Napakurap-kurap si Marshan while staring at my kids na nakatitig din sa kanya. Napangiti na lang ako while serving their breakfast on the table.

"Mommy she copied your face!" Hansel said.

"No, she's your Tita Marshan, she's my twin sister..." I told him bago lagyan ng gatas ang bottle nila.

"I, I can't still process everything." Muling napahagulgol ng iyak si Marshan. Mabilis akong lumapit sa kanya at niyakap siya while brushing her hair. Nakwento ko na sa kanya lahat ng nangyari kagabi at alam kong mahirap pa sa kanyang iabsorb ang lahat. 

Nakainom siya kagabi kaya medyo malakas ang loob niya, ngayon parang tuluyan ng nagsink in sa kanya ang mga nangyayari na sinamahan pa ng iba't ibang emosyon.

"Mommy Marshan, it's okay. Please don't cry..." Napangiti ako ng lumapit samin si Gretel as her little hand is brushing Marshan's hair.

"Oh baby!" Marshan sobbed as she hugged Gretel. "You know? I look like you when I was young." Marshan sniffed as she held my daughter's face. "Ang ganda-ganda mo..." She sobbed ang hugged Gretel tighter.

After breakfast, hinayaan muna namin sina Hansel at Gretel na maglaro sa garden para makapag-usap kami ni Marshan.

"You said you lost some of your memories. It may be bad for me to say this but it's better that you forgot about them. They already turned their backs at us. Kung pwede sana makalimutan ko na ring nakilala ko sila." Namumula ang mga mata nito. I held my sister's hand at bahagyang hinaplos ang kamay niya.

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone..."

She smiled faintly at me at humawak din sa kamay ko. "Kayo lang naman talaga nina Lolo ang totoong pamilya ko." A lone tear fell from her eyes na agad naman niyang pinunasan. She looks like she's been suffering a lot and she's been so lonely these past years. 

"Teka nga pala, paano ka pala nagkaroon ng mga anak? I mean, who's the--- OH MY GOSH!!!" Nanlalaki ang mga mata nito at napatakip pa ng bibig.

"Based on your reaction, kilala mo ang ama nila." I sighed at sumandal sa lounger.

"Ahhh uhm no! Actually, hindi na importante yun." She grunted. Napansin ko ang pagkadisgusto sa reaksyon ni Marshan and I don't want to pry further.

"Wala ka bang work ngayon? Ihahatid ko pa mamaya ang mga bata sa Pre-school nila bago ako pumasok sa trabaho..." 

"You can go now, wala akong ganang pumasok ngayon. Ako muna bahala sa kambal." She smiled at me. Tumaas ang kilay ko at ngumisi sa kanya.

"Anong alam mo sa pag-aalaga ng bata?" I asked her. 

"Hmmm, instinct?" She chuckled. "Inalagaan ko rin kaya yung anak ni Kuya Spencer!! Actually, mukhang kasing edad lang nila si Clarence." 

"My Gretel is a sweet but shy girl, wala kang proproblemahin sa kanya, but Hansel is a walking disaster, nang-aaway yan kahit ako inaaway niyan. Goodluck na lang sayo." I chuckled before calling my kids. 

"Mommy! Mommy ko!!!" They came running towards me. Agad namang yumakap sa leeg ko si Gretel and I carried her unto my lap habang si Hansel ay nagsusumiksik sa gitna ng mga hita ko habang nakatingin kay Marshan.

"Your Mommy Marshan will take care of you today." I said.

"Okay! She looks nicer than you Mommy." Sabi sakin ni Hansel. Tumaas ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya as I cupped his face. 

"You see Mommy Marshan, my Mommy is a monster when she gets mad. There is no one scarier than her." Hansel said. Nagkatinginan kami ni Marshan before she laughed so hard. 

"I think I know what you're saying sweetie." Marshan chuckled pero inirapan ko lang siya.

"That's why we don't easily get scared 'cause we've seen the worst, right Mommy?" Hansel asked me and I immediately pinch his cheeks. 

"You're badmouthing me, honey. That's not so nice." I said to him. 

"But... but he meant it as a compliment Mommy, you only gets mad when we're hurt." Gretel said to me while her little hands are cupping my face.

