Chapter 42 The All He Ever Needed

Elaine woke to the penetrating sunlight in Tan’s room. Her eyes opened wide when she realized the time. It was past nine in the morning, said the clock that was hanging on Tan’s bedroom wall.

Her original plan was to wake up early so she could prepare breakfast for Tan. But as she was about to get up, she was stunned to find Tan’s huge hand around her shoulder.

She looked up to Tan who was still sleeping. She took few deep breaths to calm the beating of her heart. This was her favourite sleeping position. Lying on Tan’s chest and clearly hearing his heart beating.

For a long while, it was just last night when she truly felt peace, security and love again. She fell asleep fast and slept easy on his arms. After all the nightmares that passed and tested their life, she felt as if she just truly awakened last night.

Carefully, she removed herself from Tan’s embrace. She sat by the side of the bed and watched him sleeping. She was about to stand when the picture from the side table caught her eye. She didn’t notice it last night.

It was their wedding picture taken inside the church where they exchanged their self-made wedding vows. She thought Tan already burned all the stuff that relates to her.

She smiled.

Elaine left Tan with a lingering glance. She carefully pulled the door and stepped out. She spent the next few hours preparing something for breakfast. She made chicken mami credited to some vlogger’s YouTube channel which could hopefully help Tan’s hangover-if he had one.

Elaine felt light. No worry occupied her thoughts. It was occupied with hope and thoughts of becoming happy again with Tan.

She was washing apples when she felt Tan hug her from behind. She took a deep breath when he pulled her body closer to his. She heard him breathe deep too.

“What time is it?” he asked softly as he drew her nearer. Sinking his face into her soft hair before he gently turned her to face him. Before Elaine could answer anything, Tan already lifted her and made her sit on the counter.

Elaine swallowed hard. His dark eyes seemed to penetrate their way all the way to her soul.

“Nine… I think,” she managed to answer.

Tan was looking into her eyes while she was lost in his. Her heart started to race when his gaze dropped to her lips. He was just staring as if he would’ve really wanted to kiss her passionately but he was holding himself back.

“You’re okay with hugging and cuddling. But I don’t know if kissing would be okay. You see, I want to… I need to… I mean, I need you—”

Elaine knew Tan was worried she might relive her traumatic experience with the kidnapper that was why he was hesitating.

“I’m okay with cuddling and kissing, Tan. I’m totally okay with everything. As long as I’m doing it with you.” Elaine took a deep breath then smiled a little. “Would you like to totally heal me, kiss me, make love with me, Mr. De Marco?” she asked, uncertainty laced her voice.

The light of lust was flaring in Tan’s gaze. His body buzzing with love and lust and anticipation. And when he leaned forward to kiss her, she closed her eyes and welcomed the kiss.

It felt like they were freezing in a moment in time. Along with the butterflies in her stomach was a pang of excitement and yearning that rushed through her.

This was her husband, Tan De Marco. He loved her. He would never hurt her. Those were the things she kept whispering in her heart. She wouldn’t let an ugly memory get in if she could help it.

Elaine slipped one arm around Tan’s neck, she was totally melting in his arms. The kiss was consuming, hungry yet passionate. She can’t possibly mistake it for somebody else’s kiss.

Without leaving her lips, Tan easily swept her into his arms. Automatically, her legs went around his hips. Few moans made their way out of her lips but no words of protest came out of her mouth when Tan carried her back to his room and laid her down on his bed.

For Tan, to hell with his grumbling stomach that woke him up a while ago. He won’t die instantly of a grumbling stomach.

Food? He will momentarily forget what the word meant. Right this very moment, and forever, Elaine was all he ever needed.

“I WILL pick you up at eight,” Tan told Elaine. His car was parked in front of The Palace Mall and Elaine is getting off of it. They decided to share rides so they’d only be apart for exactly eight hours.

For one whole day, he didn’t go to work. They spent the whole day with each other. They ate together, slept together. He let Elaine talk about everything. And he just listened to her for hours. Cuddling on the couch or resting on top of his bed.

Elaine told him she had been seeing Sandra for weeks now for her cognitive processing therapy. The therapy could help her take into account all the things that were beyond her control. She had to accept and understand that it wasn’t her fault no matter how right or wrong her decisions were before.

He wanted her to fully get her life back. He decided to accompany Elaine to every session with Sandra.

Elaine was removing her seatbelt but Tan was alert. He stopped her. He didn’t want her to go to work. He tired her up with his love makings the whole day but his hunger for her remained insatiable.

