The Fall of Thorns 1: Alano McClennan
Chapter 7

"YOU ARE very fortunate, Mr. McClennan. Not only is your girlfriend beautiful, she is so good with the kids, too. She would be a wonderful wife."

"I know," Hindi lumilingon sa kausap na sagot ni Alano habang nananatiling nakamasid kay Clarice na pinalibutan ng mga batang babae na kasalukuyan nitong tinuturuan kung paano maglakad na gaya ng sa isang modelo. Kahit ang mga batang lalaki ay huminto sa paglalaro at may kinang ang mga matang nakatitig na lang din sa dalaga.

Ang mga batang naroon ay anak ng mga empleyado sa kanilang kompanya. Kasalukuyan silang nasa bagong tayong resort ng kanilang pamilya. Sa susunod na linggo ay magbubukas na ang resort sa publiko. Ngayong araw ay binasbasan iyon ng pari kaya inimbitahan nila ang mga malalapit na kaibigan at empleyado para makisaya sa kanilang magkakapatid. Hinayaan nilang isama ng mga ito ang kani- kanilang pamilya para makapag-enjoy din ang mga bata.

Pagkatapos ng kainan, agad nang pinalibutan si Clarice ng mga babae, lalo na ng mga teenager. Even the employees' housewives approached her. All were eager to have her autograph and their pictures taken along with her. And she was patient. Pinagbigyan nito ang lahat ng mga tagahanga nito. Hindi nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi nito habang kausap ang mga iyon. Kahit ang mga tauhan nilang lalaki ay nakipila din. Pagkatapos niyon, nakipaglaro pa ang dalaga sa mga bata. It was obvious that she was very fond with the kids seeing how she could laugh while listening to their stories and watching them imitate her signature walk. Kanina ay tinuruan pa nito ang mga bata ng tamang pag-pose sa camera.

Alano was glad to see Clarice having fun, too. They had been officially together for more than two weeks now. Pero may mga oras pa ding pakiramdam niya ay may mataas at makapal na pader na nakapagitan sa kanila. Sometimes, she would appear so distant. May mga gabing nahuhuli niya itong nakatingala sa langit na para bang napakalalim ng iniisip habang may lungkot na nakarehistro sa mga mata. He knew that Clarice had not gotten over with what happened to her family and he was desperate to help her but she was not seeking for his help. She refused to talk about it and he also refused to keep pushing his luck for fear of losing her.

There were moments when Alano would feel like he was walking on eggshells around her. But he was not complaining. He was willing to deal with anything as long as he could be with her. Nakahanda din siyang maghintay hanggang sa dumating ang araw na kusa nang mag-open-up ang dalaga. Heck. Hindi niya inakalang darating siya sa ganitong punto ng buhay niya na dadagain ang dibdib niya nang dahil sa isang babae, na matatakot siya nang ganoon katindi na mawala ito sa buhay niya.

"Miss Clarice!"

Napukaw ng isang batang lalaki ang atensiyon ni Alano nang patakbo itong lumapit sa girlfriend niya. May hawak itong pinitas na makukulay na bulaklak na hinihingal pang inabot nito sa dalaga. The starstruck little boy looked like he was about eight to nine years old.

"These are for you." Narinig niyang sinabi ng bata.

Matamis na ngumiti si Clarice at tinanggap ang mga bulaklak kasabay nang marahan na paggulo sa buhok ng bata. "You are so sweet. Thank you, young man."

The little boy's eyes shone. "I like you. Wait for me, Miss Clarice. Don't marry my father's boss. I am going to grow up really quickly and marry you one day. I promise I will be richer than him when I grow up." Nagtawanan ang mga nakapaligid sa mga ito na para bang naghihintay din ng isasagot ni Clarice. Nang hindi na mapigilan ang sarili, tinapik niya ang balikat ng empleyado na kausap bago ito tinalikuran. Humakbang siya palapit sa sentro ng atensiyon nang mga oras na iyon. Inalis niya ang kamay ng batang lalaki na mahigpit na nakahawak sa kamay ng girlfriend niya saka binuhat ang bata pabalik sa nagmamasid na mga kalaro nito sa isang tabi.

