Chapter 3

“Martin, I already told you, we have nothing to talk about. Hindi pa ba sapat ang nasaksihan ko! I hope this would be the last time you will call. Please lang, kung may natitira ka pang respeto sa akin, leave me in peace!” Pippa calmly said.

Martin knew then that Pippa is at her most angriest. She had been like that since he had known her, the angrier she is, the more soft spoken she becomes, as if it is her way of controlling her emotions.

“But, Pippa, Honey, please listen to me. Sabi ko naman sa iyo, wala lang iyon, di ba?” Martin said, trying to convince his girlfriend of six months. “Siya naman kasi ang lapit ng lapit.”

“Wala lang iyon Martin! Sa akin, hindi.” Pippa said, trying to hold on to her temper. “There’s nothing we can say to each other that would change the situation, what I saw with my two eyes! Let us part civilly, Martin. Alalahanin na lang natin whatever it was na maganda sa relationship natin.”

“Pippa, I love you!” Martin insisted. He does love her very much in his very own way. Yes, he had strayed, but he justified it in his mind, insisting that it was nothing serious. It is still Pippa he loves.

“You should have thought of that when you went to bed with someone else.” Pippa said. “Good bye, Martin!” Then she pressed the off button of her phone. She is not expecting any calls or text anyway. Luckily, she had finished her current project and her team is just about to plan the next one.

Like a scene from the movies she had seen, and in the romance books she sometimes read, she literally had caught Martin with someone else in his condo the night before. He was with the model who starred with him in his latest commercial for a beer company. They have not seen each other much the past month as she was busy. To make it up to him, she wanted to treat him to dinner the night before, finding herself with some free time, finally as they have finished editing the episode for their last week of airing. When he was not answering her phone, she decided to go to his place since it is in the same condominium complex where she lives.  She knew he was home as he texted her earlier saying that he will just stay at home because she is not free to go out with him.

Pippa pressed the bell at the door of the unit. No one replied. It was then she noticed that the door to Martin’s unit was ajar. Fearing the worst, even if it is a secure condominium, she pushed it gently. It was then that she noticed the scattered clothes all over the living room. She felt nervous, dreading what she would discover, though she knew already. When she neared the bedroom, she heard sounds coming through it. She stepped backwards in surprise and crashed into Martin’s stationary bike. She howled in pain. In the process, she accidentally kicked his mountain bike which crashed loudly to the floor. It seems it was enough for the occupants of the room to stop what they were obviously doing. Martin opened the door with just his boxers on. He was followed by Cassandra Ledesma, wearing his discarded shirt.

“Pippa…..” Martin, blurted out, so surprise to see her. “It is not what you think.” He said, trying to placate her.

“I don’t think we have anything to talk about. I already told you that there is one thing I can’t tolerate in a relationship, you being unfaithful to me!” Pippa said, looking Martin in the eyes. She refused to look at Cassandra. It takes two to do this and not just one person. For now, her concern is Martin and what he had just done to her and their relationship.

“But this is nothing! This is just a fling! She had been coming on to me since we did the commercial.” Martin insisted.

Pippa was about to say something to Martin when Cassandra beat her to it. “So wala lang din ito sa iyo! After I made you happy, more than what your girlfriend can do, as you told me earlier. What was the term you used, that she is a cold fish!” She said insultingly. “Wala namang pilitang nangyari kanina matapos nating magkita sa bar. In fact, we ended up in your place and had so much fun inside.”

“Cassie, stop.” Martin shouted. “You know that you have been sending me all these signals. What can a guy do!”

Pippa looked at the two of them. She decided then that she had given her love to the wrong person. The way she and Martin started, she thought, it was for keeps as he pursued her relentlessly until she had said yes. At that time, she felt flattered by the attention he showered her, his attentiveness, him making her the center of his world. Now, she is wondering if Martin just felt challenged so he pursued her, and when in the end he was not able to get what he wanted, at the time he wanted it, he got bored.

“I guess you two have something to sort out. I’m out of it, out of this place and out of your life, Martin! Good bye! I hope in the future, you will find a person you will truly love at hindi mo pagtataksilan!” Then Pippa walked  out of the apartment, still holding her tears at bay, her head held high.

