What Ties Us

Chapter 16

Irene

Padabog 'kong inaalis mula sa luggage ang mga gamit na inimpake ko kagabi. I am not like this. My act is very childish, pero hindi ko kase mapigilan dahil sa inis ko kay Ashton.

"You're so cute" he said while smiling.

Kanina ko pa siya hindi pinapansin. Yes. He's here.

Hinatid ni Gray sila mom and dad sa airport at umuwi agad si Rio. He didn't even talk to me. He left us without a single word. I was kind of guilty because of what happened.

Nasaktan ko ba siya? I'll try to talk to him tomorrow.

I heard Ashton's deep throaty laugh.

"What?" hininto ko ang paglalabas ng gamit ko at tinignan siya ng masama.

"That's so not you. Nagdadabog ka na ngayon, love" he crossed his arms while intently watching me.

"Pwede lumabas ka dito sa kwarto ko?" I don't want him to enter but our son pulled him to come in. "You know what, you can just leave. Kapag bumalik na dito si Gray, baka masuntok ka ulit niya" naalala ko bigla ang nangyare kanina.

"Are you worried?" he playfully asked.

"Of course"

Nang makitang napangiti siya sa sagot ko, agad kong dinagdagan "Not. Of course not. Baka lang kase magsuntukan kayo dito. It will be the talk of the town" I explained.

Kunware nasaktan siya sa sinabi ko. "Sabi ko nga hindi ka mag-aalala. Ako lang naman 'to.. asawa mo" he teased.

"Corny" bulong ko pero alam kong narinig niya.

Tumayo ako mula sa gilid ng kama at lumapit kay Anton. He's at my side table right now. He asked for colors and a paper so I gave some. With his age, nakahiligan na niyang magkulay.

"Wow, it's so beautiful" hindi ko lang maintindihan kung bakit ganito yung ginawa niya ngayon. It's a drawing of a man and a woman holding each other's hand.

In my peripheral view, I can see Ashton coming in our direction.

Tinuro niya ang babae gamit ang lapis niya "This is you mommy.." sumunod niyang tinuro yung isa "and this is daddy" pagtapos niya.

"Good job, anak. Can you give mommy a kiss?" I pouted.

Hinalikan ako ni Anton sa pisnge "Is it good?" tanong niya. I nodded and gave him a two thumbs up.

"What do you think Ashton?" tanong ko pagkalapit niya sa'min.

"I think there's something missing" sabi niya na ikina-kunot ng noo ni Anton. Tinignan kong maigi ang drawing, what's missing?

"Color?" Anton asked.

"Nope" sagot ni Ashton. Kumuha siya ng pulang kulay at binigay kay Anton. "Put a heart on the center" payo nito.

Ngumiti ang anak ko at agad na ginawa ang sinabi ng daddy niya.

"Perfect" si Ashton. "Right, love?" dagdag niya at ibinaling ang tingin sa'kin.

"Yes. It's perfect" sabi ko habang nakatitig din sa kanya. Ako ang unang umiwas ng tingin. 

"Maybe I should go home. It's getting late" he was the first one to break the silence.

Tinignan ko siya pero nang makita ang pasa niya sa mukha, hindi na maalis ang tingin ko sa kanya "I think you should stay first" hindi ko alam kung bakit ko 'yon sinabi.

"You want me to stay?" halatang nagulat siya sa alok ko.

"Uhm.. I think kailangan nating pahiran ng ointment yang pasa mo sa mukha. I will- uh.. just get the kit" naglakad ako agad at hinanap ito sa mga built-in cabinets.

Dapat kanina ko pa 'yon ginawa. Ano ka ba Madisson, bakit hindi mo man lang naisip. What if he's enduring the pain for an hour now?

Nang mahanap ko ang ointment na ginagamit ni Gray, pumasok na ulit ako sa kwarto.

"Come here" I mouthed so that our Anton will not be disturb. Sinunod naman niya agad ang sinabi ko. Umupo siya sa gilid ng kama.

Naglagay ako ng ointment sa isang cotton pad at mas lumapit sa kanya. It's difficult for me to apply it because of his long legs.

He widen the gap between his legs. Nag-adjust siya para ma-apply ko 'tong ointment. Lumoob ako sa kanya at biglang naisip na parang hindi maganda 'tong posisyon namin.

"Kalma, love. Wala tayong ginagawa" natatawa niyang sabi.

Diniinan ko ang pagpahid ng pad sa mukha niya "Ouch! Be careful" he hissed.

Maybe 5 more minutes with him is okay?

Christian

"I think masyado nating pinakialaman si Madi? Christian that's her ex-husband, I mean husband now. We know that she doesn't want anything related to that man anymore" si Lily.

Nakatayo siya ngayon sa harapan ko. I'm busy checking these papers and deciding what to do with what my friend did to me, to our hotel. But my wife came and really disturbs me.

"Honey, calm down. I know I hurt her because of what I did. I made her stay there with no other choice. Pero ginawa ko lang 'yon para sa kanya" I explained.

"What do you mean?"

"I know she still love that man. They still love each other Lily. The first time we met Ashton, I told myself there's something wrong. He even drove her to the hospital when she had an accident and stayed too long" I shook my head from right to left.

"One night, I heard Madisson talking to herself. She wants to forget Ashton while trying her best to like Rio" I stopped talking thinking that she did all of that just for her cousin, Emily.

"I thought Ashton really broke my Madi's heart so I don't want him to even touch a strand of her hair. But the truth is, she still love her husband? She just don't want to admit it, right? Bakit hindi ko man lang naisip 'yon? I am a terrible mother" naiiyak na sabi ng asawa ko.

"Don't blame yourself. Madi just want the best for everyone. She can even sacrifice her happiness for others.."

Napatayo ako at pumunta sa tabi ni Lily. "Don't think a lot honey. Go get some rest. May tatapusin lang ako para sa kompanya" I kissed her forehead.

When she left the room, I dialed someone's number.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"This is Christian Renov, can you do me a favor?" 

"Anything sir"

My daughter is too selfless. I want her to be happy. I want them including Anton, to be happy. I'll do everything just to make them together,

again.

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