BTW, I have not made any kind of profit in the making, publishing or posting of this story. This is purely for creative purposes.
Plot: His vacation plans went sideways when the country went on Covid-19 lockdown. The girl he literally met by accident is on lockdown with him. How does he avoid cabin fever for 14 days and control the attraction he feels for her? (Slow burn, romance, friendship, angst)
Warning: I use a lot of profanity for this story.
Note: 1. Pedro Pascal is the inspiration for this story. (Of course) 2. I named her Aize /ayz/ or /eyes/ (from parts of my real name) 3. March 9, 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, Philippines.
I'm immortalizing my adopted uncle Benito Rubio in my story. I've missed you, Uncle Benny. He was one fantastic baker.
HIDING PLACE FROM HELL
CHAPTER 16
QD3 PART 2
(Quarantine Day 3.2)
You deserve someone who isn't confused about the feelings they have for you…
The meeting of my brows is my ultimate weapon to delete what everything dad said. "I disagree."
"So what is it?"
I gave him a shrug. It's a blanket answer. Self-explanatory.
"Yeah, do that. Very mature."
I muss up my hair trying to find a new counterargument. "Look at it this way, dad. The way we met was strange." Blame our competitive nature. We argue like lawyers in a courtroom; brutal, direct, blunt.
The family is used to our arguments every dinner while the rest move around us cleaning up dinner. "I've been cooped up with her here."
Dad smirked at my lame answer. Then his belly started jiggling. It suddenly became a belly laugh, "Cooped up? Ridiculous! It's just been three days! Are you having Stockholm syndrome? Are you a hostage there?"
"Of course I'm not. No, that's not what I'm saying. Being in a confined area …"
"A luxurious confined area…"
I frowned again. I swept his words aside with a dismissing hand. "The location isn't important."
"Bullshit. Let me tell you this; the day you called me was the day you began to fall in love with her."
"That's not true." I leaned back. "She was just an amazing person."
"Oh, so you're in denial now."
I am now getting pissed. "Why are you pushing for this…this…"
"Step?" I shook my head at the missing word. I sighed. "Because you are blind."
"Dad,.…!" Exasperation. Defeat. It's no use. "Dad!"
"Well…?" Dad nibbles the temple tips of his glasses as he waits for my rebuttal. I hate it. He looked smug; very sure of a victory.
"I don't know…"
"Bullshit! You were scared out of your balls. I saw you. I saw your face. You don't do that if you don't care."
"I….I just…"
"Son, take the leap. If you do that then you might be blessed with something you have never imagined possible in your life."
=o=o=
"Is it true that you're married?" Capt. Benito Rubio looked at his niece worriedly before the seventy year old captain slowly sits down beside Aize in the garden. "I didn't believe it for a minute. Who is that man?"
"He is my guest."
"Where did you meet him?"
Aize smiles at the old captain; old, wise, protective of her and her brother. He has been in the family service far longer than she could remember. "At the airport."
"Do you trust this man?" Capt. Rubio slid a glance at Aize and gave a deep sigh. "Why don't you just let him go?" The man shook his head and slapped his thigh, face screwed up in irritation. "You like him?"
Aize frowned, looking up.
The captain snorted, "Oh my dear. Heard about 'been there, done that'?" he almost gave her a gentle tweak in the nose at her pout. "I almost had a heart attack when one of the boys said you came home and your 'husband' is with you. I said, 'who the fuck is that'?" they chuckled softly.
"He's in trouble back home." She patted his clothed arm when it tensed.
"Trouble on what?"
"Not the criminal kind."
"What. Kind?"he pushed.
"Someone is stalking him."
"Eh, that's what he told you. Child, he could be a serial killer, didn't you think about that?"
"No, he is who he says he is. I checked."
The captain strongly shook his head in exasperation. "Did you run it…"
"…through the sifter." She finished the sentence for him. "Yes, I did. There's not a lot about John on the internet but it's enough."
"Give me his name. Send it over. I'll ask around." Aize nodded and quickly sent him the link from her mobile. He's not gonna let it go. Ben would call, text and even send a guard. Capt. Rubio is like a dog with a bone to unearth. That's why he's good at his job. "And now you're stuck with him for twelve days. He could be infected!"
"I could be infected too. I went to the airport with Reese and Paolo."
"I don't like it. You all alone in this house. With that man." He jabbed the house behind him.
"Don't you trust me?"
"It's not about you. You don't know him!" He glanced at his niece. "Why didn't you let him go the first time he wanted to?"
"He could get mugged or arrested."
"Okay, fine. Send him to Ross' place. He could stay there."
"That doesn't sound hospitable at all."