She ran back to the elevator and hoped that it would come soon. She can hear Martin calling her, telling her to wait up for him. Luckily, the elevator opened. She ran back to her condominium unit, which is a building away from Martin’s as they found that they live in the same condomiinium complex the day he invited her to dinner. Only then that she gave way to tears!

Pippa, with tears blinding her, went inside her unit, hastily packed her bags and took a taxi to Cubao where she can take a bus going to Batangas Port. She ignored the calls Martin was making. She shut down her phone and dropped it into the bottom of her bag.

“Pippa, are you alright?” Ethan called from the sliding door that leads to the veranda, jolting her back to the present and away from the painful memories of a love affair gone bad and betrayal from a person she trusted very much with her heart. The light from the kitchen illuminated his tall frame and from what she could see, he is quite concern. “You were in there so long, so I thought I would check on you.”

“I’m okay, Ethan. I just need to collect my bearings. I’m okay. I should be okay. It’s not worth it to be not okay!” Pippa said. “Sorry if I’m not making sense. Thank you for the concern, but I’m handling this.” Pippa was tempted to tell him, but stopped herself as she is not yet prepared to share what happened with anyone, even with her Mom. She just want to be here where all her happy memories were and where she feels comforted.

“It is okay, Pippa. And if you need to unburden yourself, sorry I can’t help but overhearing a bit of your phone call, just before you went out, I’m just here to listen. Sometimes, it helps.” Ethan offered, though saying that, he feels like a fraud as he was also unable to do that after what happened to Claudia.

“Thanks, Ethan!” Pippa said, grateful for the offer. But she also feels that Ethan has his own demons to fight. Ayaw na niyang dagdagan pa. “Since maaga pa and I doubt if I could sleep after the long nap I took, I think I will just walk down the next beach and help my cousin Belinda at the bar.”

“Oh, but it is dark already!” Ethan protested, thinking of the dark, probably deserted road Pippa will take to go there.

“I’ll be okay. I grew up here, remember. People knows me.” Pippa insisted.

“But do the drunk and unruly tourists you might encounter know you too? I have seen a bit of them here since I came. Come, I will walk you there. And I insist, no arguments please.” He stressed, smiling at Pippa winningly. “Come on, let me play Sir Galahad since ayaw mo ng tulong ko sa ibang bagay.”

Pippa smiled, and Ethan was happy to see her doing so, unlike the forlorn sight he saw when she was sitting alone in the dark earlier. He saw her expression before she can masked it, when he opened the door and the light from inside spilt i to where she was sitting.

“O sige na nga!” Pippa smiled.

They got a flashlight each, then walked towards the road, off to the next beach. The gate of the house by beach just led only to the beach as there was a hill separating the two places, which was a good thing as it make the Montenegro beach a bit private, so they can’t go through that direction.

Ethan held Pippa’s hand while there were walking so as to be sure that she does not trip and fall. The road could be tricky at night, base on his experience. Pippa, at first startled when he did so. Ethan, then explained about the road. She nodded and allowed him to continue holdng her hand. It has a nice feeling to it. She felt safe and cared for. They walked in companionable silence.

Several minutes later, they entered the brightly-lit bar made of native materials. It was fronting the beach, and behind it are the cottages the Montenegros are renting out to tourists. Pippa’s mother insisted on retaining the cottages made of native materials even if other places beside theirs opted to ‘modernize’ and built concrete structures, which she had said were ugly. Marianne Montenegro said, yes maintaining the native huts are more costly but they look so much better and it is in keeping with the atmosphere of the beach place.

Pippa’s cousin Belinda was busy serving quite a number of customers when they arrived. When she looked up, she noticed Pippa and her friend Ethan, walking towards her.

“Pippa! I didn’t know that you are home! Kailan pa dumating?” Belinda greeted her cousin as she gave a Caucasian guy the beer he just ordered. “Nandiyan ka rin pala, Superman!” She added with a big smile, teasing Ethan.

