The playful Greek dad

Chapter six

"Mama! Mama! Mama!"

Nang lingunin ko ang anak ko ay nakita ko siyang nilalaro ang bag ko,kinakalkal niya ang loob nito. Hindi naman ako nag aalala na baka may bagay doon na pwedeng makapagpahamak sa kanya,kaya naman hinayaan ko na lang siya. Nakangiti itong tumingin sa akin,hawak na rin nito ang wallet Ko. At alam niya kung ano ang meron sa loob ng wallet.

"Yes,baby! What do you want from mama?" Magiliw kong tanong sa kanya. Nakangiti ang kanyang malalalim na mga mata na nakatingin sa akin.

Nandito kami ngayon sa kwarto naming mag ina,nasa kama si George na naglalaro ng bag ko,nakaupo naman ako sa harap ng dressing table para makapaghanda na sa pagpasok sa opisina. Ganito na ang routine namin sa umaga tuwing may trabaho ako. Tuwing weekend naman ay nagbababad kaming magina dito sa kwarto,iyon na ang nagiging bonding time namin. Sa hapon naman ay namamasyal kami sa park na malapit lang sa apartment.

Ngayong araw ay kailangan kong magmadali dahil idadaan ko pa sa babysitter niya si George. Nasa bakasyon ngayon sina kuya at ate,kaya kami lang ni George ang nandito.

"Dadda! want dadda!" pautal nitong sabi.

Natulos ako sa aking kinauupuan ng marinig ang sinabi ng anak ko.

Nakita na naman siguro nito ang litrato ng ama sa wallet ko. Fifteen months old palang ang anak ko pero napakabibo na nito.

Kilala ni George ang dady niya,si ate Diane ang may idea na ipakita kay George ang litrato ng ama na nakasanayan na nito. Minsan napanood nito ang ama sa isang interview sa tv,tuwang tuwa ito ng makilala na ang dady niya iyon. Kaya lang nahirapan akong patahanin ito ng matapos na ang interview na pinapanood nito,umiyak ito ng walang humpay,kahit si ate Diane nahirapan din that time. Mabuti nalang at dumating kaagad si kuya at pumayag itong magpakarga dito hanggang sa makatulog na ito.

Nahabag ako sa anak ko ng mga oras na iyon. Kung ganon lang sana kadali ang sabihin kay Geoffrey ang tungkol kay George ay matagal ko ng sinabi. Masakit para sa akin ang hindi maibigay sa anak ko ang nararapat na para sa kanya. I know he deserve more than I can give,but for now I have to be what he needed.

Lumapit ako sa kama na kinauupuan niya,umupo ako sa gilid bago ko siya kinuha mula sa pagkakaupo niya at pinatayo sa aking mga hita. Nakalabas ang dalawang ngipin nito na nagsisimula ng lumabas ng ngumiti ito.

"Dadda! Dadda! Dadda!"

Paulit ulit nitong sabi.

I kiss him on his cheeks

"Soon honey,you will meet your daddy,but for now you have to behave okay? Mama have to go to work to daddy so George can have everything he needed,okay! Let's go,your babysitter is expecting us any time now"

George babysitter is just next door,an old maid na mahilig sa mga bata,she always babysit for me pag ganito na wala akong mapagiwanan kay George.

After I dropped George,I drive straight to work,I will be late that's for sure. Sana lang wala pa siya sa office,this will be the very first time I will be late.

Sobrang kaba ko ng makarating ako sa opisina,he's already there. I am thirty two minutes late to be exact. He was frowning at me when he saw me,nakaupo siya sa desk table ko,nakahalukipkip ang mga braso sa kanyang dibdib at nakakunot ang noo.

"Unusual for you to be this late Ms.Adams" So he's back to formality again?

"I am sorry sir,something came up and I have to sort it out"

He's eyeing me intently,I can't look him straight to the eye. As if he will see through me. After a few seconds he is already standing in front of me.

"Get settled then see me in my office"

Hindi ko napansin na pigil ko ang hininga ko,napabuntong hininga nalang ako bago mag ayos ng mga gamit sa table ko. After few minutes I head to his office,I knock twice before I get in. He was on the phone talking to I don't know who.

He sign me sit down,I did,after while he put down his phone and look at me again,the look he always give me if wants to know something from me.

"Tell me Lei" first name basis na naman? "I can feel that something is bothering you"

Nagiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya,hindi ko kayang salubungin ang intensidad ng mga titig niya. Baka bigla ko nalang masabi ang mga bagay na hindi niya inaasahan. Hindi pa siya handa,hindi pa ako handa pero si George handa na.

"It's nothing that concern my job,sorry if I was late this morning it will not happen again"

Rinig ko ang pagbuntong hininga niya,tanda ng pagsuko niya. He always do that,kapag ayaw niyang pagtalunan pa ang mga bagay bagay sa pagitan naming dalawa.

"Okay! I will not ask again,here" may inabot siya sa aking envelop at isang american express card? I quizically look at him "it's an invitation from a company party and I want you to accompany me so you have to use that credit card to buy you anything you needed for the party,buy a decent party dress,shoes and accesories,I want you to be presentable"

Party? I can't leave George just for a party. Things are different now,oh great! as if I can just tell that to him.

"You do not look please"

I check out the invitation,I know he is watching me. It's on friday,formal attire,if I'm coming with him I have to talk to Ms.Belle tonight,to arrange her schedule on friday night. I look at the Amex card he handed me,I remember this one,though it's new.

"It's just that I ahmm...I'm not used to go on to this kind of thing anymore"

Shoot! I'm stammering in front of him! He let out a deep sigh before he stand up from his chair,he walk around until he stop in front of me.

"Why me? Why not your girlfriends?"

"Cause I want you to accompany me"

He hold my chin and force me to look at him. He look amuse?

What the hell is amusing in this situation? Then suddenly his look change into soft and warm.

I have no idea what happenned,I just found myself kissing him back. Both his hands are holding my face to deepen kiss.

We just stop to catch some breathe,he bit my lower lip before he let go of my lips. He lean his forehead to mine and look straight into my eyes.

"You always tastes of honey and cinnamon,you never change and my feelings for you never change"

My eyes widen in disbelief to what he said.

"I want you back Lei,babe"