#CTG49 Chapter 49

"Hi, Cha!"

I looked at Yago and for some reason, I immediately felt pissed. I mean, he wasn't my favorite person, but I never felt this... pissed. It's like looking at him alone was enough to break my day.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

No.

Pinaglilihian ko ba si Yago?

Dapat si Iñigo ang kamukha ng anak ko!

Agad akong tumalikod para hindi ko makita si Yago at doon naupo sa kitchen area. Rinig na rinig ko ang tawa ni Yago, but I chose to ignore him. I needed to work already dahil kailangang maka-alis na ako rito by 9pm. Because by the looks of it, hihintayin pa ako ni Iñigo sa apartment bago siya kumain.

"Cha!" tawag na naman ni Yago sa akin. Suddenly, he's right in front of me already. "Wala man lang akong welcome hug?"

"Si Rory ang yakapin mo."

He frowned. "Ouch."

"Nagkita na kayo?"

Umiling siya. "No. Aalis din ako mamaya kapag parating na siya," he said, sitting on the chair. Thankfully, Yago kept quiet nang sabay na kaming nagbabasa nung initial reports. I knew that we're going to have a hard time with this dahil magaling talagang prosecutor si Iñigo. He's got the eye for details. One minor detail that can change the whole tenor of the case. Pansin ko na 'yun nung nasa law school pa lang kami. And he's really good at twisting your words in his favor. Ilang beses na akong nabiktima nun kaya mas pinipili kong tumahimik dahil lagi niyang nagagamit ang salita ko sa 'kin.

I understood why Jax felt nervous when he learned that Iñigo got the case. He's a criminal lawyer; I was pretty sure he's heard about Iñigo kahit na hindi pa sila nagkikita sa korte.

And... they're not exactly friends.

Jax is good at harboring grudge. Kahit nga si Joey hindi masyadong kinaka-usap just because she's friends with Katherine.

Tahimik kaming nagbabasa nang biglang lumabas si Jax mula sa kwarto niya. He looked... distraught. But that was understandable.

"Papunta na raw siya," Jax said.

As if on cue, Yago stood up and began to gather his things. I was watching him. He was moving so fast like he was determined to get out of here as quickly as possible.

In under a minute, natapos siya sa pag-aayos ng gamit niya. Sumunod na ako at tumayo na rin. I told Jax that I'd be leaving, too, and he just nodded at me habang seryoso siya sa kung anuman iyong tinitignan niya.

"Did you bring a car?" Yago asked while we're waiting for the elevator.

I nodded. "Where are you staying?" I asked because I might need the information in the future. Hindi ko alam kung gaano siya katagal dito—probably depende sa tagal ng kaso ni Katherine. Yago's a really good friend to Jax Alam ko na hindi siya aalis hanggang hindi nagiging final ang decision.

And... maybe there's still a chance for him and Rory.

Sayang naman kasi.

Kung hindi nangyari iyong dati, mas matagal pa sila sa amin ni Iñigo... But things already happened. It's been a while already. They're both older. Baka pwede na ulit silang mag-usap. Nakaka-pagod lang kasi silang makita na nahihirapan dahil sa pride nila.

"Hotel," he replied, grinning. "Ikaw, ha... Concerned ka na sa 'kin?"

"You wish," I said. "Paano kapag nagkita kayo ni Rory?"

He shrugged. "Then, I'd say hi... And then go on with my life."

"Ganon lang?"

"Ganon lang," he replied.

"You know she tried to date other people."

"I know."

I nodded.

Right.

Magkaibigan nga pala sila ni Jax.

"If she can find someone else who can make her happy, I'd be the happiest," Yago said. The elevator finally arrived. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa ni Yago roon. He looked... okay. It's far different from how I last saw him. Mukhang okay na talaga siya sa kung nasaan man siya. His hands were inside his pockets and when he caught me looking at him on the mirror, he grinned at me.

God, please don't make my baby look like Yago.

Nang maka-baba kami ay hinatid muna ako ni Yago sa sasakyan ko. One of these days, sigurado ako na magkikita sila ni Rory.

I sent a text to Iñigo telling him that I was already on the way home. Agad ko siyang nakita nang papa-lapit pa lang ako sa gate. He looked like he's been waiting there for a while.

"Kanina ka pa?" I asked as I alighted.

