The sound of Aiah's pacing filled the living room as she hurriedly went through a checklist for the third time. MJ was seated on the couch, his fingers lazily scrolling through his phone as he watched his wife whirl around like a hurricane.
"Okay, remember ha, no sweets before bed. She'll turn into a tornado," Aiah warned Sheena, who stood next to Stacey. Sheena was nodding vigorously, her face serious as if she were preparing for a battle.
Stacey, however, was smiling, arms crossed. "We got this, Ma," she teased, using the same nickname Maxene had for Aiah. "You're acting like you're leaving her for a year."
Aiah shot Stacey a look. "Stace, this is the first time na mawawala ako nang more than 10 hours! And walang Ate Melai, so you guys are my last hope."
MJ chuckled, but it was Gian who spoke up next, standing tall with JR at the side. "Aiah, chill. We're all responsible adults. Di naman kami magpapadala ng bata sa moon." His calm demeanor was trying to offset Aiah's nervous energy, but she wasn't having it.
"Yeah, responsible adults nga kayo, pero Gian, JR, last time I left you two alone with Maxene, nakalabas siya ng pintuan nang walang shoes kasi you were too busy watching basketball," Aiah accused, pointing an accusing finger at JR, who scratched his head sheepishly.
"Uy, kasalanan ko? That was Gian's fault!" JR quickly defended himself, looking over at Gian.
"Hoy, Maxene was watching with us. 'Di ko napansin lumabas na pala siya," Gian replied, shrugging.
Sheena snorted, unable to contain her laughter at the memory of Maxene running outside in mismatched socks while Gian and JR were glued to a Lakers game. "Sige, sige, this time we'll keep our eyes on her the entire time, promise."
Maxene, who had been sitting quietly at the dining table coloring in her book, looked up at the adults, her thick brows furrowing just like MJ's whenever he got serious. "Mommy, Daddy, di ba trust-worthy sila Ninang Princess, Tita Shee, Tito Gian, and Tito JR? You can go na. I'll be okay." She smiled confidently, her overdramatic nature kicking in as she puffed her chest like a little soldier.
MJ stood up and ruffled her hair. "See? The kid's ready. Kaya natin 'to," he said, winking at Aiah, who exhaled loudly.
After giving Maxene a tight hug and planting a soft kiss on her cheek, Aiah finally handed over the last-minute instructions. "Wag kalimutang i-reheat yung soup for dinner, and please, make sure she brushes her teeth before bed!" she called out one last time as she and MJ finally headed out the door.
---
The second the door clicked shut, the energy in the room shifted. Maxene's eyes twinkled mischievously as she watched the four adults settle in.
"So, anong gagawin natin ngayon?" JR asked, cracking his knuckles like he was gearing up for an action movie.
Maxene leaned in conspiratorially, her thick brows furrowing in concentration. "Titos, Tita Shee, Ninang Princess... I smell something fishy."
Sheena blinked, confused. "Fishy? Fish? Anong ibig mong sabihin, baby girl?"
Maxene gave a wide, exaggerated grin. "Kay Tita Monay at Tito Cole!" she announced dramatically, making Stacey choke on her laugh.
JR and Gian exchanged amused glances. "Maxene, are you saying gusto mong mag-spy on Tita Monay and Tito Cole?" Gian asked, raising an eyebrow.
Maxene nodded vigorously. "Yup! I know something's up! Ninang Princess, you always say there's something between them, 'di ba?"
Stacey paled slightly, realizing that maybe she had overshared a bit with Maxene during their many "girly talks." "Uhm, well... I said they're suspicious sometimes, but—"
"Perfect!" Maxene clapped her hands, interrupting Stacey. "We're going on a spy mission!"
---
It didn't take long before they were all piled into JR's car, Maxene in her booster seat at the back, her eyes sparkling with excitement. They drove toward a nearby café where, according to Maxene's intel (which was really just her gut feeling), Maloi and Cole were supposedly meeting up.
"Okay, sino ang pinaka-sneaky dito?" JR asked, glancing back at the crew.
Sheena raised her hand. "Ako! I can blend in anywhere," she said confidently.
"Hindi nga," Gian deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "Alam mong kita ka agad ng kahit sino kahit saan."
Maxene giggled from the backseat. "Tito Gian is right, Tita Shee. But I'll be the leader. Ako ang pinaka-sneaky!"
Stacey laughed, leaning back in her seat. "Oh no, we're in trouble if Maxene's leading this mission. I can't believe we're actually doing this."
---
At the café, the group scattered around different tables, doing their best to remain inconspicuous. Gian sat behind a newspaper (though it was upside down), Sheena pretended to check her phone while giggling too loudly, and JR was at the counter, ordering enough drinks to look like he wasn't paying attention. Maxene sat beside Stacey, trying to hide her giggles as they pretended to "read" the café menu.
Finally, Maloi and Cole walked in. As soon as they entered, Maxene gasped audibly, catching everyone's attention.
"Tito JR, I told you! There's something fishy!" Maxene whispered loudly, making JR cough into his drink.
Maloi and Cole sat down at a table by the window, seemingly oblivious to the chaos happening around them. Maxene, ever the enthusiastic leader, leaned over to Stacey. "What do we do now, Ninang Princess?"
"Shh, we wait," Stacey whispered back, barely holding in her laughter.
The next few minutes were a combination of clumsy "spying" tactics. Gian accidentally knocked over a chair while trying to reposition himself, Sheena was too obvious in her staring, and JR nearly spilled his drink when Maxene excitedly whispered, "They're talking about something secret! I can feel it!"
Maloi and Cole seemed none the wiser, enjoying their coffee and chatting. Cole leaned in close to say something to Maloi, making Maxene gasp again.
"Tingnan niyo! Tito Cole is trying to charm Tita Monay!" she exclaimed a little too loudly.
Gian, trying to salvage the situation, whispered, "Quiet, Maxene! We're supposed to be sneaky!"
Maxene pouted but whispered back, "I'm a good spy! They can't see us!"
---
By the end of the day, after much sneaky surveillance and exaggerated whispering, the group returned home with Maxene feeling victorious.
"Sabi ko na eh! There's something between Tita Monay and Tito Cole!" Maxene declared as she flopped onto the couch, her energy still at full blast.
JR collapsed into a chair, wiping imaginary sweat from his brow. "Grabe, Maxene. Spying is hard work."
Sheena high-fived Maxene. "You did great, Max! But what do you think Tita Monay and Tito Cole are up to?"
Maxene grinned mischievously. "I'll find out tomorrow!"
---
Later that night, as they put Maxene to bed, Stacey checked in with Aiah via video call. "Don't worry, Ma. Maxene had a blast, and we didn't let her out of our sight."
Maxene, already half-asleep, murmured, "Ninang Princess... tomorrow... we spy again..."
Stacey chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from Maxene's forehead. "Goodnight, little spy."
As Maxene drifted off, the four babysitters sighed in unison, knowing they had one more day of Maxene's antics ahead.
