CHAPTER 61: CHALLENGE

LUNA'S

"Happy birthday, Luna!"

I burst out laughing when I saw my brothers carrying a three-tier donut cake. It wasn't a cake decorated with donuts. It was literally three giant donuts on top of each other. It looks adorable, but I think a professional baker would have made a better version. Siguradong sila ang nag-bake. May kagat pa sa gilid eh.

Kinuha ni Kuya Trace ang mic sa host at nagsalita siya, "Siyempre hindi naman pwedeng matapos ang araw na 'to na hindi ka namin nababati. Thirty-five years old ka na. Thirty-five years mo ng pinasakit ang ulo namin."

"Ako ang pinakamabait sa ating lahat." When all my brothers groaned in protest, I turned to look at my husband who was watching us with a smile on his face. Nagpapaawang ngumuso ako. "Mabait ako 'di ba, hubby bear?"

Nag-thumbs up siya na ikinangisi ko at pagkatapos ay nilingon ko ang panlima sa nakatatanda kong kapatid. "See?"

"Bias ka na naman pareng Magnus eh," reklamo ni Kuya Trace.

Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko. "Malamang. Kapag ikaw ang kinampihan niya, ikaw ang ipapasama ko sa kaniya sa dapat ay honeymoon namin."

Umaktong nasusuka si Kuya Trace bago napapailing na naglabas siya ng tatlong kulay pink na kandila mula sa bulsa niya at itinusok iyon sa ibabaw ng donut cake na dala nila.

"So sino sa inyo ang parang gutom na gutom na ata at hindi napigilang kagatin ang cake?" Iginala ko ang paningin ko sa kanila at huminto ang mga mata ko kay Kuya Axel.

He gasped and he looked almost offended. "It's not me!"

He's a foodie kaya hindi na ako magugulat kung siya nga. Mas nakakagulat nga na hindi siya.

Dinutdot ni Kuya Trace ang noo ko. "Bakit kami ang pinagbibintangan mo agad eh ang daming tao rito?"

Nilingon ko ang mga bisita namin. We all managed to fix ourselves after getting wet from the rain, but we are still on our own versions of disheveled.

Ibinalik ko ang mga mata ko kay Kuya Trace. "Kilala ko ang lahi niyo eh."

"Kalahi ka rin namin," balik niya.

"Exactly."

Nagpakawala ng malalim na hininga ang ama namin na nakalapit na pala at pumagitna siya sa amin ni Kuya Trace. Buhat niya ang anak nina Tiara at Kuya Domino na si Kael Mykola. My cutie patootie nephew beamed at me, and I chuckled when I noticed the pink frosting on the side of his lips.

My father's gentle eyes met mine. "Blow your candles and make a wish, Moonbeam."

Naglabas ng lighter si Kuya Domino at sinindihan niya ang mga kandila. I leaned down while thinking of a wish, and I smiled when I thought of one.

"What's your wish?" tanong ni Kuya Trace nang matapos akong hipan ang mga kandila.

"Na sana ay bumait ka na."

Umamba siyang pipitikin ako pero si Kuya Gun naman ang pumigil sa kaniya na humarang din sa pagitan namin. Dalawang tao na tuloy ang nasa gitna namin.

I stuck out my tongue to Kuya Trace and he did the same. Napapailing na lang si Kuya Gun. "There are really things that age alone can't change."

"Ain't that the truth?" Papa ruffled the child that Kuya Gun had in his arms. Gavin Caliber is Lia and Kuya Gun's youngest. "Lalo na ang dalawang 'yan. Lagi na lang mga pinagmumulan ng gulo."

Napasinghap ako. "You said I was angelic, Pa!"

"I said that you're my angel. I didn't say that you were angelic."

Hindi lang ang mga kapatid ko ang napatawa kundi ang mga bisita namin. Nakasimangot na nilingon ko si Magnus na lumawak ang ngiti. "You're the most angelic to me," he mouthed.

I pressed my lips together to hide my smile. Enebe? Ang haba naman ng hair ko.

"May wish kami para sa'yo," sabi ni Kuya Trace pagkaraan.

"Na bumait ako?"

