[So... what's your plan?] I let out a shaky breath after I place the glass of milk down. 

"You know Ali... I think I'll talk to him." I said and Ali slowly nods from the other line, I can see her concern expression printed on her face. 

[Well... are you mad at him?] she asked and I pursed my lips before running my fingers through my hair and shrugging. 

"Well, we had a conversation once, on what I assume, he also wished to meet his daughter... but... why didn't he looked for me? Hindi ba parang... ang gulo naman?" I said and she hummed while nodding, playing with a pen. 

[That's why you should have a talk with him about that nga. So that you'll finally know what really happened.] she said and I nod, massaging my temples. 

"Why do I feel like things will go well? Parang... hindi ako natatakot." I said and Ali smiled. 

[Maybe because... he is also your boss and he have been nice to you from the start. And just like what you said kanina, he's also thinking about his daughter that he have never met.] she said and I nod, biting my lower lip. 

"Right, I'll ask him about that tomorrow." I said and she nods, we bid goodbye to each other before ending the call. Naghilamos lang ulit ako bago nahiga na at nagpahinga. 

Kinabukasan ay maaga akong naghanda para sa trabaho. Ang sabi ko rin sa baby-sitter ni Lia ay sa dalhin muna sa malapit na park para kapag kausap ko na si Greg ay kami lamang dalawa. 

Pagkarating ko sa store ay hindi ko agad siya naka-usap tungkol dito dahil may mga supply na dumating at kaagad namin itong inayos. May mga customers din na dumadating kaya nawala sa isip ko ang pagtatanong dito. 

Lunch break at kakakuha ko lang mula sa microwave ang baon ko nang bumalik ito sa shop. 

"You're having lunch already? I bought you some pizza for lunch... if you'd like." Napalingon ako sa gawi ng counter nang ilapag niya rito ang maliit na kahon ng pizza. 

I smiled at him, "Thank you, I'll eat it later, my grandma made adobo for me." I replied and he nods, he place his hand on the counter to support his weight as he look around. 

"Greg? Is there... something wrong?" I hesitantly ask, he faced me, flashing a smile before shaking his head. 

"Nothing, I'll get going now, so you can eat your lunch peacefully." he said before facing his back at me. 

I panicked as he was about to exit the store, "Greg, can we have a chat? Let's eat lunch together!" I flashed a smile at him and it made him giggle. 

"Sure sure, my apologies, you might be feeling lonely since your baby is not here today. Sure, I'll join you eat lunch." ani nito at mas lumawak ang ngiti ko. Kumuha siya ng rice meal at ininit ito sa microwave bago kami naupo malapit sa counter. 

"So... how's life? How's your grandparents? It's sad that I couldn't make it every monthsarry celebration of your little girl." he started once we're already eating. 

I took a spoonful of my rice and hummed, "It's fine, my grandparents are okay, Lia is in good condition too, she's growing too fast." I said and he chuckled before shaking his head, taking a bite out of his burrito. 

"You really remind me of someone." he said and my lips parted. 

"Really? Your ex girlfriend?" I asked and he chuckled before nodding. 

"You two have the same features, makes me wonder how is she and my little girl." he said and I felt like my hands shaking. I feel... excited and nervous, excited that I might be finally meeting my real father. 

I pursed my lips, preparing to ask questions. "Hey... ahm... may I ask what's the name of your ex-girlfriend? Just... curious cat thingy." I said and he chuckled before nodding. 

"Her name... Liliana Taylor, the most beautiful name I've ever heard and I ever known." he replied with a huge smile printed on his lips while I sat there lips parted. 

"Lory? Are you okay? Is there something wrong?" he asked and I slowly shake my head. 

"Is her father... Jackson Taylor?" I asked and his brows furrowed. 

"Yes, yes that's right. Do you know her?" he asked and I slowly nod, both of us looking at each other with confused expression. 

"Ahm... do you know... well, haha, why did she left?" I awkwardly chuckled. He seems to be a loving father, and if he's really my father, that means he knows about my existence but why wasn't he there as I grow up and had to suffer as a kid? 

