Chapter 27
Boutique

"Tito, going home you po?" Malungkot at halos hindi maintindihang tanong ng anak ko kay Kiel dahil sa kakulangan ng mga salita.

Mga isang oras na rin ata silang naglalaro ni Kiel ng bagong toy car na binili nito para sa anak ko. Nang tumayo si Kiel ay mukhang alam na ni Brayden na uuwi na siya.

Kiel smiled at Brayden and ruffled his hair. My son giggled.

"Do you missed me so much?" He jokingly asked my son. "Don't you want me to go home?"

Brayden slowly nodded. "I missed playing with you, Tito." He whined those cute words in full sentence. "Cars!" He even raised his new toy cars.

Kiel chuckled. "That's why I bought you new cars because I know you missed me so much." Kiel said. "Next time, I'm gonna bring you to my medical missions. Para 'di mo na ako mamiss."

My son's face brightened up that also made me smile. Seeng my son happy could also make me happy.

"Talaga po?" My son excitedly asked before he turned to me and his smile slightly faded. "Paano po... 'di payag Mommy?"

Sumulyap naman sa akin si Kiel at tinaasan ko siya ng kilay bago humalukipkip.

Tinaasan din ako ni Kiel ng kilay bago muling lumingon sa anak ko.

"Don't worry." He assured my son. "I will kidnap you from your Mom."

"Kiel!" Saway ko naman sa kaniya.

Kung anu-ano nanamang itinuturo ni Kiel na mga salita kay Brayden.

Last week Brayden asked him for a real car. Ang sagot naman ni Kiel ay magca-carnap sila ng sasakyan para magkaroon si Brayden. And my son is considering that option! For God's sake! He's feeding Brayden with bad words and thoughts.

They both laughed because they really love teasing me.

"Hindi mo ba ihahatid si Tito palabas?" Tanong naman ni Kiel at inilahad ang kaniyang kamay dito.

Dali-dali namang kumapit si Brayden sa kaniya at agad itong binuhat ni Kiel upang pasakayin sa kaniyang balikat. Brayden laughed so hard and tightened his grip to his uncle.

Habang pababa sa hagdan ay kumakanta-kanta pa silang dalawa ng isang electronic pop dance song. Sumasayaw-sayaw pa si Brayden kaya naman todo ang alalay ko sa likod ng anak ko at patuloy ang pagdaloy ng nerbiyos sa aking katawan. 

"Kiel, baka malaglag si Brayden!" I exclaimed but they still continued dancing.

Napailing nalang ako sa kalokohan nilang dalawa.

Nang makarating sa gate ay maingat nang ibinaba ni Kiel si Brayden.

"Good bye, little boy." He once again, ruffled Brayden's hair before he turned to look at me. "Bye rin, beautiful lady." He winked at me and I just rolled my eyes at him.

"Bye, Tito!" Galak na galak si Brayden habang kumakaway sa paalis na si Kiel.

Nang mawala na ang sasakyan ni Kiel sa aming paningin ay agad naman akong hinila ni Brayden papasok sa loob ng bahay.

"Mommy, arrange my cars!" He cutely demanded while he kept on pulling me.

I gathered the new toy cars added to his collection before we went to a small room that is only for his car collection. It wouldn't fit his cabinet anymore that's why Daddy suggested to provide a space as a room for his collections.

Brayden even brought his iPad to take pictures of his collection. Nakanguso pa siya habang ginagawa 'yon.

Nang magsawa na siya sa kakakuha ng litrato ay lumapit siya sa akin saka itinaas ang kaniyang dalawang kamay upang magpabuhat na agad ko namang ginawa. Sinubsob niya ang kaniyang ulo sa aking leeg at hinalikan ko naman ang kaniyang ulo.

Even if I lost a great amount of things when I left four years ago, Brayden was able to fill up the lost and make me whole again. There are just no words that I can use to explain how happy I am to have my son.

"Mommy, uuwi po tayo Philippines, sabi lolo." Inaantok nang tanong niya sa akin habang tinatapik-tapik ko nang marahan ang kaniyang hita upang makatulog na.

Tumango naman ako at ngumiti. "Yup." Sabi ko. "It's your Tita Tiffany's wedding. Kaya uuwi tayo."

"Sama Tito Kiel?" Sunod niyang tanong bago humikab at kinusot ang kaniyang mata.

"Yes, he will kaya sleep ka na." Malambing kong sabi sa kaniya.

He slightly nodded before he closed his eyes and curled his body while he faced sidewards.

Huminga ako nang malalim habang tinitignan ang anak kong mahimbing na natutulog.

He really resembles his father a lot. There's no doubt that people would recognize him as Brendt's son once they see him. His eyes, his nose, his lips and even the shape of his face—it all resembles to Brendt. The only thing that Brayden got from me is a piece of my personality.

I was already in New York when I learned that I was pregnant. Knowing that Brendt is the only man I gave my all too, there's no need to doubt that he's the father of my son. Natakot ako noong napag-alaman kong buntis ako lalo na nang sinabing sobrang selan ng pagbubuntis ko. I just had a miscarriage. I didn't know it was possible for me to get pregnant again with just a limited amount of time but the doctor said it was. I don't want to lose another child. Baka hindi ko na talaga kayanin kapag nangyari pa 'yon.

I took extra care of my pregnancy. Pati si Mommy Madeline ay tumulong sa akin at ganoon din naman si Tiffany. That's the time where I've finally came to give them a space in my life and let them in. They supported and helped me throughout my pregnancy.

