Jan 25, 2011

When the Fireworks Begin (Chapter II)

Chapter II.

Devon went inside the bathroom and opened the first aid kit  cabinet.  She took a couple of cotton balls and the Betadine bottle.  She also took a few pieces of Band-aid.  She left the bathroom and walked towards the master bedroom of their two-bedroom apartment.

This was all James and Devon could afford right now, a two-bedroom apartment in the heart of Cebu City.  Devon is currently a professor in the city’s premiere university, while James works for an advertising company.  James has just started his career in this advertising company after severing ties with his family-owned company, where he was a senior executive. 

The apartment was big enough for the starting couple.  The furniture are modern in design and makes the house appear spacious.  Most of their kitchen appliances were given to them as wedding gifts. It has been a month after their wedding and their apartment has become homelier.

Devon opened the bedroom door and sat at the end of the bed.  It was already six in the evening, James was just on his way home.  Devon looked nervously on the bedroom door, wishing that she has enough time before James would see her wounds.

Devon has numerous scratches and deep cuts on her elbows and knees.  She had an accident in the university earlier.  She was talking to a student, asking her about their project.  They were walking slowly down an inclined platform.  Suddenly, she felt that she could no longer raise her leg for that next step.  For a briefest moment, she felt no control. She fell down the inclined platform, knees first. She managed to raise her elbow to break her fall. But there were nasty cuts and scratches, after all, she fell on hard concrete.

Devon was busy cleaning the wounds with alcohol, flinching when the cotton balls touched her wound. She was unaware that James was already inside the house.

“Baby,” James called out and went inside the bedroom. He saw Devon sitting on the edge of the bed with the first aid kit near her. James squinted and saw that she was dabbing some cotton on her knees.

“What happened,” James said in a panicked voice. He approached her and looked at the bruises.  “Did…”

Devon cut him off in the middle of his sentence. “It was an accident.”

“Are you sure,” James asked worriedly and took the cotton out of her hands.  He sat beside her and lifted her leg, putting it on his lap. He started to apply Betadine on the scratches.  “Cause, if this is foul play…”

“It’s not,” Devon defended.  Sometimes, James becomes too protective, always thinking that somebody was out there, hating her, and wishing her dead.  Well, that is partially true, Devon mused.  “I just fell, while talking to a student.”

James patted her knees and put them down. He took her elbows and started to clean them, too. “You are such a klutz.  You are falling down too much.”

“No, I am not,” Devon reacted.

James looked at her and shook his head. “How about last week when you almost fell while getting off the jeep?”

“My legs were dead from sitting for a long time,” Devon answered.

“What about the time when I found you sitting on the floor,” James countered again.

“I was wiping the floor and I slipped,” Devon answered back, giving James the other elbow to treat.

“Okay, how about two weeks before the wedding, when we were walking in the mall and then you suddenly flopped down on the nearest chair, without any warning,” James asked.

“I was tired,” Devon answered again.

“Honestly, baby,” James said as he put a Band-aid on a deep cut on her elbow.  “You have been falling too much, I was really worried you would not be able to walk down the aisle without tripping yourself.”

Devon laughed. “It’s because, everytime I think of you, I fall.”

James could not help but smile with his wife’s comment. “You are trying to distract me.”

“Of course not,” Devon answered back. Trying her best not to laugh, but an annoyed James looks so cute. She could not help herself and pinch his nose.

“Ah,” James reacted. “So is that how it is supposed to be?”

“You nag like a woman  sometimes,” Devon teased.

James started to tickle to wrestle her on the bed.  Devon tries to get up, but James hooked her legs and she fell square on the bed again.  James started to tickle her and Devon could not stop laughing.   A couple of minutes, later Devon was screaming in laughter because James would not stop tickling her.

Devon pulled her hand and slapped James hard on the shoulder.  James gasped. 

“You hit like a man,” James teased her and started to tickle her again

A few minutes later, the wounds and scratches were forgotten. The two of them were caught in a wild embrace and passionate kisses.

****

It was Saturday morning, Devon and James were quietly sipping their coffee and reading the morning paper.  James glanced at Devon who was quietly answering the Sudoku challenge on the paper.  He smiled, he loves this quiet mornings with her.  Nothing has to be said. Silence is nothing to be afraid of.