He chuckled and took another bite out of his food, "Well... I'm saying this not to talk behind her back but... during those days, 25 years ago... Liliana is a very famous taekwondo player in our university, a lot of students know her specially boys. I always wonder why she said yes to me when there's a long line of guys for her." he let out another chuckle before taking a sip of his soda. 

"But... she's also a party girl, she party almost every night, and me, as her boyfriend that time, I would always pick her wasted self from every bar I she goes to. Until one time... a disaster happened." he said and my brows furrowed. 

"What happened?" I asked, eager to know about everything. 

He smiled, "A rumor at school spread that she... slept with my bestfriend, Henry. And... a lot of people talked bad things about her.-"

"And you? What did you do? Was the rumor true?" I said, cutting him off. 

"Well yes... something did happened to them but, I also found out that Henry bastard drugged her drink... took advantage of her that's why it happened." he replied and that's when my jaw dropped. 

"I tried contacting Lily and I badly want to check on her, but she... she just kept on pushing me away. She stop attending class, she cut people from her life, but I couldn't blame her, even her most trusted friends started making fun of her. But me? I don't care about what happened, I care more about her." he continued, I sat there looking down on the floor, hands clasped together. 

"Until one night, she finally contacted me, she wanted us to meet, and even though I was at my football practice, I drove to the park near by, she told me... she's pregnant, I was... so happy, cause a big part of me believe that it's our baby. You know... people in their twenties." he said with a chuckle that also made me chuckle. 

"I told her, I'll take responsibility, I don't care if it's Henry's or mine, I am willing to father her child because that's how much I love her. But... she was so stubborn, she pushed me away, she said that... I deserve someone better, that... she's... a dirty woman." he hang his head low and let out a sigh. I glance at him with tears building in my eyes. 

"I couldn't bare to watch her suffer like that, she begun hurting herself, she got... traumatized on what happened, I keep on telling her that I am not disgusted nor see her as someone dirty, but she insisted, she keeps on telling me to go, to break-up with her or even say bad things about her, but I just couldn't. I love her so much that I am willing to do everything for her and the baby that I consider as mine." When he lifted his head, that's when I saw tears streaming down his cheeks and it triggered mine to escape. 

"What happened after that?" I asked, he wiped his tears and even took few deep breaths. 

"She dropped-out of school, she lost her scholarship and loose passion on taekwondo. She isolate herself inside their house, her father, Mr. Jackson Taylor, he's the one who would face me when I would go to their house because she don't want to come out, he would tell me her cravings so I can buy it for her and the baby, sometimes... I would see her by room's window, I would smile at her, I would wave and show her the foods or even the baby toys I bought, but she never go down to face me by herself." he replied and I slowly nod, tears won't stop streaming down my cheeks. 

"Do you know... anything about the baby?" I asked and he nods, letting out a giggle. 

"My little girl is beautiful, that's what I'm sure of." he said and my brows furrowed. 

"You're so sure that it's your baby?" I asked and he nod. 

"My Lily is a brunette, Henry is a brunette too, Mr. Taylor told me that the baby is blonde, I am blonde, Lory. Lily is brown eyes and so is Henry, I am blue eyed, the baby has blue-green eyes,  it's my little girl." he said and I felt like choking in air. 

"Why didn't you look for her if you're so sure that it's your baby?" I asked and he took a deep breath. 

"After graduating, I got a job in Texas and my parents wanted me to take that opportunity, I too wanted to grab it so that if I am financially stable, I can take care of Lily and our daughter that I didn't even get to see at least kilometer apart, Lily hid her kid from everyone, but taking that opportunity was probably the worst thing that I did." he said and my brows furrowed. 

"Why?" I asked, "Lily and our little girl left the country, I don't know where they go and Mr. Taylor won't tell me, until I completely loose contact from her and her parents, and that's why... until now, I feel so guilty for leaving them two." he said before taking a bite out of his burrito. 

I looked at the direction of the door to stop myself from crying. 

