Oh My Captain

Scored

The other Captain POV

When my wife gave birth to our first child, my admiration for her grew more. Mas nangibabaw pa lalo ngayon dahil halos naibigay na niya ang buong panahon niya sa pag-aalaga sa anak namin.

Most of the time, I am on work. Flying back and forth. I told the airline that always spare my weekends. Those days are only for my family. Our job consumed most of our time at home, especially if we are flying international. Kaya kailangan kong itabi ang dalawang araw para sa pamilya ko. No matter how much I love my work, family comes first, always. It's my vow when Joey was born.

Gabi na ako nakauwi dahil nagkaroon ng delay dahil sa conditon ng weather. Nakapatay na lahat ng ilaw sa mga main areas.

When I step down from my car, I look up to the house I gave to my wife the very next day after our wedding. Little did she know that this house is already been built after we broke up. Sinikap kong magpatayo ng bahay. Pinangako sa sarili ko dito ko iuuwi ang asawa ko. That's why I brought my wife here the next day. I still remember how she cried when this took her by surprise. My heart is in so much glee seeing her so happy with it.

Noong pinlano ko ito, wala akong ibang naisip na asawa kundi siya. It is her, who I only imagine, welcome me when I got home from work, exhauted. With her, our children who will welcome me, calling "daddy" as they run towards me even I am sweaty and tired. It will melts all the exhausted from work right away.

For the past 5 years in our lives, that is my routine when I will be going home to them. Depende nalang kapag naabutan ko sila ng mas maaga.

"Good evening po sir!" Maya shrieked as she saw me entering the living room.

Natawa pa ako dahil mukha atang kakagaling niya lang sa pag-iyak dahil namumugto pa ang mata niya. Kakapanood niya iyan ng kdrama na naman.

"Good evening" I greeted her back. "Tulog naba sila?" I asked her about my wife and my daughter.

"Opo sir. Nahirapan na naman ulit si mam kanina sa pagpapatahan kay Joey dahil hinahanap kayo" sumbong niya.

Napabuntong hininga nalang ako. Yun din ang nerereklamo minsan ng asawa ko. Sya naman daw ang laging kasama pero ako ang hinahanap. Nilalambing ko nalang siya kapag ganoon. My daughter is a daddy's girl. Palagi nalang akong gumagawa ng dahilan para makaalis sa patingin niya nang sa ganoon makapasok ako sa trabaho. I asked a daughter and he gave me one. A beautiful daughter.

"Sige, akyat na ako" saad ko.

"Sige sir. Manuod lang ako dito ng kdrama. Kakain po ba kayo sir para ipainit ko nalang ang pagkain kaninang niluto ni mam Shein. Akala niya po kasi maaga kayong makakauwi"

My heart clenched from that. When my wife called me earlier this morning, she sounded so excited that I will be going home after two days of flying. Sinabi niya pang ipagluluto niya daw ako ng paborito kong ulam. But, due to unexpected weather, all flights are delayed. I can't even call her because of the poor reception. I wonder until what time she waited. I know her, she'll wait for me no matter what. More things to admire from her more.

"How long did she wait?" I asked Maya again.

Umakto siyang nag-iisip at nagbibilang sa daliri niya.

"Hindi ko na sir matansta basta sir matagal. Halos kakaakyat niya lang din ata po"

I sighed. Tumango nalang ako at umakyat nalang papuntang kwarto. For sure nasa kwarto siya ng anak namin.

I went straight to our daughter's room. Dahan-dahan kong pinihit ang door knob para maglikha ng anumang malakas na ingay at magising ko pa sila.