Chapter 50: With You

***

"Mommy Kathy!!!"

"Kenneth anu ba? Kanina pa 'to ah." sigaw ko kay Kenneth. Hindi naman ako galit o ano. Pero kasi Mommy Kathy ba naman daw ang iturong tawag sakin ni Gabe.

"What?" pa-inosente nyang tanong. Haaay! Psh. "What can I do? He's calling me Dad, so you have to be his Mom."

Parang namula naman ako dun ah. Grabe lang! Pigilin niyo ako, baka bumigay ako!

"And besides, who else can be his second mom? Suites you perfectly." then he winked.

Mamatay na yata ako rito! Waaahhh! Kung pwedi lang umuwi na agad eh. Kaso nakakahiya naman. Na-meet ko pa yung mommy ni Gabe at sinabing aalagaan naman namin. Namin talaga. Psh. Filipina naman din mommy ni Gabe, fluent sa Tagalog kaya sobrang nakakailang yung mga tanong at sinabi niya sakin.

Sabi raw bagay daw kami ni Kenneth. Kung kami na raw ba. At dahil daw ba magpapakasal na kami kaya nagppractice nang magalaga ng bata. SPELL EPIC?! Yun yun eh! Grabe kasi. Pero alam ko naman ding biro lang yun. Pero syempre nakakailang pa rin naman.

"Mommy Kathy!!! I want milk!" cute nyang pagkakasabi.

Tiningnan ko si Kenneth, wala, enjoy lang siya sa pagpanuod sakin na kulitin ni Gabe.

"Wait here, okay?" nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya, and then I patted his head.

Tinanung ko si Kenneth Kung paano gawin yung milk ni Gabe. Hindi raw niya alam kaya ako na raw bahala. Nakakaines! Pano ba 'to? Ay bahala na. Dumiretso na ako sa beverage area at nagsimulang magexperiment.

O.O

Akala ko simple lang pero kasi ang daming containers dito. Magkakaparehas ng kulay yung laman kaya hindi ko malaman kung ano ba rito ang gatas. Psh. Alangan namang buksan at tikman ko lahat. Ang baluga naman yata nun. Hahahaha. What a term.

After almost half an hour, I think, I figured out which is which. Pagkalabas ko naman sa sala, nakakaines lang ang nakita ko. Tch.

Natutulog na sa couch yung dalawa. Aba! Hindi manlang ako hinintay, eh? Sayang naman 'to at ang effort KO. Alangan namang gisingin ko pa si Gabe kaya nilapag ko nalang yung bottle. Hindi naman siguro mapapanis yun. At kung mapanis at mainom man, di ko na kasalanan, natulog sila eh. Haha. Joke lang.

Nakahiga silang dalawa sa couch habang ang isang braso ni Kenneth ang nagsisilbing unan ni Gabe. Parang nakaakbay si Kenneth, pero nakahiga nga lang. Malaki naman yung couch kaya umupo ako sa may ulunan nung dalawa. Ano bang gagawin ko? Hmm. Makapag Temple Run na nga lang.

Matapos ang ilang pagsigaw ko dahil sa thrill ay inantok na rin ako. Boring na eh. Paulit ulit din naman kasi. I laid myself comfortably, pero nakaupo lang. Di na kasya eh. And there, the next thing I knew ay sobrang antok na ako to the point na napapikit na ako nang tuluyan.


/BABY GABE'S PERSPECTIVE


Uwaaa! Hihi. Good morning sunshine! Yay! Uh—no. It's just dark outside. Is it already night? Oh noooo! What if I see ghost?

"Waaahh." I screamed softly and cuddled more with daddy Kenneth. Hihi. So handsome! And mommy Kathy is so pretty. They're a match.

Wait! Mommy Kathy is having trouble sleeping! Oh no! And I'm so comfortable in daddy's arm.


Aha! Hihihi. Evil grin.


I stood up. Hmm. Is mommy Kath heavy? I'll try.

I tried putting mommy Kath in my place a while ago, in daddy Kenneth's side, but she's just heavy. And I'm just a cute little five-year-old boy. Hmm. Aha! :D

Sorry but I won't give up. I love them two.


I shook daddy Kenneth a bit to have him in his subconscious state.

"Daddy! Daddy!" I opened his eyes with my hands. Hahaha!

"Uh? What?" he answered sleepily. And now's my chance.

"Mommy Kathy wants to sleep beside you. Please cuddle her. She's uncomfortable, look!" I pointed at mommy.

"Ohh. She said that?"

