Last Photograph

Chapter 74: Picnic by the bay

At around 4 in the afternoon, Halley and Abbey arrived back home and got some paper bags with them.

Almost as if they've gone for a grocery.

     Abbey was about to ring the doorbell when Halley quickly stops her.

"Got my keys here, no need for that," she told her friend.

Truth was that she wanted to sort of surprise her parents about their last-minute plans for the rest of the day. Hoping that at some point, she wouldn't be the one who will get surprised by them.

Halley unlocked the gates then made their way inside, "Avs, can you get the basket we prepared earlier? Sa kitchen in back patio."

"Yeah, sure," Abbey nodded.

The two ladies parted ways.

Abbey headed to the back patio while Halley went straight inside the house.

She first searched their living room but her parents were nowhere to be found.

Thinking that maybe she would find them in the kitchen, she proceeded but instead, saw them on her way.

Halley can clearly see her mama, standing right inside her papa's manly arms who was the one leaning against the sliding door while they watched her baby brother play outside.

Ugh, too clingy, she could say.

As much as she wanted that view, she just couldn't stand in there and watched them.

She glided swiftly towards her parents.

Wrapped them both in a tight hug.

"How can I not hope for anything else when you guys will show me that?" Halley exclaimed as she caught their attention.

"Ate Halley!" Adan screamed.

He runs towards them.

"Babie Dan!" She giggles.

Halley pulled her brother closer.

"Oh, you're here na!" Tricia said as she and Vince looked back and saw their daughter embracing them.

"How's your gala, ate?"

"It's good, papa, we enjoyed it!"

"Wait, where's Abbey pala?"

"Actually, that's what I'm about to say."

"Bakit, may nangyari ba sa inyo?"

"No, mama," Halley giggles then tighten her embrace a little, "she's outside preparing po, nothing to worry. Anyway, we thought of why not eat outside po di'ba."

"You just came, aalis na naman kayo?"

"Tayo, papa!" Halley corrected.

"What do you mean, lil' bean?"

"Leave it to me, papa, mama."

"Sounds like you have a plan already," Vince concluded right after seeing Halley's reaction, he knows her too well.

"I do, so let's go now!"

Halley withdraws from their hug.

"Mama, go get babie Dan na po. Abbey has been waiting outside na."

"What is this ba, sweet bean?" Tricia could only giggle.

"Basta po, trust us."

Without a choice, Tricia did what she had been told, held Adan's hand while Halley gently pushed them away, "oh kayo ng papa mo?"