My Sunflower World

Note: Hope everyone in PH is okay after ‘Glenda’ and have power na! Sorry for the delayed post. Got busy, hindi masyadong nakapag-fan ghel!:-)

Chapter 11
Chapters unfolding

Maya woke up early. This is it. This is the weekend she and Richard are going home to San Nicolas! Finally, she will be home after two years. She can’t wait to see fer family. She is packed and ready to go. She also made breakfast and coffee for Richard. While she putting the finishing touches to the table setting, the doorbell rang. Maya opened the door to Richard, who looked so handsome in light blue shirt. He kissed her on the cheek and handed her a huge bouquet of sunflowers, her favorite.

“Hi Ricky, thank you for this.” Maya greeted back as she looked at the beautiful floral arrangement. “You’re just in time. Katatapos ko lang magluto ng breakfast. Coffee?”

“Yes please, tamang-tama. I badly need a cup. Hindi na ako nakapag-coffee sa house before I left for Dangwa.” Richard said. “Better go there early so I can pick the best sunflowers for you.”

Maya led Richard to the dining room where she had prepared bacon, mushroom and cheese omelette, with freshly baked bread she got from the bakery downstairs, fresh fruits, an assortment of jams, and cold cuts.

“Wow, ang dami naman nito. Looks delicious. I love omelette and you remembered me telling you one time the way I want it. Thank you for this, sweetheart. And of course, hindi ko talaga palalampasin ang masarap mong kape na sobra kong na-miss!” Richard pulled Maya’s chair before sitting down.

Maya is stil getting used to Richard calling her ‘sweetheart’. Every time she hears it from Richard, there is a warm, thrilled feeling in her heart. He started calling her that the following morning after they became boyfriend and girlfriend. She, on the other hand, teased him that she does not have a term of endearment for him. He complained good-naturedly. She likes calling him Atty Lim, Ricky and, of course, sweetheart is fine.

They have been inseparable since the day after they became ‘official’. Richard drove her to her new office to accomplish the paperworks, then they had a romantic dinner afterwards in one of the ‘best kept secret’ restaurants in Manila. Yesterday naman, they spent the day in the mall, reliving their arcade moment, capped by a movie. Maya wanted to see a romantic film and Richard humored her. Afterwards, Richard teased her for being such a cry baby, when he heard her sniffled at a very touching part of the film.

Maya and Richard chatted like an old married couple while enjoying their breakfast. Richard thought that he wants this, everyday of his life. Maya, on the other hand, marvelled how at ease she and Richard are with each other, considering that their relationship is just several days old.

“Thank you for the wonderful breakfast, Maya. I’m stuffed! ” Richard said after he cleaned his plate. “I will take care of the dishes.”

“Sus, marunong ka bang maghugas, baka makabasag ka ulit. Di ba sabi mo, ilang plates na ang nababasag mo kapag off ng cleaning lady mo.” Maya teased Richard.

“Hmmmp, Ms. Dela Rosa, wala ka bang tiwala sa boyfriend mo. Kaya ko ito.” Richard retorted. “Maya, since you cooked breakfast, let me do it, please.

In the end, Maya won. She did the dishes while Richard helped her cleaned the table and put away everything. Since they still have time, they went to the living room, sat on the sofa and continued their coffee moment.

“Nasaan nga pala si Emman?” Richard asked while sipping his second cup of coffee.

“Naku, he went to visit his mom. Naglalambing kay Emman, nagpapasama sa kanya si Tita Maggie sa Ayala Museum. May bago kasing exhibit doon that she is very much interested in.” Maya explained.

“Did Emman mention to you na several months after you left, I bumped into him in a bar and we ended up drinking together? Oh well, I ended up drinking a lot and Emman just listened to me pouring my heart out!” Richard remembered that night so well. He was just very lonely that evening, missing Maya a lot and he wanted to forget for a while that she was not by his side.

“No, wala siyang nabanggit, pero noong na-realized niya na hindi ko alam na hindi ka married, he told me na ikaw na raw ang bahalang magsabi sa akin! That marami akong hindi alam since I left the country.” Emman’s cryptic statement on the way home from the airport made sense to Maya now. “Busy rin kasi siya the past two days kaya hindi pa kami masyadong nakakapagkwentuhan.”

“He is a good listener, and you have a very good friend in him, Maya.” Richard said. He knew that Emman is like a brother, or a sister, to Maya as he preferred it to be! Maya told him before that she and Emman have been friends since they met while doing their internship in a travel magazine, then ended working together after graduation.

“Pinalakas niya ang loob ko, comforted me, and told me that the kind of love you have for me, hindi nawawala! He also told me, knowing you, for sure when you return, you still love me raw. Inihatid pa nga niya ako kasi I was in no condition to drive.”

“Ricky, if you hadn’t suprised me with that save the date wedding invite, I was finally going to tell you how I feel about you after that trip to Camiguin. Emman encouraged me to do so, kasi nga raw para hindi na ako wonder ng wonder if you feel the same. He told me to be brave and that knowing is better than living in a limbo.” Maya remembered that day so well, but without even a tinge of the intense pain that she felt at that time. “Well, I did tell you in the end, di ba! Iyon nga lang, iba ang naging outcome for both of us!”

Ricky upon hearing this felt so overwhelmed again, and really grafetul for Maya’s love for him that endured the two years they have been apart.

“Maya, sweetheart, I promise, I really will make it up to you. I will love and cherish you always!” Richard held Maya’s face as he looked deeply into her expressive eyes. And in the early morning quiet of Emman’s apartment Richard kissed Maya gently to seal his promise anew. Maya responded and this ignited something in Richard, he deepened the kiss. Maya matched his passion by opening her lips to accept more from him, and before the two of them realized, they were kissing with all the emotions they were feeling. Now, there was no Emman to stop them. Breaths mixing, hands caressing each other, they translated their feelings to the physical level. Things got so heated that Richard almost lost total control. He just realized it in time, before things got realy out hand. Richard thought, he should know better since between the two of them, he was the experienced one. Richard fought his body’s heated response to Maya’s caress and innocent response to his kisses and touch. And Maya is so unaware of the power she has over him by her mere touch! Both of them were very flushed when they broke apart. They smiled lovingly at each other. Richard gently touched Maya’s lips one more time before hugging her tight and gently caressing her back.

“Sweetheart, are you okay? Sorry, I got carried away.” Richard gave Maya an apologetic smile while gently cupping Maya’s chin, and banking his passion for her.

“Ricky, ano ka ba, dalawa naman tayo doon,” Maya said with a blush. She is still not used to getting kissed senselessly, and much more. But she can’t helped but respond to Richard kisses and touch and forgot everything around her. She likes the physical expression of their love too. She maybe innocent, but with Richard, she is not afraid to go where he leads her. She trust Richard with all of her. “Tara na nga baka ma-late pa tayo sa flight natin.”

They left the condo hand and hand for their flight to San Nicolas. Both excited on two different levels. Maya is looking forward to seeing her mom, sister and grandmother and introducing Richard to them as her boyfriend, while Richard is looking forward to taking their relationship to the next level and Maya’s hometown, with her family there, is the perfect place and time for it.