"Uh-huh." Hihihi. Sorry if I lied. But hey, I'm just a cute little five-year-old boy.


Daddy Kenneth smiled at me. And then he carried mommy Kathy beside him, cuddling her. And I'm so happy when mommy Kathy hugged daddy Kenneth back while facing each other. :"">


Now that's the plan of a cute little five-year-old boy!


/KENNETH'S PERSPECTIVE

I felt this sudden joy when Gabe said that Kathy wanted to sleep beside me. Gah. I'm so gay. Nah, I'M SO IN LOVE WITH HER.

Seriously.

First girl who made me feel like this. She's one extraordinary girl. How does she do that?

Magic.

"Haaah." she yawned. Uh-oh. She's waking up, and we're still cuddling each other. Hmm. What's the big deal?

I stared at her. I knew baby Gabe is not serious about Kathy wanted me to put her beside me, but I still believed in it because I wanted to.

:D

"GAAAAHHH!"

I knew she would freak out. She's really pretty even when she just woke up. I hugged her tight so that we'd still be like this. >:)

"Let go! Kenneth ano ba?! Isa!" she's struggling.

I pretended to yawn. "I'm still sleepy. Sleep with me." and then I rested my head in her shoulder like it's my pillow or something.

"K-keneth k-kaseee!"

"No can do." I smelt her hair. My senses kind of loved it, it's like the smell of my mom.

"Eehhh. Kasi! Tatayo na ako!"

"Keep quiet Kathy, or I'll shut you up with my mouth." and then I laughed hard.

"Kase namaaaaaaan!"

"Ohh. Keeping loud huh? You really want me to kiss you, do you?" I chuckled. She turned red, I saw.

"Che! Osya, matulog ka na. Tatahimik na po." she turned silent as she said.

How I love being in this place. Thanks baby Gabe, you really are my nephew. ;)

I'm actually not sleepy anymore. I opened my left eye to check if Kathy's awake or not. But I did the wrong move, seems like she's staring at me so I'm doomed!

"Di ka naman pala matutulog eeehh!"

"But why are you staring at me?" I asked her.

"H-ha? S-sinong may sabi?! Kapal neto!"

I just chuckled. "If you say so."

Baby Gabe coughed cutely, probably reminding us that he's still in the picture.

"Huy! Si Gabe oh, nakatingin." Kathy whisphered.

"Are you two making a baby? Huh, huh, huh?" he asked in his most annoying, but still cute, way.

We quickly stood up, and sat properly. We don't really want to corrupt his mind with such things.

"Heeeey! Why did you stand up? I'm trying to learn here!" he crossed his arms and got playfully mad at us.

I thought Kathy would be furiously shock at Gabe's thought, but she's not. She laughed hard, really.

"Learn? Baby Gabe, it's not what you think." then she signed Gabe to come forward her, so he did. "Look, we're not trying to do anything, okay? We're just sleeping that's all." and she ruffled his hair.

"Hmp." Baby Gabe.

"Don't be like that or I'll kiss you." Kathy threatened Gabe.

"Hmp." Gabe repeated while smiling.

"Ohh. I get it. Haha!" And so Kathy kissed Gabe on his cheek.

I felt this awkward jealously so I imitated Gabe's infamous; "Hmp."

She laughed so hard. "Sorry Kenneth. But you're not as cute as this little one." she then kissed Gabe again on his other cheek.

"Hmmmmp!"



/KATHERINE'S PERSPECTIVE


After that day, pinabalik ulit kami ng mommy ni Gabe sa kanila kasi hinahanap daw kami. So kami naman itong pumayag kasi wala namang gagawin eh. Mga tinamad ang teachers at sa Monday nalang daw magsstart ng fourth grading. Sabi rin na required kaming pumunta sa Sunday kasi yun ba mismo ang recognition for third grading, then the big announcement. Psh. Sus!

Nandito na nga kami kina baby Gabe, kami nalang ulit tatlo. Nagdate parents ni Gabe kasi aayaw daw makagulo sa'ming tatlo. Haha. Ang baliw lang.

"Kenneth!" saway ko sa kanya. Pano ba naman kasi kung ano anong tinuturo. Kanina sabi ba naman ni Kenneth magiging macho si Gabe kapag nalunok niya ang isang basket ball. Like, seriously?

"Are you trying to kill him?!" tanong ko. Nakakainis kasi!

"Woah. Easy there Kath. We're just goofing around."

"Tsk." tsaka ako lumabas sa terrace. I need some air.

