uy everyone! Thank you all so much for the reviews. Also thank you VERY much to Beatrix for being my "editor" and pagbaba the stories ahead of time. There is one madami part after this and it will be posted on Hugh's birthday. I am using pictures from the Up Fronts at this point even though the story has progressed past the event because it all takes place the same night. I hope you enjoy it!
“Lisa” he seemed like he was really thinking about what to say or rather, how to say it. He paused and then looked into her eyes again. He saw the concern in her eyes and it melted him.
“Oh no, don’t worry. It isn’t anything bad.” He raised his hand up to hold her face. Without even thinking twice she raised her own hand up and placed it against his.
“I am going tahanan in a few days and I am going to go see my children…” he gently lowered his hand and hers with it. He paused for a minuto but didn’t ilipat his eyes from hers.
“I am going to see Jo too and I have decided that it is time to ask her if we can end our marriage…um.. officially.”
Lisa wasn’t sure what he expected her to say or do, but she was fairly sure that the last thing he expected was to see a small tear fall down her cheek.
“Lisa, what is it? Why are you crying?” he reached back up and wiped the tear.
“I…I just want to know if this is what you really, really want?” she watched for any sign of trepidation in his face. Any sign that he was feeling any regret.
“Yes, I think it is time. I KNOW it is time. I don’t look pasulong to this trip, but I do. Now that I made up my mind, it seems like a weight has been lifted.” He smiled very serenely at Lisa and she saw a resolve in his eyes.
Just then they pulled up in front of Robert’s hotel. Lisa smiled back slightly and before she knew it, they were stepping out of the Limo and heading inside. She held on to Hugh tight while she thought of a million questions. They didn’t speak on the elevator ride, Nawawala in thought. What would this mean? He hadn’t mentioned anything about how this would affect “them” at all. She told herself that all she really wanted was for him to be happy, but she wasn’t sure that would be enough if it didn’t include her. All these thoughts and yet, here they were in the middle of a party and she had to decide to just enjoy the moment.
“There you are!” Robert came over and greeted them. “How was the after party?” He handed Hugh a serbesa and Lisa tonic water with lime.
Hugh and Lisa looked at each other and both nodded.
“It was actually fun, except for the part when Hugh tried to push me over when they were taking our picture.” Lisa laughed.
“Oh, so you blame me when you clearly have hips made of titanium. I had to fight just to stay upright.” He kept his face as straight as possible.
Robert raised an eyebrow, “Miss Hips, would you like to put your pitaka in the bedroom?”
Lisa walked into the other room and Robert took the opportunity of privacy with Hugh.
“What’s going on with you two?”
“I’m not sure what you are getting at?” Hugh raised his chin and looked down his nose at Robert.
“Oh, I think you DO know what I am getting at, now spill it!”
Hugh pulled back a little and gave Robert his best look of innocence he could muster. He was hoping Lisa would return quickly, but no luck.
“Actually, I need to use the gents room if you don’t mind.” and he moved away in the direction he imagined the restrooms might be located.
When he emerged he could see Lisa talking to another guest over in the corner. He took the moment before she saw him to watch her. He loved how she glowed when she was talking and smiling. It was as if she drew energy in and it came out like a light from her being. He couldn’t help watch, even if he looked like a pag-ibig sick tuta doing so. The woman made him smile.
She looked up and saw him watching her and for a minute, she felt that “Wow” feeling she always had whenever she was in the same room as him. She tried to look any direction other than where he was but she failed miserably at it. She graciously excused herself from her current companion and moved carefully over towards him.
“So, you tell me this rather huge thing and then we are here and…”
“Well, let’s say in five minutes, we head out to the balcony?” he hoped she would be able to get free sa pamamagitan ng then. She had a habit of being the most popular girl at these parties.
Hugh had the misfortune of being cornered sa pamamagitan ng a friend of Robert’s Uncle who was visiting the area. He didn’t quite understand that Hugh wasn’t actually a Doctor and continued to ask him about a rather bothersome planter’s wart. He caught the site of Lisa making her way over to the balcony entrance.
“Pardon me sir, if you don’t mind I seem to be needed across the room.” The older gentleman nodded and continued his ailment discussion with some others gathered.
Hugh walked out on to the balcony and right up behind Lisa and slipped his hand around her waist. She turned to face him.
“So…what does this all mean?”
He looked out at the view while he decided how to answer.
“It just means that I thought for a long time I didn’t need to be happy. I maybe didn’t deserve to be happy. But I know that living the way we are isn’t good for Jo, or I or..for you either.” He gulped a little not sure how she would take that last line.
“Me?? Hugh, I want you to make this decision because it is what you want, not for me. I want you to be happy and that is all.”
“That’s all? Because I would be lying if I didn’t say that I can’t really think about what makes me happy if I don’t also think about you.” He pleaded with his eyes in a way that wasn’t desperate, just honest.
“Are you asking me something here or telling me? She was still trying to get her thoughts around his words, his face. The fact that he had just spoken about them again as one unit hadn’t escaped her.
