DS8Uncovered #LuMa #BearCouple #DaggerSeries

CHAPTER 30: LIST

LUNA'S POV

I carefully shut the office door before I hit the answer button. I didn't want to wake Magnus up. Alam kong katutulog niya lang dahil pagkatapos naming mag-dinner ay nagtrabaho pa siya ng ilang oras.

Even though he's not saying it, I know he's trying to do as much work as he can dahil dalawang araw na lang ay dadating na ang nanay at stepfather niya. Demanding pa naman sa oras ang mga 'yon.

"I told you to call me early. Is this early?" I hissed.

"It is. Very early, in fact."

Umupo ako sa office chair ko at malakas na napabuntong-hininga ako nang makita ko na mag-a-alas dos ng ng madaling-araw.

"What do you need?"

If there's one thing that I like about Finnegan "Pen" Carpio, it's his no-nonsense attitude. One thing dahil iyon lang talaga ang nag-iisang bagay na gusto ko sa kaniya. Okay, maybe two. The second being his skills.

Pen is one of the most hard-core investigative journalists I have ever known. For him, everything is just a story. His ways could sometimes be unorthodox and sometimes borderline illegal, but that's just the way he is. He doesn't care about sentimentality. Matagal ka man niyang kilala o kaibigan ka niya, if you have a story worth telling, he'll get it.

I glanced at the door before I spoke. "I need you to find someone for me."

"Your family owns an investigative company."

Nang hindi ako sumagot ay natahimik din ang kabilag-linya. I have no doubt that his mind is already whirring.

Dagger is one of the best. I know they're already utilizing every connection they have, including Belaya's family, who own the top agency in the country. But the fact that there's no movement when it comes to the case of my missing father means that he's either really dead or someone is really good at hiding him.

Alam ko ang kakayahan ng Dagger. Combining that with the help of others, the possibility of failing is lower. But Pen is good as well. Good in the sense that I've been trying to recruit him to work for Dagger for years because I know that they can use his skills well. Pero ayaw ni Pen na nalilimitahan. He's not a stickler for rules.

"Whatever you can provide, it will help my family," I murmured.

"What's in it for me?"

I couldn't help but smile at that. I know he's not asking for money. He's probably rich enough now that he wouldn't need to work if he didn't want to. "A story."

"Of your sisters-in-law?"

He's always been interested in them, but I never let him get too close to them. The wives have already gone through so much. Pen might only relay the truth with his writings, but his truth could hurt and may appear unfeeling. Kaya ang binibigay ko lang sa kaniya tungkol sa kanila ay ang mga impormasyon na willing ang mga sister-in-law ko na ibigay.

"No. The story of the Dawson children and their parents. Specifically, the parent who should have been dead for years turns out to have the possibility of being alive."

I heard his whistle from the other line. "Interesting. But I need more to sweeten the pot."

"I know you would say that, you greedy monster." Tumawa siya sa kabilang-linya na ikinailing ko. "I will have another story for you that you will like."

"Who will it be about?"

"Me."

Silence stretched on the other line for a few moments. Kung hindi ko siya kilala at ang sarili ko ay iisipin ko ng nawalan siya ng interes at pinutol na niya ang tawag. But I do know him, and I also know myself very well.

The world has been eyeing me for quite awhile now. Aside from the fact that my family is brimming with stories just waiting to be told, what with the tragic story of the Dawson children, the family business, and my famous sisters-in-law, they are intrigued by my own story. Malalaking pangalan ang mga nakabangga ko noon sa industriya. There's a lot of people who hate my guts, but there's also a lot that commends me. Me, the Dawson princess, who didn't follow his parents nor his siblings footsteps, and instead chose a completely different life.

"Are you getting an annulment?"

"Am I that boring?" I asked, instead of answering his question. "It will be big, Pen, and you'll be the one to share my story. I need you to trust me in the way I trusted you with all the information I gave you in the past."

"Will it be about the reason why you have bodyguards now more than the ones that keep on tailing you before from time to time?"

I don't remember seeing him anywhere, but I'm not surprised that he knows. Hindi na rin ako nagulat na alam niyang may nakasunod sa akin paminsan-minsan noon. Dagger loves to throw their trainees at me when they can't find anything for them to do. Which is why I put my foot down about it, and it only happens now when I'm in a situation where I will be surrounded by a lot of people. Well, before I got myself a stalker, at least.

"You can have that too, but that's not what I'm talking about."

We have a give-and-take relationship. Alam iyon ng Dagger. Every information I provide Dagger, they will provide Pen a story. Of course, those stories have the approval of Dagger's clients.