"Among other things." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Ang hiling namin ay makasama ka sa marami mo pang birthday. That is all we want. Another thirty-five years with you and more. Kahit na baka hindi na kami makakanta ng happy birthday no'n kasi nag-uulyanin na kami at hindi na namin kabisado. Kahit na hindi na kami pwedeng kumain ng cake no'n kasi binabantayan na namin ang sugar levels namin. At kahit na ang sarap mong tirisin paminsan-minsan, mas pipiliin pa rin namin iyon kesa sa tahimik na buhay na wala ang bunso namin."

I wasn't the only one who awwed. Mabilis na lumapit ako kay Kuya Trace at mahigpit na niyakap ko siya. May halo nga lang na panggigigil kaya napaaray siya na ikinatawa ko.

"You need to live healthy," Kuya Trace grumbled. "Huwag puro trabaho. Mayaman ka na. Mayaman kami. Hindi masama na magpahinga ka paminsan-minsan."

"Opo."

"You need to take care of yourself more. Kasi kung hindi ay sasama ang loob ng pareng Magnus namin."

I've heard the stories. After that night, when I was almost in front of death's door, it wasn't just Magnus who wanted to break the world in half. While my brothers are all struggling because of my condition, Ember told me that Kuya Trace wasn't really handling it well, especially when I didn't wake up for weeks and I needed to be resuscitated twice while I was in the hospital.

In those weeks, Kuya Trace was like a living zombie. He barely eats, and he barely works. The only things that keep him going are his son and Ember. Pero bukod doon ay lagi lang siyang nasa ospital katulad ni Magnus.

"I love you, Kuya." He inhaled a huge breath. He didn't say anything, but he just squeezed me back. I turned to look at the rest of my brothers. "I love all of you. Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Never," Kuya Thorn murmured.

Inangat ni Kuya Pierce ang mic na binitawan na ni Kuya Trace. "Wala ka bang message sa mga bisita mo bago ka tangayin ng asawa mo at dalin sa kung saan?"

"Kung magsalita ka naman, Kuya, parang ang tagal naming mawawala." Nakangising kinuha ko ang mikropono mula sa kaniya. "Kung pwede lang eh. Para naman masolo ko ang hubby bear."

Again, my family made a sound that was a mixture of complaint and disgust. Ganti ko lang iyan sa mga taon na saksi ako sa mga panghaharot nila sa mga asawa nila. Ako nga, ilang taon ng kasal pero nganga pa rin.

Magnus was adamant about following the tradition. He said that the way everything started between us was out of order, so it's only right that we follow at least one. So for the past three years, he has made sure that none of us will cross the line again. Mr. Control strikes again.

"Hi, everyone! Busog na ba tayong lahat?" I grinned when they all loudly answered yes. Magnus and I opted for a reception that doesn't have a strict program. Except for the cutting of the cake, Magnus' message for our guests, and dancing with the men in the family, we really didn't do anything much. There's a buffet so everyone can eat as much as they want to, music is playing non-stop so everyone can dance anytime they feel like it, and everyone can just have fun and talk. "As most of you know, this isn't the first time that I'm going to this. I had my first reception years ago at karamihan sa inyo ay naroon din ng mga panahon na iyon. Katulad ng sabi ko noon, at twenty-five, I would have married Magnus Aquillan." Nilingon ko si Magnus at kinindatan ko siya. "I fell in love with him at first sight. Para sa iba ay mahirap paniwalaan ang konsepto na 'yon. How can you fall in love with someone you don't even know? But we, Dawson, just know once we see our one. And that time, if there's one thing I'm sure of the most, is that he's the one for me."

That was a decade ago. Ten years. Who would have thought, right? Parang ang bilis ng panahon. Ang daming nangyari. Ang dami naming pinagdaanan. Ang daming posibilidad na mangyari. And those possibilities were all not good. Some of those possibilities are heartbreaking. But yet here we are.

"I wanted to get married at twenty-five. When it didn't happen, I adjusted it to thirty. Nang hindi pa rin nangyari ay sabi ko, "Sige na nga. Thirty-five na lang". But I did get married when I was thirty, shy away from being thirty-one. Only then, it was more of a marriage of convenience. Magnus and I were pretending, even though we both love each other. Mahal namin ang isa't isa pero hindi kami naging malaya na isaboses iyon. So now at thirty-five, we got married again. Not because of anything, but because we wanted to. Because we love each other and we want to spend the rest of our lives together."

