AIA. 04 - Like we're not scared of what is coming next

Baby Daddy

Kairos Gregor Rouvin Vejar's

I found myself walking away from the hospital. I don't know where to go. I couldn't get Cachi's image out of my head. I couldn't seem to forget the amount of pain she has in her eyes. I really did screw up our friendship. I should've listened to Amalthea. She knows things and she told me not to say anything to Cachi if I am still gonna marry Mariake the day after. But I couldn't keep it to myself anymore...

I just...

I really can't.

I sighed.

I kept on walking until I found myself in front of the school where Cachi's son was. Naisip kong puntahan iyong bata. I dunno why, maybe because I am feeling guilty. I really wanna punch the father of the kids for letting them experience this. Ody, he's a bad father. Hindi niya dapat pinababayaan ang mga bata. The other one was too weak. He should've known better. Sa tingin ko, hindi rin alam nila Uncle Hermes ang tungkol sa mga bata.

He's just an asshole. Mas matindi pa siya kay Yael. At least Yael had the decency to tell the world about his children. Walo iyon pero lahat iyon, ipinakilala niya sa mundo. I wouldn't let my children experience that.

I stood near the bench and waited for the bell to ring. Hindi naman nagtagal iyon. They all went out after the bell rang. Nagtatakbuhan iyong mga bata. I was looking for that particular weakling – a boy with a sad expression on his face that has a Captain America back pack.

I saw him. He was talking to another boy. Lumapit ako sa kanila.

"Give this to Rom. We all miss him here and we all want to play with him."

"I will. Thanks, Thomas!"

"Hey." I called him. He looked at me.

"You're the stranger at our door."

"I am." Lumuhod ako sa harapan niya. "My name is Kairos. You can call me Kairos if you want to."

"You're oldew than me so I should call you Mr. Kairos, calling you by youw name will be diswespectful." Nagulat ako sa isinagot niya sa akin at mas lalo akong nagulat nang magmano siya sa akin. The boy smiled at me.

"Is your Mommy picking you up?"

"Yes. She will be. But she told Mrs. Sawyer that she'll be a little late so I can still play in the sand box." Tinuro niya iyong sand box sa playground. Natawa ako. Bigla kong naalala iyong pamangkin ko kay Apollo. Si Eli.

"Alright. But I think ice cream is more appealing than the sand box, what do you think?"

"Are you Mommy's friend?" He asked me. I smiled.

"Yes. I am. I am not a stranger. I am Mommy's best friend." Mukhang hindi naniniwala iyong bata kaya inilabas ko iyong phone ko. Ipinakita ko sa kanya ang picture naming dalawa ni Cachi.

"Oh! That's my Mommy!"

"I told you we're friends. Now, let's go." I took his hand.

"Okay. But can you please hold my lunch box? I'm just gonna put the drawing for Rom inside my bag. I don't want it to get dirty. He'll be happy to know that Thomas and Cindy and Sunny misses him. They're our friends, you see, Mr. Kairos." The boy smiled at me again.

"I know." I took his lunch box and I watched him as he carefully folds the paper and he put it inside his bag. After that, he took my hand.

"Let's go to Cindy's. That Mommy's favorite Ice Cream shop!"

I don't know why but my heart leaped. Napatitig ako sa bata. Ngayon ko lang siya natitigan ng malapitan. Bwisit kasi ako s akanya dahil Tatay niya si Ody but then, I really had to look at him now.

He had curly hair – like Alejandros and mine when we were kids. He had almond eyes like Pan's and Dione's. I shook my head. Kung ano – anong naiisip ko.

"There's Cindy's!" He yelled. Tumawid lang kaming dalawa at pumasok sa loob ng ice cream shop. Naupo kaagad siya doon sa may window. He ordered already. "Can I have a cherry chocolate Sunday please? And some of the peanut butter waffles, please?"

"Alright, Kid. How about you, Mr. What do you want?" The waitress asked me.

"Just a bottle of water, and some black coffee please. Thank you."

I started at the kid again. I sighed.

"What happened to your twin?" I asked.

"He has cancer. Mommy said that he's gonna be alright tomorrow because it's his operation. I hate it when he goes under memo thewapy because he's too weak to even talk or play with me. I just want him safe. He pwomised me that we will play football together when we grow up!" He smiled at me again. Bungi siya. Wala siyang isang front teeth. Habang nakatitig ako sa kanya ay para bang may humaplos na kung ano sa puso ko.

"Here's your order kiddo!" The waitress gave him his order tapos ay ibinigay rin ang sa akin. He started eating the ice cream. Isinawsaw niya pa iyong piraso ng waffle niya doon sa ice cream niya.

I smiled. I remember doing that when I was a kid. Palagi kong isinasawsaw iyong tinapay sa ice cream. Kaya ang palaging pasalubong ni Papa sa amin ni Amal noon ay Ice cream saka pan de coco.

"This is delicious! Thank you, Mr. Kairos! Ever since Rom got sick, Mommy and I seldom eat here. She's always sad but whenever she sees me looking at her, she smiles and acts as if everything is just okay. Mommy's kind of a liar. But she's a good liar. She doesn't want me to worry."

