Muli (An Agnes-Jerry fic)

NINE

Agnes wakes up just after sunrise, as she feels someone touching her face. She opens her eyes and finds that Alie is doing this, tracing her nose and just surveying her face.

"What are you doing?" Agnes asks the child, wrapping an arm around her.

"Just checking..."

"Checking what?"

"That you're real."

Agnes smiles and gives Alie light kisses on her cheeks, making the kid giggle. It does feel surreal—having a child to wake up beside to. Even more surreal? The view behind this kid. 

Jerry. Sleeping.

It has been years since Agnes last woke up beside him. Twenty years ago, almost? And they slept together—as in just slept—on the couch.

It was the first time they were sharing a bed.

And with a kid in between them.

The stuff could-have-been's are made of, she thinks.

"Tita Agnes?"

"Yes, my sweet?"

"Do you have a mommy?"

She smiles. "I do... She's at home, though. In San Francisco."

"Saan 'yun?"

"Sa —"

A phone rings. Agnes looks at hers and finds its screen asleep. And Alie reaching for her dad's phone on the other side. 

"Who is it?" Agnes asks. "Can I see?"

"Hmm... Si Ate Assistant po."

"Shouldn't we —"

Alie presses the sleep button.

"Guess not."

"Tatay's not supposed to be working on vacation, right, Tita?"

"Well..."

"You work on vacation?"

"Sometimes." She smiles at the kid. "Okay, why don't you put it —"

Alie slides the screen up to open the camera. "Selfie tayo, Tita Agnes!"

"Selfie?"

"Yup!" She fixes it up like a pro, then snuggles close. "Say chimney!"

Agnes smiles. "Chimney!"

Then the next, "Tita, wacky tayo..."

"What's wacky for you?"

Alie sits up, facing Agnes, and tries crossing her eyes while sticking her tongue out. This makes Agnes giggle, though she's trying to keep quiet because of Jerry. 

"Or like this!" Alie flashes the peace sign. Then a big grin. Then a kiss.

Agnes starts laughing louder, absolutely smitten by this adorable little girl. Alie makes a few more funny faces, then Jerry stirs, and Agnes pulls the child back down the bed, suppressing their giggles.

"Ssssshh... we might wake Tatay up..."

"It's weird, Tita Agnes..."

"What's weird?"

"He's still sleeping..."

Agnes takes Jerry's phone from Alie to check the time. It's already seven-forty.

Jerry has his face buried a bit on the pillow, facing them. Agnes can't help but smile at how peaceful he looks at that moment. There are lines on his face, on the sides of his eyes, on his forehead, a bit between his brows. And still...