His Punishment (13 page)

***

James’ Point of View

The night Tara left me at
Christian’s house, I was flabbergasted. I went down after ten minutes, thinking
that she just needed a breather. Well, I was definitely wrong.

I got down and checked the pool, the
living room, the porch and the kitchen. I did not see any sign of Tara. Not
even Lyn or Christian. I immediately dialed Tara’s phone and it was off. I
tried Christian’s phone but it just kept ringing.

Flashback

“James? Were you calling
Christian?” Howard approached me handing me the phone obviously left by
Christian.

“Yeah. Where are they?” I asked
referring to Tara, Lyn and Christian.

“I heard Tara talking to them
asking them to drop her off at Bellevere.” Howard said.

“Bellevere?” I asked puzzled.

“I don’t know. That’s what I
heard.”

There was nothing left for me to
do but wait for them to get back.

After what seemed like a century
to me, they were back. Lyn and Christian. Lyn was not talking to me. Christian
just told me that they dropped Tara off at Bellevere to meet the chopper at the
helipad. But they didn’t know where she was going. Even Lyn.

Then, of all the moments, Rhea
called me.

“James, we have to talk.”

“Not now Rhea.” I know I sounded
mad and I was puzzled she didn’t quit.

“This is important.”

“Let’s just talk tomorrow.” I
told her before hanging up.

“Lyn, please help me. I have to
find Tara.” I pleaded.

At first she didn’t want to
talk. But after a few moments of my pleadings, she gave in.

“OK, she went to Boracay Plaza.”

“Thank you Lyn! Thank you!” I
hugged her in delight. I have to go see Tara the soonest I could. We have a lot
to talk about. I figured she didn’t believe me when I said I loved her, so I’m
determined to prove to her that I really do.

I booked a flight to Boracay for
the following day right that instant. I didn’t care that the airfare was priced
3x the normal rate. I had to see her.

The following day, I still kept
calling Tara, but her phone was still off. I didn’t feel giddy about it anymore
because in a few hours time, I will be with her.

I was getting ready to leave for
the airport when Rhea stopped me in my tracks.

“What are you doing here?” I
asked her still hurrying to the car.

“I told you we have to talk,”
she said.

“I know. But can’t that wait?” I
asked her eyeing her suspiciously. I feel she is deliberately trying to hold me
from my departure. Does she know I’m going to Tara?

“It can’t James. It is very
important.” She tried to grab my arm to stop me from my brisk walking.

I turned to look at her and she
seemed uptight.

“OK, tell me in the car.” I
urged her to ride. I thought she should just talk to me on the way to the
airport and the driver could drop her back after I’m dropped off.

“No.”

“What?” I asked getting
agitated. I am two and a half hours away from my flight. Our house is about
thirty minutes from the airport. I know I still have a couple minutes to spare,
but I was excited to go.

“I want to talk to you in
private.”

“OK!” I just consented as
arguing may take more time. I lead her to the porch at the side of the house. I
sat at the bench near our pool.

“Shoot! What is it?” I asked
again after I glanced at my wrist watch.

“I don’t know how to say this .
. .” she looked down and then I looked at my watch again as I purposely make
her feel that I want to be out of here as soon as I can.

“I’m pregnant.” She blurted.

“That’s not mine.” I told her.
Obviously. The last time we slept together was around two and a half months
ago.

“I am three months pregnant
James,” she explained further.

I was stunned but I still
hesitate to believe a thing she is saying.

“I had my doctor’s appointment
yesterday and he confirmed it.”

“How sure am I that you didn’t
have sex with someone else when we’re together?” I asked angrily.

 I felt her palm in my right
cheek. It was painful. I’ve never been slapped in the face this forcefully.

“You may all call me a slut, but
I never slept with anyone when we were together! You knew that well. I was very
loyal to you James! I loved you! So bad it hurts! I turned away from my old
slutty life because of you!”

I was still shocked and I didn’t
know what to say.

