I watched her flip every page of the portfolio that's full of her candid shots. She looked amazed at every photo she's seeing . . . like she's seeing it for the first time in her life. It was like . . . she never even knew about all of the things she's seeing right now. She's surprised . . . and she's hurt.

Tears started to fall from her eyes when she reached more than half of the portfolio. Maybe she's reminiscing of all those days that she had with him. I know that she is missing those days in the portfolio. The days that she's pregnant with Love, when she's in the delivery room, when she's breastfeeding her for the first time, when she got out of the sea after a long swimming session.

All those happy days that he had with Grayson can be claimed by her once again if she'll give both of them a chance for that.

She finally reached the last page where there is a letter that Grayson made for him. That was the letter I found that made me realize that Grayson loved her. Hindi lang niya nakompirma dahil sa pag-alis ng mag-ina.

"I really believe that he loved you too, Jenna."

She sobbed as she closed the portfolio. Love looked at her with her worried eyes. "Mommy, why are you crying?"

Umiling si Jenna bago niyakap ang anak. "I'm okay. I'm sorry I cried."

Love hugged her back as she slightly tapped her mother's back. For a moment, I wanted to cry too. I feel so envious that Jenna has someone who loved her that way . . . who loved her genuinely . . . unconditionally. I wanted that same love. I wanted a child of my own too.

Above that . . . p'wede pa silang mabuo ulit. Kung mag-uusap lang talaga sila at bibigyan nila ang isa't isa ng pagkakataon, I'm sure that they will be a happy family once again.

A few minutes later, Jenna finally calmed herself down as she took a sip from her coffee.

"What happened before is irrelevant to the now, Miss Ruth. You might think that he loved me before but it doesn't mean that he still loves me now. You are there for him now, bakit pinagtutulakan mo siya sa akin ngayon?"

I gulped, looking at the tea cup I am holding. "I am thinking about your daughter's future. I don't want to take away her future with a complete family. Hindi kaya ng konsensya kong maging masaya kasama si Grayson kung . . . kung alam kong may bata na naghahangad ng kalinga niya."

I looked at her. "Kaya nga ginagawa ko 'to hanggang maaga pa . . . hanggang hindi pa ako masyadong . . . hulog sa kan'ya. Hanggang kaya ko pang bitiwan siya, bibitiwan ko siya, Jenna, kasi alam kong mas kailangan n'yo siya kaysa sa akin."

She didn't answer me. She kept her mouth shut, listening to every word that I say.

"He learned his lessons well. He atoned for his sins. Sinunod niya ang sinabi mong 'wag niya kayong hanapin kahit na araw-araw siyang nangungulila sa inyo . . . lalo na sa anak niya. Pinagsisisihan niya ang lahat. I know because I saw the pain in his eyes and the regrets whenever he tells me stories about the two of you."

I gulped. "B-Baka p'wedeng mag-usap na kayo. Pag-usapan n'yong dalawa 'yung mga problemang naiwan n'yo."

She took a deep breath. "That asshole doubted his own flesh and blood—"

"Because he was hurt that your ex-boyfriend came to your daughter's birthday party. He was jealous back then, Jenna. He was under the influence of alcohol that might've made him say the words he never meant in the first place."

She bit her lower lip. "Hindi niya p'wedeng gawing rason ang alak. He said that because it was on his mind! It's not the alcohol that told him to say those words!"

"I know." I sighed, looking down on the table. "I just based that on my experience. My ex-boyfriend used to say a lot of mean things to me when he's angry and very drunk. Naisip ko lang na baka . . . baka gano'n din si Grayson no'ng time na 'yon."

I look at her once again.

"But he's already improved himself. He's a better man now, I know. He deserved to see you . . . to see his daughter. Please . . . just . . . just do this favor for me. Gusto ko lang talagang makita na masaya siya . . . bago ako umalis."

She sighed, looking away. Ilang sandali pa, ibinalik niya sa akin ang tingin.

"Hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan mo pa siyang iwan. You looked like you're okay together. Bakit kailangan mong gawin 'to? Bakit kailangan mong umalis kung nandito ka naman na at masaya?"

I shook my head. "As I've said earlier, I can't be genuinely happy when there's a kid wanting a father's love and care, Jenna. At isa pa, I don't belong here. I have a life back in Manila and I have sins I need to atone for. This is the only way for me to make myself feel a little . . .better."

She chuckled sarcastically. "You think that the world will be better if you sacrifice something that you truly want?"

I shook my head slightly. "But a family will be reunited if I did . . . and it's more than enough for me."

