If what Enzo told me days ago was true, Saturday din ang dating niya dito. I've been expecting him to come and see me here since I really have no plans on going home with just those three days that he gave me.

Kung uuwi lang din ako, kung aalis man ako ng Bohol, I might as well finish my thirty-day trip, since it was my plan all along. Even before I met Grayson, I planned to stay here for thirty days.

Friday night came and even though Grayson and I have finished having sex, I still couldn't sleep. Knowing that Jenna and Enzo might arrive at the same time tomorrow, of course, who can sleep soundly tonight?

"Grayson . . ." I said as I stared at the ceiling.

"Hmm?" I saw from my peripheral vision that he looked at me. "Why aren't you sleeping yet?"

I smiled a little before looking at him. "I just have a lot of thoughts in my mind."

"Like what?" he said as he put his palm on my cheek.

I shrugged. "What would you feel if . . . if you saw your daughter once again?"

He became silent after that. He looked away but he didn't move from his position. He just took a deep breath before looking at me again as he answered.

"Of course, I'd be very, very happy." He sighed. "But I understand her mom's decision to take my right to see her away. I doubted her-both of them-so . . . I deserved this." He chuckled slightly. "I deserved not to see both of them."

I pouted slightly. "Aren't you . . . hoping for a chance? To make things right? To . . . to apologize?"

He smiled. "Araw-araw ko namang pinagdarasal 'yon. Pero syempre . . . it's Jenna's decision to do that, not anyone else. Kahit ilang beses ko pang ipagdasal na magkita ulit kami-na ipakita niya sa akin ang anak ko-kung ayaw pa rin niya, wala naman akong magagawa. All I can do for now is wait."

I nodded as I held his hand on my cheek. He intertwined our fingers.

"I'll pray for that too, Grayson. I know that, a day will come that you'll see and hug her once again."

He smiled. "Thank you, Summer. Thank you for sticking up with me after knowing how asshole I was back then with my family."

He moved closer as he hugged me. And then I felt that he already fell asleep a few minutes after.

Family . . .

Right . . . they are a family. And there is a chance for them to be one again. Kung may paraan pa naman talaga para magkaayos sila, sino ako para ipagkait sa kanila 'yon, 'di ba?

Kahit para na lang sa bata . . . magpaparaya ako.

Kahit para na lang kay Love . . . bibitiwan ko siya . . . 'wag niya lang maranasan lumaki nang walang ama katulad ni Grayson. He's a great dad, I know. He's just wasn't perfect. Nagkataon lang siguro na sobrang bigat ng pagkakamali niya kaya ganito.

But I know . . . I know that he will be a greater dad now that he has finally learned his lessons very well.

***

Saturday morning came and my heart couldn't be calmed. It has been beating so wild and fast. Para na akong aatakihin sa kaba.

Habang nagluluto si Grayson sa ibaba, binuksan ko ang cellphone ko. Naka-receive ako ng text galing kay Jenna.

Aica:

I'm already here. I am staying at Hennan Resort. Come and see me if we're going to talk already.

Me:

Did you come with Love?

Aica:

Of course, I couldn't leave her alone there. But it doesn't mean that I'll let Grayson meet her. Don't expect too much, Miss Ruth.

Me:

Okay, then. Thank you. I will just prepare and I'll see you in a bit.

Hindi na siya nag-reply pa pagkatapos n'on. Kabang-kaba ako noong lumabas ng k'warto at pumunta kay Grayson na abala sa pagluluto ng breakfast naming dalawa. Tumingin siya sa akin at ngumiti.

"Good morning," he said before kissing my forehead.

I smiled. "Good morning. Magpapaalam sana ako."

Tumingin siya sa akin nang nakakunot-noo. "Where are you going?"

I gulped as I felt a little more nervous. "Maria came here with some of our co-employees back then. They came here for . . . a team building. It's a company outing that's happening every year. They want me to . . . to be there."

He sighed. "Until when?"

I gulped. "Just today, I think."

"All day?" he asked with a creased forehead.

"I . . . I guess so."

Tumango siya bago pinagpatuloy ang pagluluto. "Okay, then. Wala namang rason para pigilan kita."

