The Pull of Gravity

What happened next wasn’t surprising. Ever-loyal Larry told Isabel everything the next morning. At first, it was as if her whole nightmare was coming true. Isabel cried again, but this time, Larry didn’t leave her side until she listened to everything he said, and understood that he would never let anything come between them.

What he told her was this: After Isabel fell asleep, Mariella had said her cousin wouldn’t wake until the morning. He thanked her for her help, and told her she didn’t have to hang around. But she insisted on staying a little longer to make sure Isabel was okay.

They watched TV for a while, Larry sitting on the bed next to Isabel, Mariella using one of the chairs by the window.

“Do you mind if I get something to drink?” Mariella asked.

“Help yourself,” Larry said.

From the small refrigerator she removed a couple of beers and opened them.

“Here,” she said, handing one to Larry.

“No, thanks,” he said, putting a hand up. “I’m okay.”

“But it’s already opened,” she said.

Larry smiled halfheartedly and took the bottle.

Before he knew it, they’d finished off all the beer in the refrigerator.

“You want to play some pool?” Mariella said.

“I should stay.”

Mariella glanced at Isabel. “She won’t even know we’re gone.”

He didn’t relent right away, but when she continued to entice him, he finally did. He thought they would go to the tables right there in the hotel, but instead Mariella said she wanted to play someplace else.

The neon lights of Fields were shining brightly, illuminating the constant flow of traffic. The street was jammed with trikes and jeepneys, while on the sidewalk door girls stood in front of bars talking to any guy that passed by. There were people everywhere-couples, individuals, groups-all smiling, laughing, having a good time. Music seemed to be coming from all directions, competing songs blaring out of speakers mounted above the door of each bar, melding together into a strange rhythm all its own.

Mariella led Larry past The Pit Stop and down to The Rack. To him, everyone in the place seemed to know Mariella. The mamasan bought them both a drink and told them to have fun.

There were two pool tables in the back beyond the large, square stage that sat in the middle of the room. While the place was doing a pretty good business, only one of the tables was occupied. Mariella racked the balls on the empty table.

“You can break,” Larry said when she offered the honor to him.

He lost track of how many games they played, but he was pretty sure Mariella won most of them. While they were playing, Mariella would touch him on the shoulder or the arm. Each time Larry would step away, chalking up his cue or pretending to check out his next shot. Once she brushed passed him, her breast running lightly across his back as she made her way to the other end of the table. It could have been explained away by the tight space between the table and the wall. Then again…

“I think it’s time I head back,” he said, wrapping up the last game.

“What? It is still early,” Mariella said. “Isabel won’t wake up until morning. And you are on vacation. She would want you to be having fun.”

“Thanks for the pool.” He handed her some pesos, then headed for the door.

He’d barely stepped outside when he felt Mariella’s hand on his back.

“I can’t let you walk back on your own,” she said, smiling. “You don’t mind, do you?”

As much as he wanted to say otherwise, he said, “No.” She was Isabel’s cousin, and, as Isabel pointed out several times, the only family she had in town.

As they walked, Mariella talked almost nonstop about things he didn’t care about and barely listened to. She didn’t stop until they were climbing the stairs of the hotel to his floor.

At his door, he removed the key from his pocket, but didn’t put it in the lock right away.

“Thanks again for your help,” he said. “Goodnight.”

“You’re sure you don’t need my help?”

“You’re the one who said she’s not going to wake up until morning,” he said.

She pouted. “Are you sure?”

Larry nodded. “We’ll be fine.”

“All right,” she said.

She opened her arms, so Larry leaned forward to give her a quick hug. When she turned her head to kiss him, Larry thought it was going to be her normal peck on the cheek. Instead, her lips found his. Immediately, he pushed her away.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

She took a step back toward him. “Giving you what you want.”

“I don’t want this!”

“Come on,” she said, reaching out and putting a hand on his arm. “Isabel will never know.”

He pushed her hand away. “No.”

“We can do it in the shower. You’ll love it. I make better love than Isabel ever will. You’ll see. I’ll show you.”

Larry stepped backward until he felt the door behind him. “Get away from me. I don’t want you.”

“Everyone wants me.”

“Not me.”

She stared at Larry, then the grin on her face grew. “That’s okay. I’ll tell Isabel we did it anyway. Maybe I’ll tell her you tried to rape me while she was sleeping.” She paused. “But if you really want to do it, I won’t tell her anything.”

“Go ahead,” Larry said. He took a step toward her, angrier than he’d ever been. “Tell her whatever you want, but don’t think I’m not going to tell her everything you’ve just said first.”

There was a flicker of doubt in Mariella’s eyes, then she laughed. “Larry, I was just kidding, di ba? Just a joke. Isabel is my cousin. I would never do anything to hurt her.”

“Get out of here,” Larry said.

“It’s okay. You’re just upset. It was only a joke.”

Larry took another step toward her, so she backed away.

“Okay, I’m leaving. You’ll feel better in the morning. You’ll see I was just joking. Maybe we can have lunch.”

“I don’t ever want to see you again,” Larry said, pronouncing each word carefully. “And if I do, I will tell everyone, and I mean everyone, what you tried to do to me tonight.”

Her smile disappeared. “No one would believe you.”

Larry shook his head. “You know they would.”

She stared at him for a moment, eyes narrow and piercing, then turned and walked away.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

For the rest of Larry’s visit, Isabel said she never left his side. When he had told her about his encounter with Mariella, she had been hurt and angry, more with Mariella than with Larry. Isabel knew deep down that he would never have done anything on purpose to hurt her. What she felt toward Larry was embarrassment and shame.

It had been Mariella who had put it in her head that no guy could ever really be trusted, so when Isabel had woken the previous evening alone while Larry was visiting me at The Lounge, it was Mariella’s voice she heard whispering in her ear. “He’s just like the others,” it said. “He’s probably having sex with some girl right now while you sit here and wait for him.” Isabel knew it couldn’t be true, but there was enough doubt in her mind that when he did return, she couldn’t help bringing it up. And once she did, all her insecurities and fears rose to the surface and consumed her.

Then, once she was calmed and sleeping, it was Mariella again who had provided the source of her pain. Her