San Vicente 1: Tenacious ✅

EPILOGUE

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN he's chasing after the cows?" Gulat na tanong ni Mikee kay Matthew, ang panganay niyang anak. "Your dad is chasing cows?"

"No, no, no Mama! Papa is chasing Kairi po. Kairi is the one chasing after the cows." Paglilinaw nito ng kwento.

Matthew Sean Y. San Vicente is her and Kairos' first born. He is now a very healthy and outgoing seven year old boy. Kamukha nito ang ama, parang carbon copy lang talaga pero nakuha nito ang love niya para sa art. Matalino din ito at maalaga lalo na sa nakababatang kapatid.

And yes, at the age of forty two, Mikee gave birth to Kairi Emanuelle, their darling daughter. She was so much like a miracle like her older brother. Imagine, at an advanced age ay nakabuo pa sila ni Kairos and at a natural conception at that. There were of course complications and it wasn't an easy pregnancy since hindi na siya bata but she relied mainly on fate also with Kairi. If she was meant for them, she'll fight to survive kaya naman Mikee did her best for her child too.

"And how are they with the chasing?" She laughed. Inaayos niya ang nga plato para sa tanghalian.

Siya ang nakatoka ngayon kasi naka-day off ang mga kasama nila sa bahay. They always try a whole weekend every other week na sila lang sa bahay so that she and Kairos can bond more with the kids and do everything for them. On weekdays kasi ay may mga trabaho sila kaya their time for the kids are significantly reduced.

"Kairi is very fast po. Papa is slow." Hindi alam ng panganay nila kung papaano sasabihin yun. Idol na idol nito ang ama pero madalas ay talo ito ng bunso nila sa takbuhan.

"We're back," napalingon siya sa pintuan at pigil na pigil talaga ang pagtawa niya. "Darling, you can laugh."

"Well," then she let out a little laugh bago lapitan ang mag-ama niyang napakadumi. "I want to say this is a surprise pero naikwento na sa akin ni Matthew ang lahat."

"Kairi chased the cows and as they were running away from her, biglang gumulong na lang tong batang to sa putikan. I think she was imitating the cows or the dogs, at this point hindi ko na talaga alam." Kwento ng asawa niya. He was also kind of laughing at the situation. Mabuti na lang at malakas pa sila kahit na may mga edad na sila. They may have started parenthood late pero swerte pa din sila because they still did.

Kairi is three years old now and is also very active. Being conceived during her forties, there was this fear in her that her child might have complications or special conditions, willing naman niyang tanggapin iyon just in case. She was told that the pregnancy might terminate itself too kasi hindi ganun kalakas ang kapit ng bata noong una pero Kairi is a fighter as well, she held on as much as she could. Mikee was scared but she prayed to have kids so she'll gladly accept the risks as well and love her child the same in whatever form they may come.

Kairi was born premature and she had some developmental issues due to this. It took her a while to learn how to talk or even make out sounds but it wasn't something they were extremely concerned about kasi mamahalin nila si Kairi no matter what. Hindi ito naglakad hanggang sa bago ito mag-two years old, just around the same time na nagsalita din ito. They had her tested for everything pero normal naman daw ito and maybe she was just a late bloomer. Ngayon kasi ay parang normal na three, almost four, years old na bata si Kairi with all her mischievousness and sassiness.

"Mama, I want a new dog." Nagpumiglas si Kairi mula sa pagkakakarga ng ama para makababa. She started late with talking pero ngayon ay napakadaldal naman na.

"A new dog? But we just got Cherry. Hindi ba siya malulungkot if we get a new dog agad?" She squatted a bit to get closer to Kairi.

"Well, okay." Pagsasawalang bahala lang nito bago magpakarga uli sa ama.

"Liliguan ko lang muna si Kairi tapos maliligo ako para makakain na tayo." He said. Hands on din ito sa mga bata kaya naman hindi siya nahihirapan kapag day off ng mga kasama nila.

When the four of them gathered at the table she felt this unexplainable surge of happiness na parang naiiyak siya. Madalas ito nangyayari talaga. She just feels so grateful to have this.

Hindi maniniwala ang nakakabatang sarili niya kapag sinabi niyang magkakaroon siya ng buo at masayang pamilya. She wouldn't have looked beyond the loneliness she felt back then, having to live alone at sixteen when she was figuring it all out. Pero nagbago ang lahat, she found a home, she found love from someone else that led her to find love for herself too.

"Sentimental again?" Niyakap siya ni Kairos noong naghuhugas siya ng mga pinagkainan nila.

"As always, kilala mo naman ako." She laughed. "I just find it amazing palagi and I feel grateful right away."

"I know and I feel grateful alongside you as well." Hinalikan nito ang balikat niya bago bumitaw mula sa pagkakayakap.

"Ah, oo nga pala, have the kids choose the toys they want to donate." Nagpunas siya ng kamay at humarap kay Kairos. "We're going to the orphanage before we go back to Manila."

"Okay, mamaya ay sasabihan ko sila. It's a good practice to teach them the value of sharing with others."

Mula noong ipanganak si Matthew ay nagsuporta na sila ng isang orphanage. They send the kids to school and visit them every other week, playing with them and talking to the older kids to give them somehow parent figures. Tinutulungan din nila na mapaganda ang quality ng buhay ng mga bata doon kahit na hindi sila maampon. They wanted them to be ready for the world as well. Masaya sila na may mga bata silang sinuportahan noon na nasa college na ngayon.  This was their way of sharing their joy and gratitude all that has ever been given to them.

"This is the best life for me." Ginagap niya ang kamay ni Kairos. "Being with you, having our kids, this is my best life. If I had to choose, I'll choose this one all over again. Mahal kita Kairos, with all that I am and all that I'll ever be. Promise."

"Mahal din kita." He hugged her tight. "Always."

Love is a part of our lives, always a highlight, always a desire. It isn't always easy however, sometimes it's accepting hurt and facing reality, sometimes it's between two people, sometimes it's one sided, sometimes it's just for one's self, sometimes it's wrong, and sometimes it's not enough or sometimes even too much. Pero kahit na nasa iba't ibang porma ang pagmamahal, pipiliin at pipiliin pa din natin na maramdaman ito. Love is engraved in our bones.

Life is never easy but the best decision to make is to spend every single day of it doing the things we want to, being grateful for the life you have to live, seeking for goodness, giving out joy, and loving the people we meet along the way.

~the end~

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I hope that I brought you joy in Mikee and Kairos' story. This is the end of this journey once again and I am extremely glad that I get to share this with all of you. Thank you so much!

I wish you all good health, safety, love, and compassion. ✨

🙋🏻‍♀️: psychedelic26