NAIWAN NA nakatulala si Atticus. He couldn't accept the fact that she's now getting married, gayon na walang umabot sa kanyang balita. Her soon to be husband was a famous actor they say, it should be seen on television. They should've announced it.

For a year that he's been residing in London, Atticus hired an investigator para lang may balita siya sa dalaga. There was no information of Khaila dating another guy after him.

She was just working… and teaching.

"There must be a mistake…" naiiling na sabi niya sa sarili.

Wala siya sa sarili na natawa. Look at him now, pathetically thinking that there must be some mistake. That it wasn't real. Kahit na nakita na niya sa dalawang mga mata ang singsing na nakasuot sa daliri nito. The way that man snaked his arm around her and the way he made her laugh.

That should be him. If he didn't leave without a word.

Ang pagkakamali na kailanman ay hindi niya mababalikan para maitama 'yon.

Their relationship was too good to be true. At ang kasinungalingan na binuo niya ang sumampal sa kanya sa katotohanan. There's no way she'll end up with a guy like him.

"Damn, self pity." Atticus hissed. It was his fault. There's no room for him to feel it.

"Sir, you still have a meeting—" Atticus cut him off.

"My car keys?" tanong niya at inilahad ang palad sa sekretarya niya.

Nagtataka man ay binigay nito sa kanya ang susi ng sasakyan niya.

"Cancel all my appointments. Tell them I have an emergency." Nagmamadali na sabi niya.

Hindi na niya hinintay na magsalita ang sekretarya niya. He drove his car towards their house, instead of coming back to his father's company. Atticus wanted to punch the steering wheel as the scene earlier kept on replaying in his mind.

He called her, 'babe'. He held her in his arms. He looked at her the way he looked at Khaila before.

He's going insane.

Sa utak ni Atticus, he needs to drink liquor to forget. He needs sleeping pills to help him have a good sleep.

Pero lahat 'yon nabura nang salubungin siya ng anak niya. Fleair was wearing a floral print dress and flat shoes, may pambatang apron din itong suot. She ran to her immediately after removing her plastic gloves.

"Papa! You're home early?" nagtataka na tanong nito sa kanya. Fleair hides her hands on her back.

Lumuhod siya sa harapan ng anak niya at mahigpit itong niyakap. Atticus buried his face on her little angel's neck.

"I'm sorry, Fleair. Papa's sorry…" paulit-ulit niya 'yon na binubulong sa anak.

He's sorry for being an asshole. He's sorry for keeping her in the dark before. For telling her to call him 'Tito' in front of Khaila. For taking advantage of her daughter's kindness.

"Papa? Are you crying?" nag-aalala na tanong nito sa kanya imbes na magalit ito. Malambing ang boses ng anak niya.

"I'm sorry, 'nak… I really am." Atticus sincerely whispered.

Ang kanina na nakatagong kamay nito sa likuran ay yumakap sa kanya. Fleair gently patted her back.

"Papa, you already explained it to me right? Is it about Tita Khaila? Did you see her again that's why you're apologising again to me?" marahan na tanong nito.

Fleair know him too well. Noong makarating sila dito, he explained how bad he was and the reason why they left the country, at her very young age, Fleair tried to understand him. She really tried her best.

She didn't ask him. She didn't throw a fit.

Habang nagtatrabaho siya at may balita siya tungkol kay Khaila, o kahit makita lang ang mukha nito sa picture. Atticus will immediately go to Fleair and apologize as much as he could.

Fleair knows that Khaila was his trigger button to apologise to her nonstop.

"Your Tita Khaila is getting married…" Aniya.

Pinanood niya ang ekspresyon ng anak. Fleair didn't say anything. Nakatingin lang ito sa kanya.

"You should rest, Papa," aniya sa maliit na boses.

Atticus looked proudly at his daughter. She wasn't the Fleair she once knew. She matured at her young age. When they left the country, Khaila and him didn't have a proper break up. He carefully explained their situation to his daughter, ang dami nitong tanong noon, na unti-unti niyang sinasagot.

Everyday, Atticus witnessed with his own two eyes how Fleair tried not to stress him. She only asked her grandmother to look for someone who can teach her to bake.

