"Mommy, this one po!" Turo ni Gael sa fringles na nakagarapon.

"No, baby. Bawal sa bata 'yan, hmm?" I said.

Ngumuso lang siya sa akin at bumaling ng tingin kay Kier na hatak-hatak ang cart. Napatingin din ako sa isang kasama namin.

"I want that po..." Gael pointed the fringles while staring at Kier.

"Gael," I warned him.

"Please..." He do puppy eyes at me. "I want that po..." Nakangusong ani ng anak ko.

Nilingon ako ni Kier. Naglihis ako ng tingin papunta sa kanan.

"Pagbigyan mo na ang bata. It do have fortified so it's good for kids, Haier," ani Kier.

"Mommy..."

Muli kong tinignan si Gael at nilingon din si Kier. Both of them where looking at me. I closed my eyes before deciding.

"Go ahead," sabi ko. "Isang garapon lang, ah," dagdag na sabi ko.

"Yes! I love you, mommy!" My son exclaimed.

Napangiti ako.

"I love you more, baby," I said while smiling at my baby.

I was about to pay for our groceries when Kier stopped me. Napatigil ako sa puwesto ko. Narinig kong humagikgik sa harapan ko ang cashier. Napairap ako.

"I'll pay," he stated.

Pinagkunutan ko siya ng noo ko.

"Kaya kong magbayad, Kier, puwedi ba?" I said. Getting pissed.

Hindi ako nagagalit sa kanya, okay?! It's just that... Really? From those sales lady earlier until now?! Hindi ba sila nagkakaroon ng customer na lalaki at puro hagikgik ang naririnig ko mula pa kanina?!

"I insist, Haier," dinig kong usal niya.

I stared at him directly. Tinitigan niya rin ako. We were staring at each other for minutes already before I surrender. He was just so persistent to pay the groceries.

"Bayaran mo," iritang sabi ko.

Nakita ko na naman siyang ngumisi dahilan kung bakit mas lalo ko lamang narinig ang hagikgik ng cashier na nasa harap namin. Sa inis ko ay tinignan ko siya gamit ang inis kong mukha.

"Are you going to giggle for the entire day, Miss?!" I asked as I shut my brows at her.

"What the... Haier..." I heard Kier's voice from my side.

Tinapunan ko lang siya ng mabilis na tingin bago muling bumaling sa babaing kaharap namin. I saw the woman frowning at me.

Aba't!

"What?!" I hissed at her. Pissed off.

"Mommy..."

"Baby..."

Magkasabay na tawag sa akin ng dalawang kasama ko.

Pareho kong tinignan si Kier at ang anak ko na pareho ring nakatitig sa akin. I saw Gael looking at me questioningly while Kier was looking at me with an amused grin visible on his face. Mas lalo lamang akong naiinis sa hitsura ni Kier.

He's happy, huh?! Akala ko ba ay gusto niya pa rin ako? But why do it seems like he's enjoying the attention?!

Hinatak ko si Gael mula sa kaliwa ko at dali-daling kinarga.

"Ang saya mo, eh, 'no?!" sarkastikong sabi ko.

Kier's grin even more. Na sa palagay ko nga ay puwedi nang mapunit ang mga labi niya kakangisi sa akin! Buwesit!

"Spend your day with that cashier, asshole!" I uttered angrily.

I stomp my feet before marching away from where he was. Karga-karga ko si Gael habang inis na naglalakad palabas ng grocery store.

He was literally enjoying my annoyance! Kung ano ang ikinaiinis ko ay siya namang ikinasasaya siya! Ano ba ang gusto niya? Atensiyon ng babaing 'yon na panay pa-cute lang ang alam gawin sa harap niya?! If that's the case then, he should have told me to bring my own car so he can go and miggled freely in the midst of daylight!

Ugh! Seriously, he's pestering me! No. Both of them are pestering me!

Mabilis akong pumara ng taxi nang makalabas kami ng grocery store. Naramdaman kong naglalakad na si Kier papalapit sa amin kaya dali-dali kong binuksan ang pinto at ipinasok doon si Gael.

My son look at my back.

"Mommy, he's walking there na po," my son uttered.

"Haier!" dinig kong sigaw ni Kier.

Hindi ko siya pinansin.

"Shh, don't mind him, baby, okay? Hayaan mo siya," sabi ko sa anak ko bago akmang pumasok nang matigil ako.

I felt an arm held my wrist so I stopped incidentally.

"Where are you going, hmm?" bulong na tanong niya sa akin.

I shoved his hand away and turned my body so I can face him. Mariin ko siyang tinignan bago magsalita.

"Huwag mo akong kausapin, Kier. Bumalik ka roon dahil siya baka gusto ka pang kausap," inis na sabi ko.

He stared at me intently after I finished my sentence. I didn't flinched and stared at him back. Matagal kaming nagkatitigan bago niya ako hatakin. Nagpumiglas ako mula sa hawak niya at tuwid na tumayo sa harap niya.

