"Hi little one..." Aly wasn't sure how Jamie would greet her. She hadn't talked to Jamie or Nat after the revelation.
"Hi...Mum...Mummy..." Jamie mustered up the courage.
"Did you just call me Mummy?" Aly was pleasantly surprised. She hadn't expected Jamie to call her that.
"Mummy..." Jamie tried again. It was easier the second time round.
"Can Mummy give you a hug?" Aly knelt down and open her arms. Jamie looked at Nat.
"Go ahead, Princess. You said you wanted to give Mummy a hug, didn't you?" Nat smiled at Jamie to assure her it was okay.
"Oh god...Mummy was so scared that you wouldn't want to see me again..." Aly heaved a sigh of relief as Jamie gave her a hug.
"You're squishing me too tight...Mummy..." Jamie was still trying to get used to the new relationship dynamics.
"Sorry baby, Mummy was just too happy...Can I call you that?" Aly let Jamie go. Jamie nodded slowly at the question.
"Sorry for what happened last week Nat...I...didn't mean to..." Aly apologised to Nat, who was standing behind the girls.
"Let's focus on what's in front of us now, no point apologising for the past." Nat gave Aly a weak smile. All Nat wanted now was Jamie's happiness.
"Hey baby, Mummy bought you something. Do you want to see?" Aly turned to Jamie.
"Ooh, a manicure set!" Jamie's eyes lit up at the box that Aly handed her.
"I remembered that you liked the patterns on my nails the last time, so I thought we could do this together today?" Aly was relieved that Jamie was excited.
"I want this! Can you help me?" Jamie pointed to a blue nail polish and the nail stickers beside it.
"We can do anything you want, baby." Aly smiled as Jamie looked at her expectantly. Nat watched on from the side as Aly and Jamie had fun together. It was a scene that he'd desperately wished for just 1.5 years ago, but now, it was a bittersweet feeling.
"Daddy, look! Mummy helped me paint my nails!" Jamie ran up to Nat with her freshly painted nails.
"Wow, that's really pretty, Princess! Did you tell Mummy thank you?" Nat grinned.
"Oh right! Thank you Mummy!" Jamie ran back to give Aly a hug.
"You're welcome baby." Everytime Jamie called her Mummy, Aly couldn't help but break into a huge smile.
"Nat, can Jamie stay over with us over the Easter next week? My parents want to meet Jamie..." Aly was expectant.
"Easter? We were planning on heading to Naga with Aika and her sisters over the weekend. Would it be okay if we move it to Wednesday? We can pick her up on Friday before heading to the airport." Nat offered.
"That would be possible too. My parents are in Manila for the next 2 weeks." Aly didn't mind.
"Baby, do you want to stay with me over the week? I can send you to school, pick you up after and we can meet your other lolo and lola. They really want to meet you!" Aly looked at Jamie. Jamie looked at Nat again.
"Does this mean I'll be sleeping here?" Jamie wondered. Although Aly had the right to request for Jamie to stay over, Alice's presence meant that there was always someone to care for Jamie.
"Yes, Mummy has actually been putting your room together. It's not fully done yet but if you want, we can decorate it together when you come this Wednesday?" Aly suggested.
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...