"Mommy is a kind person." Dahan-dahang nawawala ang inis ko sa batang ito. He's a great kid. He's talkative. Bata pa siya pero may sense na ang sinasabi niya. I sipped my coffee and stared at him more.

He keeps on eating. Habang nakatitig ako sa kanya ay may naaalala talaga ako. And there's that nagging feeling in my chest. Hindi ko namalayang naubos na niya iyong kinakain niya. Ako pa nga iyong nagpunas ng dumi sa mukha niya.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Kairos. Now where's my Mommy... Maybe she is looking for me. Can we go back to the school now?" He asked.

"Alright." Inalalayan ko siya. This time, kinuha ko na ang bag niya at saka hawak ko ang kamay niya habang patawid kaming dalawa.

"Oh there's our car!"

Tumakbo siya papunta sa sasakyan nila.

"She's not here. Where is she?"

Nagpunta siya sa playground pero wala rin si Cachi roon.

"Where's Mommy?"

"Rem!"

Nakita kong palabras siya sa main building at humahangos. Umiiyak siya. Nang makalapit sa anak niya ay saka niya ito niyakap nang napakahigpit.

"Where have you been! You scared me!" She was frantic. Napatingin siya sa akin. Napabuntong – hininga siya.

"I just took him to---" Sinampal niya ako.

"I told you to stay the fucking away from me and my kids! Hindi mob a maintindihan iyon, Kairos?! Ayoko na! Ayoko sa'yo! Ayoko! Hindi kita kailangan! Kaya parang awa mo na, umalis ka na! Umalis ka na!"

Pinaghahampas niya ako. Sinasalag ko ang mga kamay niya hanggang sa bigla na lang siyang tumigil. Naalarma ako.

I know that look. Agad kong pinagsiklop ang mga kamay niya. Inalalayan ko siya bago pa man din siya bumagsak sa lupa. I held her hands tightly. Nawala ang mga itim ng mata ni Catherine.

"Damn, girl! Why do you always do this?"

Napaupo ako. She is in my lap. Napansin kong umiiyak na si Rem.

"Mommy!" He's scared. Parang ako lang noong unang beses siyang inatake sa harapan ko.

"Stay with me, Cachi. Be, stay with me" I was whispering. Hinahaplos ko ang mukha niya. I looked at Rem. "Hey, hey..." I called him. "Rem, look at me, look at me, boy, look at me."

He has tears in his eyes.

"You know how to count right? Count from one to sixty. I promise you even before you reach sixty, mommy will stop shivering."

Umiiyak na siya. "Promise?"

"Yes. Promise. Count now."

"One... Two..." Humikbi siya. "Three... Four...

"Be, you can stop now. Your son is here... Cachi..."

"Twenty... She's not stopping!"

Suddenly, her hand fell. I took a deep breath. Pinulsuhan ko siya. I am counting her heartbeat, normal naman iyon. Hinang-hina lang talaga siya. Binuhat ko siya at isinakay sa kotse. Nakuha ko sa bulsa ng coat niya ang susi ng sasakyan. Isinakay ko si Rem sa tabi ng Mommy niya.

I took her home. Buhat ko pa rin siya hanggang sa makarating kami sa bahay niya. I asked Rem to open the door and I asked him where about her mother's room.

Inihiga ko siya nang patagilid. Nasa likuran niya ako. She is half awake now but she's having a hard time breathing. Ipinasok ko sa bibig niya iyong daliri ko para masiguro na walang laman iyong kahit na ano – namuong laway o vomit. It's cleared. Kahit paano ay nakampante ako. Binuksan ko iyong tatlong butones ng blouse niya and the I unclasped her bra.

"Breathe, be, breathe."

Rem was near the door, still crying. Hinintay ko lang na maging okay si Catherine bago ko siya binitiwan at saka ko nilapitan iyong bata.

"Is Mommy gonna die? Am I going to be left alone?"

"You're not going to be left alone, Rem. Mommy just had an episode. She's going to be okay." I kissed the top of his head. "Now, I have to go but let's call your dad first so you have someone here with you."

Lalo siyang napaiyak.

"It's just that... Mr. Kairos... I don't know who my dad is... Mommy refuses to say his name because she said that he's in Mars. Mommy said that Daddy is an alien."

"What?"

Hindi ba't si Ody ang tatay nila?

"How about Mr. Ody?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. He shook his head.

"He's not our Daddy. He's just Mommy's friend."

"Then who's your father?" Napatiim ang mga bagang ko. Pagkatapos kong itanong iyon sa bata ay bumukas ang pinto ng apartment nila Cachi at mula roon, nakita ko si Alejandros na papasok na may dalang batang babae, kasunod niya si Elisha.

Napatayo ako. Hindi pa ako nakikita ng kapatid ko. Galit ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya. But then, he looked at my direction.

His eyes widened.

"O to the M to G! What are you doing here, Kairos?!"