Chapter 27 Jealous

It was four o’clock in the afternoon when they reached Ranger’s Station. Like before, Danielle and the group chose Vizcaya trail. After tipping the tour guide, Tan came up to her.

“The police station is close by. I’ll go with you to file a complaint and blotter Richard before we go home.”

“I-I don’t have plans to file a case against him,” she replied.

“After what the guy did to you? You were almost…” Tan uttered in disbelief.

Elaine raised her eyes at him, studied him nervously. Did he witness her panic attack last night? She can’t remember. She did not even know how long the episode lasted or how it really ended.

“There were witnesses…” said Tan. As if he could read the questions on her mind. “That asshole assaulted and harassed you. He deserved to be in jail but you won’t put him in there?” he asked her with a wrinkled brow.

She looked away. How would she explain it? “But what would people say when they find out… I just don’t want your name to be dragged.”

“I don’t remember giving a damn what other people would like to think, Elaine,” he said gently but with firmness in his tone. “You need not worry, compared to my brother, I’m a nobody. Get in the car.”

Tan pressed the car key fob to unlock the car. He looked back at her while standing his ground.

“It’s Danielle’s birthday and Richard is her friend. N-nothing bad happened anyway. I’m okay. I just got surprised last night.”

Tan did not answer. He looked at her for a while then breathed a deep sigh. “Just get inside. It is cold out here.” He opened the door for her.

Tan started the car’s engine. Silence flooded when they were both seated inside.

“You have a meeting tomorrow. So you need to be able to get back early. Maybe Danielle and company are also on their way. I’ll just wait for them at the Ranger’s Station,” Elaine said. She caught her breath when Tan leaned over to stop her hand from opening the door.

“We live in the same house, you are coming with me,” he said finality in his voice.

Elaine tried not to gulp when she felt Tan’s warm breath on her cheek. Blood rushed to her head and spread all over her face.

“A-aren’t we going to wait for Danielle? She might come to look for us,” she asked as Tan sat straight and started the car again.

“I might murder someone if we are going to wait for them,” he said with clenched teeth. “Rest. It’s a long way back.”

It was eleven o’clock in the evening when they arrived home. Elaine went ahead and entered the house while Tan locked the gate. She went straight to the kitchen to fetch herself a glass of water.

She was about to leave when she saw Tan walking towards her. She stepped back when he stopped in front of the refrigerator. Opened it, and got some water.

Elaine couldn’t get out of the kitchen as Tan was blocking the way.

“A-are you hungry?” she asked.

“Are you going to work tomorrow?” he also asked. She noticed him watching her.

She cleared her throat. She gets more nervous when it’s already nighttime and he hasn’t raised his voice at her yet. What was happening?

“There are things I need to attend to,” she managed to answer.

Tan nodded. Turned his back and took the mineral water and went inside his room. She followed him with her eyes. Does she need to worry that he is being civil with her?

TAN sat down by the side of his bed when he got into his room. Eyes fixed on the closed door as if his eyes could penetrate it and he could see Elaine in the kitchen.

When Elaine left three years ago, he didn’t look for her. He was in pain. Heartbreak and anguish and anger were eating him simultaneously. He was too hurt by what she did that he was able to make himself believe he had nothing more for her but anger.

He did nothing but forget her every single day. Only to one day get slapped with the reality that he failed miserably. He was still in love with Elaine. He realized that the moment he laid his eyes on her after three years. It was unfair, why couldn’t he get over her after all she did?

But he couldn’t tell or show her that. He was afraid to wake up one day and find that they just repeating history. What happened between them then was a nightmare he didn’t want to remember.

But Tan knows, he had to find out what really happened to her no matter what.

Elaine woke up at eight. She believed Tan left early. His meeting was at eight as Gilda rescheduled.She picked up her cell phone from the side table. Drew sent a text. Asking how she has been and when she is coming over to visit. She promised to drop by that afternoon.

Before ten in the morning, Elaine was dressed. She went out of the house carrying her bag. She was walking towards her car when some teenage girl called out. She was wearing a black baseball cap by the gate.

She waved at her, smiling. She walked towards her and opened the gate. She was wearing jeans, a black loose shirt, and a pair of black sneakers. She doesn’t recognize her but she does look familiar, although she couldn’t quite put it.

“Are you my cousin’s girlfriend?”

Her brow furrowed. “Your cousin’s girlfriend?”

She nodded.

“What is your cousin’s name?”

“You don’t know?” she asked wondering. “Is he having an illusion again?”

“Or perhaps you have been to the wrong house.”

“Nah. He asked me to watch over your house for three days now. He said I should make sure you are okay and safe because you will soon be my big sister.”

Elaine was shaking her head but she had a wide smile. She now knows who this girl was. Those thick eyebrows, black eyes and facial features resemble Marco’s.

“Where is this cousin of yours?”

