Wonderful Unknown

Chapter 11

A/N: Kita-kits sa baba. 😅

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The scene that greeted Roxy brought her steps to a halt.

A vibrating noise filled the entire suite, loud and persistent, she would surely hear it in her dreams. Her son was sitting in the middle of the hospital bed, a clear mask strapped around his ears, and a picture book on his lap. He was busy marveling at the colorful images while Doggy, the stuffed toy Sebastian gave them four days ago, was lovingly tucked in his arms.

She was sort of expecting that.

Meanwhile, the generous man who paid for her toddler's entire hospital stay was leaning on the edge of the bed, right hand casually holding a larger mask over his face.

That one was new.

"Teka, bakit naka-mask ka na rin?"

Her boss merely shrugged off her question, too engrossed in his mobile phone. She was about to make a cheeky comment about being ignored when he took the initiative, pocketed said phone, and spread his left arm open for her.

Roxy beamed and immediately took Pablo's invitation. She walked toward them, and he promptly wrapped his arm around her waist.

Dr. Rivero, her son's attending physician, gave them the all-clear that morning. She already secured Aiden's discharge slip, and they were free to go home after Aiden's last nebulizer treatment had been administered.

She was running her fingers through her son's hair while Pablo murmured sweet nothings in her ear when the kind old nurse who assisted them during the admission entered the room.

"Naku, Mommy. Akala ko hihintayin ka namin ulit before mag-start ng nebulizer si Baby Aiden kanina."

Roxy smiled fondly at her son before replying, "Sorry, nurse. Nabo-bother talaga siya doon sa ingay." Despite the frequent nebulizer treatment in the last four days, Aiden never got used to the machine's noise. The loud vibration freaked him out too much, Roxy had to stay and hold him every single time the medication was being given.

The nurse chuckled as she switched off and unplugged the machine. "Gusto lang yata ng kasabay. Buti na lang may nahanap na spare mask si Daddy niya."

The noise stopped just in time for the toddler to hear the next thing that came out of the old nurse's mouth. "Very good si Daddy doon diba, Baby Aiden?"

Her son stared curiously at the nurse, and Roxy held her breath, unsure how he would react, and a little worried he would start screaming for his father again.

Thankfully, Pablo intervened and called the toddler's attention. "Look at that, buddy. We're done." Aiden's eyes widened upon seeing that the older man had already removed his mask. He impatiently tugged at the straps around his ears and turned to her for help when he couldn't remove it. As soon as Roxy managed to take it off, he looked at Pablo and whimpered. "No maksss. No more na."

He ruffled Aiden's hair and assured him. "No more. That's the last one." He removed his hold around her waist and lifted the two-year-old in his arms, grunting exaggeratedly as if he weighed like a sack of potatoes. Pablo muttered, "Come on, let's look at the cars," and her son immediately shrieked in excitement.

The toddler absolutely loved to watch the traffic nine floors below. Good thing his IV catheter had already been removed the night prior, so they no longer have to drag the stand every time he wanted to go car-gazing.

"Mommy, may copy ka na ng home meds?" The old nurse inquired just as she was about to leave.

Roxy quickly rifled through the papers inside the brown envelope labeled Aguerro, A.R. "Wala pa po dito."