She suffered too... she went through those things. She... sacrificed too just to give my father a better life just like what I did to Inin.

A sob escaped my lips as I can no longer hold my tears, I cover my face with my hands as I start crying harder. I felt Greg's hand caressing my back. 

"I'm sorry for making you cry... it wasn't my intention--"

"Greg," I called him and he hummed, I wiped my face with the back of my hand and reach for my phone inside the drawer. 

"Is this... is this Liliana?" I showed him my phone screen where picture of mom is flashed. 

His eyes widened and he immediately grabbed my phone, "How... why do you have her picture?" he asked and more tears started streaming down my cheeks. 

"I'm... your daughter, I am Liliana's daughter." It almost came out as a whisper. 

Greg- no, dad looked at me with shocked expression before placing my phone and his food on the counter before pulling me into a hug. 

"I knew it, I knew it... the eyes, the attitude, the smile, the laugh, how you act, you're so like your mother." he said, crying on my shoulder, I couldn't help myself but to hug him back. 

The warm of my real father's hug is enough to make my whole system weak. The years of longing for my real father's love don't know how to react with this feeling. Finally... after years and years, he's here, my real father. 

"How is she? How's your mom?" he asked as he pulled away from the hug. 

A faint smile appeared on my lips, "She... she's married, she's in the Philippines, married with a man named Thiago Valdez, they have a son." I replied and I saw how his smiled faded. 

"Well... that's fine, his husband... he treated you well, right?" he asked and I immediately nod. 

"So much, he treated me so well, he treated me like his real daughter." I replied and a smile slowly print on his lips. 

"That's good to know, knowing that you're in good hands is enough for me." he said before pulling me into another hug. 

We spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on each other's lives. He even went to his house and once he came back, he's holding a bag full of photo album from their college life. And when he showed me my mom's old pictures, he and lolo were right, I look exactly just like my mom. Mom was THAT girl in college, beautiful, tall, dad also said she's smart and a good taekwondo player. She's friends with their whole university but what a pity that all of those people turned their back at her.  I also shared him how I suffered during my childhood, a part of him is mad at mom and a bigger part of him felt sorry for me that I had to go through everything at such young age.

After work, dad offered me, Lia and Sophie a ride home. And that's the time that him and lolo once again met. Even lola Fina remembers dad, they invited him for dinner and him and lolo catch up with each other's lives as well. 

And starting that night, he would always visit us at the house even it's a bit far from his store. He would always bring something for Lia and spoil her like how grandparents spoil their grandkids. 

[Iyan ang when, spoiled na spoiled talaga si Lia sa mga lolo niya.] Pabirong turan ni Gwen sa kabilang linya. 

[Lalo na sa mga ninang at ninong niya.] Dagdag ni Ali na may tinitipa sa laptop niya. 

[Aba oo naman! Ma s-spoil ng sobra-sobra si Lia ng maganda niyang ninang.] Saad ni Gwen at parehas napalingon si Ali at Laura sa camera. 

[Hoy, ako ang ninang niyan---]

[No!! Ako kaya!] Laura cut Ali off. Nanlaki ang mata ni Ali sa camera kaya napahigik ako. 

"Pwede naman sigurong maraming ninang." turan ko at tumango si Jax. 

[Oo naman, pwede naman 'yon, give way na rin ako, sa susunod nalang ako magni-ninang.] sagot ni Jax at napatango ako. 

[Pero sissy, hindi mo pa ba talaga papabinayagan ang bata diyan?] Gwen asked and I slowly shake my head. 

"Diyan nalang sa Pilipinas pag-uwi namin." sagot ko at tumango silang lahat. 

[Kailan ba? Para naman makapaghanda kami.] tanong ni Tobi at napahagikhik ako bago inilagay sa loob ng drawer ang tinitiklop ko na damit ni Lia. 

"Matagal pa, mga ilang taon pa." sagot ko at halos sabay-sabay silang napasimangot. 

[Mag-iipon pala muna ako para pagdating ng inaanak ko ay mayaman na ang ninang niya.] turan ni Ali at napasinghap si Gwen. 

