AIZEN POV

"Tulog na ba si Ace?" Tanong ko kay Ace na kakalabas ng kwarto nya. Ace is really serious sleeping with his In-in.

Ace is so cute. Sobrang bait din nito. Medyo may kakulitan lang ng kunti but I found it very cute rather than annoying.

He is loves toy kaya kanina , halos simutin nya ang laruan sa  mall. Pagka uwi namin ay agad syang naglaro at tumigil lang nung tinawag sya ni Gene para kumain. He is very obedient kid.

"Opo. Kakatulog lang." Matamlay na sagot ni Gene. Napakunot-noo ako ng sinundan ko sya ng tingin hanggang sa makapasok sya sa kusina. It's as if he is really tired and weak. Parang pilit na pilit ang paglakad.

Agad akong tumayo at nilapitan ko sya. I grab his hand and I was shocked ng maramdaman ko ang init ng balat nya.

"Nilalagnat ka?" I put my back hand on his forehead to check.

"Opo. Paki kuha po muna si Ace sa kwarto. Baka mahawaan ko." Ani Gene in his weak voice.

"Damn it." Walang pasabi na binuhat ko sya at pinasok sa kwarto ko. I put him in my bed tsaka ko kinumutan.

"Boss, mali ka ng kwarto." He tried to stand up but I push him down the bed.

"Shut up and lay down." Mariin na utos ko tsaka ako lumabas ng kwarto para kunin ang aking cellphone na naiwan sa sala.

While dialing Julius number ay binuksan ko ang kwarto ni Gene to check Ace. Luckily, mahimbing ang tulog nito. Nakadapa pa sya sa human size teddy bear nya.

"Yow, what's up?" Bungad sa akin ni Julius. His background is  noisy. Too obvious that he's still in the hospital.

"Gene has a fever."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Give me five minutes. Don't give him any med yet. Wipe him a wet towel while waiting for me."

"Noted."

I drop the call. Nagtungo ako sa kusina to get a small basin tsaka ako bumalik sa kwarto. Balot na balot si Gene ng kumot. I pull out a towel from my drawer.

"Hey." Inayos ko ng higa si Gene.

"Boss, si Ace?"

"Tulog." Nilubog ko sa tubig ang towel tsaka iyon pinigaan. I start wiping Gene. May lagnat na lahat pero iba pa din inaalala. Tulog naman yung inaalala nya.

"Ako nalang po." He stop my hand.

"Mahiga ka dyan at wag ka makulit."

"Kaya ko....."

"Shut up, Gene!" Medyo napalakas ang boses ko but  I don't mean it.

"Wala po ba tayo gamot?" Tanong ulit ni Gene.

"Meron pero hindi kita pwede basta painumin." Sagot ko. Muli kong nilubog sa tubig ang towel at piniga ito tsaka ko nilagay sa noo nya.

"Nahihirapan ka ba huminga?" Takang tanong ko. For unknown reason ginapangan ako ng takot as I saw his chest moving up and down.

"Medyo pero kaya naman."

"I need to bring you in hospital."

"Okay lang ako boss. Hindi natin pwede iwan si Ace dito."

"Let's just wait for Julius. Tatawag ako ng tauhan namin dito."

Marahang tumango si Gene. I fished out my phone and made an overseas call to my parents na agad naman nilang nasagot. I informed them about the situation. They said na may papupuntahin sila dito and papa Ivo will fly to where we are.

Exactly five minutes dumating si Julius. He immediately check Gene and give him a med for his  fever.

"He is stress and that is bad for him. Did something happened today?" Ani Julius ng masiguro nyang okay na si Gene. Nakatulog na din si Gene and his latest temp is 37.6 na kanina  ay umabot ng 38.5.

"Nothing. We just met his cousin and my child." I put a cup of coffee on the table.

"Okay. Anyway, don't stress him. We don't want him to have a heart attack Aizen."

"I know."

