Bumalik na kami ni Vicky sa office ko. Nabungaran ko dun si Yrew na komportableng nakaupo sa swivel chair ko.

"Tumakas ka na naman ba sa hospital?" I asked him. Ngumuso ito sakin at parang batang nagtaas pa ng paa sa mesa ko. Siya ang kasama kong dumating dito sa Pilipinas, he's handling our Hospital, dapat kasama si Yasha kaso susunod na lang daw ito.

"Boss na boss ka ah?" Sarcastic na sabi ko sa kanya and he chuckled. I just rolled my eyes at him at tinulak siya paalis ng upuan ko.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" I asked him. Umupo siya sa tabi ni Vicky sa may couch at inayos ang mga pagkaing dala nito.

"Masama na bang dalawin ang favorite girl ko? Of course next to Yasha." He grinned. I rolled my eyes again at napahalakhak naman ito.

"Actually, nagdala ako ng pagkain, kapalit ni Vicky." Yrew said. Napatingin ako sa Happy Meal na dala ni Yrew bago siya pinaningkitan ng mga mata.

"Wow! Hindi ko naman alam na isang happy meal lang pala ang halaga ko ngayon." Vicky grimaced. 

"What do you need her for?" He put the food on my table at agad naman akong kumuha ng fries. Good thing magpapadeliver na sana ako ng lunch and I'm getting hungry. 

"Kilala mo si Sebastian? The guy who always pester us about the land where we planned to put up a new hospital? Gusto nga niyang bilhin yun pero hindi nga pwede diba?"  

"At anong kinalaman nun kay Vicky?" I glanced at Vicky na agad namang napaiwas ng tingin sakin. I even saw her blushed. Tumaas ang kilay ko sa naging reaksyon nito bago ako bumaling kay Yrew na bahagyang nakangisi sakin. 

"He won't back down until Vicky talks to him. And you know the rest." Yrew winked at me. 

"Vicky, what can you say?" I asked her. She pressed her lips tightly at bahagyang umiling sakin. 

"H-He's my ex-boyfriend." She breathed out. Kumunot ang noo ko. Akala ko ba NBSB siya? Well, wala naman siyang sinabing hindi pa siya nagkakaboyfriend, what I am sure of is that she's still a virgin. 

"And that guy is jealous of me. Akala niya boyfriend ako ni Vicky and I want to pissed him off." Yrew chuckled. Napasentido ako bago ko lantakan yung cheese burger na dala ni Yrew. 

"Did he cheat on you?" I asked Vicky. She bit her lower lip before answering me. 

"He left me hanging. I was okay with long distance relationship pero bigla na lang naputol ang communication namin then nalaman ko na lang na ikakasal na siya." She said with a sigh. 

"Then, is it okay for you to go?" I asked her. Tumayo ito at bahagyang pinampag ang suot.

"I'm fine, kasama ko naman si Yrew. I'm a strong, independent woman. Hindi na ko affected." Taas noong sabi nito. Sumandal ako sa swivel chair ko bago ipinagpatuloy ang pagkain ng cheese burger. 

"Okay. Kita na lang tayo bukas." I said. 

"Okay! See yah!" Yrew pulled my face to give me a kiss on my cheek. Napangiwi na lang ako habang tatawa-tawa itong umalis kasama si Vicky. 

Halos wala naman akong ginawa buong maghapon. I constantly get calls from my kids na nasa Day Care near the unit where we're staying at. Hindi namin kasama si Yrew dahil malayo ang hospital sa unit namin.

4 o'clock akong nag-out. I went to the nearest restaurant para magtake out ng food. Hindi muna ako makakapagluto dahil wala pa akong oras na bumili ng mga gamit sa unit namin. Kararating ko lang dito sa Pilipinas kahapon. 

"Oh come on! Ngayon ka pa talaga bumuhos!" I grunted when the rain suddenly pours down ng palabas na ko ng restaurant. I checked my wrist watch, malapit na ang uwian nina Hansel and I need to hurry up. Ayaw na ayaw pa naman ni Hansel na pinaghihintay siya.

"Sumabay ka na sakin..." May biglang tumabi saking lalaki. I looked at him habang binubuksan niya yung payong niya. 

He glanced at me at bahagyang tumaas ang kilay niya.

"Why would I? I don't even know you." Irap ko sa kanya. His jaw clenched before letting out a deep sigh.

"I know galit ka samin. Nagmamagandang loob lang ako because you're getting sickly this past few days. It's affecting your work." He said. Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. 

"Come on Marshan, isasabay lang kita papunta sa office." He said. My lips formed a small 'o'. He knows Marshan and akala niya, ako si Marshan. 

"Okay. Pero diyan ako sa Prime." I stand closer to him pero hindi ako dumikit sa kanya. Nakakunot ang noo niyang nakatingin sakin. 

