Cold Fangs [Fangs Series # 2]

EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

5 years later...

Ivo's POV

HINDI ko pinagsisisihan na sa Vampire City kami tumira. It's peaceful and we don't have to hide ourselves lalo na si Ivy. Hindi pa siya nag-aaral at sobrang hands on kami ni Cassey sa kanya. Kapag umaga lumalabas kaming vampire city para magtrabaho sa kumpanya namin. She has a babysitter every morning at kami ang nag-aalaga sa kanya kapag gabi.

Ganito rin ang ginagawa nina Kent at Theyn. Iniisip din kasi nila ang kapakanan ng anak nilang si Thyron at Kenzie. Hindi kasi talaga magandang ma-expose sila sa mundo ng mga tao sa gano'ng edad.

Si Cindy naman ay nasa mundo ng tao kasama si Lyrron. Ikinasal sila one year ago. Alam na ni Lyrron ang totoong katauhan namin and I was surprise he's not afraid of us. Na para bang expected na niya ang lahat. Ang alam ko ay ayaw ni Cindy na ipa-convert si Lyrron bilang vampire. Silang dalawa rin ang kasama ng aking father-in-law sa bahay. Cassey once told me that his father will die not knowing what we truly are. Ayaw niya talagang malaman ni Daddy Martin, eh.

"Babe, help me with these," tawag sa akin ni Cassey galing sa labas ng ng bahay. Lumabas ako at nakita kong hawak niya ang kahon na may lamang paso. May mga nakatanim na do'n pero sprout pa lang.

"Saan 'to ilalagay?" I asked.

"Sa baba lang ng porch. Kailangan kasi nilang maarawan," sabi niya.

Hindi ko masasabing tuluyan nang nagbago si Cassey. Pero ibang-iba na siya kumpara noon. Can you imagine her gardening? Yes, she is. Kung dati nagta-tantrums siya kapag nagagasgasan ang mga branded bags niya or shoes. Pero ngayon, nagta-tantrums siya kasi nasira ang tanim niya. Or kaya nakita niya akong dumaan sa lawn at hindi sa pathway. Mga simpleng bagay na nagpapangiti sa akin.

Lagi tinuturuan niya si Ivy magbasa at magsulat. Madalas din ang mag-ayos sa sarili. Surprising, pero siya ang dumidisiplina sa anak namin. At ako naman ang sumbungan ni Ivy kapag napapagalitan siya ni Cassey. Siguro nare-realize na niyang ayaw niya ng 2.0 version ng sarili niya.

Dahil weekends ngayon kaya maghapon kaming magkasama. Si Ivy ay hinatid namin sa bahay nina Theyn at Kent para makipaglaro kay Kenzie. Ang maganda rito sa vampire city village kasi hindi ka matatakot na iwan ang anak mo sa daan. Hindi ka matatakot na papagsolohin siya na pumunta sa kapitbahay o makipaglaro sa kapwa bata dahil walang mangangahas na manakit sa kanila.

"Babe, isama natin si Ivy sa Monday. Name-miss na siya ni Daddy, eh," Cassey said while holding a watering can.

"Sure. Tell Mira na hindi muna siya magbe-babysit kay Ivy,"

"I will,"

"Maya-maya sunduin mo na si-"

"Waaaah! Daddy! Daddy!" pareho kaming napalingon ni Cassey nang makita naming tumatakbong umiiyak ang anak naming si Ivy. I saw Cassey's mouth parted with horror when we saw her hair weaved with a dried leaves.

"Ano'ng nangyari?" nag-aalalang tanong niya. Agad ko naman siyang kinarga at sinuri siya mula ulo hanggang paa.

"Thyron said he doesn't want to marry me! He said he doesn't want a wife who has curly hair!" sabi nito at pakiramdam ko ay nabunutan ako ng tinik sa dibdib. Akala ko may nanakit na sa anak namin.