We could have gotten married that year that I was fighting for my life. We could have gotten married the next. Pero iba pa rin pala ang magpakasal na payapa ang lahat. Na alam ko sa sarili ko na ito na 'yon. Ito na iyong pagkakataon na para sa amin talaga.

"Our story took a lot of twists and turns, and it wasn't easy to get here. Three years ago, it's not even easy to imagine this day. I wasn't preparing for anything then except for the possibility that I wouldn't be here any longer." Halos lahat noon ay nakahanda na. I even pre-ordered a gravestone in case I would really need it, and I had it placed in the cemetery before anyone even found out about it. Pinaka-ayaw ko ang scouting subject namin noon pero dinaig ko pa pati ang boy scout sa pagiging handa ko. "But we were given a chance, and it's a chance that we're not willing to waste. Before, I needed Magnus' "yes". This time, we waited for heaven's "yes", and we finally got it." Nilingon ko ulit ang asawa ko. He's looking at me in a way that shows his affection and adoration that he only reserves for me. "Okay na ba? Pwede na ba tayong pumunta sa exciting part?"

He grinned. "Pwedeng-pwede na."

I WAS JOLTED from sleep when I felt my body being lifted. Nang makita kong si Magnus lang iyon na kinarga ako mula sa sasakyan ay yumakap ako sa balikat niya at muli ko lang ipinikit ang mga mata ko.

It's something that I'm already used to. He likes doing it, and I like that he's doing it, so why would I complain? Lalo pa ngayon na pakiramdam ko ay sumali ako sa triathlon dahil sa sobrang pagod ko.

Dati ay wala na lang sa akin ang paglipad-lipat sa kung saang bansa. But I haven't really been travelling these past three years, so I guess it wasn't surprising that I was knocked out from the thirteen-hour flight.

It's your honeymoon, girl. You've been waiting for this for years.

It was as if, from the twenty-five-year-old me up to now, have suddenly gathered their strength and put them together. Napadilat ako ng mga mata at kung hindi lang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa akin ni Magnus ay baka nabitawan niya ako nang bigla na lang akong kumilos.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worry tinting his town.

"I can't sleep."

Kunot ang noo na ibinaba niya ako sa sofa. No'n lang ako nabigyan ng pagkakataon na igala ang paningin ko sa paligid. The house we're in looks huge, and from the wide floor-to-ceiling window, I could also see that the property itself is massive. Wait... are we—"

"What do you mean you can't sleep? You've been asleep the whole flight, and you were also asleep during the drive from the airport to here."

"Where is exactly here? Nasaan tayo?"

"Los Angeles." Since I already know that one, I just blinked at him, waiting for him to be specific. "In Bel-Air. Why?"

"Are we in the mountains?"

"No." Napansin niyang napatingin ako sa labas. "We're at the foothills of Santa Monica. There's a lot of terrain here, and we're in the middle of one."

"Meron namang wifi siguro rito ano?" I've been to Bel-Air but in a more busy neighborhood. Dito kasi sa kinaroroonan namin ay parang wala kaming kapitbahay.

"Meron."

"Okay—"

"Pero wala akong balak sabihin sa'yo ang password unless it's weekends."

Laglag ang pangang napatulala ako sa kaniya na ikinangiti niya. Lumapit siya sa akin at sumunod na sandali ay natagpuan ko na lang ang sarili ko na buhat niya ulit.

"Ang laki ng bahay na 'to pero walang second floor. Are you sure about carrying me if you're that concern for your poor grumpy gramp knees—"

Hindi ko natapos ang pang-aasar ko sa kaniya nang basta na lang niya akong binitawan sa kama. The soft bed surrounded me like a cloud as my laugh echoed in the room.

Hindi ako kumilos sa pagkakahiga. It's comfortable and the bed is huge. "Why are you being the password police?"

I watch him cover me with his huge body, his hands on each side of my body so that he wouldn't put any weight on me. "It's our honeymoon, and I don't want to share you with anyone. We waited long enough for this."