"You are a bad kid, do you know that? Kakaribalin mo pa ako." Kunwari ay nakasimangot na sita niya sa bata.

Namula ang mga pisngi ng bata. Siniko siya ni Clarice sa tagiliran nang tumabi siya rito at inakbayan ito. "Stop that, Alano. He's just a kid."

He shrugged. "I know. But what can I do? I told you I'm territorial." Nilingon niya ang bata. "Don't steal my woman away from me, kiddo. You can't marry her. I won't allow it. But if you promise to be a good boy, if you promise to study hard," Kumindat siya. "Then you can marry our future daughter instead."

Napasinghap ang mga naroon bago malakas na naghiyawan at nagpalakpakan.

"Did you just propose to our supermodel here, Boss?" Anang secretary niyang si Leo.

"I think I just did." Pilyong ngumiti si Alano kasabay ng pagharap kay Clarice na nanlalaki ang mga mata habang nakatingin sa kanya. She looked so adorable that he was tempted to kiss her right there and then. "Why do you look so surprised? The moment that I realized I love you was the same moment when I began thinking about settling down. I don't have the ring with me now but I'm serious about you, Clarice. And for the sake of the brokenhearted little boy, we have to hurry in making our first baby."

Tinampal ng dalaga ang kanyang dibdib. "You're making fun of me again."

Sumeryoso na siya. "I'm not."

"But we just started dating and-"

"Calm down." Idinaan ni Alano sa tawa ang nerbiyos na naramdaman. "You don't have to answer right away. The babies can wait." Biglang kambiyo niya sa pag-aalalang bigla siyang tanggihan ng dalaga. Hinagkan niya ang noo nito saka bumulong sa tainga nito. "Right now, I just want you to know that there is no other woman that I would want to marry aside from you, baby, so please... please reconsider." "WHO would have thought that a day like this would happen, Boss? Hindi namin inakalang magseseryoso ka sa isang babae. Naalala n'yo pa ba nang ilang beses na may halos magkakasunod na sumugod na mga babae sa office? They were all demanding to see you, Boss. You were in the middle of a meeting then. Ang dami ng empleyadong humarang sa mga babae pero natagalan pa rin bago namin sila napapayag na umalis. But Agatha stayed, she was crying so much."

"Who's Agatha?"

Nasamid si Alano nang marinig ang boses ni Clarice. Pagkatapos ibaba ang hawak na beer sa mesa ay nagmamadaling sinipa niya sa ilalim ng mesa ang paa ng lasing nang si Leo para patigilin ito sa pagsasalita. Natahimik naman ang mga tauhan niya sa mesa, ang iba ay mabilis na nag-excuse na habang ang ilan naman ay biglang nagkaroon ng kanya-kanyang pinagkaabalahan. Some of them were suddenly looking at the roof as if they found something interesting there, habang ang ilan naman ay nagkunwaring busy sa pagkain. Damn.

"Bakit kayo natahimik? Who is this Agatha?"

Tumikhim siya. "Ah-"

"Si Agatha ang ex-girlfriend ni Boss, Ma'am Clarice. They dated for three months. Akala nga namin, siya na ang magpapatino kay Boss dahil siya ang pinakamatagal na naka-date niya. She came crying to the office saying that she's pregnant." Sinipa niya uli ang matabil na secretary niya. Mas malakas na sa pagkakataong iyon. "Aray naman, Boss! Bakit ba kayo naninipa? Totoo namang-"

Mabilis na dumukot si Alano ng tinapay sa mesa at sinalpak sa bibig ni Leo bago siya tumayo. Bigla, ginusto niyang magsisi na hinayaan niyang magpakalasing ang secretary niya. Kanina lang na wala pang ispiritu ng alak sa sistema nito ay todo build up ito sa kanya kay Clarice. Alano even told him that he would give him a raise for that. Pero ngayon ay ito pa mismo ang naglaglag sa kanya.

Nang akmang aalisin ni Leo ang tinapay ay ngumiti siya pero iba na ang ibinabadya ng kanyang mga mata. Natatarantang inakbayan na ito ng mga katabi nito sa mesa. "If you don't stop talking, I couldn't guarantee that you'd still have a job to go back to tomorrow, Leo." Para namang nahimasmasan na namutla ito. Tumayo siya at tinapik ito sa balikat. "But of course, I'm just kidding."

