“WHERE DID you come from, young man? And what brought you to our town?” Kadyo asked Richard. When Esmeralda brought him dinner, her neighbors went with her to see him. It was natural for the people to ask questions, especially that he was a stranger.
The storm was still strong outside. The rainfall got heavier, but they were all safe inside Esmeralda’s home. Jeremy, on the other hand, was talking to his friends inside his room.
“I’m from Manila. My destination was actually the next town from here. I was looking for someone. Unfortunately, the bridge got destroyed, and my car was swept away,” he explained. His voice had a hint of an accent. He sounded sophisticated.
The man had no identification cards and other documents. His phone and cash were inside his car that was swept away by the flood. Aside from that, there was no reception in the area because it was secluded and affected by the typhoon.
“And who are you looking for? Cynthia Lyn asked, who could not seem to take her eyes off him. Esmeralda caught her making cute expressions. “It must be an important person because you risked your life against the typhoon just to find her. It could be your girlfriend or wife.”
Richard chuckled softly, the dimples on his cheeks showing. Esmeralda could not help her irritation with his laughter. What if he already had a wife or a girlfriend? Will he admit it?
“I don’t have a wife or a girlfriend yet,” he said.
It earned a small triumphant smile from Cynthia Lyn. Esmeralda’s forehead creased. He was this handsome, but he did not have a wife or a girlfriend? Or maybe he had too many women in his life.
When Richard turned to her, she looked away in an instant and focused on cleaning his plates. He might think she was interested to know about his life.
“Since you don’t have a wife or a girlfriend, can I apply?” Cynthia Lyn asked that made the men around her laugh.
“You’ll die an old maid, Cynthia Lyn,” Topher teased.
Cynthia Lyn glared at Topher. “You just feel bitter because I turned you down.”
“So, who is it you’re looking for again?” Esmeralda asked, changing the topic.
Richard was silent for a moment. He glanced at her and wondered why a glare flashed his eyes. Then he returned his gaze to the people with a smile. “An old friend. I need to find him. Someone told me I can find him in the next town.”
Kadyo scratched his head. “You’ll have a hard time getting to San Nicholas, young man,” he said, referring to the next town. “The road was muddy and difficult to pass. A landslide must have occurred and blocked the road. You have to wait until the weather improves before you go there. You can wait here until the storm passed and the roads are cleared.”
“If it’s all right with you for me to stay here a little longer,” Richard said.
“It’s all right with us. Stay as long as you want. You can stay forever if you like,” Cynthia Lyn said ecstatically and looked at her. “Right, Esmeralda?”
The question took her by surprise. She nodded and smiled awkwardly. “Of course,” she said at once. “He can stay here while he recovers or until he can reach out to his family.”
Esmeralda was torn inside. A part of her told her that it was best for Richard to stay. She saved him, and he became her responsibility, aside from the fact that her neighbors were helpful. They treated Richard as a guest without knowing him fully.
But another part of her was giving her a warning. Richard Infante could be dangerous. She had no idea who he was. He was a complete stranger. And his presence was a big threat to her sanity. A simple smile and her skin brushing against his affected her in a way she could not explain. She felt feverish. Something deep within her was on fire. When in fact, it was Richard who was sick and not her.
They went on talking until she saw Richard yawned. He must be tired. He was just timid to tell them he was already tired, so he kept listening.
Esmeralda cleared her throat that interrupted their laughter. They all looked confused when they turned to her. “What is it, Esmie?” Cynthia Lyn asked.
“Let’s resume the conversation tomorrow. Let Richard sleep. He needed a lot of rest. He had gone through a lot today,” she said.
They all stood up, and some already yawned. Exhaustion eventually got into them. They enjoyed passing the time. Esmeralda, too. She only felt tired when she saw Richard yawned.
When everyone finally left, Esmeralda fixed Richard’s blanket. She was trying to avoid his gaze as hard as she could, but she could feel the heat of his stares on her. It’s as if his looks brought a warm caress on her skin. She could not understand why she was feeling that way. How could his simple stares and presence affect her?
“Just call me if you still need anything. I’ll be there in the next room,” Esmeralda said in a formal tone. “Have some rest.”
She flinched when he suddenly grabbed her hand. She stared from his hand on hers to his face. Even with his beard, he looked like an aristocrat. His long hair even emphasized his handsome features. “W-what is it?” she said in a whisper as if she was running out of breath.
Her fear came true. She did not want to look at him because it would not be easy for her to take her eyes off his handsome face. With the help of the lamp, she could make out of his face. His coffee eyes glimmered under the light.
“Can you apply oil or ointment on my back and my side?” he asked. “It hurts.”
“S-sure. I’ll just get some oil,” she said and went out of his room. She went to her room to get the bottle of coconut oil with chili that they always use. It was effective for body pain.
Esmeralda almost dropped the bottle of oil when she came back and found Richard without a shirt anymore.