"Ninang, are you free on the 12th?" Jamie looked at Aika expectantly. Nat gave Aika a knowing look.
"Hmm, the 12th? I think I have something really really important on that day..." Aika stifled a laugh.
"Oh, really? Okay then..." Jamie let out a soft sigh.
"You're not going to ask what the important thing is?" Aika bent down to look at Jamie.
"Is it for lola Leni? That's really, really important right? Daddy says that it's for the people..." Jamie remembered what Nat had told her.
"What lola is doing now is indeed important but that's not what I'm going to be busy with on the 12th..." Aika held Jamie's hand.
"Are you busy with work then?" Jamie wondered.
"Nope, not that either. In fact, I'm going to be busy with a birthday party. Someone very important is turning 5 on the 12th." Aika grinned. Jamie stared at her for a second.
"I LOVE YOU, NINANG!" Jamie figured what Aika meant and immediately went in for a hug.
"I would never miss my sweetie's birthday for anything." Aika planted a kiss on Jamie's forehead. Thank goodness Aika was scheduled to be in Quezon City over the weekend.
"Will you be here the whole day?" Jamie was hoping on the spot in excitement.
"Sorry sweetie but I'll only be able to make it during the night. I have to help your lola with something before that...is that okay with you?" Aika hoped Jamie wouldn't be too bumped.
"But you're going to come, right? As long as you can make it, I'm okay with anything!" Jamie was just happy to have Aika celebrate her birthday with her.
"I promise." Aika hooked pinkies with Jamie. It was the first time Jamie would have a celebration in the Philippines.
"Sorry that you have to take care of all the party preparations alone..." Aika gave Nat a kiss on the cheek.
"I'll take care of everything, all you need to do is appear. That will probably be the best gift for Jamie." Nat hugged Aika, knowing how sorry she was feeling.
"Does Aly know about it? I'm sure she would want to help?" The thought suddenly popped into Aika's head.
"I did tell her about it and she did offer to help. It's her first time celebrating Jamie's birthday so she wanted to be part of it." Nat nodded.
"What does she want to do for her birthday?" Aika was curious.
"She hasn't decided...and it scares me. I'm not sure if I can deliver in a mere 10 days..." Nat bit his lip nervously.
"Let me see if I can help you figure what she wants." Aika headed over to Jamie, who was sitting on the couch reading a book.
"Ninang, can I do anything I want on my birthday?" Jamie asked as Aika sat next to her.
"I would say almost anything...what do you have in mind?" Aika chuckled at how easy this was going.
"I want to share. Instead of buying me presents, can we use the money to buy presents for the friends who don't have any toys?" Jamie looked at Aika, wondering if she was asking for too much.
"Of course you can, sweetie. We can definitely do that. How about this...we could ask the friends coming to your party to bring presents that they want to gift to others. Afterwards, you can personally gift those out to the friends without toys?" Aika suggested, with pride overflowing inside her.
"That sounds great! Daddy, can we do that, please?" Nat joined them on the couch.
"It's the best birthday plan I've ever heard, Princess. I'm so proud that you thought of sharing during your birthday. How did you think of this?" Nat had never been a prouder parent.
YOU ARE READING
Beneath The Surface
RomanceAika Robredo was a poster child: with a Masters from Harvard, a respectable career trajectory and dependable eldest daughter of the Robredo family. Everyone was telling Aika that all she had left to do was finding her 'dream guy' to settle down with...
