After years...
"Mommy!"
A five years old girl ran towards me and a twelve years old boy ran after her.
"Melandy Aubrey!"a twelve years old boy shouted at his little sister.
Elarey hide behind my back while she's giggling.
"Elarey ano na naman bang ginawa mo sa kuya mo?"
"Aubrey look what you've done to my phone!"galit na galit na wika ng kapatid.
He shows his phone. I frowned and ask my son.
"What happen to your phone Rey?"
Inis na inis na lumapit sakin si Rey at ipinakita ang basa nitong cellphone.
"I saw her playing my phone. Pinapalangoy nya sa bathtub"
Nilingon ko ang bunso kong anak at pinaharap ito sakin.
"Is that true?"tanong ko.
Ngumusong tumango si Elarey.
"I'm just playing mommy"maliit ngunit matinis ang boses nitong sabi.
Bumuntong hininga ako at dinala sya sa sofa para paupuin. Sumunod naman si Rey.
"Elarey hindi mo dapat ginawa yun. Dahil sa ginawa mo hindi na magagamit ng kuya mo ang phone nya. It's not water resistant"
Nanlaki ang mata ni Elarey.
"Are you mad kuya?"
Rey just rolled his eyes. "I'm not mad Aubrey, you just soaked my phone. I'm so happy"he said sarcastically.
"Rey we can buy a new phone for that"I suggest.
Suddenly his reaction became light and happy.
"The latest mom?"
Umismid ako, he want a phone just like his older brother and sister. Pero 'di ko pinayagan dahil may phone pa naman sya, at ngayon na nasira na saka pa lang matutupad yun.
"Ok wala na naman akong magagawa dahil sira na yang phone mo"
Rey just grin. "I guess I have to say thank you Aubrey. Pero 'wag mo na yun uulitin dahil susunugin ko lahat ng barbie doll mo kapag may sinira ka na naman sa gamit ko"
Biglang tumayo si Elarey at maluha-luhang tiningnan ang kapatid.
"No not my barbie doll!"she shouted.
Parehas kaming napatakip ng tainga ni Rey dahil sa tinis ng boses nito. Melandy Aubrey is just like her older sister. Parehas na matinis ang boses nila ni Andrea nong bata pa.
"Goodmorning mom!"
Mula sa hagdan bumaba ang dalaga ng si Andrea. She's twenty years old now. She has a short hair—shoulder length. May kurba na rin ang katawan nito at malaki ang hinaharap, na namana nya sa kanyang totoong mommy. Her chinky eyes look at her sister and brother.
"Goodmorning Ely and Rey"bati nito sa dalawang kapatid.
"Morning ate"sabay naman na wika ng dalawa.
Maraming tawag kay Elarey dito sa bahay. I call my daughter Elarey, her older sister call her Ely. Andy, Andro, and Rey call her Aubrey.
"Mom I think I'll be going home late"
Nangunot ang noo ko, she's still wearing her pajama partner.
"Where you going lady?"baritonong wika ni Andy na galing sa kanyang kwarto. He's now wearing his formal attire, and his reading glasses. Medyo malabo na kasi ang mata nito kahit na sa murang edad pa lang.
Nasa ibaba na si Andrea kaya naman tiningala nya ang kuya na bumababa sa hagdan.
"Birthday nong kaklase ko kuya"
Andy remove his reading glasses and his eyes became dark.
"Sino namang kaklase yan?Vincent ba ang pangalan?"
Nanlaki ang mata ni Andrea at kalaunan ay umismid. Pinuntahan nito si Elarey at hinalikan sa pisngi.
"Kuya si Rianne?at isasabay na rin ang birthday ni Freya iyong pinsan nya. Parehas kasi sila ng birthday kaya pag-iisahin na. Kilala mo naman si Freya diba?yung batang may gusto sayo"nanunuyang wika ni Andrea sa panganay.
Napatingin naman ako kay Andy na nakababa na. Naka-pamulsa ito at napansin ko rin na gulo ang buhok nito, kaya nilapitan ko at inayos 'to.