"Good. Anyway, this is for his fever. It is safe for him. Give it to him every 5 hours. If the fever still persist, we need to confine him."

"Noted."

"Good. I have to go. Still lot of patient to attend to." Inisang tungga lang ni Julius yung kape na binigay ko at nagmamadaling umalis. Hinatid ko lang sya sa labas at inantay na makaalis bago ako bumalik sa loob.

I checked Ace. I smile dahil tulog na tulog ito at iba na ang posisyon. Hilagyan ko sya ng harang para hindi sya malaglag. Sa tingin ko kasi ay mahihigaan nya lahat ng sulok ng kama. Much better na harangan ko sya at baka mahulog.

I was about to leave the room ng umilaw ang phone ni Gene. Hindi ko ugali na maki-alam ng message ng may message but I saw Beverly's name kaya pinaki alaman ko. I read their convo. My anger raise as I keep on reading. So this is the reason of Gene' stress?

Gene: ate bakit naman may mga pasa si Ace?

Beverly: wag mo pinagpapansin yan. Kasalanan nya yan dahil napakakulit nya. Palibhasa spoiled sa side ng asawa ko.

Gene: te naman bata 'to, malamang magkukulit. Pwede mo naman sawayin eh.

Beverly:wag ko nga pinapaki alaman paano ko yan displinahin. Gawin mo nalang pinapagawa ko sayo. Build me up to Aizen.

Gene: ayaw ko. Ikaw nalang, tutal, ikaw naman may kasalanan sa kanya.

Beverly: ayaw nga ako kausapin diba?

Gene: kasalanan mo. Ano ba kasi ginawa mo at galit na galit sayo amo ko?

Beverly: none of your business, Gene. Just do what I asked you to do.

Gene: sorry ate pero hindi kita tutulungan. Kung gusto mo makuha ulit si boss Aizen, mag effort ka. Wag ka aasa sa effort ng iba.

Beverly: hay naku! Wala ka talagang kwenta. Yang utak mo at yang mga rason mo hindi ka aasenso.

Gene:ayos lang ate. Mas mainam na ganito lang ako kaysa mang gamit ako ng ibang tao para umasenso.

Beverly: watever! Si Ace nalang tuturuan ko. Wala kang silbi.

Gene: bahala ka. Payo lang, wag mo gamitin si Ace. Mas lalo kang mawawalan.

Naipikit ko ang aking mata. I clinch my fist. That fucking Beverly. At may balak pa syang turuan si Ace for her benefit?

"In your dream Beverly. In your dream." Bulong ko sa aking sarili tsaka ako bumalik sa kwarto ko.

Gene is peacefully sleeping kaya naman pinagmasdan ko sya.

"Give Gene a chance, Aizen. Give yourself a chance to know him."  It's my lolo Myth word bago kami lumipad papunta dito. He asked me that rather than judging Gene continously, I should give myself a chance to know him, and I did. Actually, bago pa man kami lumipad dito, I already give Gene a chance and myself as well.

Lumapit ako sa kama umupo sa gilid nito. I picked up the thermometer and check his temperature. It goes down a little.

I know why he is stress. Aside kay Beverly, malamang ay iniisip din nya na magagalit ako sa kanya. They are cousin and i hate Beverly. She's the reason of my trust issue.

But the way he take care of Ace and his reasoning, I can't find myself saying na parehas sila ni Beverly dahil mag pinsan sila. Magkaibang-magkaiba sila.

"Sorry." Mahina kong sabi. "I know you are thinking na magagalit ako sayo kasi pinsan mo si Beverly. Don't worry, hindi mangyayari yun. I know you and that woman is far different. Don't stress yourself too much about it Gene."

Inayos ko ang pagkakakumot nya tsaka ako lumabas ng kwarto. I went to Gene's room at humiga sa tabi ni Ace. 

Hinaplos ko ang cute nitong mukha at marahang kinurot ang kanyang pisngi.

"Kukunin kita sa mommy mo Ace. Kunting tiis lang muna."