Mapait siyang ngumiti. That was her last memory with Khaila. Alam ni Atticus sa sarili na hindi lang basta-basta nililibang ni Fleair ang sarili. She was trying to preserve that memory.

His daughter was holding his hand until they reached his room. Ito pa ang nagbukas ng pinto ng kwarto niya at sinamahan siya nito sa kama. Fleair snuggled to him, hanggang sa makatulog siya pati na rin ito.

Next morning, he has a meeting again in the same place. Sa hotel kung saan nag-stay ang pamilya ni Khaila. He was wearing his formal attire when his daughter barged inside his room.

Bihis na bihis ito. She's wearing a thick shirt and paired it with carpenter pants, and flat sandals. Nakatali rin ang buhok nito.

"Are you going somewhere?" tanong ni Atticus sa anak. He faced her as his arms crossed against his chest. Tumango ito sa kanya bilang sagot. "Saan?"

"Sasama ako sayo, Pa," sagot nito.

"Fleair, you can't. I have an important meeting and—" naputol ang sasabihin niya nang ngumuso ito at ipinakita ang isang note sa kanya. Atticus doesn't need to read it. His mother was not home, that's for sure. "Okay, you'll come with me. Promise me, hindi ka maglilikot doon."

"Okay, I promise!"

Isinama niya ito at hinabilinan na rin ang secretary niya to look after his daughter. In case na matuon ang buong atensyon niya sa meeting. He had to deal with the woman again after he stormed out yesterday.

"You're cute!" Anito sa anak niya. Atticus clicked his tongue. The smile plastered on her lips looks genuine, but sooner or later, mawawalan din ito ng interes sa bata. Just like the other woman he dated before.

Si Khaila lang naman ang totoong may gusto sa anak niya.

"Let's start. Shall we?" He asked.

They started the presentation all over again and after an hour, nang bumaling siya sa tabi, wala na ang anak niya.

"Shit! Where's my daughter?" tanong niya sa sekretarya niya na nasa iPad ang atensyon.

"She's just here…"

"Damn it!" Atticus hissed. Pabalya siyang tumayo at iniwan ang ka-meeting niya.

He looked for Fleair and asked the staffs to help him. Palabas na siya sa lobby nang makita niya ang anak. Bumagal ang lakad niya at habol ang hininga habang nakatingin sa anak niya. She was animatedly talking to Khaila and her father, Kyst Miller.

She found them… Fleair found her.

NAIWAN SILANG dalawa ng Papa niya sa hotel suite nila. Her mother, together with the twins went out to shop and didn't bother to tell them. Out of boredom, Khaila started to work in their supposed vacation.

"You're working?" tanong ng Papa niya at tuluyan nang pumasok sa loob ng kwarto niya.

He rested his hands on the backrest of her chair.

"Samahan mo ako? Let's buy a present for your mother." Lumingon si Khaila sa Papa niya.

"For what occasion, Pa?" nagtataka na tanong niya.

Her father shrugged. "No particular occasion, princess. I just want to give her something."

Nangingiti na napailing si Khaila sa Papa niya. He likes buying something for her mother. Kahit sa kanila naman, minsan ay nagugulat na lang sila na may paper bag na sa loob ng mga kwarto nila.

Lumabas sa kwarto niya ang Papa niya, saka siya nagbihis. She wanted to look presentable, her father was a well-known, most paid model, after all. Kung sa Pilipinas ay natatakasan niya ang mga reporters, iba sa London. They don't care if they're invading your little space, makakuha lang ng picture nila.

"Ky choose a lot of upcoming projects for you. Iba pa ang sa akin at kay Tally." Tumatawa na sabi nito.

Khaila scoffed. Tuwang-tuwa talaga ang mga ito na babalik siya sa pagmomodelo. Her mother didn't say anything, sigurado na hindi 'yon aangal lalo na at ito naman ang trabaho na kinalakihan na niya. Khaila was still yearning to teach, nagagawa naman niya 'yon paminsan.

Nasa lobby na sila and her father kept on talking about their business, and her upcoming busy days when someone called her. Sabay silang lumingon ng papa niya.

"Is that…?" Her father trailed. 

"Fleair?" tawag niya sa batang tumawag sa kanya.

"Tita!" She screamed and ran towards them.

Thankfully, she's wearing pants. Khaila squatted in front of Fleair.