"Mom you don't have to fix my hair"
I just grin. "Well you're my baby"
Tinawanan ito ni Andrea.
"Mom!"he groaned.
"Mommy I'm your baby right!"si Elarey.
Lumapit ito samin at yumakap sa binti ko. Yumuko naman ng bahagya si Andy para mahagkan sa noo ang kapatid.
"Yes you're mom's baby, and you Andrea, I will drive you to that birthday party and fetch you after"
"Sus!gusto mo lang 'atang makita si Freya e!"pang-aasar ni Andrea.
"For God sake Andrea!she's only sixteen!"
Pati ako ay natawa na sa asaran nila. Gwapo si Andy kaya hindi malabong pati bata ay magka-gusto dito.
"Well kuya she's turning seventeen!you see hindi naman halata sa katawan ni Freya!"si Andrea
"Tama na yan Andrea hayaan mo na ang kuya mo" tumingin ako kay Andy at bahagyang tinapik ang balikat nito. "When she's a grown lady you can bring her here and introduce to us"
Pumalakpak naman si Andrea sa sunod kong sinabi. "Pa'no yan kuya?may basbas ka na agad kay mommy!"
Andy just groaned and go to the kitchen.
"Honey!"
Sabay-sabay naman kaming napatingin kay Andro. Nagulat ako nang biglang hinila ni Elerey si Rey para sumunod kay Andy papuntang kusina. Kaya kami na lang ang naiwan ni Andrea.
"Hi hon!"
"Morning daddy!"
Sinapo ni Andro ang ulo habang bumababa ng hagdan.
"Hangover?"
Andro groaned. "Yeah, by the way where's our little princess?"
"Yes dad?"si Andrea na ngayon ay nakangisi na. Alam nya naman na si Elarey ang tinutukoy nito.
"Andrea you're not a little princess anymore. Yes you're my princess but not a little princess"
Andrea pout her lips.
"Well you said I'm your only little princess"
"You're just eight years old back then Andrea, ilang taon ka na ba?you're already twenty"
"Whatever dad I'm still your princess pa rin naman so that's ok. Love you daddy!"anya bago pumunta ng kusina.
Andro hug me and kiss my forehead.
"You should stop from drinking Andro"ako
"I can't stop honey, alam mo naman sa trabaho minsan 'di yun maiiwasan"sabi ni Andro.
"Napapadalas ang pag-inom mo ngayong buwan ayaw kong makasanayan mo yan, kahit pa para sa trabaho"nag-aalala kong wika dito.
His lips meet mine, and hug me tight.
"Ok honey I promise I won't drink again, but I can't promise to stop drinking from you puss—
Agad kong tinakpan ang bibig nito ng kamay ko, bago pa nito matapos ang sasabihin.
"Andro watch your mouth!"
He chuckled and just kiss my forehead.
After our marriage we have our son and daughter, Miko Rey Chavez and Melandy Aubrey Chavez.
Our marriage is not perfect we still fought sometimes, but we fix it immediately. Hindi na namin pinapaabot ng kinabukasan ang away namin. Andro still sweet to me.
Hindi perpekto ang pamilya namin pero ginagawa namin ang lahat para mapanatiling masaya 'to. Hindi rin ako nagsisisi na binigyan ko sya ng pangalawang pagkakataon, tinandaan ko rin ang sinabi ng mama ko na hangga't kaya ko pang ipaglaban ay gawin ko. Because of our past we learned, it strengthened our relationship and trust to each other. Our love also grown—hindi nabawasan at mas tumatag pa. He's still my lovingly husband and I'm still his wife—I will always be.
"Where's Aubrey?"he ask
"Eating"
"Aubrey!"he called his daughter.
"Yes daddy?!"
"Did you cut my charger?"
"Yes daddy!I mean no!"si Elarey mula sa kusina.
Bumitaw ng yakap sakin si Andro at pinuntahan ang anak sa kusina.
"Yes Aubrey!you cut my charger, come here and I'll cut your hair"
"No!not my hair daddy!hehe!love you daddy!"
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