"What's this, Mommy?" Claudrey, their four year old son, asked her as she's mixing chemicals.
"That's dichloromethane. Don't touch it please."
"I won't, Mommy. But someday, I wanna be like you po."
She can't help but to smile on what he said.
"You don't wanna be an entrepreneur like your Dad?"
Umiling si Claud. "Entrepreneurs are always busy. Daddy is always busy." Malungkot na saad ng anak.
She sighed and stop on what she was doing. She face her son who's also wearing a PPE on his size.
"Understand, Daddy okay? There's just many taks on his company since he's opening a new branch, pero babawi siya sa 'tin." Ngumiti siya sa anak niya.
Tumango naman ito.
She finished her job early. Maaga siyang mag-out sa trabaho para ipasyal ang anak. She want to distract him from thinking about his Dad.
Kahit siya ay may nararamdamang tampo but she need to understand him. Para sa kanila rin naman ang ginagawa nito.
"We're going to amusement park, Mommy?" Tuwang tanong nito.
Tumango siya.
"'Di ba, want mong pumunta doon? But I can't let you because you're still young, kaya ngayon na lang."
Imbes na matuwa ay nakita niyang lumungkot si Claudrey.
"I wanna go to amusement park with Daddy."
She sighed and grabbed the phone from her bag. She dialed his husband's number at wala pang dalawang ring ay agad nitong sinagot.
"I love you, love." Malambing na bungad nito, bakas ng pagod ang boses ng asawa.
"I love you, too. Are you busy? Our son is so sad, kanina ka pa niya hinahanap." Aniya at napatingin sa passenger seat kung saan nakaidlip ang anak niya.
"Okay. I'll be right there in an hour. Can you drive to the airport instead?" Suyo nito.
Nagpapasundo ba ang binata?
"Okay, love. Bye."
"Love you, take care. I miss Claudrey already." Malungkot na saad ni Hinx saka binaba ang linya.
She drove her way to the airport. Mahigit isang oras din ang biniyahe niya.
Nang i-park niya ang kotse ay may sumalubong sa kanyang tauhan ng binata. She's pregnant again that's why she let Mr. Laz, he's now the head of Hinx' security team carry the sleeping Claudrey.
"He's sleeping.." Ani Mr. Laz sa natutulog na Claudrey.
"Yeah. He's so sad missing his Dad so much."
Ngumiti lang si Mr. Laz.
"Mr. Benjamin is trying so hard to finish his job."
"Hmm, I understand him."
Naglakad na sila papunta sa private plane ng binata. Pagpasok niya ay nagulat siya ng makita si Hinx na nakaupo doon.
"Love!"
She ran her way to her husband and hugged him tight.
"Careful, love. Our baby.." Marahang saad nito sa kanya sabay hawak sa umbok sa kanyang tiyan.
"I miss you, I miss you." She showered his face with her kissed. Natatawang siniil naman siya nito ng halik sa labi.
"I miss you. I'm sorry I've been so busy these past few weeks. Babawi ako." Hinx said and kiss her forehead.
She just hummed. Lumapit si Mr. Laz at binigay kay Hinx ang natutulog na Claudrey.
"I miss you, son. I'm sorry." Hinx whispered and kiss their son's forehead.
"He miss you so much. Palagi kang bukambibig. But the sad part is when he told me he doesn't want to be entrepreneur because they're always busy."
Lumungkot ang mata ng binata at niyakap ang anak. Bumuntong hininga ito saka umupo na sila sa upuan.
"Babawi ako." Hinx muttered.
"Bata pa si Claudrey. Magbabago rin ang isip niya paglaki." Aniya.
Hinx sighed.
"It's fine with me if he doesn't want to be a businessman like me, kung anong gusto niya suportado ako. But I don't wanna be the reason why he won't become one," malungkot na saad ng binata.
Hinawakan niya ito sa kamay.
"He'll understand, love. Claudrey loves you."
Hinx kissed her lips. When he pulled away ay napatingin ito sa maliit pa niyang umbok. She's just four mknths pregnant.
"How's our little Dione?" He asked gently.
"She's healthy and strong. Alaga kasi kami ni Daddy."
Hinx smiled and held her hand.
Mahaba ang naging tulog ni Claudrey. Pati siya ay nakaidlip, muli lang siyang nagising ng marinig niya ang hagikhik ni Claudrey sa gilid niya.
"You're funny, Daddy." Claudrey laugh.
"Hmm. What do you want to buy when we reach Hongkong?"
Umiling lang si Claudrey at yumakap sa ama.
"Can money buy your time, Dad? I wanna spend more time with you."
Hinx hugged their son and kiss his forehead. Nakita niyang nagpipigil ng luha ang asawa.
"No need to buy time, son. I won't be away from you anymore."
Hope glistened on his eyes.
"For real?"
Hinx nodded. "For real. Come here. Hug me more. Baka paglaki mo hindi ka na papahawak sa 'kin kasi binata ka na."
Claudrey just giggled and hug his Dad. Napangiti na lang siya at muling nakatulog.
"MY Mom is really a Queen. You're carrying her instead of waking her up." Boses iyon ni Claudrey.
"Sshh. Your Mommy is probably tired, plus she's always sleepy because of your little sister inside her." Bulong ni Hinx sa anak.
Umuuga ang paligid. Mukhang karga siya ni Hinx habang dinadala siya sa kung saan.
"Dad, don't be fooled. Mommy's eyeballs are moving! She's awake."
Agad na sumilay ang ngiti sa labi niya at napatingin sa anak na nasa unahan naglalakad habang patingin-tingin sa kanila.
"You're sabotaging Mommy, Claud." Nakangiting reklamo niya sa anak.
"See, Daddy?"
Hinx just laugh. Hindi man lang ito nagreklamo.
"You're tired?" She asked him.
Umiling ito.
"I know you're tired. Ibaba mo na ako." Aniya.
Muli lamang umiling ang binata.
"Paano ako mapapagod, kung karga ko ang pahinga ko." Sabi nito.
Her lips curved in a suppressing smile. Kahit kailan talaga hindi ito pumalpak na pakiligin siya.
"Happy Anniversary, love." She whispered.
Nakita niyang napangiti ang binata. Hinalikan nito ang noo niya.
"Happy Anniversary, thank you for being my Mrs. Benjamin."
"And thank you for making me your Mrs. Benjamin."
Hinx smiled at her wife. Hawak niya ang kalawakan niya sa kanyang braso habang ang kanyang mundo ay naglalakad sa unahan nila.
He couldn't ask for more but more Anniversary to come. He got everything he deserves, he finally can say he got his happy ending. He have his wife, son and their upcoming daughter. He's satisfied and feel at peace knowing Claudia deserves him and he deserves her.
This is Hinx Elliot Benjamin's story, now signing off....
The End
💌
