Slightly leaning over the back seat, I watched my sisters go out of the car as we dropped them off at their school.
Today was the second week of having this routine and we were all getting used to it without any complaints.
We'll pick them up from school, go to the condo, have dinner there while doing their assignments, and take them back to the house if Mom was already home from work. At kung hindi naman, sa condo na sila natutulog.
I expected it to be exhausting because I never really took care of them before when I was still living in the house but my husband made it easy for me.
He was so hands on and literally doing all the work. Siya ang cook, ang driver, at ang storybook reader tuwing gabi.
"Babye, Ate and Kuya!" Lori blew a kiss and giggled.
"Babye, sisters-in-law." Kumaway si Wren sa kanila habang ako naman ay maliit lang na ngumiti.
Nag usap pa sila at marami pang binilin si Wren na parang mag iibang bansa 'yong mga kapatid ko bago kami umalis.
"Alam mo ba, may sinabi sa akin si Lani kagabi," he said and gave me a side glance.
I rolled my eyes. "What is it?"
"Sabi niya magpakasal na raw tayo kasi gusto niya na ako maging official and legal brother-in-law." He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel with a proud grin on his face.
Me on the other hand sneered and shook my head but he ignored it.
"Kasal naman na talaga tayo kaya official Kuya na talaga nila ako, pero hindi lang nila alam. Ipaalam na kaya na--"
"Wren!" I shouted as my heart skipped a beat and our bodies were swayed hard to the side because a vehicle almost crashed into us kung hindi lang nailiko agad ni Wren 'yong kotse niya.
It happened so fast I wasn't able to react and process everything within the first seconds. I just recovered when I heard Wren curse together with the car's alarm.
"Love," he called me worriedly and quickly removed his seatbelt to lean over and hold me. "Nasaktan ka ba?"
His voice was so soft as well as his eyes but I knew he was angry with whoever hit us.
I slowly nodded, but caressed the side of my forehead because it was aching and I felt a little dizzy.
His jaw clenched when he saw it and was about to open the door to confront the other side but I held his arm.
"Nakaalis na," I told him while my eyes were looking outside, where the vehicle accelerated a while ago.
"Taranta--" He took a deep breath to stop himself from cursing and paid me his full attention instead. "Masakit ba?" he asked while staring at my now I supposed red forehead.
"Let's just go. Late na ako." I checked on my wrist watch.
He observed me so I stared back at him until he sighed, fixed his seatbelt, and drove away.
We were both quiet the whole ride at halatang badtrip siya dahil magkasalubong ang mga kilay niya, but he still walked me to my classroom and kissed my forehead before he left.
Nakasalubong niya pa si Keisha na binati siya pero tinanguhan niya lang dahil may kausap na siya sa telepono kaya nagtatakang lumapit sa akin ang kaibigan ko.
"What happened to him?" she asked—looking over her shoulder to stalk my husband.
I didn't respond right away so she turned her gaze back at me and was quickly washed with worry.