"Anong gagawin mo dun?" He asked.

"Hindi tayo close, wala kang pake." Pagtataray ko. Muli itong napabuntong hininga. I held unto his arm ng maglakad na kami under the rain and I felt him stiffened.   

"Can you walk faster? May lakad pa ako." I said and slightly pulled him. Napansin kong bahagya siyang namutla na para bang may kakaiba siyang nararamdaman. Patawid na kami ng kalsada ng biglang may mabilis na sasakyan ang humarurot running over the puddle of water. 

The man immediately covered me para hindi ako mabasa nakayakap siya sakit and I don't know why my heart is beating erratically inside my chest. Napasinghap ako sa gulat, nanlalaki ang mga mata kong napatingin sa kanya, basang-basa na ang suot nitong suit. 

"G*go yun ah! Basang-basa ka na tuloy!" I said. 

"I-I am fine." Hirap na hirap nitong sabi while holding my shoulders. "Are you okay?" He asked while scanning me. Agad akong napatingin sa relo ko and I'm totally late!! 

I took his umbrella. "B-Basa ka na naman, kaya mo ng pumunta sa office niyo diba? Nagmamadali kasi ako. Ibabalik ko na lang itong payong mo bukas! Thanks!" I said bago ako mabilis na tumawid ng kalsada. Hindi na ko nakalingon sa kanya at dire-diretso lang ako sa parking space. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko dahil kumalma na ito.

"Weird..." I murmured.

"MOM! You're 32 minutes and 41 seconds late!" Bungad sakin ni Hansel pagkarating ko sa center. Napatingin ako sa anak ko. He really looks like a mini version of Paeng. Parehas na parehas sila ng ugali. Lakas maka-deja vu.

"Okay! I'm sorry. Now give Mommy a kiss." He kissed me first bago lumapit sakin si Gretel at yumakap sa leeg ko bago ako halikan. Dinala ko na sila sa kotse and I heard my son singing a nursery song. 

"The itsy bitsy spider! Climbed up the water spout!" Malakas na kanta nito with actions. While Gretel is just moving her fingers.

"Down came the rain! And washed the spider out!" 

"How was school?" I asked both of them while fixing their car seats. 

"I got 3 stars! Gretel got two because she's so quiet." Hansel showed me his arm while Gretel is looking at hers.

"Did you gain friends?" 

"But I don't like friends! They stick to me like glue..." My son rolled his eyes. Bumaling naman ako kay Gretel at napansin ko ang bahagyang pamumula niya. 

"I met this girl, her name is Aya, we played dolls together and she said I could go to their house and play with her because she got a lot of dolls in her room." My daughter said shyly. Napangiti tuloy ako sa kacute'n ng anak ko. 

After fixing their seats, sumakay na ko sa driver's seat and Hansel started singing again. He sings loud na medyo out of tune at sinasabayan naman ni Gretel yung actions niya. 

My son is loud and kinda hot-headed. Ayaw niyang may mga batang bumubuntot sa kanya, he doesn't really like attracting attention. Gretel on the other hand, likes having friends but she's too shy to socialize kaya okay na sa kanila na dalawa lang silang magkasama at naglalaro.

"Mommy, when are we going to visit Lolo Grandpa?" Gretel asked. 

"When would you like? How about next weekend?" I asked her.

"Next week is good! Amusement park tayo this weekend eh! Diba Mommy? You promised?" Napalingon ako kay Hansel ng maramdamang nasa gilid ko na siya.

"Hansel, don't unbuckle your seat when I'm driving!" Sita ko dito. 

"But it's really not necessary..." He pouted bago bumalik sa car seat niya and buckled it himself.

"Just behave para matuloy tayo sa Amusement Park..." I told him. 

"Are we going with Papa Yrew?" Gretel asked me. Bahagya akong napangiwi sa tanong niya na may masiglang tono. Yrew had been so busy at hindi niya kami nabibisita simula nung pumunta dito.

"I don't think he can sweetie. Alam niyo naman ang Papa niyo." I said. Nakita ko ang paglungkot ng mukha nito mula sa front mirror. My heart just clenches kapag nakikita kong nalulungkot si Gretel. Sanay na kasi ako kay Hansel dahil OA talaga siya minsan but Gretel rarely shows emotions.

"But your Tita Marshan and Tito Raphael will surely come with us..." Pinasigla ko ang boses ko. Nag-angat ng tingin sakin si Gretel na napakurap-kurap.

"WHO? I don't know them!" Hansel said.

"Diba I told you before that I have a twin sister na naiwan ko dito sa Pilipinas? You'll meet her soon..." 

"REALLY???" Sabay na tanong nilang dalawa na may kasamang excitement.

"Yes..." I giggled.