[Gaga ka, nag-iisa kang tagapagmana ng mga Elazar, sapukin kita, eh.] Turan ni Gwen at napahagalpak kaming lahat ng tawa. 

Ilang minuto pa nagbangayan ang dalawa, parang mga bata. Walang nagbago, pero mabuti na rin ito kaysa sa mga nangyari noon. Parang nakakasakal kapag nagkakasaby si Ali at Gwen dati na mag-online sa group chat. 

[May balita ka ba sa nangyayari sa Pilipinas?] Laura asked, natapos na kasi ang pagbabangayan ng dalawa kaya natahimik na ito. 

I slowly shake my head, "Wala, mas focused ako sa nangyayari rito." sagot ko at tumango sila. 

[Nasabi mo na ba kay tita Liliana ang tungkol sa tatay mo?] Jax asked and it caught me off guard. 

I look at the direction of my phone before taking a deep breath, "One dot, kakausapin ko si mommy." Pagbibiro ko, 

[Naglapag ng buong morse code.] sagot ni Tobi at napahagalpak kaming lahat ng tawa. 

[Kayang-kaya mo 'yan, sis!! Ikaw pa! Tandang-tanda mo na, kaya mo na 'yan!] saad ni Gwen at mas lalo kaming napahagalpak ng tawa. 

"Gaga ka!" Tumatawa kong turan, 

[Pero Gwen is right!--]

"Na matanda na ako?!" Putol ko kay Laura at nanlaki ang mata nito. 

[No! I mean... you can handle it naman, diba? You can do it! You have our back!] she exclaimed and a smile slowly crept on my lips. 

"Sige na nga, kailan ba maganda?" I asked and the five looked at their screen confusedly. 

[Ikaw bahala, kailan ka ba free? Kung kailan magaan sa 'yo.] Tobi said and I nod. 

Napagdesisyunan ko na pagkatapos na ng 7th monthasarry ni Lia kausapin si Mommy. Si papa Greg ang nag-asikaso ng handa ni Lia, pasalamat ako na wala pang nakakabalita kila Sam at dad ang tungkol sa totoo kong tatay. Gusto ko kasi na kay mommy ko muna sasabihin ang tungkol sa totoo kong ama. 

Sa bawat buwan na lumilipas ay patuloy ang paglaki ni Lia, ang dami nang damit na napaglumaan nito na ayaw kong ipamigay, ipapasa ko pa ito sa anak ng mga kaibigan ko, sayang naman kung ipapamigay ko lang. Malay din natin... baka masundan pa si Lia. 

"You'll be okay, right?" Papa asked, alam nito na ngayong gabi ko kakausapin si mom tungkol sa kaniya. 

I smiled at him and nod, "I can do this papa, don't worry." I said and he smiled at me before pulling me into a hug, caressing my arm. 

"You're really a big girl now, making big girl decisions." he said and it made me giggle. 

"I know right, I did a pretty great job raising myself." I said and he chuckled before pulling away from the hug and fixing my hair. 

"That's right, I should be going now, tell me what your mom will say, okay?" he said and I nod. He bid me a goodbye as he walk towards his car and drive off. 

Agad akong pumasok sa bahay at umakyat ng kwarto para maglinis ng katawan at magpalit ng damit. Binihisan ko na rin si Lia at pina-inom ito ng gatas at pinatulog para mababa ang chance na umiyak ito mamaya kapag kausap ko na si mommy. 

Una kong sinabihan si dad na kailangan kong maka-usap si mom ngayon. Nagulat nga ako nang sabihin nito at pumayag raw si mom. Alas nuebe ang napag-usapan namin na oras, kaya quarter to 9 ay naka-ayos na ako sa harap ng lamesa at hinihintay nalang ang tawag ni dad. 

Nang mag-ring ang phone ko ay halos hindi ako magkanda-ugaga na sagutin ito, ang unang bumungad sa akin ay si dad bago kinuha ni mom ang cellphone mula kay dad at muli kaming nagkaharap. 