"Hindi naman," sagot niya. "Kinain mo ba 'yung dinner mo?"

I nodded. Muntik ko ng maka-limutan, pero mabuti na lang at naalala ko. I didn't want Iñigo to worry about me dahil alam ko na marami na siyang iniisip. I really needed to take better care of myself. Alam ko na buntis ako... but it felt as though I still didn't full realize that I was pregnant and I needed to take extra care.

Sabay kaming pumasok ni Iñigo sa loob. May naka-hain na pagkain doon na para bang ready na siya kung sakaling naka-limutan kong kumain.

"Nagdinner ka na ba?" I asked.

"Hinihintay kita."

I just nodded. It's been a long day for the both of us and I really didn't want to end the day by arguing. Mabilis akong nagbihis at saka sumama sa kanyang kumain. I was already full from the dinner dahil dalawang rice iyong kasama nung pares, but I wanted to eat with Iñigo dahil nasabi niya sa akin noon na malungkot kumaing mag-isa. Since then, I made it to a point to always eat with him whenever I could.

Nang matapos kami ay siya iyong naghugas ng plato. I waited for him to finish. Pilit kong iniiwas iyong tingin ko sa mga papel sa salas.

"Iñigo," I called.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Kitang-kita ko kung paano siya biglang natigilan sa ginagawa niya. He looked at me and there was a look of horror on his face... na para bang sobrang samang balita ng narinig niya.

"What?" he asked, his voice sounded so... scared.

"Sabi ko thank you," I repeated, a bit offended sa reaction niya sa sinabi ko.

"May nagawa ba ako?"

"Nagte-thank you lang ako."

"I know. May nagawa ba ako?" he asked seriously.

I rolled my eyes. "Wala. Gusto ko lang magthank you."

I looked at him, and he still looked... baffled.

"Seeing Jax and Kitty and Yago and Rory," I began. "Thanks for making it easy."

The look of confusion was easily and quickly replaced with a smile. "You're welcome," he said.

Nang matapos siyang maghugas ng plato ay dumiretso na kami sa kwarto. We were sitting side by side on the bed while passively watching whatever was shown on TV. But it was calming with Iñigo's arm wrapped around me.

"Sana babae tapos kamukha mo pero kaugali ko," Iñigo said.

"I agree," I replied.

He laughed, planting a kiss on the side of my head. "Okay lang sa 'kin makuha lahat sa 'yo, pero kahit 'yung ugali lang sana 'yung makuha sa 'kin."

I rolled my eyes. "Oo na."

He laughed again. "Kidding. Unang tinamaan naman talaga ako d'yan sa kasungitan mo," he said. "Kaya ang tagal bago kita naka-usap dahil ang sungit mo talaga, e."

Palagi niyang sinisisi sa akin na ako iyong dahilan kung bakit hindi niya ako nalandi nang maaga. I wanted to remind him that for the better of his first year in law school, may crush siya kay Katherine...

How hard it must be for him.

Sigurado ako na galit sa kanya lahat ng kaibigan nila.

I quickly planted a kiss on his cheek. "I got you," I said.

"What?"

Umiling ako. "Wala. Tara, tulog na tayo."

Iñigo pulled the cover to make sure that I wasn't cold. He wasn't contented, so he wrapped his arms around me, too.

"Shit," he suddenly said after a few seconds of lull.

"What?"

"May naka-limutan akong itanong."

"Ha?"

He reached for his phone on the night stand and began typing a question about until when was it okay to have sex with a pregnant woman.

Napa-awang ang labi ko.

Sex really makes Iñigo's world go round.

* * *

Iñigo and I managed to separate work from our personal lives... We had to. Lalo na nang magkaroon na ng schedule para sa arraignment. The tension was so palpable that it became harder to ignore work when we're together.

Habang busy ako sa pagbabasa ay napa-dako ang tingin ko kay Iñigo. He was busy looking at some photographs. Ilang beses ko na ring nakita iyon, pero hindi ko maiwasan na kabahan habang naka-tingin ako kay Iñigo. Sometimes, he'd see things that I fail to notice... And that's what makes him so damn good at his job.

Pero parang naramdaman niya na naka-tingin ako sa kanya kaya naman napa-tingin siya sa akin.

"May kailangan ka?" he asked.

"Ready ka na sa arraignment?"

He nodded.

