A Child's Best Interest (Completed)

8

After they had their dinner at habang nagaayos si Bea ng pinagkainan nila, nakatulog na si Aston sa lap ni Thirdy. When she was done tsaka lang napansin ni Thirdy. He scooped his son at inihiga sa kama.

"Thank you." Bea said.

Thirdy didn't say anything.

"Ahh pwede ba mag stay muna sa akin si Aston ng ilang araw? Mabuti na lang nothing bad happened to him. Di ko na alam gagawin ko if this happens again." Bea explained.

"Nangyari ito dahil sa kapabayaan ko, hindi na ito kailangan mangyari ulit. Kailangan masanay na ang bata sa klase ng buhay meron sya, end of discussion."

"Ipapabukas ko ang kaso, I will make an appeal!" Bea told him.

"And you think you will win? At kahit na manalo ka, ano pa gagawin mo? Do you think maibabalik mo pa ang dating buhay ng bata? Pag nagtrabaho ka, nagkaroon ng over time, paano ang anak ko?"

Walang nasagot si Bea.

"Be sensible. Mas mabuting nasa akin ang bata kesa sa sayo. Si Aston ang susunod na tagapagmana ng aming negosyo and will eventually run the Ravena Group, kailangan na sya masanay. In the meantime, you can tell me how much movable and real estate you want. Mas mabuti ito para na din sa protection ni Aston kung mag aasawa ka ulit, he doesn't have to live with a stepfather or compete with half siblings."

"At ikaw, mag aasawa ka din and have more children. Aston will have to compete with them, too!"

"Hindi ako mag aasawa, wala akong balak!"

"Hindi ka pwede magsalita ng tapos! You will eventually find someone to love."

"Pinapangaralan mo ba ako? I won't fall in love with anyone!"

Bea remembered MJ, wondering if alam ba nya itong mga sinasabi ni Thirdy sa kanya.

"Mama! Mama!" Aston shouted when he woke up.

Bea quickly went to the little boy's room, Thirdy followed right after.

"Anak, may lagnat ka!"

"Ayoko po bumalik sa house ni Grandma."

"Kailangan tayo mapunta sa Doctor." Thirdy told him.

The little boy was so afraid that he ran to the other room and locked himself. Thirdy was trying so hard to convince him and Bea asked him if she can take over instead.

Bea was able to convince him and went out of the room. Napatingin lang sa kanila si Thirdy nun paglabas ng bata, sabay yakap sa Mama nya.

The little boy doesn't want to be held, he only wants his Mama, pinapanood lang sila ni Thirdy and saw the closeness and affection they share.

Eventually, pinahiga na ni Bea si Aston sa kama nya in her bedroom and placed a cooling patch on his forehead. Thirdy was observing and nagtatanong kay Bea to help him take care of his son.

"Pwede ka na umuwi, ako na muna magaalaga kay Aston."

Thirdy just looked at her and didn't move.

"You don't trust me, do you?" Bea asked.

"You always misjudge me, hindi ba pwedeng mag worry din para sa anak ko? I'm staying, sa couch na ako matutulog, dito ka na sa tabi nya."

In the morning, Thirdy woke up, bukas ang  pinto sa kwarto. Lumapit sya at sinilip ang kanyang mag ina, both were still sleeping.

Tinitigan nya si Aston and thought to himself - 'Madami nagsasabi na kamukha ko ang anak ko pero hindi makakaila na ang bibig nya at kung paano sya tumawa ay kuhang kuha nya sa Mama nya.' He smiled at the thought.

His palm landed on Aston's forehead to check if he still has fever but mother and son woke up. Bea checked, Aston is already well.

"Papadala ako ng breakfast, ano ang gusto nyo."

"Lugaw will be ideal for Aston baka wala pa sya masyadong gana kaya something light lang for breakfast." Bea said.

Halfway through breakfast, Thirdy's phone rang.

M: Ano na nangyari, ano oras kayop uuwi?

T: Kumakain lang kami, malapit na matapos.

M: Huwag na kayo magtagal at iuwi mo na agad ang apo ko dito.

A few minutes more, Thirdy scooped Aston para sila makauwi. The little boy started crying calling for his Mama. Bea was also in tears calling out Thirdy but all landed on deaf ears.

Derecho inuwi ni Thirdy si Aston sa condo nya, his mom followed shortly. Si Aston nakatulog na sa kakaiyak while calling out for his mom.

"Bakit kasi hindi mo dinerecho sa bahay at kailangan dito mo dalhin?" Mozzy asked.

"He hasn't fully recovered, Ma and nangyari ito dahil sa pagkabigla living with you. He will be staying with me for a couple of days."

"Stop treating him like a brat! One day, he will just be someone weak. Iba ang future nya sa ibang bata so he has to be strong pysically and mentally!"

"Ma, bata lang ang anak ko, he's just 4! Do you really expect him to understand you? Hindi naman kailangan magmadali. He ran away because.. because...he was scared of you." He blurted.

Mozzy was confused.

"Bakit sya matatakot sa matandang katulad ko?" She asked. "Lahat ng ginagawa ko ay para sa ikabubuti nya. Alin, kung hindi ba ako naging strict with you, do you think you will be successful?"

"Aston is mentally unstable now, dito muna sya sa akin. Ibabalik ko sya sa mansion if okay na sya."

"You have two days! Nagtanong na din ako kung paano malilipat ang pangalan mo sa kanya para mawalan na ng visitation rights si Bea."

"Kailangan pa ba lahat ito?"

Mozzy didn't respond anymore and left.

Dinala ni Thirdy si Aston sa office. After one of the space were converted to a playing room for him, he decided, it will be a good time to spend it with his son.

"Ivan, cancel all my plans starting noon. I want to have lunch with my son."

Meanwhile, Aston got excited when his Papa showed him his own space at his office with toys.

"Where are we having lunch po?"

"We can have lunch here."

"I want po hamburger."

"Ibili mo kami ng hamburger, un ang lunch namin." Thirdy asked Ivan.

Ivan was surprised. Thirdy was known to eat healthy.

"O bakit nakatingin ka pa?" He asked.

"Ah wala po, eto na magpapa order na ako ng hamburger para sa lunch nyo."