If anyone could be blinded by beauty, Bruce almost got done in that night. She was wearing a fuschia number which made her skin even more temptingly fair, and her dark and shiny auburn hair seem like a lovespell. All Bruce could do was grin. It couldn't be helped. He was like a child who has seen the contents of an unwrapped Christmas gift. It was one of those moments that if his life was a musical, he would've burst out in song.
"Selena" said Bruce, trying not to be caught dumbstruck, but Selena must've thought it was too late for that act. She gave her tote bag to him and said "Ang bigat nito, grabe."
"Ano ba ang laman nito?" asked Bruce, still staring.
"Kung ano-ano...my things. I'm hungry na, ikaw?" answered Selena. Selena's voice has a calming effect on Bruce, as he suddenly felt like they just saw each other that morning though they haven't for months.
And everytime Bruce sees her, she never fails to make him fall all over again.
As the couple started walking towards the restaurant situated a few buildings west of hers, the sky trickled. The couple found themselves under a commuter shade. The ones in Ayala are nice, if you just ignore the tacky poster ads. Bruce had no umbrella of course, as he thought himself as a self-respecting macho. Selena had small yellow one, the kind that High School girls carry, the one that would barely fit one person underneath.
"Sa bag." Selena was pointing to the Parisian tote bag Bruce slung on his right shoulder.
"Ang alin?" Without waiting for the answer, Bruce realized what she was asking for. Bruce opened the yellow umbrella and mockingly admired its polka-dotted design. They both smiled and continued walking. The small space beneath the yellow umbrella gave Bruce the oportunity to put his arms around her shoulder while they traverse the pathway towards their destination. Selena didn't seem to mind. Bruce could almost guess that she's enjoying it at least as much as he was.
They decided on Japanese. Bruce liked the salmon sashimi, and Selena ate a tofu steak and some tempura. They shared more than a few laughs during dinner and anyone who would see them that night would think that they are a nice young hardworking couple having dinner after work. In some ways, they really are. After dinner, the sky cleared up. As the couple stepped outside the building, Selena looked up the sky and said: "Look Bruce, the moon is so bright...aww!" Selena broke one of her heels. She was wearing these strappy little stilletos. Shiny gold ones.
Bruce immediately kneeled to check if Selena had a sprain or a bruise. She didn't. But her right shoe was history.
"Favorite ko pa naman 'yan." Selena's voice was that of a sweetheart. Bruce gently and lovingly massaged her feet in alongside the sidewalk in one of the busiest streets in the Metro, but he didn't care. It did not matter to him that he was a named partner of one of the better Law Firms in the city. No, scratch that, the country. Bruce did not care if a Supreme Court Judge could see him doing such a silly thing in public. He glanced one time at her face and saw her smiling. That alone paid for the price of admission.
"May slippers ako sa bag." A woman's bag has more gizmos and trinkets than Batman's utitlity belt--Bruce thought as he was scrummaging for the pair. He put them on her like she was Cinderella. He even offered to carry her like a bride until they reach his car. It was a joke but if Selena answered yes, Bruce might just have done it. When they got inside the motor vehicle, Selena said "Thank you Bruce, no one has ever done that to me."
"Done what?" Bruce was genuinely puzzled.
"Basta. Thank you for treating me like, uhm, a lady." Then she kissed him. He kissed back. You know how it goes. One thing leads to another.
"You know I love you." said Bruce, when he was finally driving her home. Selena remained quiet, holding his shifter hand. She changed the topic. She wanted to talk about the meaning of happiness. About cheesy TV commercials. About why she likes this certain actress, etc., but generally, she wanted to talk about things that makes them both laugh. Times like these, Selena was most happy. But Bruce kept a shadow of uncertainty at the back of his thoughts, though he tries to erase it by playing along. Maybe she'll tire of the game she's playing, he thought. For now, there was no reason to spoil everything.
The moon shined bright. Stars abound the heaven's on such a night. Bruce wished every night could be like this night. He was driving home his dream girl, his earth angel, in his favorite car, after a lovely evening in the city. Little did he know that tragedy was about to strike.
/end of part 2
Part 0-Prelude to a Dream
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