A Presidential Affair [feat. LNRS]

(Ch 2) a.k.a Baby bro

"Hi ma, kumusta kayo rito?" Issa greeted her mother as soon as she saw her.

"Hi Issa, anak. Okay naman kami ni Arlo rito sa farm. Arlo likes it here," Drey smiled as she sat on her spot on the table.

"Are you okay, ma?" Irah quipped being her most observant self.

"A-ah yes, anak. Of course, I'm okay. Kayo ba? Kumusta na kayo?"

Before Irah could even answer Drey's question, a masculine voice excitedly greeted the family who were sat in the dining room.

"Surprise! Sorry late kami ni Ivy, ma. Hi tata Pi. Hi tito Rwin. Hey baby bro and dearest sisters," Iñigo, Drey's eldest son greeted while Ivy just went around the table silently greeting everyone.

"Kuyaaa Ñigo and ate Ivy! Yehey! Complete famiiii!" Arlo clapped enthusiastically.

"Ma, to answer your question," Irah said eyeing her eldest brother before she faced her mom, "okay naman po kami."

"By the way, ma, we came across tita L's private vehicle on the way here. Binisita n'ya kayo?" Issa curiously asked.

"Tita L was here? Nagkita sila ni A, ma? Akala ko ba..." Iñigo trailed off as his mother signed him to shush it.

"Hindi kami nagkita. You can ask your tata Pi all about it later."

"Ate Ivy, ate Ivy! I saw the VP today sa secret garden. She made kwento to me and even walked me back but sabi niya po she's busy kaya she didn't have time to meet mommy and tata Pi. Sayang ih," Arlo animatedly told one of his sisters.

"Oh, that's nice, baby bro. How was it? Was she nice to you?" Ivy entertained Arlo who was sitting across her, "VP Del Valle was here?"

"No ate. I think A means tita L," Issa told Ivy in hushed tones as they sat next to each other. Ivy can only gasp in silence then proceed to nod her head.

The whole table fell quiet and stopped eating as they waited for Arlo's response.

"Ate Ivy, THE VP. You know? VP Garcia. The pretty one. She's really nice. She's prettier in person, ate. Tapos po she's very kind and patient with me. I had lots of questions po eh. She answered them all though," Arlo said before he continued eating his food.

"Oh! That's great, baby bro. Di ba you're a fan of her? I'm glad she didn't disappoint. And yes, she's pretty nga," Ivy said with a smile.

"Ate..." Irah called to her sister's attention trying to warn her. It is obvious that Ivy was teasing their mom.

"Di ba, ma? VP Garcia is pretty, right?" Issa quipped then low-fived with Ivy under the table.

Irah just rolled her eyes at her sisters, as always they're being mischiveous. When aren't they? Hayyy nako.

"Kayong dalawa talaga pinagtitripan n'yo na naman si mama. Pero ano ma? Maganda naman talaga si VP Garcia, di ba?" Iñigo chuckled.

Pia and Rwin couldn't help but smirk at the chaos unfolding before them. The Buenavista children teasing their mother while Drey just kept eating.

"Mommy? Are you not gonna answer my kuya and ates? Because meeee, I will. Yes, opo. VP Garciaaaa is super magandaaaa," Arlo clapped.

"Yeah, maganda si VP Garcia. Sobra," Drey said quietly. This reply from her was half and half. Half-teasing and half-meant.

The Buenavista children guffawed except Irah who was not even a little bit impressed with the actions of her siblings.

"Mommy, tata Pi, next time the VP is around, can we invite her po to have lunch with us?" Arlo asked.

"Sa amin ni tito Rwin walang problema, baby. It's up to your mom whether it's okay or not," Pia replied with a smile.

Drey gave Pia a glare which she just responded to with a shrug.

"Baby bro, can you go with yaya Helen and lunch kayo sa may patio? Then you can play after?" Ivy told Arlo, "yaya Helen, paki naman po si Arlo. May pag-uusapan lang po kami nina mama. Salamat po."

"Okay po ate Ivy. Adult stuff, baby Arlo can't listen," Arlo nodded, "come na po, yaya Helen."

Yaya Helen then took Arlo to the patio leaving the adults in the dining room.

"Tata Pi, why was tita L here na nga ulit po? Does she know about baby bro's existence? Alam niya na pong anak niya si Arlo?" Irah asked Pia.

"No, Irah, anak. She doesn't," Pia replied, "madalas siya rito sa secret garden pero wala naman din kasi siyang ginagawa kundi magmuni-muni doon. That's okay lang naman with me and your ninong Rwin. She never approached us, so we never did her either."

Iñigo cleared his throat, "ngayong magkakilala na si baby bro and si tita L, what are you planning to do about it, ma? And to add to that, baby bro wants to invite tita L for lunch here at the villa. Game enough ka na ba to be in the same room as tita L again? It's been five long years."

"Well, ma... sinabi ko na 'yan sa'yo before. Wala namang sikretong hindi nabubunyag. All secrets eventually comes to light. Sooner or later, malalaman din ni tita L ang tungkol kay baby bro. Pero ma, if magdedecide ka, sana sooner kasi unfair kay baby bro na hindi niya makila-kilala si momma number 2 pero all this while pala he's been idolizing her from afar," Issa added.

Unbeknownst to them, Arlo was eavesdropping on their conversation as he re-entered the villa with Yaya Helen to get more food.

"Ate Issa, you know who my other mommy is?" Arlo asked with tears brimming in his eyes.

Issa immediately stood up at the sight of Arlo and carried him. Arlo started crying.

"Baby bro, I'm so sorry. Okay? We all know who your other mommy is but that's not for any of us to tell you. Si mama lang ang pwedeng magsabi nu'n sa'yo. Mahal na mahal ka naman naming lahat lagi."

Arlo just hugged his sister. His four-year old heart experienced his first heartbreak from the people he trusts most.