“Hi Belle! Kumusta, parang ang daming customer this evening! Kanina lang ako dumating.” Pippa said. “And why are you calling Ethan, Superman?”

“Pippa, don’t mind your cousin. Belle has been teasing me since I arrived.” Ethan said with a smile. “Belle, stop that na, please.” He good-naturedly pleaded.

“Hahahaha, why should I. Kasi, Pippa, di ba kamukha niya si Henry Cavill, kaya Superman ang tawag ko sa kanya.”

“Belle!…..” Ethan suddenly felt embarrassed and self-conscious with Pippa looking at him intently as if she is checking if there is really a resemblance between him and the English actor.

“Oh, hindi naman Belle. Kamukha niya kaya si Matthew Goode!” Pippa said, teasing Ethan, seeing him getting uncomfortable, she stopped. “Sorry, Ethan! Belle tama na nga, cousin.”

Seeing the humor also, and seeing that it made Pippa smiled and animated, he joined the teasing. “O sige na nga, kamukha ko silang dalawa. Gusto niyo ng autograph. Kayo talagang magpinsan.”

“Sure!” Pippa said.

The three of them laughed. Then another customer called Belle’s attention.

“Pippa, what would you like to drink, my treat! It’s the least I could do after you cooked me dinner.” Ethan asked. “We can sit at the log table by the beach. It just got vacant.”

“Oh!” Pippa looked at the direction Ethan indicated and then looked at Belle. The spot does look inviting. Maybe, she should just forget all her troubles and have fun for once that evening.

“Go Pippa, I don’t need help.” Belle said, seeing her cousin indecisive. “I can manage. Nandito naman sila Andy and Melissa.” pointing to their two employees. “Saka feeling ko, paunti na ang mga customer. Kanina mas marami. You know how it is kapag long weekend, maraming nagpupunta dito. Nasabayan pa ng peak season ng foreign tourists. Go lang, cousin, I can manage talaga.” Belinda also sensed that Pippa might be going through something. Tita Marianne has not mentioned at all that Pippa is coming home. It is not also her usual time to be home too. So, baka kailangan talagang mag-unwind ng pinsan niya.

“Okay, I will have a Tanduay Ice please.” Pippa said. “Thank you Ethan!”

“Just go and save our space. I will take care of the drinks.” Ethan said.

Pippa did as he told. She sat on the bench facing the beach. While she can’t see anymore beyond the water lapping the shore as it was very dark already, she still find the place soothing and beautiful. She feels her body relaxing, and her spirits slowly lifting up.

“Thanks Belle.” Ethan said as Belle handed him a San Mig Light and a Tanduay Ice.

“No worries, Ethan. Take care of my cousin. You, two seemed to have hit if off right away, ha!” She remarked. “If not for the fact that I know you just met her today, I would say that you’ve known each other long.”

“Well, Pippa is nice. She cooked pa nga dinner for the two of us when she saw me eating a peanut butter sandwich.” Ethan simply said. He does not want to analyze this feeling of wanting to be in Pippa’s company despite the fact that he was still reeling from the aftermath of his relationship with Claudia and the unresolved issues in his life.

Belle let it be. She has a feeling that Ethan and her cousin would be good for each other. She hopes Tristan and her will be like that to! But for so long, it is only Pippa that Tristan sees.

“Here you go!” Ethan handed Pippa her drink.

“Thank you Ethan.” Pippa said. “Nice to be out here, di ba? Nakaka-relax at nakakatanggal ng worries.” She remarked.

“Yes, that’s why stayed and no plans of moving yet.” Ethan said, then before Pippa can ask for more details, he said, “Cheers!”

“Cheers, Ethan!” Pippa said smiling. Maybe, they should just enjoy each other company and the evening, enough of all her questions. Maybe, one day, he will trusts her with his secrets, in the same manner that she will, maybe, find herself confiding in him. For a while, she got tempted earlier, but it was just for a split second.

Ethan and Pippa gazed at each other, smiled, then both reach for their drinks, and started enjoying the evening with each other, setting aside all their worries and the unresolved issues in their personal lives.