“Umm..there you are!” the intruder was none other than Robert’s Uncle’s friend.
“I wanted to ask you about this pain in my lower leg.”
Hugh had his hands on Lisa’s shoulders but he turned quickly to address the older gentleman. As he did so, Lisa moved her body behind him.
“Oh yes, Mr…umm…”
“Laurenstein, Roderick Laurenstein”.
“Mr. Laurenstein, I am sorry but I believe there has been some sort of misunderstanding. You see, as I believe I mentioned before, I am not REALLY a Doctor.”
Lisa was behind Hugh and trying her hardest not to giggle. It seemed that Mr. Laurenstein was not able to see very clearly either and therefore had missed the fact that she was even there. She was enjoying the anonymity and decided to take advantage of it. Her hands had become cold in the cool night air so she did what she felt was best and slipped them up the back of Hugh’s shirt. He arched his back ever so slightly and she heard a slight whimper escape his lips.
Mr. Laurenstein continued, “Oh nonsense. You seem way too humble Sir; your work seems madami than sufficient.”
Lisa decided that she was having too much fun so she had to take it a step further. She slipped her hands around to his stomach and felt him draw in a breath. He hunched a little too so his dyaket would help cover the movement of her fingers. She pushed her face into his back to stifle the laughter that was causing tears to come from her eyes now.
“No really…I would feel much madami comfortable..AHH” Hugh swallowed hard to hold back, “..if you would consider seeing a real, licensed Doctor.”
Mr. Laurenstein held up his elbow to ipakita Hugh apparently another issue he was having.
“See this patch of skin seems to be a lot harder than on my other elbow.”
Just then Lisa realized her hands were warming up and she had Nawawala her edge over Hugh. It was time to step up her game. She slipped her hands down a little to the edge of his waist band and slipped her finger tips to just slightly beneath it.
“OH…Now SEE…THAT is just plain dangerous.” Hugh choked as he spoke.
“That’s what I think!” sinabi Mr. Laurenstein again, completely unaware of the true meaning of Hugh’s words.
Lisa quickly pulled her hands back up to his chest this time in order to hold herself up. She was quivering so much from holding in the laughter. She was having a blast but still not totally unaware of the effect this was causing to her and to him.
Robert came walking out on to the balcony now and saw that Hugh was apparently being cornered again sa pamamagitan ng his old family friend.
“Mr. Laurenstein, I think that Ms. Dent was just asking for you.” Robert looked over at a very flushed Hugh and then noticed what the older man did not, a small pair of high heels that were barely visible behind Hugh’s legs. He arched one eyebrow at Hugh and said,
"I will leave you to your…thoughts.” Then he winked as he turned and walked away.
“Lisa” he seemed like he was really thinking about what to say or rather, how to say it. He paused and then looked into her eyes again. He saw the concern in her eyes and it melted him.
“Oh no, don’t worry. It isn’t anything bad.” He raised his hand up to hold her face. Without even thinking twice she raised her own hand up and placed it against his.
“I am going tahanan in a few days and I am going to go see my children…” he gently lowered his hand and hers with it. He paused for a minuto but didn’t ilipat his eyes from hers.
“I am going to see Jo too and I have decided that it is time to ask her if we can end our marriage…um.. officially.”
Lisa wasn’t sure what he expected her to say or do, but she was fairly sure that the last thing he expected was to see a small tear fall down her cheek.
“Lisa, what is it? Why are you crying?” he reached back up and wiped the tear.
“I…I just want to know if this is what you really, really want?” she watched for any sign of trepidation in his face. Any sign that he was feeling any regret.
“Yes, I think it is time. I KNOW it is time. I don’t look pasulong to this trip, but I do. Now that I made up my mind, it seems like a weight has been lifted.” He smiled very serenely at Lisa and she saw a resolve in his eyes.
Just then they pulled up in front of Robert’s hotel. Lisa smiled back slightly and before she knew it, they were stepping out of the Limo and heading inside. She held on to Hugh tight while she thought of a million questions. They didn’t speak on the elevator ride, Nawawala in thought. What would this mean? He hadn’t mentioned anything about how this would affect “them” at all. She told herself that all she really wanted was for him to be happy, but she wasn’t sure that would be enough if it didn’t include her. All these thoughts and yet, here they were in the middle of a party and she had to decide to just enjoy the moment.
“There you are!” Robert came over and greeted them. “How was the after party?” He handed Hugh a serbesa and Lisa tonic water with lime.
Hugh and Lisa looked at each other and both nodded.
“It was actually fun, except for the part when Hugh tried to push me over when they were taking our picture.” Lisa laughed.
“Oh, so you blame me when you clearly have hips made of titanium. I had to fight just to stay upright.” He kept his face as straight as possible.
Robert raised an eyebrow, “Miss Hips, would you like to put your pitaka in the bedroom?”
Lisa walked into the other room and Robert took the opportunity of privacy with Hugh.
“What’s going on with you two?”
“I’m not sure what you are getting at?” Hugh raised his chin and looked down his nose at Robert.
