SASHA ROSARIO'S POINT OF VIEW
"Hey, wife. Wake up."
Huh? What did he say? What's happening? Am I dying? Wife? When did I get a husband? I don't even have a boyfriend, let alone a spouse. Why is there a man in our house? Only Lola lives with me here. Did I imagine hearing voices before now? What's going on?
"Sasha!"
I snap fully awake when someone shouts my name and shakes my shoulders. My eyes are wide as saucers while whoever it is keeps jostling me.
My vision is blurry and the light makes me squint until I finally make out the face of the person holding me.
"Oh Lord! Are you sending an angel to fetch me? And he's handsome too?" I say in wonder when his striking features come into focus.
He grimaces at my words then laughs softly before laying my body carefully back on the mat.
My attention stays on him. I'm unsteady as if drunk, barely able to point at him with my finger.
"You! Where are you taking me? Heaven or hell?" I ask with narrowed eyes.
He takes my pointing arm and wipes it with a warm wet towel.
"Hmm? Don't you remember? I already brought you to heaven. That's why you're still floating up there." He smirks and I pout.
"I died for a little while? Is that how it is?" I say sarcastically while watching him wipe my bare skin.
"Maybe?" He laughs briefly. "I killed you with pleasure."
I giggle, thinking he's joking. I close my eyes because they feel raw and scratchy. My body is equally sore—as if ten people had beaten me senseless.
Good God, what happened to me?
"You!" I point again with my eyes closed. "Did you beat me up?" I ask.
I hear him laugh as he wipes my stomach, moving lower to where my body is most sensitive.
I shriek in surprise. "Pervert!" I yell while kicking my legs like an angry child.
"Calm down." He stops speaking and seems to think for a moment. "Do you really remember nothing? What if we do it all again until everything comes back to you? Hmm?"
Something clicks in my mind. I sit bolt upright and stare at him with wide eyes. All color drains from my face and I know I must look pale as paper.
"Really! I can't take a joke!" I shout, stunned and disbelieving.
This man is something else! I was only kidding but he seems to mean every word.
He roars with laughter and shakes his head while gently pushing me back down to lie flat. One eyebrow is raised as he looks down at me.
"See? That's why you shouldn't tease me, Sasha. I can make good on every word I say." He grins and I swallow hard.
"Ha?!" I gasp. "Didn't you already do what you said?" I point outside. "The rain's gone! I just woke up and we just finished. I thought I was going to die. When I opened my eyes a moment ago I swear I saw heaven itself."
This man is incredible. What does he think we did? Like he said, he didn't stop until the rain ended. Thank God it stopped when I woke—but like before, he wasn't finished even then. I don't know how many times I passed out and came to, but the pleasure was so intense I couldn't bring myself to stop him.
And now he's threatening to do what he already did?
My brow is deeply furrowed and my lower lip juts out as I lie watching him.
His eyebrow rises higher and one corner of his mouth turns up.
"What do you mean? That's not what I meant, wife." He keeps wiping between my legs and I flinch at the touch.
"I thought it would last three to five days—but I was wrong. The storm just blew through fast because there's no rain now." He turns back to me and smiles. "You're lucky though." He leans down and kisses my forehead. "Thank you for your hard work."
I laugh in disbelief. I feel like I might lose my mind after hearing Angelo say that.
Three to five days? Ha! This man would actually kill me—beast! Absolute beast!
"Beast..." I whisper weakly before closing my eyes again.
Why does this situation feel familiar somehow?
I'm so tired I fall asleep again while he cleans my body. I don't care what happens now because I trust Angelo not to hurt me.
"Bff, you know we're perfect for each other as best friends right?"
I nearly choke on my coffee while walking. I'm with Andeng now, strolling along the shore while Angelo teaches Junior how to steer a boat.
"Why'd you say that Andeng? Of course we're perfect as best friends."
We laugh together and look at each other. We stop walking then examine one another from head to toe.
"Why are you walking like that?"
"What happened to you?" We ask at the same time.
Our faces flush pink and we fall silent. Then we can't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.
"You're crazy Sasha! Why do you waddle like a penguin too?!" She asks through laughter while holding her side.
"Idiot! Do you even need to ask?! We both walk like penguins now—what do you think the answer is?" I laugh and shoot back sarcastically.
We stop laughing and stare at each other for a moment. Our eyes widen before we sit down together in the sand.
Our brains must be working in sync because we both pull each other's ears to whisper.
"Ouch hey?" She complains but I just raise an eyebrow at her.
"So? Did you and Angelo have a whole night concert too?" Andeng asks me, wiggling her eyebrows.
My face burns because I'm not used to talking about things like this—let alone having them apply to me. Before now I was always complaining about the noise this couple made. Who would have thought I'd be doing and feeling the same things?
"What do you think? Do you think I'd walk like this if we didn't?"
She howls with laughter and slaps my shoulder repeatedly.
"Look at you laughing! As if you walk straight normally!" I tease her and she calms down a little.
"Good thing you survived the all-nighter?" She whispers.
I whisper back. "Survived?! I must have passed out more than ten times. I thought I'd met Saint Peter himself the last time I woke up."
"Wow! I was like that once too." My eyebrows shoot up at her words.
"But now—oh don't answer that. Because I already know the answer." How could I not? Their voices used to be my alarm clock back when Angelo wasn't around yet! Good God, I heard every single thing they did.
"Huh? Why not—" I press my finger to her lips to stop her from talking.
"Don't bother, I already know Andeng." And she acts like I don't know or haven't heard everything she and Junior used to get up to.
"Fine fine—I was going to give you tips but never mind then."
I laugh and change the subject. We talk about many things, most of them focusing on my current situation with Angelo. Andeng and I discuss what might be the best thing to do now. But like all our previous conversations, we don't find any clear answers.
So we just enjoy the strong fresh breeze and watch the two men who look like they're having the time of their lives driving the boat and doing all sorts of things not far from shore.
My eyes keep drifting to Angelo. I can see the smile on his face and he truly looks happy.
But why does it feel that way? Why do I catch glimpses of sadness in his eyes? I must be imagining things right? My vision is probably blurry—and besides, they're pretty far away. Right?
Right?
Evening comes and rain starts pouring hard again without warning. We hurry to our respective homes.
I'm getting dressed while Angelo cooks outside. I don't know why but he insists on doing all the cooking himself.
Thank God for the relief goods people brought us—we have enough food stocked to get through this rainy season.
I wait a few minutes before Angelo comes inside carrying a pan with our dinner.
I can't take my eyes off his abs—they press tight against his shirt. His muscles look warm and firm like fresh bread rolls. He's lucky he found an echo bag full of clothes too. He looks almost fancy now while I look like a rag and his assistant.
I sigh deeply. Angelo must notice because he stops preparing our meal on the floor.
"You want to do it again later?" He asks playfully and I nearly choke on my own spit.
I stare at him in disbelief and glare. "Oh no, leave me alone Angelo! Do you plan to kill me for real?"
He laughs then bends down to kiss my lips. "I'm just joking. We'll just sleep later. I want to cuddle with you."
I narrow my eyes at him. His words are hard to believe.
He laughs and holds his hands up like he's surrendering to police.
"Hey, I promise. Just cuddle."
One eyebrow rises. "Just cuddle?" I repeat.
He smiles. "Yeah, just cuddle."
I nod and believe him. But as they say—"girl's instinct is always right."
Because it wasn't just cuddling—Angelo kept me up all night again!