A Love After Marriage

Twenty

"Dada!! Mommy!"

Isabelle let out a wide and joyful smile the moment she saw her parents came back to the apartment. She clumsily climbed down from the couch and ran towards them.

"Dada..." She held Bea's hand as she turned to look at Caitlin at the same time. "Mommy..." She grasped Caitlin's hand too and smiled at them. "Both of you come back together."

Caitlin smiled at her daughter and nodded. "Yes. Dada picked Mommy up at the hospital." She has to hide all her pain and sadness behind her smile. She can be weak, but in front of Isabelle, she has to be strong.

Bea forced a smile on her face as she gently squeezed Isabelle's tiny hand. "Baby, can you stay here and watch the TV with Nay Belen? Dada have something to talk with Mommy in the room."

Isabelle was slightly taken a back and just stared at her father with her pouty lips. It's not easy for her father to come home and she wish to spend more time together with her.

Nay Belen glanced at them and sensed something is wrong between the two adults. Although she doesn't know what happened to them but she agreed with Bea. They should really talk.

The older woman slowly walked to Isabelle and took her tiny hand away from her parents. "Baby, Diba gusto mo ng ice cream?Diba nagpromise ako sayo na bibilhan kita nung isang araw kapag natapos mo lahat ng homework mo before dinnertime. Tara? Bili muna tayo."

Isabelle nodded, her attention was attracted by the delicious ice-cream.

Nay Belen smiled. "Dahil ang aming baby Isabelle ay good girl at natapos lahat ng homework niya, bibilhan kita ng gusto mong ice cream. okay ba yun baby?"

Isabelle nodded her head fiercely and a wide smile spread across her face. She then looked back at her parents before she spoke again. "Dada.. Mommy... I will follow Nay Belen to the convenience store to get the ice-cream. I will come back soon and have dinner with Dada and Mommy."

Caitlin smiled and nodded her head too. "Dada and Mommy will wait for you baby."

"Please take care of her." Bea said, as she looked at Nay Belen with a gaze of appreciation.

"Ako ng bahala sakanya." Nanay Belen nodded before she walked to the door together with Isabelle.

After they left, without wasting anymore time, Bea grasped Caitlin's hand and pulled her into their room.

"What do you want to me?" Caitlin was the first one to break the deafening silence after a long moment. She has prepared herself and will not cry in front of her if she agreed to the annulment now.

Bea inhaled a very deep intake of breath before she spoke. "Your friend told me about your car."

Caitlin slowly looked up at her, and didn't expect her to start the conversation with her car. "Y-You... you saw Bel today?" What is she doing in the hospital?

"You don't have a car..." She continued without replying her question. "... and your only solution is to take a taxi. You have my number in your phone. You rather wait under the hot sun for a taxi than give me a call to pick you up." She paused and inhaled another deep breath. "You can easily reach me with just one call. But you rather let another man to fetch you than choose to call me. Why can't you ask for my help when I'm just by your side? Or... do you think Dean Wong is more reliable than your own wife?"

Wife...

Caitlin held her breath and looked at her in the eyes. She is confused. When does it start that she could simply call her phone and ask for her help? When does it start that... she has admitted herself as her wife? And... there is one more question that confused her the most.