She couldn't talk after that. She's opening her mouth as she tries to talk but in the end, she'll just shut it and not talk at all.

"Jenna, please let him see her just this once. Please."

She sighed. "Hindi kasi gano'n kadaling desisyon 'yon."

I sighed. "Just once. Kahit ngayon lang, kahit after nito 'wag na ulit. Please . . ."

"Let me think about this first."

After the talk we had, we walked by the beach side as we talked about each other like an old friend that has seen each other after so many years. She told me stories about how she went to Manila with the help of her cousin whom she's staying with now. And her work in QC that made her raise Love and give her a good life even without the help of Grayson.

"Love knows about her father. I never hid it from her."

I nodded. "Anong sinasabi mo kapag hinahanap niya?"

She smiled. "That her dad is busy with his work abroad. She understands it very well. She's really kind. I was never very stressed because she wasn't like other kids who throw tantrums whenever she didn't get what she wanted. She's also very sweet." She sighed. "She was just like her father. Gray was very caring. He took so much care of me when Love's still inside my womb." She chuckled. "Every time Love gave me a glass of water, I always saw Gray in her."

See? She was happy whenever she told me stories about her past with him. Mas lalo ko lang napatunayan na tama ang desisyon na 'to. It's dumb to let go of the person you love for somebody else, I know, but this is for the better.

I stayed with Jenna and Love until after lunch time. I ate with them. Jenna paid for everything we ate and it made me a little shy since she's been spending money on me since the moment we met earlier today.

"So, I think I need to go," I said after a few hours since we talked.

She smiled. "Ingat!"

I nodded." Uhm, I'm going to call Grayson. He told me to call him when I'm done with my appointment here. Is . . . is that okay?" I asked.

She nodded. "Of course. Maybe you're right. Maybe it's time for him to see Love."

Napangiti ako nang malawak nang dahil sa sinabi niyang 'yon. For a moment, gusto kong tumalon sa saya at yakapin siya but we're not that close to be that touchy with each other. Ngumiti na lang ako sa kan'ya bago lumayo nang konti saka tinawagan ang number ni Grayson. Ilang sandali pa, sumagot na siya.

"Hey," he said. "Are you done?"

I smiled. "Yup. Can you come and pick me up here? I'm at the lobby."

He chuckled. "Okay, then. I'm coming to get you."

"See you!" I said before ending the call.

Bumalik ako kay Jenna na buhat si Love ngayon, mukhang inaantok. "He'll be here in a few minutes."

Tumango siya at ngumiti bago hinarap ang anak. "My Love, can you keep yourself awake for a few minutes? I just have to show you something," she said.

The kid nodded. "Put me down, then, Mommy."

I smiled as I watched their cute interactions.

Ahhh . . . I wanted that same experience. I wanted that same interaction with a kid. I wanted that too.

A few minutes later, Grayson texted me.

Grayson:

I'm outside already.

Lumingon ako kay Jenna. "He's already outside."

Bahagya siyang ngumiti bago naupo para magkapantay sila ni Love. "Baby, can you come with Tita Summer outside? She's just going to meet someone. Can you come with her?"

Bakas ang lito sa mukha nito pero tumango pa rin. "How about you, Mommy?"

Jenna smiled. "I'll just get something in our room. Okay?"

Tumango si Love bago naglakad papunta sa akin. Humawak siya sa kamay ko bago lumingon kay Jenna saka kumaway. Nakita ko ang pamumula ng mga mata nito bago tumalikod sa amin at naglakad paalis. Tumingin sa akin si Love at ngumiti. Sabay kaming naglakad papunta sa labas ng Hennan Resort.

There, we saw Grayson waiting for me patiently. He's holding his phone like he was about to text someone but stopped midway when he saw me. He smiled at me before looking at the kid who's walking beside me. He looked at me once again when he realized who I was with. I smiled at him widely.

"Hi," I said as we stopped walking in front of him. "I want you to meet Lovely Torrealba de Vera."

Grayson's mouth parted as he looked at the kid in front of him. He sat down so he could be on the same level with Love as he held both sides of her little arms.

"Hello, sir."

Grayson's tears immediately fell as soon as he heard her talk while his hands were shaking. "H-Hi."

"Why are you crying, sir? Did someone hurt you?"

Grayson shook his head before pulling her into his arms as he hugged her tight. Grayson cried so hard but this is the tears of joy that I so wanted to see from him.

I'm glad I saw his genuine happiness before I left.

I'm glad I made his genuinely happy-self back before I broke his heart.