"Hmm." Titig na titig si Rhett sa batang natutulog ngayon sa couch. Nakatulog ito pagkatapos kumain.

"What are you doing?" Szadi.

Rhett sat on the carpet, his back now leaning on the couch where the boy was sleeping.

"The kid has curly hair with doey grey eyes." Rhett stated while looking elsewhere. "And he has small pouty red lips and super chubby cheeks."

Szadi crossed his arms over his chest, "And?"

"Hindi kaya may lahing foreigner 'yan?" Rhett asked, his amber eyes looking up at Szadi's light brown eyes.

"Like us?" Sza.

"Yep. Like us." Rhett answered. "Mukha naman hindi napapabayaan ang bata, pero nakakapagtaka naman na makikita ni Saxen 'yan sa bukid—  nga ba nasa bukid ang gagong 'yon?"

"He's probably lost in his way again." Sza answered with a shrug and looked at the boy intently.

Rhett is right. Malusog at maputi ang bata. Mukha nga rin itong galing sa maayos na pamilya kaya paano nangyari na makikita ito sa gitna ng kawalan?

Kanina rin nang kinakausap nila ito ay hindi gaanong makaintindi ng tagalog. May mga responses ito sa salita pero mangilan-ngilan lang iyon. Mas nakakaintindi pa rin ito ng english.

"I'll call my brother to ask for help." Rhett, "he has a wide connection in FBI. Baka sakaling mapabilis ang paghahanap sa magulang niyan."

"That's better." Szadi.

Akmang tatawag na si Rhett sa phone nito nang matigilan ng makaramdam ng mainit na likido sa bandang likod niya.

Hindi siya makagalaw lalo na't napatunayan ng hinala niya ang sunod na mapanghing amoy.

"Oh, fuck..." he closed his eyes trying not to get pissed, "Saxen, you bastard. Come here!"

Hinihingal na lumapit si Saxen kay Rhett. Mabilis napunta ang tingin niya sa bata at nakahinga siya ng maluwag nang makitang mahimbing pa rin itong natutulog.

Hindi na nakaiwas si Saxen nang may tumamang throw pillow sa mukha niya. Kasabay ng matatalim na tingin si Rhett sa kaniya ay nagtatakang tinignan niya si Szadi na halos mamula na sa katatawa sa isang couch.

"This is your fault, damn it!" Rhett.

"Why? What's going on?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Saxen sabay turo sa t-shirt ni Rhett na kahuhubad lang, "bakit basa ka—"

"That germ peed on me! Fuck, I smell awful!" Nagdadabog na sabi nito.

"Mura ka nang mura, may natutulog." Vigo, natigilan ito saka huminga nang malalim para hanapin ang naaamoy, "why does it smell—"

Hindi na naituloy ni Vigo ang sasabihin nang makitang basa ang damit ng bata. May nakita pa siyang mangilan-ngilang basa sa parte ng couch.

Kunot-noong iniangat ni Vigo ang suot nito at napapikit nang mariin nang nasaktuhan pa niyang may mini-fountain na lumabas— pahabol ng ihi nito habang humahagikhik pa sa pagtulog.

"Tangina! Ang panghi ko!" Galit na sigaw ni Rhett saka nagdadabog na pumunta ng second floor. "Kaliligo ko lang, basa pa nga yung buhok ko, maliligo na naman ako! Peste!"

"M-my stomach..." daing ni Szadi na tawang-tawa pa rin. "That was a good laugh."

Nag-aalangang lumingon sa Saxen kay Vigo na nakatayo lang sa gilid at walang imik.

"Vie, I'm so sorry." Mabilis niyang sabi. Alam niya kung gaano ka-paborito ni Vigo ang couch set nila sa bahay. And that's probably an imported couch. "I'll pay for it. Tell me where you bought it and I'll purchase a new one."

"Sza." Vigo.

"Yeah?" Szadie. Natatawa-tawa pa rin ito.

"Change that kid's clothes. After that, call the maintenance crew and throw that couch and you," matalim ang tingin na nilingon ni Vigo si Saxen, "you dare to bring a child here without any necessities? Go to the mall and buy his needs!"

"Okay!" Sagot ng dalawa.

Mabilis pa sa alas-quatro na kumilos ang dalawa habang si Vigo naman ay bumalik sa ikalawang palapag para ayusin ang mga gamit na dadalhin niya sa opisina.

Hindi pa man nag-iinit ang upuan niya ay nag-ring agad ang cellphone niya.

He rolled his eyes in irritation as he answered Saxen's call.

"Vie, ano ba yung mga kailangan kong bilhin? Meron ba n'on sa mga mall?" Saxen asked.

"Obviously, motherfucker." He answered in a deadpan look.

"Ano-ano yung mga bibilhin ko?" Tanong nito ulit.

"How would I know? I never had a child, Saxen."

"Pero sa tingin mo, ano yung Importante?"

"Ask your secretary, I'm dropping this call—"

"She's on leave, anniversary nilang mag-asawa." Sagot naman nito.