"Hospitable? It's not a bad place." He clicked his fingers at Aize. "Hey, do you like him?" he asked again. Uncle Ben's like that. Relentless. "He's a handsome son of a bitch. You know that I almost lost control when I saw him? He looks as if he owns the fucking house." the man shook his head. "He makes me nervous, child."
He doesn't usually hand in the report of the day. Any of the end-of -shift guards could do that. She came home asleep in a cab with a strange man. That's what the report said. That's what the guys radioed him. Aize was just going to send off Reese and her husband then she came back with a fucking stranger!
"When will you tell me what really happened at the airport?" Ben looked at Aize from under his brows. She just looked away. God damn it!
From the time that taxi entered the village he had the guards monitor the house. Seems like everything's normal, they said. Normal? No way. He had to see for himself what's happening.
He was nervous as he stood at the gate outside Aize's house. It was absurd to feel this fear; he was in the armed forces for ten years assigned in the most dangerous southern area of the country. He endured snake infested jungles, shot at by rebels, bitten by all kinds of small critters that could kill a man instantly, separated from his family for months. Then thirty years of service in the agency and he was never this nervous. Shit!
Then the man stepped out of the house. The fucking hell! The two lady guards started giggling like idiots.
Tall, well-built, that damn hair and that fucking smile! Ben got that 'trouble' vibe. What stopped the captain from losing his shit were the snoopy neighbors. By now word has gotten around very fast. Aize already got the instructions to have 'anyone' in the house with her be on quarantine. They know. That fucking grapevine!
"What is it about him?"
"He's intriguing."
"Intriguing?" The man looked at Aize with skeptical eyes. "In what way?"
"He's a writer, he's caring, he's..."
"Shit! You know a lot of people who were more than interesting. Who was that painter? Dan! Or that architect, Steve." The old captain looked at her intently. "Oh no…." the man groaned.
"What?" Aize frowned back. ""What's that 'Oh no' about?"
"Anak (child, my daughter/son), are you lonely?" he 'tsk'ed' and felt sad when she lowered her eyes. "Look, I understand you but…."
"I had an attack three days ago…."
"Anxiety again?" the man tensed. "Why?"
"The thought of spending fourteen days with him…"
"Exactly!"
"But he helped me through it…" she turned her head away at the blush staining her cheeks.
"So he's staying out of your gratitude?"
"Yes."
The old man swore more colorfully than before. "You fell in love with that bastard, didn't you?" The man turned to confront Aize. "No! Don't you dare 'uncle' me, child! I can see it! You don't know anything about that son of a bitch. What if he's a gold-digger or a sadist, huh?"
"I've been with him for three days now. He knows I sleep in the walk-in closet."
"What?!"
"Nothing has happened."
"How did he know?"
"He discovered it." Aize shrugged. "By accident."
More swearing. More colorful than the next. "I'll send some of the boys to put a lock and bolt over that door….and don't say no!"
"Fine! Send the boys." Aize folds her legs under her, leaning back in the cushions. They don't need to lower their voices; John doesn't know a word in local.
"So he sleeps in Ross' room, huh?" Aize nodded. "Oh my God. That night. I still couldn't forget the night you called us over…that crazy kid." Capt. Rubio scratched the salt and pepper stubble on his head. A memory that he and Aize shared surfaced between them. A kind of memory that's just remembered, not talked about. "I hope the kid's at peace now wherever he may be." Capt. Ben Rubio made the sign of the cross. He braced himself before standing up with a little effort. He was about kiss Aize on the head but stopped. "Goddamn Covid." And Aize's mentor in Swearing 101 cursed again. "I'm going. You take care and you know what I mean by 'take care,' alright?"
"I get it."
"Do not let your guard down, child."
"I won't, uncle."
"I'm going to shoot that bastard if he…."
"Nothing will happen!"
=O=O=
I found Aize in the garden tending orchids with a mist sprayer. She turned slightly when she heard me but her eyes never went higher than my feet.
Consequence…
The word kept echoing in my head. There will be one. I feel nervous again. I stopped about a meter away from her; head down, hands in my pocket. "Thank you for helping me with my back, Aize."
"It's nothing." She sighed. "You're welcome." She slid a quick glance at my direction. "Is your back okay?"
"Yes, thanks to you." I look at her. "I am also sorry." No reaction. "You might not believe me but all I want to say is…I like you."
"So, you like me but you have judged and sentenced me in your mind." She shrugged. "Would you still have liked me if that condom were mine?"
"I…." Good question: would you like her still, eh John? Oh, shit. My jaw muscles were tense.
"I can see that in the way you act. I'm not an idiot or an innocent high school girl, John." She continues to lavish attention to the plants. "And you can take that in whatever way you want to. Besides, you don't know anything about me. Just like I don't know anything about you, John."
"I would like to get to know you. I really do." Let's go. Be direct. Stop being an asshole. Set aside your fears, John. If she says no at least you know where you stand. "Would like to get to know me, Aize?" My hands shake in my pocket when she finally looked at me.