Silence filled the air.

"Ready na kayo?" he asked.

"Jax is doing his best."

"You only need doubt," he replied.

I just nodded...

That's also what his previous cases needed...

Just doubt.

Just a speck of doubt for acquittal.

But he still always ended up winning.

Kinakabahan talaga ko, pero kailangan kong magtiwala kay Jax dahil kitang-kita ko kung paano siya nagta-trabaho para maka-laya si Katherine.

We spent a lot of time coaching Katherine on how she'd answer during the arraignment. Kailangan na maging maayos 'to para hindi na kami mahirapan sa mismong trial.

"Please focus," I said because she seemed to be dozing off.

"Sorry," she said with a small smile. Even her smile looked tired. "Alam ko na 'to. Ilang beses niyo nang nasabi ni Jax sa 'kin."

"I know, but it's important kaya inuulit ko."

She smiled. "Salamat."

"Thank me when this is all over," I replied.

I couldn't wait for this to be over, too. I just wanted to focus on being pregnant and on planning my wedding. Iñigo had been hinting on having a church wedding, but I still wasn't sure with that since I was aware that our set-up wasn't exactly ideal.

"Paano naging kayo ni Iñigo?" she asked again.

"Please focus on your arraignment."

"Okay na ako 'ron..." she said. "Alam ko naman kung ano iyong nangyari. Hindi naman ako mahihirapan magrecall dahil iisa lang naman iyong nangyari..."

But she couldn't understand.

Alam ko na kilala niya si Iñigo, but she's never actually seen him work. And he's really good at being a prosecutor. He's so good because he actually enjoys what he's doing.

"Iyon na nga, hindi mo maalala—"

"Please?" she asked, cutting me off. "Pakiramdam ko mababaliw na ako rito... Kailangan ko lang maka-rinig ng ibang bagay..." she continued, smiling at me. "Kwentuhan mo naman ako."

"How about I tell you stories about Jax after you two broke up?"

She smiled sadly while shaking her head.

"Wag na 'yun, Cha... Tapos na kami ni Jax... Ayoko na idamay pa siya sa magulong buhay ko."

We'd never been really friends... but it hurt to see her like this. Gusto ko ring magalit kay Kier dahil sa ginawa niya kay Katherine. Not only did he hurt her physically, but I could see the damage he did beyond the physical.

It's like when he died, he took her spirit with him.

Wala na iyong dating Katherine na kilala ko.

"Well, that's not really your choice," I said.

Jax accepted her case in a heartbeat.

Gave up his beloved job just to represent her in court.

At this point, I was pretty sure he's capable of doing anything just to get an acquittal for Katherine.

"Paano naging kayo ni Iñigo? Matagal na kayo, noh? Bakit hindi ko nabalitaan?"

I looked at her and she looked like she really needed a distraction, so I began to tell her stories about me and Iñigo.

Katherine looked engrossed while she was listening to me. Ilang minuto rin akong nagsasalita nang biglang bumukas iyong pintuan at nakita ko si Jax na nandoon. Agad akong tumayo para magpaalam dahil alam ko na kailangan nila ng privacy.

Paglabas ko ay naka-kita ako ng text galing kay Iñigo asking kung susunduin niya na ako dahil ngayon iyong bagong schedule namin sa OB. I told him to pick me up in an hour. Pumayag na akong magpa-sundo sa kanya para sa peace of mind niya dahil hindi rin naman siya mapakali kapag hindi niya ako nakikita. Gusto ko na lang talagang matapos na iyong kaso na 'to para maka-balik na kami sa normal naming buhay.

After the call, I went back in and talked to Katherine some more para ma-test kung ready na ba siya sa mga posibleng itanong sa kanya sa arraignment. I'd seen Iñigo a few times kaya may idea na ako sa kung paano siya magtanong. It would be really tricky and I really hope that Katherine would pull through.

"I have to go," I said.

"Okay. Ingat ka," Katherine replied.

I smiled at her before going out. Paglabas ko ay agad kong nakita iyong sasakyan ni Iñigo. I got inside and he looked rather grim.

"What's your problem?" I asked.

He looked at me. "Ready na ba kayo bukas?"

"Yeah."

"Okay..."

"Bakit?"

Umiling siya. "Sana matapos na 'to," sagot niya bago magsimulang magdrive.