CEO' s Husband (Alfonso Series #2)

Chapter 07

Caelus' s

Today's my day off.

It's 6 in the morning at maaga akong nagising dahil gusto kong ako ang maghanda ng breakfast for today at para na rin makapagpahinga si manang. Simple lang din naman ang lulutuin ko dahil hindi ko alam kung kakain ba si Juancho kasabay namin o baka nga ay wala na ito sa kwarto niya.

I sighed. Bacon, ham, and eggs, iyon lang ang lulutuin ko. Sinimulan ko na ang mga dapat simulan para natapos kaagad ako. Baka kasi magising si Juaquinn. Sinubukan pa akong tulungan ni manang pero ang sabi ko'y huwag na. She should rest pero ayun, muhang nasa garden at inaasikaso ang mga halaman. Hinayaan ko na lang din.

Habang nagluluto, hinayaan ko na mahulog ako sa malalim na pag-iisip. Iniisip ko kung matututunan kaya akong mahalin ni Juancho, na matatanggap niya kaya si Juaquinn pagdating ng araw, na paano ito magtatapos. Masaya? Malungkot? I just want him to love and accept his son.

Talagang namimiss ko na ang dating Juancho, yung kaibigan ko. He was caring, is so kind to me, and I know he genuinely loves me as his friend pero ang lahat ay nagbago dahil sa ginawa ko. Mali, oo, aminado akong mali pero ginawa ko iyon para sa lahat, sa naging desisyon kong iyon, siya ang pinili ko, at gusto kong makabawi dahil sa nagawa ko sa kanya.

I should be embracing freedom by now pero ikinulong ko ang sarili ko para sa kapakanan nila.

Natigilan ako. I made a mistake because of a mistake kahit pa alam ko na kailan man ay hindi maiitatama ng isang pagkakamali ang isa pang pagkakamali. Hindi ko mababago ang nangyari pero gusto ko, kahit papaano'y matulungan ko si Juancho. Ang naging problema at ikinakatakot ko ay ang anak ko. I didn't expect him to came into my life.

Dati, ang tanging naiisip ko ay sige sirain nila ako pero hindi si Juancho pero ngayon, paano ang anak ko? Now, I just wanted Juancho to love and accept him so that when the time comes, he can protect him.

He can protect our son.

My deep thoughts were cut off when I heard Juancho's  voice and it automatically made my heart beats faster than its normal beating.

"Caelus,"

God! He called out my name using his morning voice. I composed myself before turning around to look at him but what shocked me the most is the sight I wasn't expecting. He carries our son in his arms. Pupungas-pungas pa si Juaquinn na halatang kakagising lang.

"Babe... Good morning... Babe..."

At this moment, I wanted to get my phone and take a picture of them as well as I wanted to cry. Shit!

"Uh... I went to your room to get him. We'll just take a morning walk and we will have breakfast when we get back."

Iyon lang at nawala sila sa paningin ko. They left me speechless. Mabuti nga ay na-off ko na ang stove dahil ilang minuto akong natulala. Sino bang hindi? I wasn't expecting that!

Juancho' s

I put Juaquinn down. Tuwang-tuwa ito habang mabagal at maingat na naglalakad. "Hey, watch your step."

Lumingon ito at humalakhak bago muling tumingin sa unahan. “Juaquinn, be careful."

I watched Juaquinn as he walk a little ahead of me. The sun is still good for the skin that's why I decided to take a walk and I brought Juaquinn with me. Nakatingin lang ako habang naglalakad siya ng mabagal.

Something made my insides twitched. I didn't witnessed how Juaquinn learned to stand, when he first took a step, and I wasn't the one who heard him speaks his first word because though I am physically with them, I am still not.

Fuck!

Biglang nadapa si Juaquinn kaya agad ko itong dinaluhan. Kabado pa 'ko. Shit! Kinarga ko siya at akala ko'y iiyak siya but it didn't happen. Instead, he cupped my face with both of his little hands and then he stared at me. His stares piercing to the deepest part of me.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. Ngumiti ito at mahinang tinampal-tampal ang pisngi ko. "What is it, little tiger?"

He giggled. His right hand stopped at the side of my right eye. Ngumiti siyang lalo and seconds later, he pinched my skin. Ramdam ko na nanginig siya. Fuck! Is this what they called “gigil” of a baby? Ang sakit pala!

"Aw Juaquinn, let go."

Binitawan ako nito at humalakhak. Though my skin stings, hindi ko matagpuan ang inis sa puso ko. Am I actually happy that this little tiger laughed because of what he did to me? Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko't hinawakan ang maliit niyang kamay at nagsimulang maglakad ulit.

"Daddy..."

I messed his hair softly. "You naughty one."

Isang ngiti na naman ang isinukli nito. As I walked, and as I carried him in my arms, I cannot help but to feel something familiar that I always feel whenever I see Juaquinn.

Contentment.

Caelus' s

I can't believe that one day, a morning like this would happen. Juancho and Juaquinn are back from walking outside.  Now, we are eating breakfast together. No other people, no shouting, just Juaquinn on his father's lap and he is feeding him. Nakatingin ako sa kanila. Ni hindi ko alam kung nagagalaw ko pa ba ang pagkain ko o hindi na.

All I know is that my heart is full with what I am seeing right now.

"Eat up."

Napatingin ako diretso sa mata ni Juancho nang magsalita ito. Hinintay kong dagdagan niya ng isang masakit na salita ang sinabi niya ngunit hindi nangyari. He stared back at me and he is giving me a “nagtataka” look. Gusto ko na namang umiyak.

Ibinaba ko ang tingin sa pagkain ko't nagsimulang kumain. Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang sumisikip ang dibdib ko. Natutuwa ako sa na nalulungkot. Hindi ko maintindihan ang sarili ko. Why do you feel so sad, Cae? You once wished for this to happen.

Hindi ko kinaya. Pasimple akong tumayo at nagkunwaring kukuha ng tubig. Mabuti na lang at nakalimutan ko ang pitcher at least I have an excuse. Kaagad akong nagtungo sa kusina at hinayaan kong tumulo ang ilang butil ng luha mula sa mga mata ko.

For the first time of four years living of together, Juancho didn't missed a day where he will shout and throw hurtful words to me during breakfast. Ngayon, hindi niya ginawa. We were having a peaceful breakfast. Sobrang saya ko pero humalo pa rin ang lungkot.

"Why are you crying?"

I faced Juancho and I gave him a slight smile.

Because it's going good yet still complicated.