Weird nga yata talaga ang lalaking ito. Kahit ganoon, napansin niyang guwapo ito. Lalo na ng ngumiti ito. At mukhang napakabata pa nito para sa isang kapitan ng barko. Parang nasa late twenties pa lamang ito.
He had an innocence about him that did not match his hunky features. But maybe he was married already...

“I love you... `Yon ang gusto kong paniwalaan mo. Kaya hindi ko magagawang magtaksil sa iyo. I’ve spent so many years of my life being miserable because the woman I love can’t love me back. At nang matutuhan na niya akong mahalin, ipagpapalit ko ba siya sa isang taong walang halaga sa akin?”

“Mahal din kita, Zeb. At hindi ko na kailangan ng patunay. Alam iyon ng mga puso natin.”

“Flirt ba ako?”
“Tinanong pa!”
“Siguro nga. Pero sino naman kasing lalaki na matino ang pag-iisip ang hindi hahanga sa ganda mo?”
“Are you trying to embarrass me?”
“Why? Am I succeeding?” tanong nito, ngiting-ngiti.

“Para din palang kape ang pag-ibig… You cannot go through the day without it.”

“You are great… beautiful inside and out… and so easy to please. With you, I can be myself. Just looking at you brings me so much happiness. Now tell me, paanong hindi kita agad mamahalin?”

“Oh, Amber, I love you… It may not be the greatest kind, it may not be the kind that can move mountains, but I know in my heart and mind that I love you, I truly, deeply, love you…”

“An unselfish man could love you, learn to be selfish so instantly and forget about his virtue.”

Let words be not just words. An empty echo against the palisades… Let it be not just the fruit of the lips… But let it be love hidden in all the lines…

“A man could love you… and be contented with just loving you for the rest of his life.”