"H-Hey... mom," I awkwardly greeted. 

She raised a brow, [You've gained some weight.] she said and my lips parted. 

[That's normal, I gained a lot of weight after I gave birth to you too.] she added and I slowly nod. 

I begun fidgeting with my fingers under the table as all my thought left my mind. 

[Thiago said you want to say something?] she asked and I immediately nod. 

"Well... yes, haha," I scratch the back of my ear, [Talk properly, Lory, hindi kita maintindihan.] ani nito at napalunok ako ng laway. 

"Well... is dad behind you?" I asked and her eyes squinted before she shake her head. 

[Wala, bakit?] she asked and I swallowed the lump in my throat. 

"I... I met my real father, Greg Peterson." I said and I saw how mom's eyes widened. 

She lifted her chin, [Go home and we will talk about that.] she said before ending the call. 

I was left there hanging, I saw there with lips parted, did she just... asked me to go back? 

[So? Will you go back??] Ali asked from the other line, confusion written on her face. 

I run my fingers through my hair and shrug, "I don't know, I... I... maybe not. I'm scared, what if she just look so calm but deep inside she will hurt me again. And I'm with Lia, so I... I can't. I don't want to... for now." I let out a sigh and Ali hummed while nodding. 

She adjusted her glasses, [Then... take your time, you have all the time in the world. Go back when you're ready.] she said and I slowly nod.  "Right... there's a right time for everything." I said and she nods. 

"Ang laki na ng baby Lia namin!" Sam cheered when he got inside the house, it's now the 29th of September, 2 days before Lia's 1st birthday. 

"Come here big girl!" Lia started giggling when Sam carried her in his arms.  

Napa-iling ako habang pinapakinggan na magkwentuhan ang dalawa, mostly si Sam lang ang nagsasalita habang puro blabber lang si Lia. 

"Buksan ko na luggage mo?" tanong ko kay Sam bago ito nilingon, tumingin ito sa gawi ko at tumango. 

"Sure, may mga regalo r'yan." turan niya at bahagyang napakunot ang noo ko, may kakaiba sa tono niya. 

Pagbukas ko sa luggage niya ay unang tumambad sa akin ang mga damit nito kaya inilabas ko muna ang mga iyon at saka ko nakita ang mga laruan. 

"Dami naman ng mga laruan." Tumatawa kong turan habang inilalabas ito isa-isa. 

Huli kong nailabas ang isang Brown na Teddy Bear, may hawak pa itong heart sa dibdib, "Ang cute naman." Bulong ko habang tinitingnan ito. Nakabalot din ito sa isang pouch na see through. 

"Ah... iyan, kay ano galing 'yan." Nanlaki ang mata ko at agad napalingon kay Sam. 

"Kanino?!" Matigas kong turan, napatikom muna ito ng labi niya bago tumingin sa paligid. 

Lumapit pa ito sa akin at agad akong napatayo mula sa pagkakaluhod sa sahig, "Kanino?!" 

"It's from him, yes,  iyan nga ang unang laruan na nabili, kasi sakto na nasa mall siya kaya pinabili ko, sabi ko babayaran ko nalang, hindi na pinabayaran sa akin." he said and my lips parted. Muli akong napatingin sa laruan bago ito niyakap. 

"I miss him," I mumbled, 

"You miss him every day, he's doing fine, Lory. Take your time in everything." he said and I nod. 

Matapos kong ilabas ang mga laruan ay nagluto na ako ng tanghalian namin habang si Sam ang nagbabantay kay Lia. Pagdating ng hapon ay naglakad-lakad kaming tatlo sa boung kabahayan at nagbigay ng mga invitations sa mga kaibigan namin. Ang mga bata ay tuwang-tuwa nang makita si Lia at kinakausap pa ito. 

"Lia would start speaking after her 1st birthday." Nathalie said while watching Lia, Sam and her daughter play together. 

"You think? Actually I've been really cautious cause I want to hear it clearly when she say her first word." I said and she giggled before patting my shoulder. 