I couldn't tell how long she remained silent. My skill isn't working right now. "I would like that."
"Okay." I nodded back. I felt relieved. Her voice doesn't sound too enthusiastic. "Maybe we could…"
But the fucking doorbell rang!
"Excuse me." She put down the mister, the sound of her clogs echoing into the house. Left there in the garden I feel my nervousness receding.
One hurdle over.
I followed her just in time she opened the gate. I look on from inside the house as Aize let them in. I recognize the old man I met on my first night in this house. There's another guy with him in overalls. "Hi" I smiled. The old man nodded to me in greeting as they all enter the house.
"I'll show him where." Aize told the old man. "Come on, it's in here." She smiled at the repairman who she seemed to know well. Their light conversation and their voices faded as they went into the right side of the house.
"What's going on?" I wondered.
"Just minor repairs. This is an old house; much older than myself so it needs a lot of care."
Curious, I follow where Aize and the man went to; one of the louvered panels is open; beyond it is another hidden door. AGAIN! I was stupefied to recognize that the door leads to Aize's 'room' and beyond that is my bathroom and room….fuck me! "What the hell…" I whispered. Aize and the repair guy turned their heads at me when I peeked inside. There were various tools scattered on the floor…is that a….?
"Excuse me, John. This will be loud." Aize closed the door.
"You're John, right?" I turn to the voice of the old man, "I'm Capt. Rubio. We didn't get introduced on that night."
"Nice to meet you." We informally nod to each other since handshaking is prohibited at this time. "John Peters."
"So how are you doing?"
"I'm okay. I'm actually feeling great."
"Oh? That's good to hear. Where are you from, John?"
Ah… the interrogation begins. Act One: "I'm from New York."
"Ah, great city. What do you do there?"
"I'm a producer and manager of one of the theaters there. On Broadway." I added when the old man looked lost.
Capt. Rubio looked impressed. "That's a very nice job. What are you here for?"
"Vacation, basically. I took the time since our theater is being renovated."
"So you also live and work in New York?"
"Yes, in Manhattan."
"You live in a condo?"
Something cold crept up at my back; I feel like this man has my dossier. He's picking the information to hurl at me for confirmation. Mother fucker…. "Yeah, but I'm planning on moving once I'm back…"
"Why?"
Ah…you don't know that, do you, old man sleuth? "I need to find a pet-friendly place."
"Pet? What kind? Dogs?"
"Yeah, I have a dog."
"I told Aize to get a dog, for security, but she refused. You're here so who takes care of your dog?"
"My family."
"Family?" I could almost see his hand reach for his service firearm.
I smirk. "My dad and my sister take care of him." The man relaxed a little at my answers.
"Ah…what's your dog's name?"
"Ben." The old man guffawed and slapped me on the back.
"Shit! I'm Ben too! I hope your dog's handsome."
"I rescued him from an alley when he was a puppy." I took out my phone. "Three years ago." I scrolled through and showed him pictures of my family and my dog.
"You two seemed to be best buddies." We both turned. Aize is back with the repair guy.
"Aize, his dog's name is Ben!" Capt. Rubio points at the pictures in my phone.
"Yipee." Is she miffed at something?
"He rescued the dog, can you believe it?"
"Yeah, I do." Deadpan face. "John likes 'rescuing' dogs, women at the airport…knight in shining armor."
Ben turned to me, clasping my shoulder. "Say hi to Tony on your next Zoom, okay?"
"Sure." I nodded with a smile.
"We're going now. See you, John!"
"See you, Ben!"
"I'll see them out."
I smile a smile of victory. Yes. The victor vanquished the protective dragon.
Exit Act One.
=O=O=
"Tony, huh? Who's that?"
"His dad."
"Oh, I see. So, do you still want to shoot him?"
"Only if he breaks your heart."
"I don't believe you. You look happy in there."
"Ah!" Ben waved aside the accusation. "That was all pretend! Really!"
"Pretend…" Aize gave Ben a long face.
"You don't believe me?"
"Traitor."
Ben 'tsk'ed,' "That's just one of my tactics. I'm still on your team. Cross my heart!" the repair guy shared an amused laugh with the captain.
"I don't know…"
"You don't trust me?"
"Kinda."
"Ah!" Ben grabbed the top of Aize's head and gave it a gentle and affectionate shake, "Trust me, kid."
=O=O=
Aize had a small scowl on her face when she came back. "Hey, what's wrong?"
She gave me a hard look and sighed "1-0."
"Huh?" I shrugged as she walked past me. I shook my head in confusion. "What's that?" I asked to her retreating back. "Aize? What do you mean?"
"What I said."
The curtain drops.
=O=O=X=O=O=