5

"Your... your children are so mean Ahuhu." nakanguso na sabi ni Mars at humagulhol pa nang makuha niya lahat ng mga tape na nakapalibot sa katawan nito.

Huminga siya ng malalim saka inis na lumingon sa tatlo na nakalinyang nakatayo habang nakayuko na nakaharap sa dingding.

"Tell me who did this to your uncle?"

Sabay-sabay at nagkanya-kanya ng turo silang tatlo. Tija pointed Sun, Sun pointed Sen and Sen pointed Sun.

"Sun..." sabi ni Rhianne because she knew that Sen always tells the truth.

"I am sorry Mom. I didn't recognise him. We only saw him in video calls."

"Yeah right. And also he came inside unannounced. We were just so frightened when Tija shouted for help." Agad na segunda ni Sen.

Hinarap ni Rhianne si Mars.

"Bakit ba kasi hindi ka nag door bell?"

"Hello, I rang the bell four times and no one answered me."

Rhianne looked at them. Agad naman nilang ibinalik sa dingding ang kanilang mga tingin.

"What did I say? Don't volume up your headsets because it will hurt your ears."

"Tija turned the volume of the music in her room that's why we decided to use our headphones" sabi ni Sen.

"Tija?"

"Sorry mom. It was my fault."

"You tortured your uncle. No computer for today and entertain him. Turn around."

Sabay-sabay na humarap ang tatlo pero nakayuko pa rin at hindi man lang makuhang makatingin sa kanya dahil sa hiya.

"And now, what do you say?"

"I am sorry Uncle Mars." sabay-sabay nilang sabi habang nakayuko pa rin.

"Ehey! Is that the right way to say sorry?" sabi niya.

Dahan-dahan naman nilang itinaas ang kanilang mga tingin at tumingin kay Mars. Ngumiti naman agad si Mars nang makita ng maayos ang mukha ng kanyang mga anak.

"How did you made these three gorgeous angels?"

"I am sorry, uncle Mars." sabay na sabi ulit ng tatlo habang nakatingin sa kanya.

"Yong panganay kopyang-kopya sa ama, yong pangalawa naman ay mixed at yong babae ay kamukhang-kamukha mo. Mas maganda nga lang sayo."

"Tumahimik ka. Nakakaintindi ng tagalog ang mga yan."

Ngumiti si Mars saka pinaglayo ang mga braso sa ere.

"Come to uncle."

Hindi gumalaw ang kanyang mga anak at nagtatanong ang tingin na tumingin sa kanya. Nakangiti naman siyang tumango bago sunud-sunod na lumapit kay Mars at yumakap din dito.

Kinuha ni Rhianne ang kanyang shoulder bag sa sahig at nilagay sa sofa bago naglakad palapit sa malinis na kusina. Ngumiti siya dahil alam niyang si Sen din ang naglinis sa kusina pagkatapos ng kalat na kanyang ginawa. He is the meticulous type like his father. Tama si Mars, hindi lang mukha kundi pati ugali ay kopyang-kopya din dito.

"Are you hungry?"

"Mom, I want some chicken joy." sabi ni Tija.

"No, it is very oily and not healthy. It consist of..." sabi ni Sen.

"Tsch! Stop nagging Sen. Let her be. It's not always. Mom, me too." Putol ni Sun kay Sen.

"And Mr. Sen?" tanong ni Rhianne kay Sen.

"I'll take one gram only." sagot nito na kinataas ng kanyang kilay sabay ngisi.

Mars and Rhianne smiled when their eyes met.

"Do you want to play with uncle?" tanong ni Mars maya-maya matapos nilang nilibot ang buong bahay na ito na siya pa mismo ang naatasan ni Rhianne na magpagawa.

Sun stood up and went to the side of the sofa and opened the cabinet. He pulled the big white box and put it in front of Mars.

Tija quickly sat on the carpeted floor and get the chess board.

"Uncle can we play chess?"