"I'll send you everything that you will need to know."

"Fine."

"Pen, anything that you find, even just a feeling about something, I need you to inform me."

"I know," he grumbled. "I'll call you if I have something."

Pagkasabi niyon ay hindi man lang inintay ang sagot ko na pinutol na niya ang tawag. I put the phone down, and leaned my back on the chair before I closed my eyes.

I know the reason why my brothers are barely speaking about our father. They don't want me to hope too much the way they also don't want to do the same.

Papa was investigating the Obsidian Legion. It's one of the biggest crime groups that existed before. This country isn't the only one that has players in the legion. In fact, almost every country participates in it. They offer something they consider their "specialty". The local Obsidian here is most known for human trafficking, among other things.

Dagger was one of the few that wanted it gone. They wanted the country clean from Obsidian. The problem is that the local legion feels threatened, it wouldn't be long before the international legion does too. When it happens, people just suddenly disappear. Katulad kung paano nawala si Papa.

Idalion is another crime group. One that might have a little loose morality, but doesn't stand with the Obsidian Legion. They wanted them gone too. During Tiara's case, where she found out the involvement of the previous president and also her father, she met the leader of Idalion and he gave her the pictures that contain proof that Papa might be alive.

The thing is, he could have been alive when we thought he was dead, but that's not a complete assurance that he's still alive now.

But I want to hope. It's the only thing I'm hoping for. I'm pouring all the hope I have left for it than the thought of me living more years.

"I need you to be alive, Pa," I whispered to the wind. "They need you here. You need to hold them together... when I can't anymore."

I could still remember that day as if it had just happened yesterday. I was left standing in the middle of the cemetery because I couldn't walk away. I just continued looking at my mother's name, knowing that she's just underneath the dirt not too long ago.

I remember my brothers trying to convince me to leave, but none of them could. I just continued to stand there until it started raining. And yet, not even that could make me move.

"Luna, baby. Your brothers... they are bigger than you. They are stronger than you. But you know what? No matter how tall they seem, or how strong you think they are, they can still fall apart. Your mother kept us all together. She loves us so much that it's so easy for her to do that." Umangat ang kamay niya at marahang hinaplos niya ang ulo ko. "You look so much like her, but you know what you have that she also had?"

"I don't know, Papa," I found myself whispering.

"Your heart that loves this family the way she did," he answered softly. "When you came into our lives, your Mama wasn't alone doing that anymore. The moment you opened your eyes and looked at your brothers crowding around you, the moment you reached over them with your little hands, and when you smiled your beautiful smile at them... your Mama wasn't alone anymore in keeping us together."

It was a responsibility that I needed to take, not because I was forced to. It was something I needed. It was something that kept me close to her over the years.

But right now, we need our father. I need him here. I need him to come back. I need him because I don't have much time.

Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko at humugot ako ng malalim na hininga. Thinking about him will just keep me awake all night.

Binuksan ko ang unang drawer ng office desk ko. My intention was to get my letter-writing paper, but I got distracted by the small white ceramic box beside it. Bahagyang nakapaling ang takip no'n kaya nasilip ko ang nasa loob.

With a small smile on my lips, I took the cover. I brush the small, folded notes inside, remembering the times that I got them.

There's nothing sweet about them. Most of them were just Magnus' handwriting telling me to eat or that he'd be back or something. But I kept them all. Because even though I couldn't hope for more, his notes reminded me of the ones my father gave my mother from time to time before. I would watch how her face lit up with happiness, as if they hadn't seen each other for a long time. It always felt like a special moment.

Sinarado ko ang lalagyanan at inilabas ko ang orihinal na pakay ko. I pulled a piece of paper from the bundle. I scribbled something on it but stopped, just like I always do. Whenever I try to do this, this always happens.

"Luna?"

Napatingin ako sa pintuan at nakita kong nakabukas na iyon at nakatayo roon si Magnus. Bumakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha niya nang siguro ay makita nya ang ekspresyon na nakabalatay sa akin.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Y-Yes. Of course." Umayos ako ng upo. "Why are you awake?"

"Why are you still awake?"

Nagkibit-balikat ako. "I wanted to write something."

He glanced at my computer before his gaze dropped on the paper I had in front of me. "What are you writing?"

"Letters." Napangiti ako. "Well, to be precise, just one letter since I seem to have lost the ability to finish one."

"Para kanino?"

"Hmm... my brothers and sisters-in-law for starters."

I thought he would just leave it at that. But of course, knowing him, I should have known he wouldn't.