Ikinawit ko ang braso ko sa balikat niya. "So two weeks tayong magkukulong lang dito?"

"More on, a month." Nang manlaki ang mga mata ko ay yumuko siya at kinintalan ako ng halik sa labi. "Maven and Quetzal would be fine." As if he couldn't help himself, he crouched low again and kissed me. "Go to sleep."

"What?"

"You're tired. You couldn't even open your eyes moments ago. Rest, then tomorrow we can resume our honeymoon." He brushed the tip of his nose with mine. "I'm going to take a shower."

Naiwan akong nakatulala lang sa kisame nang gawin niya nga ang sinabi niya. It was then that I noticed that our room has a circular skylight window. The stars weren't as visible here, but the moon is shining brightly.

I'm in a beautiful home, surrounded by a beautiful view, and the most beautiful man I have ever seen is here with me. A man that I've been married to for years, and yet I haven't really seen him fully naked. Okay, I'm exaggerating. It's more that I haven't reaped the benefits of seeing him fully naked yet again after that night three years ago.

I suddenly sat up. "Hindi pwede 'to. Hindi makatarungan ito."

Tumayo ako at nakatingkayad na naglakad ako palapit sa bathroom ng kuwarto na kinaroroonan namin. I could hear the shower running. Maingat na pinihit ko ang door knob at dahan-dahan kong itinulak iyon.

I swallowed my gasp when I saw Magnus inside the shower stall. Despite the glass starting to mist over, I could clearly see what he was doing.

He has one hand on the wall, and the other one is doing something that instantly ignited a fire inside me.

Bago pa ako mawalan ng lakas ng loob ay humakbang ako papasok ng banyo. With trembling hands, I started unbuttoning the dress that I'm wearing. At the same time that Magnus took notice of my presence, my dress fell to the floor, leaving me wearing nothing but my undergarments.

Meeting his eyes, I unclasped my bra, and it joined my discarded dress. "You better leave some of that energy for me, hubby bear, or I will be disappointed."

A small sound of surprise escaped my lips when, in the next second, I found myself being pulled inside the shower stall. The water immediately soaked my skin, but the cold shock from it didn't last long when Magnus pulled closer to him and claimed my lips.

He was hungrily devouring me, but I didn't mind, and instead, I answered his kiss with the same heated passion. He hauls me up, and I feel the cold glass touch my back. Ipinalibot ko ang mga binti ko sa beywang niya habang patuloy naming pinagsasaluhan ang halik na wala sa amin ang balak putulin.

It feels like inferno blazing, disastrous waves crashing, and the earth quaking at the same time. It's at that level of magnitude.

Naramdaman kong kumilos siya at sa isang iglap ay hindi ko na nararamdaman ang pagbagsak ng tubig sa amin. It wasn't long before I felt the softness of the bed around me again.

"Mags, it will get wet—"

I gasped when he tore the only clothing left that I'm still wearing into two pieces, as if it were just a piece of paper. My hands clasp on the sheet around me when his thumb presses on the hardened nub between my legs.

His eyes flashed with need. "It's not the only thing that will get wet."

Umalpas ang ungol mula sa mga labi ko nang sa isang iglap ay bumaba ang ulo niya sa pagitan ng mga binti ko. My hands automatically reached for him. One is holding on to his head, pulling him closer, and the other is on his shoulder, gripping him tight.

He let me inch closer and closer to the edge, but whenever I feel like I'm going to fall, he'll stop and move to kiss the sides of my legs. It was insane, it was too much... it was perfect.

By the time that he let me pull him up so that he could tower over my body, I was buzzing in so much need that it seemed like I was close to exploding.

Pinaglandas ko ang kamay ko sa matigas niyang dibdib at pinagapang ko iyon pababa. I was expecting him to stop my exploring hands, but when I was almost at the V of his stomach, I halted my hand's movement and looked up at him.

There was a challenge in his eyes, and I didn't disappoint. Without looking away, I moved my hand and reached for his hard rod. I tried to wrap my fingers around it, but it was impossible.

"What do you need, LA?" he whispered.

"You." A rumble echoed from his chest when I gripped him tighter. "I need to feel you... please."

Yumuko siya at naramdaman ko ang mainit niyang hininga sa tapat ng tenga ko. "Then bring me to you, wife. Bring it to where it belongs."