Nakangiwi na ngumiti si Mars kay Tija.

"I... I don't know how..."

"Ayy." sabi ni Tija saka ibinalik sa box.

Sen took out a pentamix rubrik cubes.

Napaawang ang bibig ni Mars at lumipad ang tingin kay Rhianne na kakababa lamang mula sa kwarto nito at ngayon ay nakabihis na.

"Rhea..."

"Oh... he started doing that since he was five." sagot ni Rhianne saka umupo din sa carpeted floor at tumingin sa sudoko book na sinisimulan nang sagutan ni Sun.

"Oh, so fast?" namamanghang sabi ni Rhianne kay Sun.

"It's the easiest one mom." sagot ni Sun na kinalaglag ng panga ni Mars matapos makita ang cover nito sa harapan na hardest Sudoko ever.

Napatingin siya kay Tija nang sundutin siya nito sa braso.

"Uncle, what game do you want to play?"

"Uhm many... but uhmm... I doubt that you know it."

"Kfc is here." sabi ni Tija saka mabilis na tumayo at nagtatakbo sa p***o. Agad naman na sumunod sina Sen at Sun kay Tija.

Ngumiti si Mars dahil alam niya kung gaano ka-protective ang mga ito sa nakakabata nitong kapatid.

"I know it was not easy to take care of them but I am proud of you. Napalaki mo sila ng maayos." Nakangiting sabi ni Mars kay Rhianne.

"It's because of your helped and Chris. I cannot do it alone."

"Are you ready for the change of your life now? You know you can't just hide from him."

"I know. But I am ready to face the reality now. It's for their future."

"Did you contact Tita already? She wanted to come with me but she said she can't leave the house because Tito is resting there."

"Yeah. She told me she will meet me on Sunday."

"Does she know already about them?"

Tumango si Rhianne.

"And?"

"I told her to install W******p and I already sent their photos. She didn't say anything yet."

Tumango-tango si Mars.

"She will surely be happy to meet them."

"Why are you so sure?"

Inilayo ni Mars ang tingin sa kanya.

"Traitor." sabi niya nang may mapagtanto siya saka sabay silang ngumiti nang makalapit na ang mga bata sa kanila.

------

"So these are the gorgeous little ones." the Director of the school said smiling when she saw them.

Ngumiti din si Rhianne saka tumingin kay Mars na kasama niya.

"Matthesen..."

Sen raised his hand.

"Matthesun..."

Sun raised his hand.

"And pretty Matija."

Tija smiled and also raised her hand.

"They are all gorgeous and easy to recognised not like other twins and triplets."

"They are perfectly made and perfectly divided, right?" nakangiting sabat ni Mars na agad namang palihim na siniko ni Rhianne sabay ngiti.

"Promise to behave, okay? Daddy will come fetch you later." Kausap ni Mars sa mga bata.

"And what about mommy?"

Bahagyang yumuko si Rhianne at pinisil ang pisngi ni Tija.

"Mommy needs to work until seven today. Don't worry Daddy Mars will be with you. Is that okay?"

"It's just seven fourteen in the morning and only take sixteen minutes drive from here to your work. You will arrived there at seven thirty and probably start to work at seven thirty-five and you said you'll be out at seven in the evening. They said the average hour of work for a full-time employed woman is seven point nine hours per work day. This company is very lucky to have you. Do they even pay you handsomely?"

Parang nahilo si Mars sa mabilis na pagsasalita ni Sen.

"Yes, Mr. Sen. You don't have to worry." nakangiting sagot ni Rhianne saka pinisil ang ilong nito.

"I don't understand why you need to work when you can open another branch of–"

Pinisil ni Rhianne ang ilong ni Sun saka ginulo ang buhok nito.

"Mom must go now. Be good. I love you puppies." pagpapaalam niya saka nagmamadaling lumabas sa opisina ng Director.

