taynew drabbles ﹆

captured memories

Gemini sighs as he places his phone over his ear. Looking down at the box he had just opened, he realized his parents had delivered the wrong things and not the ones he asked for. He brushed his fingers through his hair in frustration as he realized how expensive the shipping rates had been.

"Hello, son?" Tay, his father had picked up the call after a few rings. "Is everything okay? Have you received the box you asked for?"

Yeah, Dad, about that..." He paused. He didn't want to bother his father even more, but he needed his old books and notes for his upcoming lecture. "I think you sent me the wrong box."

"You think so?" There was shuffling on the other line; Tay was probably running to Gemini's childhood room to check the other boxes. "Wait a minute, son. I'll call your papa." Then there was a faint sound of Tay shouting "Hin!" on the call.

"Hello, Gem?" It was his other dad, New. "Can you describe again the box you wanted?"

Gem tried to remember the box he used to store his old notes and textbooks. "It's stored in a plastic box, Pa. You sent me the one beside it; all I have here are my childhood VHS tapes."

There was an 'oh' and "Can you open the camera? I'm afraid your dad will send the wrong thing again."

He opened the camera to see both his parents crouched beside his childhood room's bed. Tay is trying to reach over a plastic box container. "Is this the one?"

Gemini sighed in relief, "Yeah! Thanks, Pa and Dad. I'll pay for the shipping rates this time."

"Oh no, don't bother. We'll drive it over there." Tay inserted. "Your pa is making your favorite empanadas. We'll bring you some."

Gem felt terrible for making them search for the box and even bring it over to him, but he didn't want them to feel sad. But he missed them, so he thinks it'll be okay.

"Are you sure? It's a two-hour drive."

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll just finish up the empanadas, and then we'll head over there." New turns to Tay and says, "Te, put the box on the car."

Gem watches as his father lifts the box and bids him a kiss goodbye.

"I have to go too, Gem. I'll see you later, okay? Just put the box full of VHS tapes aside. Is the VHS player also on that box too?"

Gem peeked at the box and saw a large player occupying it. "Yeah. Is this still working?"

"I think so. We haven't used it for a long time. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. I figured I could watch some tapes while waiting for you guys."

"Well, you should try. And if it works, enjoy watching baby you poo on camera." New laughs.

—

Gem dusts off the VHS player on his lap. He doesn't really remember how to use one of these since he was still little when his parents stopped using it and shifted to digital video cameras to capture his childhood.

Once he figured out how to make the tapes play, he watched them all one by one. From his first birthday, Christmas celebrations with his grandparents, his first day of school, receiving academic awards, and so much more.

He realized he hadn't seen videos from when he was still months old. He figured maybe because his fathers haven't adopted him yet. He would love to see how he looked as a newborn.

He placed another VHS tape inside the player. He couldn't count how many he had already played. His dad messaged him an hour ago that they had already left home and would be in his dorm by 2 p.m.

Gem looked at the TV and noticed that the background on the video wasn't the usual one he had already seen. It was not their home, his old school, or even the mall when it wasn't renovated yet.

It was a grassy field, and the camera was shaking, seeming like the person behind it didn't know how to use it. Then, the camera flips. It was his papa.

"Hello?" the younger New on the video said. "Te, is this thing on?"

It seems like New was lying on the grass. In a second, Tay's head peeked to the side. "Eh? Is it blinking? It's on if it's blinking."

"I think so." New sat up. "This is cool. How much did this cost?" The camera turned, and it showed Tay busy making something with his hands.

"What are you making?" He asked again, not bothering to know the answer to his last question. He placed the camera closer to Tay's, making the Santan flowers he was connecting visible.

"It's something Grandma taught me. I can make jewelry out of this." Tay finished connecting the last flower and connecting both ends to make a crown. "See? Put the camera down first."

The camera shook as Tay put it away. Unknowingly, the camera captured their actions as Tay placed the Santan crown on New's head. The sounds were faint compared to earlier, but Gem could still easily hear his parent's conversation on video.

"How do I look?" New asked, eyes blinking rapidly. "Do I look good?"

Gem could see how his dad's smile slowly formed. "You're beautiful."

New snorted. "Your turn." He grabbed the flower crown off his head and placed it on Tay's. "Now this is what you call beautiful."

They laughed for some time until New pointed something behind the camera. "Te! It's the sunset!"

Tay looked behind the camera and back at New. "It's so beautiful. Right, Te?" New said, Eyes never left the setting sun. However, Tay, as cliche as he is, said yes, as his eyes never left New.

New noticed this and pushed Tay's face away. "I meant the sun, you idiot!"

"But you are my sunset." Tay glanced back at New. "A reminder that even when my days are bad, you're there to remind me that at the end of the day, it will always be beautiful."

The video cuts as it changes into another scene. Gem frowned. He wanted to see more of his parent's love when they were younger. He always thought that the stories his dad tells about them were overexaggerated, but seeing the video, his heart swells with happiness at how far the two have come. He wonders if the Tay and New on the video would believe him if he told them they're married with a kid already in college.

His thoughts were stopped when he looked at the TV again and saw his papa holding a baby. He scoots closer to see, and just then he notices the voices saying his name.

"Our gemgem is getting comfortable with Papa, don't you think?" Tay's voice behind the camera resonates.

"Te, it's your child. Stop being jealous."

Tay only laughed and went closer to baby Gemini. "He looks like me." He flipped the camera to capture the three of them in the frame. "I have to fight my Gem for Papa's love now."

Gem couldn't believe it. He was just wondering why he hadn't seen a video of him as a newborn, and now he's watching it. He looks so small in New's arms, and now he's taller than both of his parents.

He took a picture of the scene on TV and sent it to his parents. He captioned it, "I look cute."

A few minutes later, he heard a knock on the door and the knob opening. "It's us, Gemgem." Tay slipped through the door, carrying the plastic box.

"Dad, stop calling me that." He playfully rolled his eyes as he helped his dad carry the box.

"So the player is working, huh?" New said as he closed the door and locked it. "How many times do I have to tell you to lock the door? Someone could barge in like we did and kidnap you."

Gem laughs and grabs the bag of empanadas in New's hand. "Thanks for the empanadas, Pa," he said, leaving a kiss on his father's cheek.

"What were you watching?" Tay asked as he sat in front of the TV.

"You being disgustingly in love with Papa."

"Me being what?"

Gem crouches beside the VHS player and rewinds the tapes. "Just watch. I'll fix my books first. Tell me more about it right after." He smirked and left his fathers to watch their sweet video.