"Then why do you have dried leaves on your hair, princess?" mahinahong tanong ko. Sinuklay naman ni Cassey ang buhok niya gamit ang kamay niya at tinatanggal ang mga dahon sa buhok niya.

"I begged him not to leave me but he did! I even roll on the ground but he didn't even care! Waaah! He doesn't love!" umiiyak nitong sabi.

I smiled inwardly. Hindi lingid sa kaalaman namin ang panliligaw ng anak naming si Ivy sa anak nina Kent at Theyn na si Thyron. Ivy is just four years old and Thyron was six. Our daughter was bestfriends with Kenzie, the daughter of Kent and Theyn na halos ka-edad niya lang.

"Ivy, Thyron is the perfect epitome of his father. So believe me if I'll say that you won't like him as your-"

"No! I want Thyron! Tita Theyn told me that she don't want any other girl for his son but me! So believe me, Mommy, when I say that Thyron will be mine!" she said with conviction.

My face turned sour. Sa lahat ng mamamana niya sa kanyang Mommy, bakit ang pag-uugali pa nito? And I don't like the idea of my daughter chasing someone especially a guy.

"Princess, listen to me. Thyron is just like your brother. And you don't marry your brother. Sige ka, magseselos ako niyan. Ayaw ko pa naman ng ibang lalaki sa buhay ng aking prinsesa," I said feigning a sad look.

Her small hands cupped my face and her angelic smile almost melted me.

"I love you, daddy! But please don't be jealous with Thy. You two have different place in my heart," she said and I almost had a heart attack.

Narinig ko naman ang malutong na tawa ni Cassey.

"God, I can't believe I'm hearing this from my four year old daughter," I said and Cassey just hugged me from my side. Ivy slid down her body on my arms and run towards our lawn.

"I guess we already know the guy we should look out to when Ivy grows up," she said jokingly but I shook my head vigorously.

"No. My daughter is not marrying anyone. Not on my watch," I said possessively.

"Haay naku. Pareho naman kayo ni Kent ng sinasabi kay Kenzie, eh. Ang possessive niyo sa anak nating babae,"

"That's what fathers do. Protect their daughter from boys," I said.

"I guess I also have to learn protecting my boy from girls?" she said and I looked down on her.

"You don't have to protect me from girls, babe. Alam mo naman na ikaw lang, 'di ba?" I said but she shook her head.

"Not you," she said then my eyes landed on her hands caressing her tummy.

"You're-"

"Two months pregnant," she said grinning and my eyes widened.

"I'm going to be a father again?" I said loudly.

"Yes," tumango siya at bigla ko na lang siyang nayakap at nabuhat. Agad ko naman siyang ibinaba at tiningnan siya.

"Paano mo nasabing lalaki ang anak natin?" I asked.

"I can feel it," she said beaming. Hindi ko mapigilang hindi hawakan ang pisngi niya.

God, I love my wife. Wala na akong mahihiling pa sa mundo basta kasama ko lang ang pamilya ko.

"What should we name him?" I said as I hold her hand and guide her towards our daughter who was playing with her four wheeled bike.

"I'm thinking Ivan," she said.

"No. I don't like it. What about Hector?"

"No! It should only start with letter I or C,"

"But my name starts with P,"

"Out of the question. I don't like it,"

"Clay?"

"Ivo! Do you want a freaking child named Clay? It's a synonym of mud!"

"Okay, hindi na," natatawa kong sabi. "Clayton then?"

"Ivo naman, eh!" she whined at mas natawa ako ng malakas.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Hmm, Callisto,"

Napaisip naman ako. It sounds kinda' greekish. But we don't want a crying wife so I have to agree on her, for the mean time. We still have seven months to prepare anyway.

"How about I tell you I love you?" I said then she chuckled.

"Alam ko na 'yan," she smirked.

"Please say it," I said dryly.

"Mahal kita, Ivo,"

"Mahal na mahal din kita, Cassey," I said and I kissed her forehead.

THE END...