"Sino ang kasama mo?" tanong niya. Nag-aalala.

"Si Papa po…"

"Where's your father, then?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong ng Papa niya. They were both shocked when Fleair got his hand, saka ito nagmano. Her father chuckled and said, "Still the same little angel, I see."

"Nasa meeting po kasi si Papa… I don't understand what they're talking about, tapos nakita ko po kayo kaya tumakbo ako."

Tinuro nito ang pinanggalingan.

"Baby, your father must be looking for you." Nakagat ni Khaila ang pang-ibaba niyang labi.

She roamed her eyes around and saw Atticus running. Asking the staff. Bumagal lang ang lakad nito nang makita si Fleair na kausap sila. Her gaze went back to Fleair.

"Balik ka na sa Papa mo?" nakangiti niyang sabi. She missed her so much. Pero hindi naman niya pwedeng basta na lang kunin ang bata.

"You look cute. She looks like you when you started working as a model, princess." Pasimple niyang sinamaan ng tingin ang papa niya. "Oh, your father is here."

"Fleair!" Lumuhod ito sa harap ng anak. "I thought you're lost!"

"I am not, Papa. Babalik naman po ako kaagad."

Khaila covered her mouth. Nag da-dahilan na ito ngayon.

"Ahm… Sumama ka na sa Papa mo, Fleair. We need to go." Paalam niya sa bata.

Nagulat si Khaila nang bigla na lang itong yumakap sa binti niya. He saw how Atticus massaged the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. Para bang biglaan na sumakit ang ulo nito sa akto ng sariling anak.

Atticus sighed. "Fleair, come here. Not now, please?" pakiusap nito sa anak.

"Sama ako sa inyo, Tita?" naiiyak na sabi nito.

"Fleair." Matigas na tawag ni Atticus sa pangalan ng anak nito.

"Well, is it okay if isama namin? I missed this little angel, too." Her father butt in.

Atticus almost scoffed upon hearing the 'little angel', pinigilan lang nito ang sarili. Khaila remained silent as Atticus slowly nodded his head. Hindi makatanggi sa Papa niya.

Her father carried Fleair. Nauna ang mga ito na lumabas.

"We'll take care of her. Don't worry." Khaila icily said.

Tinalikuran niya ang lalaki at sumunod sa dalawa niyang kasama. They hailed a cab and went to the nearest mall. Buhat-buhat ng Papa niya si Fleair habang namimili sila ng damit na para sa bata.

In the end, they bought Fleair a lot of clothes. Tuwang-tuwa ang bata sa mga regalo na binigay ng Papa niya. Huli na nang bilhan nila ng regalo ang Mamu niya.

"I've heard… ikaw ang nag-bake sa cookies na binigay sa akin?" tanong niya sa bata habang nasa biyahe sila pabalik sa hotel.

"Does it taste good, Tita?" namilog ang mga mata nito. Fleair was playing with her fingers as she waited for her answer.

Tumango siya. "Yes, sobrang sarap."

"I know the process now. Can we bake cookies together?" She asked.

"Well, I'm a little bit busy…" Naiisip pa lang niya ang naghihintay na trabaho para sa kanya. Umiikot na ang mundo ni Khaila.

"It's okay, Tita, I understand po. Maybe, next time? Kapag hindi ka na po busy?"

Ngumiti siya kay Fleair at hinalikan ang tuktok ng ulo nito. From a little girl who loves to throw tantrums all the time, to an understanding little girl, in a span of one year. Atticus surely raised the little girl well.

Nang makarating sila sa hotel, nauna na umakyat ang Papa niya at iniwan sa kanya si Fleair pati na ang mga paper bags. She saw Atticus waiting and stood up when he saw them.

"Binili ni Papa sa kanya," aniya at inabot ang mga bags.

"Thanks… for taking care of her."

"Next time, huwag mong isama ang bata kung hindi mo lang din naman babantayan. You should've left her at home or hired a nanny for her. Paano kung mawala ang anak mo? Paano pala kung hindi kami ang nakita niya? Nakikinig ka ba?" inis na tanong niya nang mapansin itong nangingiti.

Atticus chuckled at her. Then he joked, "Do you want to take care of my daughter while I'm at work? I will gladly let you meet her whenever you want."

☕