NANG MASIGURO ni Avis na walang komplikasyon ang bata pati na din ang ina nito. She immediately told Caleb's mother to book a flight. She didn't rest nor listen to her mother to stay for another week, alam naman niya na nangungulila din sa kanya ang sariling ina lalo na at nag-iisa lang siyang anak.

"Ma, masyado na akong matagal na nag stay dito. Besides, hinahanap na ako ng mga pasyente ko sa Pilipinas." Nakasimangot na sabi nito sa kanya. Her father was busy as of the moment kaya ang mama niya lang ang naghatid sa kanilang dalawa ni Rayleigh sa airport.

"Come on, Veronica! Bakit hindi mo nalang sabihin na mami-miss mo ako? I won't mind if you hug me tight." Nagtaas baba ang kilay ni Rayleigh na ikinailing niya.

At bilang isang pikon ang mama niya, inirapan lang siya nito at hinalikan siya sa pisngi.

"Fine. Take care of my baby, Rayleigh!" Habilin ng mama niya.

"What about me?" Nakangusong tanong ni Rayleigh sa Mama niya. Her mother sighed, giving in with Caleb's mother cuteness.

"Take care you dumb! The next time they badmouth you and my daughter make sure to show them what Rayleigh was when we're in Highschool. Tutal ayon naman ang nagustuhan sayo ni Kaleb, 'yung pagiging basagulera mo, ang gago ang daming ipapalit sa akin ikaw pa talaga?"

Avis gulped when she saw her father behind her mother's back. Looks like he left his work just to see her off.

"You have a daughter and a husband here, Veron. Why do you keep on bringing that topic up? What? Vous n'avez pas encore bougé ?" You haven't moved on yet?

Nagulat ang mama niya nang marinig ang boses ng papa niya, habang si Rayleigh naman ay agad na tumawa. It's been a long time. Hindi naman mag aasawa at hindi siya lilitaw kung hindi pa naka moved on ang mama niya sa tatay ni Caleb. Pero ang mama niya pinaglalaban talaga ang paniniwala nito, na hindi maganda ang ginawa ng ama ni Caleb, he was her ex and suddenly become in a relationship with her friend.

"T-that's not it!" Nauutal na depensa ng mama niya rito. Namumula pa ang mukha niya at halatang hindi mapakali dahil pinaglalaruan niya ang mga daliri.

She's like that whenever her father's angry.

"Ah-huh? Stop talking about your ex will you? Pati ang anak natin nadadamay sa issue mo." His father angrily said. Pero nang tumingin ito sa kanya, he smiled and wink.

Lumapit sa kanya ang papa niya at hinalikan siya sa noo. "I believe you have something to tell me? I'll wait for your message, hmm? Your old man is one call away." Bulong nito sa kanya kapagkuwan ay lumapit kay Rayleigh. Her father kissed her cheek and even slid her hand on her waist, it was a natural act of her father, pero sinisiguro parin niya na hindi magseselos ang mama niya.

"Take care of my baby, Rayleigh. We'll see you soon." Her father said and went on her mother side, agad na pumalupot ang kamay nito sa baywang ng mama niya. "Mag-iingat kayo, magtutuos pa kami nitong asawa ko."

She waved her hand and mouthed her 'I love you' to her parents. Those two will surely bicker and her father will surely win hands down. Her father loves to teased her mother so much. He's a bully, but he cares and loves her and her mother.

"If Kaleb's saw your father kissing me on my cheek and even held my waist, I'm sure he'll lost his mind." Natatawang bulong sa kanya ni Rayleigh. She laughed with her.

"And I'm sure if Caleb's saw Justin being sweet to me, he'll beat him into pulp without knowing that my friend is married."

"Like father, like son!" Sabay na sabi nilang dalawa at tumawa.

THEY'RE both exhausted and entirely asleep during the flight. Nagigising lang silang dalawa ni Rayleigh kapag may lalapit sa kanilang Flight attendant at magtatanong kung may gusto ba silang kainin. After that, they're going to sleep again.

