The Fate That We Make #1: OUR ENDGAME

CHAPTER 1

"Mommy, are we going to visit Tita Bri po ba?"

"Shhh, come here. Don't wake her up yet." I heard someone whispering.

I opened my eyes and the sight of my babies bickering made me smile. I sat down on the edge of my bed and opened my arms. "Come here, baby."

"Mommy, sinong baby? There are two of us," Natawa na lang ako sa kapilyuhan ng anak ko, at parehas silang sinenyasan na umupo sa tabi ko.

"Good Morning, Love." I kissed both of them on their foreheads.

"Mommy, I'm hungry," she whined.

"I cooked pancakes and you didn't eat them. And now, you're whining?" he argued.

"I don't like those because you cooked them. It tastes bad."

"You didn't even try them, how did you know na it's bad?"

"I did try them when I was younger. It's definitely not edible." I laughed when I remembered that moment, when they were younger.

I hurried up going downstairs when I smelled something burnt.

"'Ma, look, I cooked." Mabilis akong lumapit sa anak ko na nakatayo sa itaas ng countertop. Malapit siya doon sa may stove, pero hindi man lang siya natatakot na mapaso.

You made this?" Pinatay ko 'yong stove at binuhat siya.

"Yes, I did a great job, right??" I nodded while trying to suppress my laugh habang tinitignan ko 'yong black pancakes na hindi naman chocolate pancakes. It was burnt.

Napabalik ako kaagad sa reyalidad noong nagsimula na sila...

"That was 2 years ago. I was 4," I could na tell na naiinis na siya, pero kalmado pa din siya.

"Still, na-sunog mo. It wasn't edible." She continued to tease her brother.

"At least, I know how to cook, unlike some people... hindi ko naman sinasabi na ikaw 'yon, pero parang gano'n na nga." He fired back.

"Why would I learn how to cook, when I have Mommy?"

He rolled his eyes, "Puro ka 'Mommy, Mommy, Mommy'. Nakakairita ka, ang sakit mo sa tenga."

"Psh, hater," sabay bato ng unan sa kapatid niya.

"Annoying brat," sinalo niya lang 'yong unan at ibinalik 'yon sa kama.

I just let them be kasi magbabati din 'yong mga 'yan maya-maya. Daily rountine na nila 'yong pag babardagulan. Parang hindi complete 'yong araw nila kapag hindi sila nainis 'yong isa't-isa.

"Xian, anak, why are you so quiet? Do you want to tell me something?" I was driving when I noticed something.

He cleared his throat, "I'm not. I'm naturally quiet. Besides..." I looked at him and he pointed to his sister, sleeping on his lap.

Tinawanan ko lang siya dahil halata namang may gusto siyang sabihin. "If you say so," Magsasabi din 'yan maya-maya. He's usually like that. He'll trail off and tell me when he's ready to talk.

"Mom..." He called me while he was caressing his sister's hair. He opened his mouth but nothing came out of it so he decided not to say it. "Nothing,"

"Did Tito Ave tell you something?" I sighed. "About your dad, perhaps?"

"Do you want to meet him?" He didn't respond. "Baby..."

I expected him to answer 'Yes', but instead, he said "Do you want us to meet him?"

"Huh? I–I— Of course, I want you to meet him,"

"Really? Aren't you mad at him?" He asked.

Okay, I give up, I'll tell him now, sasabihin ko na din naman bukas.