Bakit ba kasi ganyan yang lalaking yan! Di maintindihan ang ugali, sobra! Psh. Pero bakit ganun, hindi ako natuturn off sa mga ginagawa niya? An in fact, nacucutan pa ako? Hala. Grabe na! Erase, erase!

"Hey." bigla niyang dating. At umakbay pa ang mokong.

"Psh." inalis ko naman. Binalik nanaman niya. Inalis ko ulit, and he placed it back. "Ano ba!"

"Why sudden change of mood, love?" calm niyang pagtatanong.

"Love mo yourself!" tinanggal ko ulit balikat niya, at mabuti naman na hindi na niya binalik pa.

"I love you more."

"I love you more yours—" napahinto naman ako.

Silence.

"W-what I meant was, do you know the m-movie t-titled I Love You More?"

Yun naman lang pala eh. Akala ko... HAYY! Wag mag-assume.

"No." tinipid ko nalang. Ayoko nang magsalita.

"So, let's go inside?"

"Una ka na."

"Tsk." hinawakan niya kamay ko at hinigit na sa loob.

Pagkapasok namin nakita kong nanunuod ng Handy Many si baby Gabe. Cute. Tinatry pa nga nyang gayahin yung song eh. Hihi. Pwedi ko na po ba siyang ampunin? Haha. Kidding!

"Hi baby Gabe." nakasmile kong bati sa kanya. Wala lang, nilapitan ko lang tapos sabay kaming manunuod.

"Hello mommy Kathy! Uno, dos, tres, cuatro..." binati niya lang ako sandali sabay kanta na ulit. Well at least binati.

Dito na rin kami nagdinner ni Kenneth. Ewan ko pero hindi ko pa rin siya pinapansin. Nakakainis kasi. Pati ba naman ang kalokohan niya ay ituturo sa bata. Psh. Hayaan na nga. Nakakawalang gana lang eh.

Pinapatulog na namin ngayon si Gabe. Eight-thirty na rin kasi at darating na rin ang parents niya. Baka rin naman hinahanap na ako sa bahay.

"Kenneth ikaw nalang magpatulog kay Gabe. Uuwi na ako, baka kasi hinahanap na ako."

Ang paalam ko lang kasi ay lalabas lang ako kasi wala namang pasok. Pinayagan naman ako kaya eto. I just can't resist baby Gabe.

"I'll tell your parents." sabi ni Kenneth.

"Huwag na! Baka magalit pa sakin yun. Sasabihin ko nalang galing ako kina Lindsay."

"Do you really want to lie?" may pangongonsensya sa tono niya. Tsk! Naman oh! "Don't worry. I got this." he continued. Tapos nilabas na niya phone niya at nagcall. Since when did he get my parent's number? Hala.

Medyo naalimpungatan si Gabe. "Mommy Kathy, are you leaving?"

"Yes baby. But I'll be back, soon." and I flashed him a smile. I hummed a lullaby to make him fall asleep again.

Saktong balik naman ni Kenneth. "You really like Gabe, huh?"

"Oo naman. Cute eh." Kidding. Talagang napalapit lang loob ko sa kanya.

"So you like me too?" tsaka naman siya nagpacute. Hala wag! Baka bumigay na naman ako. Psh.

"In your nightmare." tsaka lumabas na naman ako sa may terrace. Dito ko na aantayin parents ni Gabe.

May upuan naman dito ang table, so umupo naman nga ako. Ang lamig lang. I checked my phone, wala namang texts from mom nor dad. Si kuya lang, sabi ay umuwi na raw ako kaagad at kay Kenneth lang sasama at hindi sa iba. Biased? Bahala na.

"What did you tell him?" tanong ko nalang bigla nung maramdaman ko ang presensya niya.

"Who?"

"Don't play innocent on me. My brother, of course."

"Oh. Right." he chuckled. And I don't even know what's that for. "I told him that you're here with me, and that I'll take you home safe and sound."

"Sounds fair enough. Playing safe, huh?"

"What?"

"Nothing. I just thought you're making a good impression. But never mind."

"Mind reader."

"Like, really?" mind reader? Ako? Hala.

"Uh—nothing." tapos ngumiti nalang siya.


Umupo na siya sa tabi ko and then silence na. Wala akong sasabihin kaya tahimik. Inantok tuloy ako. Tumigin ako sa taas, at ayun may stars naman. Actually may lagi nga akong tinitignan dito eh. Yung kakaibang star na malapit sa tatlong magkakalapit. Basta yun yun, sariling trip. Nung nakita ko, napangiti naman ako.

"What do you have in mind?" tanong niya bigla.