Naglakad siya papasok sa loob ng opisina at lumapit siya sa kinaroroonan ko. Instead of stopping in front of me, he went around the table so he could get to me closer. He eyed the paper I was writing on, seeing the name of my eldest brother, Thorn, scribbled on it.

"Stop doing that."

I looked away. He knew what it was for. "Why? I wanted to do this the way my mother did."

"That's exactly the point. If you want to do that, you shouldn't be writing for your brothers or the wives. You should be writing it for your children."

I let out a sigh. "Mags, be real here."

"I am being real." Kinuha niya ang papel at inabot niya ang bundle ng papel na ipinatong ko sa isang tabi at kumuha siya ng panibago roon. "You want to write letters. Write for your future children."

"Mags..."

"If you can't, then write something else."

"What then? A bucket list because I'm going to di—"

"Luna."

"What?" Ipinaling ko ang upuan para mapaharap ako sa kaniya. "Has anyone told you that you're so bossy?"

"Not straight to my face. You're the only one who has the guts to do it since you're a little tornado that has been put into my life." Nilukutan ko siya ng ilong at marahang tinapik niya iyon dahilan para lalong malukot ang mukha ko. "A LuMa list."

"An old list?"

"No. A LuMa list. Luna and Magnus list. Things we really wanted to do but we haven't given the chance to do."

Mahinang napatawa ako. "Alam mo, sobrang attach ka sa supposed to be ay love team name natin 'no?"

He just gave me a look before tapping the paper. "Write it down."

"Alright, alright." I wrote down "LuMa List" on top of the paper. Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya at tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "So?"

"What are things you haven't done yet?"

"I'm not sure... are we supposed to put down extreme sports or something?"

"We don't have to. The purpose is to write things we really want to do," he answered.

Nangalumbaba ako habang nag-iisip. Dati ang dami kong gustong gawin sa buhay ko. Isa sa mga iyon ay ang magkaroon ng sariling kompanya. When I achieved that, I didn't look at it and say, 'Okay, I'm done here'.

I'm the kind of person who always looks forward to a lot of things. But then my life shifted, and it took all my focus, not giving me a chance to look anywhere else.

Ano pa nga ba ang ibang gusto ko noon?

"Luna?"

I looked up at Magnus, and it was like an instant recollection. Because the answer is right here, standing in front of me. Out of all the dreams, the wishes, and the hopes, he was the most important one that I wanted to reach.

He's also the one thing I can't put on the list.

"I'm really not sure. Volunteer at an animal sanctuary?"

"You want to adopt a pet?"

"No." I could see with the way he's looking at me that he could hear the lie. "Well, I do, but I can't. It will get attached to me, and I don't want to put it in unnecessary confusion when he suddenly can't see me anymore."

The way he's staring at me tells me that he has a lot of things he wants to say. He chose not to say them, and instead he took the pen from me and scribbled something on the paper.

1. We are not going to mention anything about death for a year.

Napapailing na kinuha ko sa kaniya ang ballpen. I crossed out "year" and replaced it with "week". Though I'm sure I have more than a week, and maybe a year as well, but I don't want to commit on that long of a time lalo na at hindi naman madaling hindi pag-usapan ang bagay na iyon sa sitwasyon ko.

"Write the thing about volunteering," he urged.

I did as he asked.

2. Volunteer at an animal sanctuary and help the babies to find their forever home.

"What else?" he asked.

Make you fall in love with and get married to you. "Try on a wedding dress."

Kinuha niya ang ballpen sa akin at isinulat niya iyon. He didn't let go of the pen, rather, he just looked at me as if waiting for me to say another one.

"This is hard," I admitted.

"Ano pa ba ang hindi mo nasusubukang gawin? Something you think you'll regret if you don't try it?"

"Drugs?" The way he froze almost looked comical. "I'm kidding. Lighten up, hubby bear."

His eyes narrowed into a slit. "You were born to give me gray hair, weren't you?"

"Nope. That comes naturally with your age, gramps." He swiped my nose with his knuckle, which just made me laugh. "What else? Be serious."

I rest my chin on my hand. "Something I will regret that I haven't tried..."

My voice trailed off when he leaned his hips on the table to wait for my answer. Kumuha siya ng notebook at pinatong niya roon ang papel na hawak niya.

His sweats and shirt clung to his body effortlessly, showing a subtle hint of his body's powerful lines. Napalunok ako nang mapadako ang mga mata ko sa lugar na hindi ko dapat tignan.

If there's one thing that I will regret in this life, it's not having the chance to have...

"Luna?"

I found myself blurting out the word that I couldn't take back anymore. "Sex."

__________________________End of Chapter 30.