Napakagat ako sa ibabang labi ko nang maintindihan ko ang ibig niyang sabihin. I arch my body a little as I tug on him. I felt my legs quiver when the mushroom head of his cock touched my sensitive center.

"Mags..."

"Here?" He brushed his hot length on my aching clit. My lips parted, and I cried out his name a little. "More?"

"Y-Yes."

He eased a little, and I saw his jaw clenched. He was trying to take it slow, wanting to be gentle, but none of us wanted to be slow. None of us can handle slow.

Iginalaw ko ang ibabang bahagi ng katawan ko pataas kasabay ng bahagyang pagbaba niya. I whimpered at the same time that I heard him curse under his breath when a lot of him entered me.

"Luna," he groaned.

"Please... please... I need you. It's not going to hurt. I need it."

I could see that his control was starting to slip. I took advantage of it, and I caressed a path on my skin until I found my breasts, which were also aching for him. I palmed my own breast, my eyes unfocused from the consuming desire, but I didn't let go of his stare as I writhed underneath him.

"You're going to be the end of me," he murmured. "And I'll gladly welcome it if it means it's you that I felt the last."

He moved his hips and thrust in a little. Again and again until I could feel him stretching me. With one last push, he was fully nestled inside me. I felt a hint of pain. It's been too long. But it was drowned out by the overwhelming pleasure surrounding me at the feeling of him completely sheathed in me.

Nanatiling hindi gumagalaw si Magnus. He let me get accustomed to his size, and he waited for me patiently, even though I could see that it wasn't easy for him. So, not to prolong his agony, I held on to his shoulder, and I started rotating my hips.

He took it as a cue, and he moved back and forth, slowly... so painfully slowly. When I clung to him, desperate for more, his movements started to quicken. It wasn't long before I was thrashing on the bed as he pistoned his length in and out of me again and again.

When I felt a delicious pressure starting to build, it engulfed me with its intensity. I knifed from lying down, and he growled as he wrapped his arms around my waist, taking all my weight as he pulled me up and down his cock.

Never in my life have I wanted someone as much as I want Magnus. Never in my life have I wanted to share this with anyone. But with him, it feels right. He said the words to me before, and he was right. Just like I am to him, he also feels like mine. Perfectly made for me.

Humiga sa kama si Magnus habang nakahawak pa rin sa akin. The veins on his arms are visible as he tirelessly keeps our motion going. I gyrated on top of him, a trail of sparks spreading all over me like wildfire.

My long hair fell around me, sticking to my wet skin. Magnus' gaze became more heated, and with the moon peeking above us, showering our naked bodies with light, he took my hand and put it above his heart, where I could feel the thundering of his heart.

This was more than just the bodies dancing in a tune that only they could hear, it's also about the hearts speaking words that only they could understand. Knowing that and feeling how much this means to him as it does to me, I come apart in his arms... shattering to pieces, even though I never felt more whole in my life.

Magnus filled me with warmth, and I felt fuller moments ago, this was more. It urged another burning eruption inside me, and he grunted in response.

The air was sizzling still when I lost strength and fell on top of him. Pumalibot ang braso niya sa akin pero hindi siya kumilos para ialis ako sa ibabaw niya o siya ang umalis sa ilalim ko. We stayed connected, feeling his release trickling down from my sensitive flesh.

It could have pushed me to clean up or do anything, but I didn't want to, and clearly Magnus also didn't. Nang iangat niya ang baba ko para salubungin ang tingin niya ay hindi ko kailangan marinig ang salita niya para maintindihan ang iniisip niya. He finds it as erotic as I do. Parang hindi talaga kami aalis sa kuwarto na 'to.

"Worth it," he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"You're worth the wait."

May ngiti sa mga labi na inilapat ko ang kamay ko sa pisngi niya. "So are you, Mags. You're worth the wait too."

"We're not going out of this room," he said, mirroring my thoughts.

Nanunudyong tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Kaya mo pa ba?" As if hearing the challenge, a part of him that I just got acquainted with again after a long time, twitched back to life. "Already?"

"I also like a challenge, LA, and this one I will particularly enjoy."

________________________________End of Chapter 61.