Uncovering the Camouflaged Daughter

33

Even before I can sleep yesterday night, Tito sent me a message.

From: Tito Bonget
Hey, pretty, I just want to inform you that your cousins and your brothers are taking you out tomorrow. I also told them to bring you out cause I know you're sad and so that your Mommy would have her alone time muna.

From: Tito Bonget
Enjoy with your Kuyas tomorrow. I am here for you, always. Love you, Ellie boo

Nakatulala lang ako habang nakahiga ng biglang may bumukas ng pinto. I flinched when my Kuyas jumped in my bed and gave me my morning cuddle.

"Good morning!" Masiglang sabi ni Kuya Alfy at nanggigigil na hinalikan ang pisngi ko.

My bed was wide enough for us to fit, I was in the middle being squished by them. The Marcos brothers aren't here yet, baka mamaya pa sila. But why are these guys so early here? Ang aga pa ah.

"Why are you here so early?" I asked, sumimangot.

"Ayaw mo ba?" Sabi ni Kuya Matt at sinimulan akong kilitiin. My other Kuyas did the same too. My breathing hitched as I laughed so loud.

"Kuya, tama na!" I said and laughed again dahil patuloy pa rin sila sa pangingiliti sa akin.

"I-I was just..." I laughed again. "I was just asking! Stop na, Manongs, please!" Then they stopped.

They laid down again beside me and squished me with their hugs. We were just enjoying this moment we have. We do this seldom now not like before that we had the chance to do this as often as before. Maybe because we are all now busy with our work.

But it's still the same like how it was. They are still super lambing and super manong to me. Little trivia: they really like it when I call them and refer to them as manong but I oftentimes call and refer to them as kuya because I just feel like they're too young for me to call them manong. And I honestly don't know why they want me to call them that way.

When I asked them about that back then, they always tells me that it sounds so sweet whenever I call them that. And also, that's what younger sibling call their older brother, manong.

"How are you feeling?" Kuya Borgy asked, breaking the silence.

Nilingon ko siya at bumuntong hininga. "Miserable... miserable but I'm trying to be okay," pait akong ngumiti.

"You know that you can always count on us, right?" Nagsalita si Kuya Michael. I slowly nodded.

"Thank you, manongs." I smiled at them.

I wondered why Kuya Matt suddenly stood up, so did my Manongs. I flinched when Kuya Matt suddenly carried me like in a bridal style. Nakita kong si Kuya Luis ang nagbukas ng pintuan ng kwarto ko.

"Let's go have breakfast!" Masiglang sabi ni Kuya Luis.

"Yay!" These grown up men just cheered happily. Ang tatangkad na mga tao, pagkain lang ang katapat.

"Kuya, just put me down, I can walk naman!" sabi ko habang papunta na kami sa baba.

Umiling si Kuya Matt. "Uh-uh, no. You will be a princess today,"

"You must've forgot, Matt. She IS a princess all the time," tutol ni Kuya Alfy.

"Ay, oo nga pala."

Binaba lang niya ako noong nakarating na kami sa dining area, Kuya Michael pulled a chair for me and made me sit. They all look so stupid trying to serve me some foods. Mommy was chuckling while watching them get busy, putting foods on my plate and preparing me my beverage.