ELAINE turned off her car engine after parking in the parking space in front of the station. She already tried calling Marco twice but he was not answering her calls.

If not for Gigi, her teenage girl visitor a while ago, she wouldn’t know Marco was assigned in Guadalupe. Well, she never gave time to ask him about his job.

Gigi was Marco’s cousin. She was the only child of their landlord. She found out that Gigi’s father was a former policeman and has just retired two years ago.

Elaine got off her car. She was dialling Marco’s number when she noticed a group of guys walking and about to get in the police mobile parked in front of the station.

Of the three men walking together towards the vehicle, it was the tallest one who caught her attention.

Marco looked cool and dignified in his cop uniform. When she saw Marco ride the mobile, Elaine quickly cancelled the call. Her timing was wrong. She went inside her car and maneuvered out of the parking lot.

She was already out on the road when her phone started to ring. Marco was calling.

“May I know what is the meaning of that three missed calls?” he asked, teasing her.

“I came from the station just now but I saw you ride the mobile.”

“Where are you now?”

“I just left. I’m near EDSA.”

“Park somewhere safe. I’ll go to you.”

“What?”

The call was disconnected before Elaine could protest. She had no choice but to park the car and wait for him. She got off the car so she could easily see him or vice versa. Minutes later she saw a mobile car stopping on the other side of the road.

She saw Marco get off. His eyes went straight to her as if knowing right away where she was. Almost all eyes were on him. Feasting on the masculinity of the handsome policeman who was walking in certain and big strides towards her.

Marco stopped right in front of her. Looked at her for a while before speaking.

“You got me worried. Where did you go? I can’t reach you for two nights.”

“There was no signal in the mountain and I didn’t bring my power bank. I was just able to charge her phone when I got home.” She answered. “Why did you have to come?” she asked instead. “I know you’re busy, we can meet later.”

Marco crossed his arms, raised his eyebrows and smiled mischievously at her. The people around were all staring at them, including the two policemen looking out the mobile’s window.

“Aside from the fact that I badly wanted to see you, I wanted to know what those three missed calls meant. Make sure to explain it well, I easily assume things.”

“What else could it mean besides thank you and I’m sorry?”

“Thank you and sorry? For what?”

“Thank you for bringing me home the other night and sorry because I wasn’t able to say thank you right away.”

Marco sighed. Appearing really disappointed with her answer. “Is there no other meaning?”

It was her eyebrows’ time to raise. “Such as?”

“Such as ‘I’ve missed you?”

She rolled her eyes. She opened her car door and went in. She started the car engine and set it in motion. She glanced at the side mirror, Marco was still standing by the road. Sending her off with his eyes.

Elaine smiled. It was nice having someone like Marco around. In front of him, the real and natural her comes out.

ELAINE checked her wristwatch. It’s past six in the evening. She has to pass by Baclaran to visit Mang Chito. She bid Anne goodbye after signing the papers and transaction records that needed her signature.

She was already carrying her bag when Marco called her phone. She answered the call while walking towards the elevator.

Elaine was surprised that he was at The Palace and is just looking for an empty space to park his car.

“It’s my uncle’s and aunt’s wedding anniversary on Thursday. I’m buying them a present. Come with me.”

She remembered it’s also Tan’s birthday next Thursday. “Just charge me the bill. I’ll pay you back. I have somewhere else to go,” she said.

“I thought you wanted to thank me?”

“Yes, I do. And I already did a while ago.”

“That was it? I don’t think it was sincere enough, Elaine. This would’ve been your chance if you really want to make it up to me. You have to treat me to the most expensive restaurant you know. I’ll come with you wherever you want to go after you accompany me to buy my gift.”

“I’ll just wait for you in the restaurant downstairs then.” She surrendered right away. She always loses to the policeman’s annoying persistence.

Elaine rode the elevator. She went straight out of the mall when the elevator stopped and opened on the first floor. When she entered the restaurant, she was welcomed by the maître d’ in uniform.

“Table for two, please,” she said when greeted by him.

The maître d’ went and guided her towards the back of the restaurant. Paying Marco for the debt of gratitude was really going to cost her a lot, she thought, shaking her head. But if you ask her, all this wouldn’t suffice to pay back all the help he has given her.

“This way, Ma’am.”

As they were approaching the back of the dining area, Elaine’s attention was caught by a pair seated at a table for two at the corner. Two tables away from the table the maître d’ was leading her to.

Elaine stood still. She can’t take her eyes away from the pair. Tan and Janine. In the table, the two occupied were a bottle of wine and plates of steak-which remain untouched.

Elaine’s heartbeat so fast when Tan unwittingly turned his head towards her. She held on the handle of her handbag a little bit tighter when their gazes met.

She felt like crying though she doesn’t have the right. As Tan stood from his chair, Marco appeared right beside her. Elaine felt his arm around her shoulder. He gently pulled her closer to him

Tan clenched his jaw. He gave Marco the dagger look.

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