I smiled at him before I hugged him from behind. "Thank you, Grayson."

"I'll just drive you. Where are you going to meet them?"

Bumitiw ako sa pagkakayakap sa kan'ya bago nagpunta sa tabi niya. "Hindi naman na kailangan."

He looked at me. "Just let me do this so I can ease my mind."

Wala rin akong nagawa sa huli kung hindi ang hayaan siya.

Nang matapos kaming kumain, nagsimula na akong gumayak. Nauna akong maligo sa kan'ya dahil mabagal nga akong gumayak. Siya rin daw ay aalis para pumunta sa workplace niya since malapit nang matapos ang vacation leave niya. Maybe he'll check if there's a gig ready for him once he comes back.

Habang naliligo siya, mabilis kong kinuha ang portfolio ni Grayson na puno ng pictures ni Jenna. Kabang-kaba pa nga ako dahil mabilis lang siyang maligo. Mabuti na lang at alam ko kung saan kukuhanin ang susi at ang portfolio kaya mabilis ko lang 'yon nakuha nang walang problema. Once I locked the door, bumalik na ako sa k'warto at itinago sa mas malaking handbag ang portfolio na 'yon, saka itinuloy na ang pag-apply ng makeup.

After five minutes, Grayson came out of the bathroom half naked. Water was dripping from his hair to his body while a towel was wrapped around his waist. It was one of the sights I always love to see everyday.

Too bad . . . it won't last that long. But I'm glad that I had a chance to enjoy it with the little time that we're together.

Nang matapos na kaming gumayak, lumabas na kami ng bahay. Kotse niya ang gamit namin. For some reason, I missed riding his motorcycle. Simula kasi nang ginamit namin itong kotse niya, palagi nang ito ang ginagamit namin sa tuwing lumalabas kami. It's okay, though. But I missed hugging him from behind while he was driving.

It was one of the moments I loved doing with him.

"Where shall we go?" he asked as he drove away.

"Uhh . . . Hennan Resort."

Tumango siya. "Your company must have a lot of budget for this team building, huh?" He chuckled. "That resort was damn expensive."

I smiled nervously. "W-Well . . . it's once in a year event. They are really preparing for that."

He nodded once again. "Text or call me once you're done there."

A few minutes later, we finally arrived at Panglao. Bumaba ako sa entrance ng Alona Beach since hindi naman makakapasok doon ang sasakyan niya. I waved my hand at him as I watched him drive away before I turned my back and started walking towards the Hennan Resort.

Kabang-kaba ako nang kinuha ko ang cellphone para tawagan si Jenna. It was just a short ringing before she answered the call. I heard cute laughs from the other line that made my heart skip a beat.

"Mommy, someone called!" said a girl with a cute voice.

Nangilid ang mga luha ko kasabay ng pagngiti dahil sa ka-cute-an na 'yon. I wanted to see her. I wanted Grayson to hear her cute voice and laughter. I wanted to see his reaction when he saw that.

"Hello."

Napalunok ako nang marinig si Jenna sa kabilang linya. "I-I'm almost there."

"Okay, then. Wait for me."

After she said that, she ended the call. I gulped as I continued walking towards Hennan Resort. I sat on a free table by the beach side. The wind is blowing hard and cold. Dapat pala nagsuot ako ng panlamig kahit na manipis lang. Wearing a casual dress at this cold place is not the best idea.

I watched the wave hit the sand as I waited for her. It was the only noise I am hearing aside from some people talking from a table not far from me.

A few more minutes later, someone sat in front of me with a cute girl beside her. The girl undeniably looked like Grayson. A kid and a girl's version of him. I smiled at the girl as she stared at me.

"Hello!" she said.

I smiled wider. "Hi, pretty girl!"

She smiled. "Thank you! You're a pretty girl too! What's your name?"

I stretched my hand. "I am Summer. And you are?"

She accepted my offer of a handshake. "My name is Lovely because Mommy said I am a lovely kid!" she said in her most enthusiastic tone.

How can Enzo and I didn't have a kid when we literally lived under the same roof for years and made love to each other almost everyday? I mean, yes. I took birth control pills but it's because he doesn't want to have kids yet that's why I did.