And by the time I gave birth to Brayden, I believe that it was the happiest day of my life. I felt that I've just overcome a great obstacle in my life that I've got to face. Feeling ko ay nabuhay ulit ako at nakapagsimula ng panibago kasama ng anak ko. Ipinangako ko sa sarili ko na hinding-hindi niya mararamdaman ang pagkukulang nang pagkawala ng kaniyang ama dahil ibibigay ko sa kaniya ang lahat ng hilingin niya. And I'm also thankful to Kiel  and my Dad dahil alam kong isa sila sa mga dahilan kung bakit hindi hinahanap ni Brayden ang Daddy niya.

They both like spoiling Brayden. Kiel treats him like a son while Dad, of course, treats him as his beloved grandson.

Hindi ako takot na makilala ni Brendt si Brayden. In fact, I want him to meet his son. Ang kinakatakot ko lang ay ang rejection. I don't want Brayden to meet him and feel rejected because his father doesn't want him. I don't want my son feel unloved.

Ibinuhos ko ang lahat ng pagmamahal na mayroon ako at alam kong isang pagmamahal lang mula sa iba at lalo na sa kaniyang ama ang hindi niya maramdaman ay alam kong masasayang ang lahat.

I don't want that to happen. My son doesn't deserve that.

"We're landing, Mommy!" Brayden excitedly announced while he stared at the window of the plane.

Kung kanina ay puro ulap lamang ang aming nakikita, ngayon ay kita na ang mga ilaw na galing sa mga gusali ng halos buong Metro Manila.

"Malapit na nga tayo kaya umayos ka na ng upo." Pagsuway ko naman sa kaniya dahil nakaluhod siya sa kaniyang upuan habang nakatingin sa bintana.

Agad naman siyang umayos ng upo at hindi maalis sa kaniyang labi ang ngiti na ngayo'y nandito na kami sa Pilipinas.

"Bray, tuturuan kitang magbasketball pagkarating natin sa inyo." Bigla namang sumilip si Kiel galing sa likuran namin at agad na nag-angat ng tingin ang anak kong tuwang-tuwa.

"Really, Tito?!" My son exclaimed. "Basketball! I wanna play!"

"Uhuh! I'm gonna teach you." Sabi naman ni Kiel.

"But before that, you need to sleep first." Agad po namang pagsingit sa plano nilang dalawa. "You need to adjust yourself with the time here. It's not the same when we're in New York."

"But, Mommy... I'm not tired." He whined.

"No." Mariin kong sabi. "Bukas nalang. It's already night time here. It's time for you to sleep."

"But Tito Kiel—"

Mabilis ko namang nilingon si Kiel bago pa matapos ni Brayden ang sasabihin niya at pinandilatan ng mata. "Right, Kiel?"

"Uhm... yeah." Sabi nalang ni Kiel. "Maybe tomorrow, Bray. I'm kinda sleepy and tired. Bye." Mabilis na sabi nito at agad na umupo nang maayos sa pwesto niya.

Tumingin sa akin ang anak ko at ngumuso. "You're not fair, Mom." Pagbibintang niya sa akin.

"You might say that you're not tired but once we're home, you'll realize that you are." Dire-diretso ko namang sabi sa kaniya.

"Okay po..." Sabi nalang nito at mukhang nagtatampo na sa akin.

Tiffany and her fiancé fetched us up in the airport, while Kiel decided that he'll just take a cab home. Gusto niyang makauwi na kami agad para makapagpahinga at hindi ko na rin siya pinilit pa.

Sa sasakyan palang ay nakatulugan na ni Brayden ang biyahe pauwi. Bahagya naman akong napatawa. Sabi niya ay hindi raw siya pagod ngunit mahimbing na ang tulog niya ngayon.

Kinabukasan ay maagang dumating si Kiel sa bahay. Alas-otso palang ng umaga ay nandito na siya. Gusto niyang ayain na mamasyal si Brayden sa mall bago sila maglaro ng basketball at syempre'y hindi ako papayag kung hindi ako kasama.

"Let's buy you shoes first." Sabi Kiel kay Brayden habang namamasyal kami dito sa kalapit na mall.

Kiel wants to buy Brayden some basketball stuffs for their basketball clinic sessions and Brayden's feeling so ecstatic about it.

"I'll go and check some clothes there." Turo ko naman sa isang boutique na puro damit na pambata nang papasok sila sa boutique ng Nike. "Kayo nalang diyan."

"Okay. Punatahan ka nalang namin pagkatapos." Sabi naman ni Kiel at tumango nalang ako.

I kissed Brayden's cheek before sending him off with Kiel. Sandali ko pa silang tinignan na namimili ng sapatos mula sa labas bago ako tumungo sa sinasabi kong boutique.

I've picked three shirts and pairs of shorts for Brayden. He has many clothes but he's constantly growing. Mabilis na hindi nagkakasya ang mga damit niya dahil sa paglaki. Souvenir niya na rin 'to galing dito sa Pilipinas bago kami umuwi ulit sa New York pagkatapos ng kasal ni Tiffany.

I paid the clothes I picked at the counter before I turned around to go back to the boys who are probably still at the Nike store.

Napatigil ako nang makita ko ang mapanuring tingin ng isang taong hindi ko inaasahang makikita dito.

"Xylia..." He uttered my name before his eyes widened in surprise. "It's really you!" He exclaimed.

Huminga ako ng malalim at pinilit na ngumiti sa kaniya kahit kabadong-kabado na ako sa mga susunod na pwedeng mangyari.

"Vince." I said his name while giving a forced
smile.

Oh my God! Who is he with?