"Oo nga noh? Bakit mo pa kailangang magtrabaho kung pwede ka namang magbukas ng ibang branch ng boutique nyo ni Tija dito sa pinas?" Tanong ni Mars maya-maya.

Huminto si Rhianne sa paglalakad saka hinarap si Mars.

"Breaking News: FW which means Forever Wright has opened another branch in the Philippines. Mrs. Rhianne Haller Wright and her very little own daughter Matija Rhinney Haller Wright who is only six year old are the real owner of the Forever Wright brand." sabi ni Rhianne habang ginawa pang microphone ang kanyang kamao.

"I'm sure you will hear the news like that. And what's worse is..."

"Wait. Wait. Let me. Let me." sabi ni Mars saka tumikhim para ihanda ang boses.

"Breaking News: The Bachelor Matthias Greg Azarcon Wright's wife, Mrs. Rhianne Haller Wright came back in the Philippines with three gorgeous and genius children after hiding for over seven years. The children have unique names namely; Matthesen Grey, Matthesun Grey and Matija Rhinney. Mrs. Wright really has a weird way of naming her children."

Tumawa si Rhianne.

"You really want him to know that they are his children, noh?"

Natigilan siya saka inis na iningusan si Mars.

"Ewan ko sayo. Male-late na ako." sabi niya at naglakad na papunta sa parking lot.

Pinindot niya ang susi ng kanyang sasakyan para malaman kung saan ito nakapark. Magpapaalam na sana siya kay Mars nang makita niya ang lalaking yumuko ng bahagya para kargahin ang bata na nasa loob ng likod ng sasakyan nito.

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang makilala si Greg at bago pa mag-abot ang kanilang paningin ay mabilis na niyang itinago ang sarili sa loob ng suit ni Mars na kinaatras nito sa sasakyan nito.

"Huy... ginagawa mo?"

"Tumahimik ka. Nandyan siya."

"Siya? Sino?" tanong ni Mars at nanlalaki ang mga mata na agad ngumiti kay Greg. Hindi siya nito kilala dahil palagi siyang busy noon at sa tuwing binibisita niya si Rhianne sa bahay nila noon ay may pasok naman ito.

As expected Greg didn't even smiled back at him.

"Gross." sabi ng bata na karga nito.

Mars clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth while showing the boy his fist. Umiyak ang bata at nagsumbong kay Greg na dahilan nang pagtigil ni Greg sa harapan nila. Seryoso itong nakatingin sa kanya.

Agad namang ibinuka ni Mars ang kanyang kamao saka pilit na ngumiti.

"Bah!" hilaw niyang sabi saka hilaw ding ngumiti.

"What's your problem?" Seryosong tanong ni Greg na may himig galit ang boses.

"Ah... n-nothing. Ha. ha. J-just uhm... y-your child is cute." sabi niya saka hinaplos ang ulo ni Rhianne pababa sa likod nito.

"M-m-my baby." sabi ni Mars at tinatapik-tapik pa si Rhianne.

"If he step forward, you need to get ready and run away straight." Bulong niya kay Rhianne.

"Are you crazy? I need to work."

"It's only eighteen minutes walk if you walked straight from here."

"Uncle that auntie is strange."

Itinaas ni Greg ang kilay saka pinisil ang ilong ni Ben.

"Don't mind them. You'll be late." sabi ni Greg saka weird na tiningnan si Mars at si Rhianne na bahagyang nakausad ang puwet.

Aalis na sana siya nang sumimoy ang hangin at pumasok sa kanyang ilong ang pamilyar na pabango.

"Tumalikod na siya." sabi ni Mars at bahagya pang tinapik si Rhianne sa loob ng kanyang jacket.

Hollister perfume. ani Greg sa sarili saka lumingon ulit na sakto namang nakalabas na ang ulo ni Rhianne at inaayos na ang buhok nito na dahilan ng mas lalong panunuot ng pamilyar na pabango sa kanyang ilong.

"Run. Now." senyas ni Mars na agad namang sinunod ni Rhianne.