Shorts

XIII. The Guardian (1)

Note: I've unpublished the 3rd part of Stranded and will no longer continue because I've been informed there is another fic similar to it already published. I haven't read any, but am aware that the plot is quite common so I'll just discontinue.

Anyway, here is another one. Prompt from frosty_spice.

I am not one to make light of anyone passing, however this was the premise of the prompt, so please don't hate. I'll write the prompt immediately after this part. Also, I am not a lawyer (Aissa, forgive me in advance =)), so I am going by what I know on the topic of guardianship.

Daming sinabi. Okay, ito na.

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Alden was at a bar, kissing the face of some random girl again, when he got the phone call. His only sibling and older brother, Dan, was in a car accident with his pregnant wife and they didn't survive.

Everything was a blur at the hospital.

The doctors and nurses informed him that they were able to get the baby out and it looks like she will be okay.

A few days on, his brother's lawyer informed him of his guardianship over the children. He recalled discussing this with Dan when his first child, Ethan, was born. Dan's wife, Rica, was an only child with no living parents; while, their father was too old to take custody in the event that anything unfortunate happens.

He agreed, thinking this would never come to play, yet here they were now.

He tried to get out of it. He had a huge house, sure, and he was earning a lot from his businesses but being a father to two young children was not in his immediate plans.

"Dad, baka naman pwedeng kayo nalang mag-alaga? Ako bahala sa lahat ng gastos, wag lang naman sa akin titira yang mga yan?"

"Anak, may sakit na din ako. Lalo namang hindi ko kayang alagaan yang mga pamangkin mo? At saka, maliit lang itong bahay ko, mas maayos yung lagay nila doon sa yo," his father explained.

But, seeing his dilemma, his father agreed to stay with him for a couple of weeks to ease the transition.

And so, he found himself, staring out the night sky one evening. His father, his nephew and his niece all tucked in, exhausted from the recent events, fell asleep early tonight - their first in his home.

He shed tears for the brother and sister-in-law he has lost and worried about this new life he was facing.

His gate opens and he knew it could only be one person. "Meng," he calls out, his voice breaking from still unshed tears.

Maine, his best friend since college, ran to him and hugged him. "Hey! I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral. Hindi ko ma-rebook yung flight ko."

"Okay lang. Nandito ka na." And he poured out all his grief to her, all the while hugging her tightly but she didn't complain.

"Sige lang, iyak mo lang."

When he had calmed down a bit, she ushered him in. "Ako na magcheck ng locks. Matulog ka na."

"Dito ka na muna please?" He begged.

She agreed, and just like in the past, they took different ends of the large sectional couch in his living room, their heads meeting in the corner, and they slept.

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Prompt: Something like the movie 'Raising Helen' but this time it's Alden who gets the children.