He would’ve preferred to stay in bed hugging than go to work.

“Shall we stay at home and just watch movies together?”

An amused smile formed on her lips. “We have finished watching all your favourite movies from Netflix, none we got to finish or understand…” She stopped in mid-sentence. Stared when she realized something. She blushed. Desire flared on her face.

She quickly unbuckled the seat belt and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Hey…” he protested.

“Tonight. I promise,” she said. Then got off the car.

Tan was left, amused as he touched his cheek which just got kissed. Elaine waved then turned to proceed to the mall entrance.

He smiled unknowingly. He followed her with his gaze until she was gone from his sight.

He missed her already. Her soft, slender body, her kisses, her warm embrace. He doesn't want her out of her sight even for a while. Aside from great wanting, he is fearful and worried about possible things that could happen to her when he isn’t around.

Tan deeply breathed. If only, he would glue her by his side twenty-four seven just to make sure she was safe and nobody could harm her.

“NOW what?” Drew asked, raising her brows. Elaine was facing her friend at a six-seater table in a restaurant inside the Palace Mall. Drew was the one to visit her at Ainsdale in the afternoon to demand payback from her for not going home for two nights.

“The heart cannot be restrained, right? You left me alone to sleep in that hotel. You don’t know how long I waited to fall asleep because of fear.”

Elaine pouted. She took her eye away from her wristwatch. Seven in the evening. In an hour, Tan would be here to pick her up. He has called several times during the day just to check on her.

“That’s why I called Macon, okay?”

“So we’d make up?” Her friend crossed her arms, her face had a sour expression. “No way. I can’t forgive him.”

“You didn’t open the door for him?” she asked.

Drew gave a sullen look. “After everything? Let’s change the topic, please. I don’t want to talk about that creature. I'm losing my appetite.”

Elaine laughed.

“So, what happened last night? Could Mang Chito be rested because you’re finally back in each other’s arms or do we still need to go to Quiapo for a novena?”

“I’d tell Tatang myself so please bite your tongue for a few more days, Drew.”

Elaine knew Mang Chito would be happy once he finds out Tan and she was okay.

“Elaine, you seem to be fine somehow. Don’t you have plans to make that guy who hurt you before pay?”

Elaine's smile faded. But it surprised her that she remained calm instead of being fearful at the memory.

Bearing the weight of what happened that night had been a difficult process. But she wanted to finally move forward. She didn’t want to think about the past only to refresh the anger, pain and fear in her heart. She was more scared of that memory being a hindrance to the happiness she was having now.

“I believe in the law of karma, Drew. If not me, God would use other people to charge that person of his sins.”

“And what about the misfortunes that befell my family when you came back, when do you intend to pay them, Elaine?”

Their heads raised at the same time and gazed at the newly arrived person. It was Mrs. Crisostomo who still appeared aristocratic despite reigning in her anger. If only her eyes could throw swords, Elaine would’ve been shredded to pieces already.

Elaine started to stand but stopped midway when the woman sat in front of her.

Drew automatically shifted, forehead creased and obviously irritated. “Who is this?” she mouthed.

Elaine removed her gaze from her friend and shifted it to the woman who just arrived.

“How much do you need this time to leave Tan and let him be happy with my daughter, huh?”

Her lips thinned. “That’s my husband you’re trying to buy.”

“Why not? Didn’t you give him up in exchange for some money before?”

Elaine sighed. Like mother like daughter. It’s just like talking to Janine, the older more wrinkled version.

“Since you returned, everything turned chaotic. You keep dragging Tan's family name in embarrassment.”

Her forehead creased. “I don’t understand you.”

“You don’t have to understand anything. Just leave Tan and my daughter alone!”

“I don’t remember doing anything to her,” she fired back. “I’m not doing anything wrong.”

Mrs Crisostomo turned red in the face while Drew was trying to hold back giggling that’s been wanting to come out of her throat.

Mrs Crisostomo suddenly stood. She raised her chin up, glared at her. “Talking to you like this made me realize something. You haven’t recovered yet. You are still hallucinating. You should be back in the mental hospital and stay there permanently. I pity you to the hell and back. You’re a product of a selfish person and a murderer- that’s why you turned out that way.”

Drew took a sharp breath. Looked around, every diner in the restaurant heard the old lady. All eyes were pinned on her.

A broken smile was slowly forming Elaine’s lips as she stood up to face the old woman.