Kaya nang makalapag sila sa Airport punong puno na naman silang dalawa ng energy. Avis helped Caleb's mother to carry her other baggage since she only have one trolley bag and a small box, na naglalaman ng mga pasalubong niya.

Sa dami ng mga pinamili nilang dalawa, ang ibang mga pinamili nito hindi nila nadala. Ang alam niya ay ipapadala nalang ng mama niya. And if her memories served right, Caleb's father owned a private plane. Rayleigh can call her husband anytime to used it, pera maiuwi lahat ng mga pinamili nito pero mukhang may iba itong plano.

"We're taking a cab." Lumingon si Avis rito.

Her forehead crease. "You didn't tell Tito that we're going home?" She curiously asked.

She shake her head and smile at her. "We're going to surprise them. Si Caliber lang ang may alam na uuwi na ako, wala naman akong maitatago sa panganay ko na 'yon! But I told him not to pick me, of course he obeyed. And I asked him to let Caleb stayed in our house. Alam mo na ang anak kong 'yon, palipat lipat ng bahay."

Avis bit her lip. Looks like she's not going home tonight. Well, she wants to see Caleb right away. She wants to know if she's back to zero or nah. She wants to know if he misses her. Because she do. She misses him so much!

"I can't wait to see him." Avis whispered and sighed. She's nervous.

Rayleigh smiled and held her hand before pulling her towards the cab. Thankfully the guards help them to carried their baggages.

CALEB WAS BEYOND pissed with his brother, Caliber. His friends were calling him nonstop and asking him to go to Lust community, because they're having a dinner together like they usually do, well not really. They usually get drunk and eat less. That was his only way not to think about Avis, at baka maisipan niya na basta nalang ito sunduin sa France at sapilitang iuwi sa Pilipinas.

"This is bullshit, Kuya!" Singhal niya sa kapatid.

Agad sumimangot ang kapatid niya at pinagkrus ang mga braso sa dibdib. "Tinawag mo pa akong Kuya! God! I feel so loved!" He dramatically said.

"What are you two doing?" Sita sa kanila ng pinsan nilang dalawa. "Caliber if he wants to leave why won't you let him leave? End of discussion." Maarteng umirap ito sa kanila.

"If I want you and your family gone, why don't you just leave? End of discussion." Caliber mocked. Caleb couldn't hide the smile on his lips.

The both of them were on fire because it's been a month since they last saw their mother. They might be busy and all, pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay hindi na nila alam kung ano ang pinagsasabi ng mga ito sa magulang nila. Especially to their mother.

"What's up with you two?! Bakit lagi kami ang pinag-iinitan niyo? Tito Kaleb already told you to stop picking with us right?!" Their cousin dramatically asked. She's yelling. Masakit sa tainga.

"Oh shut the fuck up!" Caliber shushed her. "Namiss ko si Mama." Caliber said and pouted his lips like a child, he even leaned his back on the door.

"Bakit hindi kayo sumunod sa kanya?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong ng pinsan nila sa kanila.

Tumaas ang kilay ni Caleb. "Bakit nandito ka pa?" He glance at her and looked at her lazily.

Then his gazed went up to his father. Pababa ito ng hagdan. He looks tired and seems like he's not sleeping at all. But who cares? Definitely not him and his brother. It was his fault in the first place.

"Si Mama dapat ang nandito. Hindi kayo." Caliber boredly said, sinadyang lakasan ang boses para marinig sila ng papa nila.

"That's enough you two! Palagi niyo nalang inaaway ang mga pinsan niyo, pati na din ang mga Tita niyo!" Singhal sa kanila nito.

Caleb looked at his brother misty gray eyes too, it's like they're talking by just looking directly on each other eyes. Caliber sighed and open the door. Nauna itong lumabas at sumunod naman siya. They maybe a grown up man now. Pero hindi nila maiwasan na magtampo sa Papa nila. Her mother left without saying anything to them. They misses her. They misses how she forced them to rest and forgot about their work for a moment.