"Yes, she'll turn 1 tomorrow, she may say her first word day after tomorrow. And trust me, once she did, you'll turn emotional." she said before chuckling which made me  giggle too. 

After bidding goodbye to Nathalie and her daughter, me, Sam and Lia starts walking back home. 

"Lia!! Happy birthday!!" Quarter to 3  palang ng hapon ay pumunta na dito sila Nathalie kasama ang ibang bata. Ang sabi sa invitation ay 3pm pero gusto na agad maglaro ng mga bata. 

Agad kong itinulak si Sam papunta sa sala para samahan ang mga bata na makalaro si Lia. Mabilis na kasing maggapang si Lia at natatakot ako na baka kung saan-saan tumama at masaktan kaya ayaw ko na nawawalan ito ng bantay. 

"Ako na d'yan, Lory. Magbihis kana." Inagaw ni lola ang kutsarita mula sa kamay ko at dahan-dahan akong itinulak. Hindi na ako naka-apila pa at umakyat na rin bago mabilis na naligo at nagbihis. 

Pagbaba ko ay andito na ang iba pa namin na mga kaibigan ganoon din si papa na may dalang mga lobo at ice cream. 

"Happy birthday to you ~ YEYY!! Happy Birthday Lia!" Sabay-sabay na sigaw ng mga bata, dahil hindi pa naman maalam umihip si Lia ng kandila ay ako na ang nag-ihip nito. 

"Happy Birthday Lia," Lia's playmate handed her a gift, "Thank you Mavi," I said to the little boy, tumayo ako habang karga si Lia at hawak ang regalo bago ito inilagay sa lamesa kung nasaan ang mga regalo. 

"How's our Lia doing?" Papa asked before carrying Lia in his arms. 

I giggled, "She have been giggling the whole time! She's so happy, thanks papa, thanks for helping us." I said and papa smiled at me before pulling me closer to him and caressing my shoulders. 

"It's nothing, Lory, I've missed 25 years of your life! I guess it's not too late, right?" he asked and I giggled before nodding. 

"Of course, it's never too late." I said and he hummed. 

The party ended at 7pm, Nathalie and the other girls decided to buy some alcohol so we had a drink. I didn't get drunk that much but I did got tipsy. But the most important is that I had a great time! I even missed my friends. Na-alala ko tuloy kung paano kami mag-inom sa apartment nila Gwen. 

"I sent the pictures to your friends na, I said knocked-out ka na." turan ni Sam nang humiga ako sa kama, mabuti nalang at nagawa ko pa na magpalit ng damit dahil kanina pa umiikot ang paningin ko. 

"What did they said?" I asked, eyes closed. 

He chuckled, "Wala naman, ang cute raw ni Lia." ani nito at napasinghal ako. 

"Aba! Talaga! Cute na lahi lang ang inilalabas ng matres ko 'no!" singhal ko at napahagalpak ng tawa si Sam. 

"Humabol pa ng bati si Tobi." ani nito at napatawa ako, simula pa kaninang umaga bati nang bati ang mga iyon. Tumawag pa sa kalagitnaan ng party para bumati ulit pero hindi na kami nakapag-usap nang maayos dahil maingay. 

"Sam, when do you think should I go back?" tanong ko rito pero hindi ito sumagot, kaya naman napamulat ako at umupo. 

"Sagutin mo 'ko, hoy--"

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang senyasan ako nito na tumahimik dahil may kausap siya sa cellphone. 

"Yes, got that, tanda ko pa, don't worry." ani nito at napakunot ang noo ko at taka siyang pinanood na makipag-usap. 

He let out a fake laugh before side eyeing me, "Siraulo, it's just someone, kung sino-sino naririnig mo. I need to go na p're, bye." 

Nang ibaba niya ang cellphone ay napahilamos ito sa mukha, "Sino 'yon?" taka kong tanong. 

Suminghap muna ito bago ako hinarap at inilagay ang magkabila niyang kamay sa kaniyang beywang, "That was Rusti... he heard you."