang galit niya dahil magiging mas matimbang ang nararamdaman niya para sayo.So alin ang gusto mong gawin? Ikaw na ang magsasabi kay Jake o hihintayin mong si Alex na lang? Hindi magtatagal gagawa ng paraan si Alex to tell Jake everything lalo na ngayon na determinado kang iwasan mo siya. Jake is dangerous when he is angry..I could also sense that Alex is like him too. I hate to say this but you are in big trouble. Wala akong ibang nakikitang solusyon kung hindi maging honest ka kay Jake.After you told him..leave it all to love…and a lot of luck.”