James heard his cellphone ringing inside the bedroom and grudgingly stood up to get it.  He was surprised to see his friend Aleli calling.

“Hey,” James answered the call.

“Good morning, honey,” Aleli greeted.  Aleli has been calling him honey even though they had already broken up.

Aleli and James were together as a couple in college. They went to the same school since high school, hung out with the same group of people and their parents are friends and business pals. When James’s father ran for public office, Aleli’s father supported him. At that time, it was practical and logical for him and Aleli to get together.

However, almost two years into the relationship, James decided that Aleli was not the girl for him.  Aleli said she felt the same way.  They ended their relationship in the dismay of their parents.  James’s father would often raise it in conversations and would urge him to get back together with Aleli, even when he was already with Devon.

But they did not stop being friends. And she did not stop calling him “honey.” James did not mind her calling him that. Devon did not mind either.

“Good morning, Aleli,” James greeted. Devon raised her head when she heard the name.

She does not mind James hanging out with Aleli, they have been friends for such a long time. But she is no saint. She would still feel pangs of jealousy whenever they talk or see each other.  Devon knew that James and Aleli used to be together.  She knows that James’s parents, especially his father, are expecting the two of them to get together. 

Get a hold of yourself Devon, she pacified herself. It’s just a phone call.

“I don’t care,” James stated steely.  Devon heard anger from James’s voice. 

James paused a while and listened.

“Your father is sick, James,” Aleli said on the phone. “Didn’t you hear me?”

“I heard you fine,” James answered. “I don’t care.”

Aleli paused. She continued, “He was brought to the hospital last night. You have to…”

James interrupted Aleli. “I am not going to.”

“Just one visit,” Aleli insisted.

“No,” James said hard. “Thank you for calling, anyway.” He ended the call abruptly.

Devon looked at James, he looked so strung out.

“Did something happen?” Devon asked.

James did not say anything. Devon did not force him to talk.  He would eventually say what it is on his mind.  That is one thing that James liked about Devon, she waited until he was ready to answer or share anything, which he always do.  Devon returned to her Sudoku.

“Dad’s in the hospital,” James started a couple of minutes later while looking at his cup of coffee.

“Well, what hospital?” Devon asked.

“I don’t know,” James answered looking distantly.

“Why didn’t you ask Aleli? Call her, ask her where, so we could visit him,” Devon started.

James looked at Devon, bewildered.  “We are not visiting him.”

“Why?” Devon asked. “If he’s seriously ill, then you need to see him.  He needs to see you.”

James smirked. “He does not need me. He told me that, loud and clear.”

“But people change, James,” Devon reasoned out.

James looked at Devon bewildered.  “After what he has done to you? To us? You  still like to see him?”

Devon shook her head. “It’s not about me.  It’s about you. He is still your father.”

“But he does not think of me as his son anymore,” James said sarcastically.

Devon felt something hit her in the chest. She felt guilt. “I did not want this to happen between you and your father, James. I did not want this to happen. I know I caused all this trouble, so  please let bygones be bygones.”

“Don’t feel guilty, baby,” James softly told Devon. “It’s not your fault. With or without you, it is bound to happen anyway.”

James walked towards Devon and kissed her on the forehead, before he went for the door.

“I am just going to walk this off,” James said and went outside.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks for the update!!

they sound so perfect together that i'm nervous..

i might be in for a bigger heartbreak... hala
pero sige lang hahahaha


kinakabahan ako jan kay Devon ah...
i have a feeling the falls weren't trivial
can't wait for the next chapter.

-tang

yuki04 said...

DON'T READ THIS IS SPOILER! BAKA MAY LUMABAS DIYAN SA COMPUTER NYO.. HEHEHE

I have a feelng that devon is magiging lumpo? base sa mga hint.. Then she left James because she feels pabgat?base sa prologue.. And james can't accept it.. waaah ayoko nun its heartbreaking wag naman sana.. mercy


DarkAngel_4 aka yuki04 sa PEX..

Jexy said...

next chapter na po please :)

Anonymous said...

kaylan po next cahpter?

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