“Oh, I think you DO know what I am getting at, now spill it!”
Hugh pulled back a little and gave Robert his best look of innocence he could muster. He was hoping Lisa would return quickly, but no luck.
“Actually, I need to use the gents room if you don’t mind.” and he moved away in the direction he imagined the restrooms might be located.
When he emerged he could see Lisa talking to another guest over in the corner. He took the moment before she saw him to watch her. He loved how she glowed when she was talking and smiling. It was as if she drew energy in and it came out like a light from her being. He couldn’t help watch, even if he looked like a pag-ibig sick tuta doing so. The woman made him smile.
She looked up and saw him watching her and for a minute, she felt that “Wow” feeling she always had whenever she was in the same room as him. She tried to look any direction other than where he was but she failed miserably at it. She graciously excused herself from her current companion and moved carefully over towards him.
“So, you tell me this rather huge thing and then we are here and…”
“Well, let’s say in five minutes, we head out to the balcony?” he hoped she would be able to get free sa pamamagitan ng then. She had a habit of being the most popular girl at these parties.
Hugh had the misfortune of being cornered sa pamamagitan ng a friend of Robert’s Uncle who was visiting the area. He didn’t quite understand that Hugh wasn’t actually a Doctor and continued to ask him about a rather bothersome planter’s wart. He caught the site of Lisa making her way over to the balcony entrance.
“Pardon me sir, if you don’t mind I seem to be needed across the room.” The older gentleman nodded and continued his ailment discussion with some others gathered.
Hugh walked out on to the balcony and right up behind Lisa and slipped his hand around her waist. She turned to face him.
“So…what does this all mean?”
He looked out at the view while he decided how to answer.
“It just means that I thought for a long time I didn’t need to be happy. I maybe didn’t deserve to be happy. But I know that living the way we are isn’t good for Jo, or I or..for you either.” He gulped a little not sure how she would take that last line.
“Me?? Hugh, I want you to make this decision because it is what you want, not for me. I want you to be happy and that is all.”
“That’s all? Because I would be lying if I didn’t say that I can’t really think about what makes me happy if I don’t also think about you.” He pleaded with his eyes in a way that wasn’t desperate, just honest.
“Are you asking me something here or telling me? She was still trying to get her thoughts around his words, his face. The fact that he had just spoken about them again as one unit hadn’t escaped her.
“Umm..there you are!” the intruder was none other than Robert’s Uncle’s friend.
“I wanted to ask you about this pain in my lower leg.”
Hugh had his hands on Lisa’s shoulders but he turned quickly to address the older gentleman. As he did so, Lisa moved her body behind him.
“Oh yes, Mr…umm…”
“Laurenstein, Roderick Laurenstein”.
“Mr. Laurenstein, I am sorry but I believe there has been some sort of misunderstanding. You see, as I believe I mentioned before, I am not REALLY a Doctor.”
Lisa was behind Hugh and trying her hardest not to giggle. It seemed that Mr. Laurenstein was not able to see very clearly either and therefore had missed the fact that she was even there. She was enjoying the anonymity and decided to take advantage of it. Her hands had become cold in the cool night air so she did what she felt was best and slipped them up the back of Hugh’s shirt. He arched his back ever so slightly and she heard a slight whimper escape his lips.
Mr. Laurenstein continued, “Oh nonsense. You seem way too humble Sir; your work seems madami than sufficient.”
Lisa decided that she was having too much fun so she had to take it a step further. She slipped her hands around to his stomach and felt him draw in a breath. He hunched a little too so his dyaket would help cover the movement of her fingers. She pushed her face into his back to stifle the laughter that was causing tears to come from her eyes now.
“No really…I would feel much madami comfortable..AHH” Hugh swallowed hard to hold back, “..if you would consider seeing a real, licensed Doctor.”
Mr. Laurenstein held up his elbow to ipakita Hugh apparently another issue he was having.
“See this patch of skin seems to be a lot harder than on my other elbow.”
Just then Lisa realized her hands were warming up and she had Nawawala her edge over Hugh. It was time to step up her game. She slipped her hands down a little to the edge of his waist band and slipped her finger tips to just slightly beneath it.
“OH…Now SEE…THAT is just plain dangerous.” Hugh choked as he spoke.
“That’s what I think!” sinabi Mr. Laurenstein again, completely unaware of the true meaning of Hugh’s words.
Lisa quickly pulled her hands back up to his chest this time in order to hold herself up. She was quivering so much from holding in the laughter. She was having a blast but still not totally unaware of the effect this was causing to her and to him.
Robert came walking out on to the balcony now and saw that Hugh was apparently being cornered again sa pamamagitan ng his old family friend.
“Mr. Laurenstein, I think that Ms. Dent was just asking for you.” Robert looked over at a very flushed Hugh and then noticed what the older man did not, a small pair of high heels that were barely visible behind Hugh’s legs. He arched one eyebrow at Hugh and said,
"I will leave you to your…thoughts.” Then he winked as he turned and walked away.