"Use Google for fuck's sake, Saxen! Don't you have data to use?"  He answered in irritation, "at least buy a diaper, a feeding bottle, and a milk!"

"Fresh milk?" Saxen asked.

"That's it." Vigo stood up and took his car key. "Where the fuck are you?"

Narinig niya ang mahinang tawa nito sa kabilang linya, "nandito sa parking area, sa tabi ng elevator."

With Vigo's brow furrowed to one, he immediately went to where the motherfucker is waiting.

It took them at least an hour to reach their destination. It's the mall that Vigo owns and is also under his name.

"There should be a store here that sells kiddie stuffs." Vigo while looking around.

"Vie, unahin muna natin yung pang hygiene ni Milo." Saxen, who was not taking his eyes off in his phone, "milk, feeding bottles, diaper, wipes, baby lotion, baby shampoo, baby soap, and alcohol. Sabi dito sa Google."

"Milo?" Vigo asked.

Saxen nodded while looking at his own phone. "That will be his name while he's with us."

Vigo just shrugged. When he saw a security, he immediately raised his hand a little to caught it's attention. When the man walked towards him and recognised Vigo, the security guard immediately bowed its head and greeted him.

Vigo asked for the store that sells kiddie stuffs and he was right.

He was about to point the direction to Saxen when he saw the motherfucker typing on it's phone. He'd been standing in the middle of the mall for fucking thirty minutes and Saxen didn't budge in his feet.

When Vigo can no longer wait, he went to the third floor alone, where the department store for kids is located.

He'd been picking clothes for more than twenty minutes when he heard Saxen.

"Kanina pa ako ikot nang ikot, narito ka na pala." Kunot-noong sabi nito.

"You're slow." Sagot lang ni Vigo habang kunot na rin ang noo habang katitingin sa mga damit, "why are these clothes look cheap and uncomfortable?"

Saxen looked at what Vigo was holding. It's a cotton beige coloured pyjama with cute prints of dounuts and candies. "It looks comfy and cute. I'll take that."

Akmang ilalagay ni Saxen sa basket ang damit nang mapansing wala namang hawak na lalagyan si Vigo.

"Where's the basket?" He asked.

Sumulyap lang si Vigo sa likod ni Saxen na sinundan naman nito ng tingin. Nailing na lang si Saxen nang makita ang dalawang sales lady na may hawak na mga damit ng bata at ibang necessities.

"How lazy can you be?" Saxen asked while giving the sales lady a simple smile.

"Then take those clothes from them and carry it around." Vigo suggested while looking at the navy blue onesie. "This looks really cheap, but it will do."

Napatitig lang si Saxen sa kaibigan saka napabuntong hininga.

Vigo and his presumptuous and imperious side. Pero ang importante ay may kasama siyang mamili ng mga kailangan ni Milo, at least ay panatag siya na mabibili niya ang mga kailangan. Si Vigo yata ang pinaka metikuloso pag dating mga bagay na dapat bilhin.

And speaking of Milo— yes, he named the boy Milo because it suits his chocolate brown hair and grey doey eyes. So cute and adorable, baby.

Saxen furrowed when he compared the white rubber shoes and the grey ones that he's holding. He can't choose what's better because he also doesn't know Milo's size.

"Vie, which one is better?" He showed the two shoes.

"The better the price, the better its quality." Sagot nito habang nag titingin ng feeding bottle.

"Nakakatulong yang suggestion mo."

Vigo arched a brow, "buy the expensive one because they have the best quality."

Saxen closed his eyes and shook his head. That's Vigo for everyone's information.

MATAPOS NILA makapamili ng mga damit ni Milo ay dumeretso  sila sa grocery store ng mall. Halos lahat ata ng madaanan ni Vigo ay may ibinabagsak ito sa pushcart na dala.

Si Saxen naman ay abalang naghahagilap ng mga pagkain na sa tingin niya ay pwede sa bata. Matapos iyon ay lumipat naman sila sa pinaka malapit na pharmacy sa loob ng mall para mamili ng vitamins para dito. Nabasa nila s aisnag article na kailangan ng bata ng vitamins.

"I think he needs toys?" Saxen.

"He's not staying there forever. Why buy so much?" Vigo answered while walking towards the parking lot.

Unbothered by the gazes from the people who are looking at more than five people from the mall that are carrying all the things they bought.

Saxen didn't speak... as much as possible, he wants the child to find his own family. But remembering how he found the child in the middle of nowhere while raining. It breaks his heart.

"Stop whining." Saxen got back from his senses when he heard Vigo talking to someone on his phone. "Rhett, he's just a toddler."

Vigo glanced at him and rolled his eyes. Saxen gave him a confused look when Vigo ended the call.

"Kinagat daw ng bata si Rhett sa braso." Sagot ni Vigo, "let's go home. The motherfucker is on hysterical."

"Oh, shit." Saxen all can say.

Realising that Rhett has a temper of a child, it will become a chaos for the next days with Milo!