"Caliber! Caleb! Where the hell are you going?! Don't you ever turn your back on me!" Sigaw nito sa kanilang dalawa.

"Kuya, Papa is calling you." He boredly said and tapped his brother shoulder, he's texting someone.

"I didn't hear him. Let's go to our old house. Let's camp there for a while." Caliber said and open the door of his car. He sighed and just obliged.

Magdadahilan nalang siya sa mga tarantado niyang kaibigan. His brother looks so lonely. At bilang isa siyang mabait na kapatid, sasamahan niya ito sa kalungkutan kahit labag sa kalooban niya.

"MANONG! Paki balik po, wala po pala diyan ang mga anak ko." Kumunot ang noo ni Avis nang marinis ang Mama nina Caleb.

Sumilip siya sa bintana at nakitang malapit na sila sa bahay ng mga ito. She heard her sighed heavily.

"What happened, Tita?" Hindi niya mapigilan ang magtanong.

She smiled and waved her hand. "Looks like my boys are giving their father a hard time. Ang dalawang 'yon talaga!" Natatawang sagot nito sa kanya.

Avis couldn't understand her so, she choose to stay quiet and didn't asked for more. She just rest her head on the window and wait.

HER LIPS parted when she saw a very familiar house. It was Caleb's family first house. Ganoon pa rin ito at walang pinagbago. The design was minimalist and the old garden of Rayleigh was still there.

"Ahhh, I miss this house!" Rayleigh chirped and clapped her hands like a kid. "Let's go inside, my boy's having a early dinner."

Hinila siya nito sa loob at iniwan lang nila ang bagahe nilang dalawa sa labas. She looked back to check because there's some important things in her luggage, tsaka lang siya nakampante nang makita ang mga caretaker ng bahay na pinapasok ang mga bagahe nila.

"I'm home! Come and hug your mother!" Napangiwi siya nang bigla nalang itong sumigaw.

Avis heart pounded hard when she heard a steps coming towards them. Mas lalong dumoble ang kabog ng dibdib niya nang makita si Caleb na tumatakbo para salubungin ang mama nito. He stop midway when he saw her. Nanuyo ang lalamunan niya. Maybe he's angry at her again.

"Ma! I miss you!" Caliber yelled like a kid and run towards his mother to give her a tight hug.

Yumuko si Avis para makaiwas sa titig ni Caleb. Her knees weakened because of his stares and her palms were sweating out of nervousness.

"Oh, Hi Avis!" Caliber just smiled at her boyishly.

"Caleb? Don't you missed me?" Pukaw ng mama nila sa atensyon nito.

Caliber chuckled. "Ma, he misses you so much that he acts like a spoiled rotten brat again." Hindi niya alam kung nagsusumbong ba si Caliber o proud ito sa nakakabatang kapatid.

"Really? What did he do this time?" Parang excited pa na tanong ng mama nila.

"Nothing much. He came home drunk and almost burned their room. He used Papa's car and bumped it into Auntie's new car. Mas sumakit ang ulo ni Papa sa kanya sa pinaggagawa niya sa mga pinsan at Tita namin kaysa noong kabilaan ang mga babae niya." Caliber laughed.

"How's your father?" Their mother suddenly asked.

Caleb shrugged and walk towards her. "He looks like shit, Ma. Kulang sa tulog at halos hindi na kumakain. Alangan naman pakainin namin e siya may kasalanan. Paasikaso siya mga pinsan niyang walang ambag." Masungit na sagot nito sa Mama nila.

Rayleigh just laughed and shake her head, "dito muna tayo, hayaan niyo muna ang Papa niyo." She answered and pulled Caliber somewhere.

"Ahm... Ano..." Avis cleared her throat.

She heard Caleb chuckled and lift her chin up and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"You're back. Sapat na 'yon sa akin."