HYEORAEK

Part 43: Bond With Them

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"What?" Nakakunot kong tanong kay Thea na kanina pa masamang nakatingin sa akin. We've just arrive here at the cafeteria again to have our dinner after we've picked up Tim from the nursery room.

Naisip kong nainis yata siya dahil siya ang unang kumarga kanina kay Timothy ngunit bigla na lang ngumawa ang sanggol nang makita ako nito kaya nakasimangot nitong ibinigay sa akin. It's not my fault though, maybe Tim recognized me so he cried that loud.

She squint her eyes before she answered. "Alam mo... hindi ko talaga alam kung matutuwa ba ako o maiiyak para sa 'yo," she said that made me caress my brows. What does she mean by that?

"Ano na naman ba 'yan, Thea?" malumanay na tanong ni Jean sa kaibigan and as usual, she's currently sitting beside her with her lola while we're on the other side of the table, facing them with our foods. Well, expect for me because I'm holding Timothy in my right arm and glaring Ali when he put his spoon and tried to feed me. The hell! I'm not disabled and I can eat myself!

"What do you mean?" I asked Thea when she draw herself closer to me and examine my face. Ano bang nangyayari sa isang ito?

"First time ko kasing makita kitang umiyak kanina, tapos unang beses ko ring makita kang ngumiti... ay ewan!" she blurted out like a child who's having a hard time to understand some things. "Pero in all fairness ha, ang ganda mo pa rin kahit umiiyak ka," she added that makes me blushed, she's the first person who said that and I'm not really into compliments. God! What's with this guys?

"Woi! Natotomboy ka na siguro no? Sa bagay... hindi ka naman kagandahan," I almost close my eyes when I heard Drew teased and laugh out loud. Nagkatinginan ang mga tao sa amin kaya ako na ang nahihiya sa dalawang ito, simula nang mapunta kami rito sa Evacuation ay panay na ang pang-aasar ni Drew kay Thea habang hindi naman iyon inaatrasan ng babae.

"Ha. Ha. Ha! Nakakatawa 'yun, Drew! Grabe!" she fired back and Jean tried to hide her smile while her grandma just shook her head.

"Kumain ka na kasi, Misis. Akin na si Baby para makakain ka na," patuloy na pangungulit ni Ali sa tabi ko na hindi ko na matiis kaya sinamaan ko ulit siya ng tingin. Tim couldn't sleep because of him! And I'm still not eating since I'm waiting my whole family to fetch me up after spending time with my colleagues. Napag-usapan na namin ito pagkatapos ko silang mahanap kanina.

"I'm fine, okay?" sabi ko pa rito pero umiling lang ito na parang bata. I breathed hard before an idea suddenly popped up in my mind. I grinned and look at him. This may look late but I wanted to confirm something about him, "Fine! But in one condition," I seriously said then fix my hold to the toddler.

Mabilis na tumango ang katabi at mukhang tapos na ang mga kasama kong kumain dahil nasa amin na ang atensyon nila. Gwyn was as cold as ice so no one of us bothered her, but atleast she's trying to eat and started to played her plate after.

"I'll eat if you tell me what this child's name," I challenged him and couldn't hide my grin. Napangisi din sina Thea at Drew dahil mukhang alam nila kung paano sila tawagin ni Ali sa iba't-ibang pangalan. I didn't understand why I becoming this playful towards him, I just feel so light and couldn't hide my excitement.

Napasimangot si Ali habang pinalipat-lipat ang tingin sa akin at sa batang hawak ko. My stares stay longer to him. If I am right from what I've recalled about his current problem, it's called Anomic Aphasia a problems in recalling names. At first, I was irritated from the way he called me misis, but when I noticed that he called my other colleagues in any names, I began to know why.