"Of course sweetheart, I love you both, okay? And Hansel there's a better way to say your compliments." 

"But that wouldn't be me if I say it in a nice way..." He pouted. Napasinghap ako sa sinabi ng anak ko. Hindi ko talaga alam kung kanino siya nagmana. I looked at Marshan who seems surprised on the way my son talks to me. 

"He wouldn't be Hansel if he doesn't talk back like that." I told her. Napahagikgik ito and slightly pulled Hansel para paupuin sa kandungan niya. Okay lang naman kay Hansel kapag pinanggigigilan siya ng mga kakilala namin. Hindi naman siya mareklamo, ayaw lang niya talaga sa mga hindi niya masyadong kakilala.

"May party bukas sa mga Zekovia, I mean kina Lolo, I'll tell Paeng about you." Marshan told me.

"Great then! Isama mo siya dito." 

"I'm sure he will come." 

Sinipat ko ang wristwatch ko. "I have to prepare then, Vicky will bombard me with calls again kapag nalate ako. Ikaw na ang bahala sa mga bata Marshan."  

"This is frustrating!!!" Pabalik-balik ng lakad sa harapan ko si Vicky. I squinted when she slammed the folder on my table.

"Vicky! Kaya mo na yan! Akala ko ba hindi ka na affected?" Pilit kong tinago ang pang-aasar ko sa kanya. Siya lang naman ang pinapadala ko to settle the disagreements with Sebastian her 'ex-lover'.

"That's not my point! I am professional but he's not! Magdala ba naman ng escort during the meeting?! How am I suppose to deal with such an unprofessional bastard?!" She grunted.

"Bakit parang hindi lang yan ang pinuputok ng butsi mo?" I teased her.

Dinuro niya ko bago pumikit ng mariin, "Wag mo kong simulan Maxene." She hissed pero tinawanan ko lang siya. 

"Magkape ka kaya muna para mas lalo kang mahigh-blood?" 

"HA-HA funny ka. Gusto mo sampal?" Irap nito sakin.

"Brutal naman!" I chuckled. Kinuha ko na yung bag ko and fix my stuffs. Kahit naman ganyan si Vicky mahal pa rin namin ang isa't-isa. Well, mas malala pa si Yasha diyan.

We went to our favorite coffee shop and we saw Marshan's ex-boyfriend, may kasama siyang dalawang lalaki. Yung natapunan ako ng beer tapos isa pang hindi ko kilala.

"Marshan!" The unfamiliar guy called me. Well, he's kinda cute. Pilit akong ngumiti sa kanila as we approached them. "We're about to go to Waldrin sabi niya absent ka daw today." He smiled at me. 

"Ahhh hindi talaga ako papasok today, medyo may hangover pa ko." I lied. 

"Naparami ka ba ng inom kagabi?" Marshan's ex asked me. 

"What do you mean Raven? Nasa bar ba siya kagabi? Nagbar ka ba kagabi?" The cute guy asked me. I pressed my lips tightly.

"Yeah natapunan ko nga siya ng beer kagabi Christian, buti na lang black yung dress na suot mo." The other guy chuckled.

"Ipakilala mo naman kami sa kasama mo Marshan..." The beer guy said.

"Oh yeah! This is Vicky, a very close friend of mine." I said. 

"Hi, I am Christian."

"Raven."

"Jude miss, nice to meet you." 

Napatingin ako kay Vicky. That was an easy way to know their names. 

"Hi, nakwento nga kayo sakin ni Marshan..." I saw how Vicky slightly clenched her jaw because of her lie. 

"Well, order lang kami ng kape tapos aalis na rin kami agad." I said to lessen the awkwardness. Aalis na sana kami kami ng bigla akong pigilan ni Christian. I pressed my lips tightly dahil muntikan na kong mapamura sa biglaang paghila niya sa braso ko.

"C-Clarence is looking for you." He said. Kumunot ang noo ko. Clarence is Kuya Spencer's son. 

"Just tell him that I'll visit one of these days, may sasabihin ka pa ba?" I asked him. Bumuntong hininga ito bago bitawan ang braso ko. 

"Take good care of yourself."