Bakit hindi man lang nagkaroon si Enzo ng plano na pakasalan ako, bumuo ng pamilya o mag-isip ng magiging anak namin sa future? Now, I'm questioning myself if Enzo has ever planned his future with me . . . kahit minsan lang. Kasi wala akong matandaan na nagplano kami . . . na nagplano siya para sa amin.

I smiled at her more. I wanted to pinch her cute chubby cheeks but I know that I didn't come for this. I turned my eyes to the woman beside her who's looking at me with her mysterious eyes. Hindi ko alam kung anong naiisip niya ngayon na magkaharap kami. Hindi ko mabasa kung anong sinasabi ng mga tingin niya sa akin.

"So, you're Ruth?" she asked. I nodded. "I am Jenna. Lovely's mother." She extended her hand for a handshake. I accepted it without a second thought.

"I'm Ruth Summer."

She nodded before withdrawing her hand. "So, what are we going to talk about now and what is this thing that you want to give me that the asshole couldn't give to me?"

"Mommy, I am hungry, can you buy me a pancake?"

Jenna looked at her daughter. She smiled before calling a waiter and ordered breakfast.

"Miss Ruth, what do you want? It's on me."

Umiling ako. "I already ate my breakfast at home."

She raised her left eyebrow while holding the menu. "You . . . you have a home here?"

I looked down as I realized that answering her question might hurt her but what's the point of lying?

"W-Well . . ." I gulped. "I am staying at Grayson's house."

The moment I mentioned his name, Love looked at me like she knew who he was.

"And it is your . . . home here?"

Napalunok ako at hindi na nagsalita. Tumingin ako kay Lovely at nakitang parang wala na siyang pakialam sa pinag-uusapan namin. She just sitting there patiently as she played with her doll.

"Uhh . . . w-well . . ."

She smiled. "It's okay, though." She sighed. "I'll just get you a coffee."

Tumango ako at nagpasalamat. Sinabi na niya sa waiter ang order niya bago ito umalis.

"So, gaano ka na katagal dito?" she asked.

"Uhm, I'm . . . I'm only here for a month. I'll be leaving in a few days."

She nodded. "Did you talk about this with him? Did you tell him that you're going to leave too?"

"Well . . . alam naman niyang aalis ako but he's in the process of convincing me to stay here with him."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit sinasabi ko pa 'to sa kan'ya. I'm not here to talk about myself, though.

"So, how was your experience staying with him?" She smirked. "Is he treating you right? Is he going home drunk and telling you things you don't deserve?"

Napakunot-noo ako. "Uhh, he only went home drunk once but he's not telling me things I don't deserve."

She smiled. "Good for you."

"Jenna . . . he's learned his lessons well." She looked at me with a creased forehead. "Isn't it time for you to . . . talk with him? Start over with him?"

She scoffed. "Naririnig mo ba ang sarili mo? You are pushing your boyfriend to me. Do you think he will be thankful for that?"

I gulped. "Y-You used to be a family. A happy family."

She laughed sarcastically. "Hindi lahat ng nakikita mo sa litrato, totoo. Hindi dahil nakangiti kami sa pictures, masaya kami palagi, Miss Ruth. We were never that happy family that you always thought. There was no love connection between us, so how can you say that we were a happy family back then?"

Ramdam na ramdam ko ang tensyon ngayon dahil sa boses niyang pataas na nang pataas. In the end, wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang magbuntonghininga bago kinuha ang portfolio na nasa bag ko at inilapag sa table namin. She looked at it like she knows what's that but she probably didn't know what's inside. Kitang-kita ko sa kan'ya ang kaba . . . ang takot . . . ang pagkalito.

Ilang sandali pa, dumating na ang waiter dala ang mga order namin. Tulad ko, kape lang din ang in-order ni Jenna habang si Love naman ay pancake at chocolate drink. The kid started eating and stopped minding us anymore.

"W-What's this?" she asked when the waiter finally left.

"I found it inside your room in his house. I thought that you haven't seen it based on what I read on the last part of it. You deserved to see everything inside. You deserved to know something that Grayson never had the chance to confirm himself." I gulped as I felt my chest slightly tightened. "I think he deserves a second chance to fix his family with you."