Nilapitan ni Alano ang nakakunot

noo nang si Clarice saka hinapit sa baywang bago iginiya palabas ng restaurant ng resort. Naglakad sila sa dalampasigan. Tumikhim siya kasabay ng pagbasag sa namuong katahimikan sa pagitan nila. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his past gilfriends. Hindi na

maganda ang record niya sa

paningin ng dalaga dahil sa pagiging

playboy niya noon. Ayaw niyang dagdagan pa iyon. "Baby, isn't the

sky lovely tonight?"

"It is."

"There are so many stars-"

"Right." Napatango-tangong sagot ni Clarice bago huminto sa paglalakad. "So you dated Agatha for three months? We've only been dating for more than two weeks. I thought you said I was the only woman you were serious about? Did you propose to her, too?"

Pinahid ni Alano ang namuong butil-butil na pawis sa kanyang noo. Mahangin sa paligid pero pinagpapawisan pa rin siya. He swore, in the future, he would never allow Leo to drink again in his party. He would ban the liquor in the next gathering. Napalunok siya nang walang anumang emosyon na makita mula sa mga mata ni Clarice. Never in his life did he feel this nervous. Damn Leo. And damn that liquor. "You got it wrong. What Martha and I had was a thing in the past. Sikat siyang artista dito sa 'Pinas. We lasted for three months but that's only because I couldn't replace a way to break up with her since she said that her schedule was always full at that time. Pero bihira kaming magkita noon. And she wasn't pregnant or anything. She lied about her pregnancy because she wanted to make me marry her." "Poor girl."

"She wanted to make me marry her to pay her millions of debts. She's a gambler and her creditors were chasing her. I think that was the only why Margarita approached me. I've changed, Clarice. It was true that I never dated anyone again after I saw you in Nevada. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Kung napaaga lang ang dating mo kanina, maririnig mo ang ibang sinabi ni Leo. He was talking about how serious I was in our relationship."

Clarice remained silent. "If you still don't believe me, we can talk to her tomorrow. No, scratch that. Let's talk to Martina now. I don't have her number but maybe Leo or my assistant knows about it. Wait here. I'll go and call them now-"

"You don't have to."

"Does that mean you believe me?"

Nasorpresa si Alano nang biglang tumawa si Clarice. She was laughing loudly that other passerbys stopped on their track and just watched her in awe. She was wearing an off-shoulder yellow sundress that night which she paired with flats. Pero imposible pa ring hindi huminto sandali ang mga nakakakita rito, la lalo na tuwing ngumingiti ito. She dressed so simply and yet she looked so ethereal. And now that she was laughing, it brought a whole new experience to him and to her audience. It brought warmth in his chest. He would give anything to see her laugh like this again. Kasalukuyang pinaglalaruan ng hangin ang damit at buhok ng dalaga na para bang nasa isang pictorial pa rin. The night, the sky, and the sea all served as her background. She was lovely. She was adorable. And she was his.

"You looked so tensed, Alano. Did you even realize that you got Agatha's name wrong so many times?" Natatawa pa ring sinabi ni Clarice.

Napapahiyang nahaplos niya ang kanyang noo. "Really? I didn't notice. If Leo didn't mention her, I don't think I'd remember her. Come to think of it. I don't even remember her face now."

Muling tumawa ang dalaga. "It's just me. You don't have to get so worked up explaining, Alano. Besides, she's a part of your past now."

"That's exactly the reason why I got so worked up explaining. Because it's you, Clarice. I didn't want you to misunderstand."

"I won't. I believe you. I was just teasing you earlier."

Relieved nang ngumiti si Alano. "Thank you."

Hinaplos ng dalaga ang kanyang mga pisngi. "You are so silly. But I love you."

Natulala siya. It was the first time she said those words. Sa loob ng ilang linggo, he was always the one to tell her he loves her. She would just smile to show her appreciation. That's why hearing those words tonight felt like there was a giant rock that was lifted off his chest. "And I love you, too. I love you so much." Emosyonal niya nang sinabi kasabay nang pagkabig sa baywang nito at maalab na paghalik sa mga labi nito.

Maybe he would still give Leo a raise, after all.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