"H-ha?" napatingin naman ako sa kanya. Nangiti rin naman. Psh. "Wala lang."

Silence ulit. Pero siya rin naman ang bumasag sa katahimikan eh. "You know when I was a kid I used to wish on a star."

Sige na, hindi na ako magiging mean kaya magsasalita na rin ako. "Well did it come true?"

"Fortunately yes."

"What's it about?" it's rude for me to stay quiet when someone's telling, right? So I blew it all up.

"My stuff turtle." pfft! Haha. Natawa ako nang biglaan kaya napasama ang tingin niya sakin. Nag peace-sign naman ako kaagad kaya pinalagpas na niya.

"Go on." pagpapatuloy ko sa kanya.

"I used to play at game zones at the mall in L.A when I was around five or six. Even though I can't play very well, I'm enjoying it. My mom asked me in the middle of my game that we have to go move to the stuff toy shop because we're meeting someone there."

"At first I complained but I didn't have a choice, so I let it all go. I was so reluctant that time that I almost throw all stuffs away." parang nagulat naman ako nun. At napansin din naman ni Kenneth. "Yeah, wild huh?" natawa nalang siya. "But what pacified me that time is my favorite turtle stuff I saw. An up until now I have it."

"So where's the wish part."

"I'm getting there." pinitik naman niya noo ko. Ouch. "So yeah. I saw a cute girl buying the same turtle as mine. I felt sudden joy that time." tapos napangiti naman siya. Nakakainis! Tch.

"Psh. Lande." I murmured.

"I'm not. You're just jealous." tapos tumawa na naman siya.

"Che!"

And he continued. "The girl smiled at me and waved her turtle to me as if she was a puppeteer. I got ecstatic that time that I followed her and her mom and I almost got lost. Fortunately I didn't."

Sayang! Sana nawala ka na. Pshhhhh!!!

"After we got home, I look up in the sky and smile the whole time like a complete psycho. And there I saw the stars. You know what's annoying about falling stars?"

I just shrugged.

"They're so rare that even when it's possible to be seen, it turned out all fake for me. You see one, you miss it. Then you'll regret. What's the point of it? Absurd. So in that moment I made my own wish outlet, which is the stars."

"What did you wish for?"

"Simple. I wished to see the girl and her turtle again. Even just the slightest glance would be fine. But you know what? It came true. It was literally granted. Why? Yes, I saw her. But worst part is that the slight of what I meant surely became true as well. I saw her near the park when we're driving through. She's on the swing with turtle on her arms. How I wish I could l get out going to the park but this agenda sucks."

So he wished about the girl, huh? Fine. I don't care anyways. But whatever that agenda may be that impeded him from getting out, thanks to that. Kidding.

"What agenda?"

"Uhh, ahm. You know. Stuffs, like—this and that."

Wala naman akong nagets kaya nag-Oo nalang ako. Tumingala nanaman ako. Wala kasing nahawa at alangan namang kung saan saan pa ako tumingin. Nakita ko yung favorite star ko, paulit ulit. What if I make a wish? Wala namang mawawala diba. Plus, baka nga mag-work pa.

"There's my star." tinuro naman niya yung star na malapit sa favorite ko. Ayos ah. "I'm planning on making a wish right now. But I'm not quite sure if it's right."

"As far as I know there's no wrong wishes, except if it involve negative schemes."

"So there's still wrong."

Edi ikaw na tama. "Yeah, right. Fine." natahimik na naman ulit kami. Pero dahil nga umaatake ang paging curious ko, nagtanong na naman ako. "What are you planning to wish for?"

"It's a secret."

Sus. Lagi naman eh. Nanahimik na lang ulit ako. Ayoko nang mangulit at bigla yata akong nawalan ng gana. I hate turtles! Ugh. Lol. Kidding. Meron din naman kasi akong turtle stuff, and I really don't know where I got it, but it's cute.

"Since it's not to be wished for, I'll tell." sabi niya. "I really am fond of taking care of kids, I'm used to. It's not that obvious because I'm so cool." tiningnan ko naman siya nang masama. "Alright, kidding. I'm so hot." napaubo naman ako. "Okay. I'm just an average. Happy?" and I grinned. "So yeah. But you know why I asked you to babysit with me?"

"Kasi natatakot kana mapagalitan kapag may nangyari kay baby Gabe?" tsaka ako tumawa.

"Close enough." he chuckled." but seriously, no. It's that..." he paused.

"It's that I want to see how it feels to take care of a little one with you. So therefore I'll have an insight of my planned future."

His what?

"Future with you."

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