Return To Me

Epilogue

Kaizer's POV

20 years ago, I couldn't picture out a future with her. My vision of the future was a blank canvas. For the artist doesn't want to paint it, because he knew to himself that his muse is absent.

Dia Hannalil Suarez, that girl caught my eye from the very beginning. And now, I am taking my time to spend my lifetime with her.

"Daddy! Si kuya inaaway ako!" I turned my gaze at my ever loving and spoiled daughter, Zahra Venice Montano. Inaaway na naman ni Dion.

"Dion, stop picking at your sister." isang suway ko lang, naupo agad si Dion at nagkamot ng batok.

"Ang kulit kasi, eh. Sunod nang sunod." pikong sambit ni Dion.

"Ano na naman 'yan?" Dia came out of the kitchen. Ah, my wife, she just finished cooking.

"Naglalaro ako sa basketbolan, sunod nang sunod. Nakita na ngang ang daming lalaki doon." reklamo ni Dion. Agad ko namang naintindihan ang pinupunto nito.

"Bakit, masamang manuod? Damot mo, ah!"

"As if naman ako ang pinapanuod mo," I heard Dion hissed.

Napailing na lang ako, samantalang si Dia ay lumapit sa amin. "Nag-aaway na naman kayo, eh. Ano bang sinabi ko tungkol sa pag-aaway?"

Palihim akong napangiti. I really adored her parenting. It's gentle, yet she can make them obey her. Bagay na hangang-hanga ako. Kung paano niya pinalaki si Dion ay ganoon din kay Zahra. Pero si Zahra, lumaking spoiled sa akin. Nakikita ko kasi si Dia sa kaniya. Pero ang anak ko, nakuha ang kasungitan ng nanay niya, o baka kasungitan ko rin?

"Mom, kasi naman..." Zahra pouted. "Nakikinuod lang naman, eh. Tsaka kasama ko naman po si ate Alleia."

"Oh, ayon naman pala Dion. May kasama naman si Zahra."

Dion's face immediately turned bright red, following the mention of Alleia's name. That girl is Zahra's friend. Her family lives here in Palawan.

"Hindi ka naman nagagalit dahil nanuod ako, eh. Nagalit ka dahil nakita ni ate Alleia 'yung katangahan mo kanina!"

"Zahra!" pinandilatan siya ng mata ni Dia. Agad naman siyang nanakbo sa akin.

"Daddy, diba po manunuod tayo ng cine?" she giggled. I could only heave a sigh. Ako naman kasi ang takbuhan kapag nagagalit na ang asawa ko.

"For a while, Zahra. I need to talk to your brother." I chuckled, ginulo ko ang buhok niya.

"Bumalik ka rito, Zahra Venice. Tulungan mo na lang ako magprepare ng lunch."

"Hindi mo po ako papagalitan?"

"Just don't say it again. Okay?"

"Got it!"

I LED Dion to our mini garden. He looked so hopeless, kitang-kita ko rin ang pagkapikon sa itsura niya.

"Badtrip na Zahra." he threw the ball on the fence.

"Hey, come on now. Let's talk about it, big boy."

He looked at me and heaved a sigh. Muli niyang kinuha ang bola at umupo sa tabi ko. He dribbled it.

"Talo naman ako lagi do'n."

"How do you say so?" I raised my brow at him.

He shook his head, "Ang sungit. Lagi akong iniiwasan. 'Di naman ako virus."

Bahagya akong natawa. I think my son is smitten. Matagal niya nang sinisilayan ang batang iyon. At the age of 15, he started having a small crush on her.