"May kailangan ka ba?"

I know that my voice sounds piss still. But I don't care. Nasira na ang mood ko kanina pa lang. He didn't speak and just keep staring at me with full of seriousness.

Huh! What now? Asan na ang ngisi mo, ha? Asan na?!

I took him almost five minutes before he muttered his words that made me hold my breath for the moment.

"Are you jealous, Haier?" he snapped at me.

I was probably in daze because of his words that I didn't had the chance to talk back at him quickly. Pakiramdam ko ay naipon ko lahat ng hangin sa katawan ko nang magtanong siya ng gano'n sa akin.

"The way you acted back there and now, it seems like you're jealous to those women inside the store," he continue his words.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita kaagad. Naramdaman ko na lamang na mag-iba ang takbo ng puso ko na animo'y nasa isang karera ako dahil sa bilis no'n. What he said made me stilled completely. It made me stopped functioning. That I even started questioning myself.

W-why am I acting this way? Why are you acting that way, Haier? Huh?

"Kung nagseselos ka, Haier, sabihin mo sa akin. I fucking like it if you are, baby—fuck! I even love it, Haier. But please... Please tell me and do not just runaway..."

How am I going to tell you, Kier? Paano ko ba sasabihin? Even if I am, still, we—I shouldn't forget the fact that you're not free anymore. I shouldn't cross the line again. Dahil kapag ginawa ko 'yon, doon at doon pa rin ang bagsak natin.

I... Running away from you to keep you intact and fine.

"Huwag kang masiyadong nag-iisip, Kier. Nakakasira ng ulo ang sobrang pag-iisip," bagkus ay sabi ko.

Tinalikuran ko siya at mabilis na naglakad pabalik sa taxi. Nakita kong nakatingin sa amin ang anak ko. Lalo na kay Kier. Tumigil ako at huminga ng malalim.

Again, I was sorry. I was sorry for the both of them.

I guess I was being careless just now. Hindi ako nag-isip sa puwedi niyang isipin dahil sa inakto ko kani-kanina lang. But I didn't thought that I should think about it first. It was my sudden reaction for what I've seen. Kaya masisi ko ba ang sarili ko? Masisi niya ba ako?

I started walking again and get in. Agad akong pumasok ng taxi at nagpahatid sa hotel kung saan kami tumutuloy ni Gael. Nang tumigil ang taxi sa harap ng building ay agad ko ring inabot ang bayad ko at lumabas. I lifted my son and walked inside the hotel.

While walking, I heard my phone ringed inside my small handbag that I was carrying on my left arm. Tumigil ako ng lakad at kinuha iyon. Agad bumungad ang numerong hindi nakarehistto sa selpon ko. I didn't mind it and continue walking instead.

I instantly went in when we reached our unit. Pabalang kong isinarado ang pinto sa inis ko. Naramdaman kong mapatalon sa gulat ang anak ko habang karga-karga ko pa rin siya.

I looked at Gael. He was looking at me also. Probably wondering why I'm like this. Kung bakit naiinis at nagagalit ako.

"I'm sorry, baby... Mommy's just... I'm just mad a little, hmm?" Mahinahong sabi ko sa anak kong nakatitig pa rin sa akin.

Inangat niya ang magkabilang mga palad niya at hinawakan ako sa mukha. Bigla ay parang nakosensiya ako na pati anak ko ay nakikita ang kung ano'ng nararamdaman ko ngayon.

"Was it because of tito Kier, mommy?" Inosenting tanong niya. "I will call downstairs so he will be ban here po, mommy. Or I will call Papa Harold so he can come here and made you smile na lang po," ani ng anak ko.

Bakit parang pakiramdam ko ay ang tanda na ni Gael? Na kung mag-isip siya ay parang hindi bata at edad mahigit apat na taon lang?

Ngumiti ako. I smiled and pinched his nose instead.

"Do you like him, Gael? Do you like your tito Kier?" I asked.

I want to know. Gusto kong malaman kung ano ang opinyon niya sa tatay niya. Dahil baka sakali dahil do'n ay mag-iba rin ang desisyon ko.

Nakita kong bigla siyang napangiti nang mabanggit ko ang pangalan ni Kier. I saw how his dark eyes sparked upon hearing his father's name. Pakiramdam ko ay pinipiga ang puso ko sa nakikita ko sa anak ko.

He really wanted to know who his father is...

"Yes, mommy! He's cool po and goodlooking! I saw you nga po stuttered because of him po, eh!" Masayang sagot niya sa tanong ko.

I couldn't stop myself from laughing a little because of his answer.

"Really? You like him talaga, anak—"

"I wish he's my daddy, mommy..." Natigil ako at nabitawan ko ang bag na hawak ko dahil sa narinig ko mula kay Gael.

What the...