Dancing in the Dark (Aurora Series #2)

Chapter 36

One Question for Him.

"Naisahan ako ni Nate," Nathan laughed.

I smiled too. His cheeks suddenly turned red after I smiled at him.

Binalik ko ang mga mata kay Eli. Sa tabi niya ay limang maliliit na kuting na lahat ay purong kulay itim. Tinignan ko iyon isa-isa. Tatlong lalaki at dalawang babae. Noong una ay natatakot akong hawakan dahil baka sungitan ako ni Eli ngunit hinayaan niya lang naman ako. She even looks so proud. Kinakagat niya sa batok ang isa at pilit inaabot sa akin. Kinuha ko iyon at ibinalik sa kaniyang mga kapatid.

Nate lay down on my lap. Tumayo si Eli at lumapit sa akin para mag lambing. They were both meowing very loudly as if I am not giving them enough attention. Inaabot ni Eli ang aking kamay at nang ilapit ko sa kaniya ay kinakagat-kagat niya ngunit hindi naman masakit. He was just probably being playful. Nate was closing his eyes while purring.

"Kailan nanganak?" Tanong ko kay Nathan habang nakikipaglaro kay Eli.

"Two months ago. I didn't even know that she was pregnant. I was so confused when I heard meows under the sink. And then surprised! There they were!" Nathan answered while he's busy preparing something.

"Kukuhanin ko sila. Okay lang?" I asked Nathan carefully.

These are my cats, basically. Ako ang kumuha kay Nate sa tabi ng basurahan. Ako ang nanghangi kay Eli. But I won't deny that Nathan took care of them for two years. Also, he was there from the start. And he paid for the vet, the wet and dry food, the treats, the cat litter and the litter box, even the food bowl everything. Parang ang sama ko naman kung bigla ko na lang kukuhanin sa kaniya.

Damn. Eli, and Nate were basically children of divorce now.

What the heck? How did we get here? But it's not my fault. It was their father's fault. He cheated on us. Hindi lang sa akin kung hindi maging sa kanilang dalawa na anak namin. Nagkaroon siya ng anak sa iba. He took care of them, hindi naman siya nagpabaya, but as their mother, I have the rights.

"Ngayon?" Nagulat si Nathan.

Lumingon siya sa akin sa nanlalaki na mga mata. I saw the panic in his eyes. Tumingin siya sa dalawa dalawa bago muling bumaba ang tingin sa akin.

"Hindi muna ngayon. Kakapanganak pa lang ni Eli," sabi ko kaagad.

Nathan's lips formed into a thin line. Seryoso ang kaniyang mukha nang tumingin sa dalawa bago muling ibinalik ang mga mata sa akin. Sa huli ay bumuntong hininga siya at tumango. But he looks so hesitant with his own answer.

Parang ayaw niya pero dahil ako ang humiling ay pumayag na.

Buhat ang dalawa ay tumayo ako para tignan kung ano ang ginagawa ni Nathan. He's going to cook something, I guess. I'll leave now. I'll just see the two some other time. I looked for the food bowl of Eli, and Nate to feed them, but the automatic cat feeders brought out food just in time. Sa hindi naman kalayuan ay may dalawang water fountain sila, iyon pala ang naririnig ko na tubig kanina. See? He's taking care of them very much.

He's not a good husband, but he was a good father. I am not going to take that title away from him.

"Aalis na ako. Thanks for letting me see them," paalam ko kay Nathan. I feel secured now that Eli, and Nate are doing very fine, healthy, and taken care of.

And I am not really comfortable that I am with Nathan right now. He already has a wife, and a son. It feels weird that I am here.

"Huh?" Sabi ni Nathan at medyo nagulat pa dahil sa biglaang pamamaalam ko.