“What’s your plan?” I finally
asked.

“What do you mean what’s my
plan? Are you trying to tell me you want to get rid of my baby?” she sounded
hurt.

“No. I’m asking you, what’s your
plan?”

“You know what will happen if my
father knew about this right?” she threatened.

I kept still. I looked at my
watch. There is no way I could go to the airport to catch my flight. This
conversation will take longer than I could imagine.

Her dad is in the military. I
would be easy to dispatch him from the face of the earth if he wanted to. I
don’t know what trouble I have put myself into this time. I looked at her and
she was already smiling. I know what’s in her head now. She feels that she won.
But I won’t give in that easily.

“OK. So what do you want?” I
asked her, knowing what she would answer.

“Marry me.” I twitched at the
sound of her voice. I knew that’s what she would say, but I was prepared for
it.

“I will, after we find out that
the kid is really mine. We will have DNA testing after you give birth.” That’s
the secure way of knowing the truth.

“And, if you tell your father
that I don’t want to marry you, I would tell him the reason why I am waiting
for paternity tests. So don’t go threaten me to marry you a.s.a.p.” I
threatened her back.

Flashback ends

Now here I am with Tara. This could
have been since last Sunday if Rhea hadn’t barged in with her awful news. Yes,
I still find it terrible. I still have to wait for six more months to know if I
am really the father. I am not confident to claim its mine. Nor am I optimistic
about it.

“James.” Christian called to me as
we were ready to come ashore. The whole ferry ride, I couldn’t look at Tara and
the guy beside her. I don’t even know how to approach her. I don’t know how to
tell her. There’s a lot for me to talk to her about, I know. But I just don’t
know how to start, maybe because I don’t want it to end.

I am not yet ready to let go of
her. But I don’t want her to raise hopes up. What if I really am the father of
Rhea’s child? I don’t want Tara to be hurt like that. It would be better if I
stay away a bit. But not until we’re done talking. I still have to make her
understand that I really do love her. I am still determined to make her feel
that.

Then my eyes narrowed on the tall
figure of the man guiding her down the boat. That Miguel! Who does he think he
is?! He can’t dare touch even the tip of my Tara’s hands.

I can’t just look. I stood up and
rushed to Tara and swept her off her feet. I carried her bridal style to the
shore to make sure her feet won’t get wet.

I looked down in her face as I laid
her feet in the sand. She really has this mesmerizing effect on me. Her eyes
are still full of expressions. I know it says she missed me. And those inviting
red lips. I want to smash my lips on it at the moment. But I have to keep my
head on level. We talk first.

“Thank you.” I heard her say when
she’s standing on her own.

I can’t help it any longer. Her
voice sent shivers all over my body. God I missed her so much. I hugged her
tight and kissed her on the neck. I am no saint and it was so hard to be in
control around her.

“I missed you Tara.”

***

Tara can’t explain her emotions.
She was happy that James was here with her at Boracay. But she feels that James
is a bit drawing back from her. Yes he had been sweet to her and caring and she
feels the jealousy he’s having towards Miguel, but it’s not as she expected.
She expected more.
Didn’t he admit he loved me? How come he’s not as
possessive as he was?

It was the day after they arrived.
They had planned to go diving today. She was so excited. She put on her white
and black striped strapless two-piece and eyed herself in the mirror. She knew
she looked real appealing and sizzling in that pair. She was eager to see
James’ reaction once he sees her.

She applied sunblock and some
waterproof sheer make up and she was completely pleased at how she looked.

She started to head down to the
lobby as they all agreed to meet at eight in the morning.

When she emerged in the lobby, only
Lyn and Christian were there. She looked around to see if James is somewhere
but he is not in sight.

“Hon! He’s outside making a phone
call.” Lyn knew what she was wandering around for.

“Oh.” She blushed a bit when she
gave away her emotions too much.

“You look stunning Tara!” Christian
faked wiping his forehead.

“Hey! I’m here!” Lyn joked at her
boyfriend faking her jealousy. She is not a jealous person. Most especially
with Tara. And she absolutely knows that her best friend only has her heart
beating for James.

“You’re going to dive?” Tara turned
to see Miguel approaching them.

“Yeah,” she answered.

“Wow!” it was all Miguel said after
he saw her front view.

Tara blushed again, “Would you like
to join us?” she asked her friend.

“Is that okay?” Miguel asked.

“Yeah, why not? The more the
merrier.” Lyn encouraged and Christian nudged her elbow.

“Are you sure?” Miguel asked again.

“Yes. Of course.” Tara answered.

“Go up.” She heard James’ voice
directed to her.

“What?” she looked at him.

“Put something on top of that.” he
ordered.

“But . . .” she tried to protest.

“Here hon, I have my sarong, go put
this on.” Lyn offered to end the argument.

Tara took it and draped it over her
shoulder but still exposing some parts of her skin.

She saw James stare at her. It was
hard to decipher what that look was, but she saw that his eyes were blazing.
She smiled at him and he smiled backed finally. He took her hand to walk beside
him and enveloped her waist from the side with his arm. It’s as if claiming
that she is his. Tara felt happy.

“Let’s go.” He said and started
walking to the boat that will take them to the dive spot.

They had fun playing under the sea.
Though their protective gears and oxygen tanks were a bit heavy at first, they
all got accustomed to it and went feeding the fish.

Good thing Tara brought her
waterproof camera to take pictures. They were all enjoying and posing for the
camera.

James was always hugging her and
carrying her even in the water. They swam in the depths of the ocean holding
each other’s hands most of the time. Tara was having the time of her life.

They have not talked about what
happened the night she stormed out. But she was determined to clear it out
tonight.

After an hour, they are done diving
and back in the resort. They decided to have lunch at the divans in the sand.
James requested they be seated separately.

“Tara, I really missed you.”

“Me too, James. I’m sorry for
storming out on you last time. I know it was wrong, I should have talked to you
seriously about it.”

James was not looking at Tara. He
was just viewing the beach from their spot. He was so nervous he didn’t know
how to start talking.

“I was just confused. I mean, from
what has happened with us since the start. I can’t believe that you will come
to love me.” She kept talking.

James looked at her when he heard
her acknowledge that he loved her.

“Do you believe me now?” he asked
her seriously.

Tara did not respond directly but
instead kept talking.

“When you started stalking me . .
.” she was cut mid-sentence when she was interrupted by him.

“Hey, I was not stalking you!” he
defended himself.

“Oh really? Following me to the
mall, flooding my inbox with your messages, sticking by my side like glue,
parking in my space at school . . . OK, you’re not stalking.” she smiled
sweetly.

“Fine! But it wasn’t as bad as you
did!” he teased her.

“Not as bad but as annoying!” she
laughed loudly.

“It annoyed you?” James asked hurt.

She looked at her intently and
spoke, “No.” She held his hand.

He went nearer and cupped her face.
He planted a smack on Tara’s lips. He felt her hands move up to his cheek. He
removed Tara’s sunglasses as he did his. He wanted to see straight into Tara’s
eyes.

“You are the most beautiful girl
I’ve ever laid eyes on. You’re eyes are so hypnotizing. You got me under your
spell.” He planted another soft and quick kiss on her lips again.

Tara just stared straight into his
eyes. She frowned as she saw his eyes a bit sad and teary.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked
worried.

“Tara . . .” he stopped.

“Do you really love me James?” she
asked helping him, feeling nervous all over again.

“Yes. I do. So much. I never
thought I would. It took me by surprise.” He admitted still looking directly at
her.

“You know I do too right? So what’s
wrong?” she asked troubled. She knew there was a
but
coming in after his
sentence.

“I don’t want to be unfair to you.”

“I don’t understand what you are
saying James!” she’s starting to get irritated. She doesn’t know where this
conversation is going to.