Over The Rainbow (COMPLETED)

Kilig

Faulkerson residence, 2023:

R walks in and hears a familiar song playing faintly from the family room.

He finds Thirdy and Charmaine sitting on the couch. RT is holding his iPad while Charm rests her head on her Kuya's shoulder to see what her big brother is watching.

"Kuya? What's that? What are you watching?"

"Yook Papa! Is you!"

R is suddenly flooded with memories of the popular dance challenge he did seven years ago. At 31, he still regularly hosts for Eat Bulaga with M but he doesn't dance as much anymore, only on some rare special occasions. Aside for EB, he and M still do a lot of endorsements, sometimes with the kids. Their husband and wife tandem also star in a family drama together.

Despite, their showbiz commitments, R and M make sure that most of their time is spent on family. They make it a point, to prioritize each other and the kids in the midst of their showbiz and business responsibilities.

R sits beside RT and watches with them. He blushes a bright crimson as he sees the video.

"Love, andyan ka na pala. Bakit ka namumula?" M enters with a tray of chocolate chip cookies and milk for the kids. "Si Seb natutulog pa."

"Love, sino nag-set ng pinapanood ng mga bata? Jusko!"

"Bakit? What is it? Let me see, Kuya."

M sits beside R. RT adjusts the device so they could all see the screen.

"Ooooh... Yan ba? Kaya ka pulang-pula? First of all, Love, your son is five and can type. Second, that's on the internet for everyone to see and lastly, there's nothing to be embarassed about it. Ang galing kaya ng ginawa mo nun kaya ka nga nanalo di ba?"

"Eh, Love kasi yung mga bata."

"Love, wag ka ngang Manong dyan. Okay lang yan. They would be proud that their Papa is such a good dancer. Di ba, kids? Papa is a good dancer?"

"Yes, Papa. You are good. Don't be embarassed." RT smiles at his Dad.

"Papa, you so sweaty. Yuck! You smelly na." C reacts to the video.

M giggles and R turns a even redder.

"Oh, thew you wiped it. Why you dance yike that, Papa?"

"Uhm... Well, sweetheart, it's part of the steps that we follow for the dance." R smiles awkwardly.

"Papa, why you dwessed yike that?

"Ssssshhh... Charm, you ask too many questions." RT scolds his little sister.

"It's alright, hon. Sweetheart, Papa is dressed like a Construction Worker. They had to pretend for the dance." M replies.

"Mama, whaz contwa... constwa... constwaction woyker?"

"Construction worker, sweetheart. They help build houses. Like Kuya Gardo and Mang Berto who helped build your tree house."

C frowns and thinks. "But Mama Kuya Gawdo does not yook yike that. He gets dirty. You don't yook diwty, Papa. Yook, Tito Kenneth is cwean too."

R and M look at each other, wondering how their little girl comes up with all her questions.

"Sweetheart, we were just pretending to work unlike Kuya Gardo who was really working on your tree house." R explains.

"Mama, why ay they scweaming? They too loud. What did you do, Papa?"

M holds a giggle as R blushes again.

"Charm... Stop it, I'm watching." RT complains.

"Charm, Papa did not do anything. Uhm... They scream coz they're "kilig", baby." M answers.

"Whaz kiwig Mama?"

"Hmmm... Kilig is when you like somebody or something too much and your tummy feels fuzzy, you can't help but smile and you feel like you want to scream." M smiles, trying to describe the feeling the best that she can.

C thinks about her Mom's answer.

"Oh, yike Kuya with Sofia."

"Charm! I'm not kilig with Sofia." RT protests.

"But you oways smile when Sofia is hewe."

"No, I don't." RT denies.

C then pouts and crosses her arms.

"Why baby? What's wrong?" R asks.

"I don't like othew giwls kiwig with Papa."

R gives M a pleading look. "How does he explain that?"

M smiles, keeping in a giggle. "Sweetheart, they can't help it. Papa is too handsome. It's impossible nnot to like him and be kilig."

C considers this and looks up at M. "Mama, you kilig with Papa?"

M laughs. "Yes. Yes, sweetheart. I'm kilig with Papa when I see him." She looks at R, smiles at him and places her hand on his lap.

"How about you, Papa? Are you kilig with Mama?" RT asks looking up at his Dad curiously. He's now suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Yes, buddy. Yes, I am. I am very kilig with Mama." R smiles at M giddily, takes her hand and kisses it.

Their kids watch them with big smiles on their faces.

"Mama, my tummy feews fuzzy and I want to scweam. Am I kiwig?" C squeals.

R chuckles. "Yes, baby girl. You are kilig. Come here."

C runs to her Dad. R lifts their daughter up and sits her on his lap.

"I feel the same, Mama." RT says. "I think Charm and I both like that you and Papa are kilig with each other. It means you like each other so much."

M smiles and hugs their son. "Yes, honey. We like each other very much. Not just that we love each other so much too." R and M throw each other a happy glance. "I think you and Charm are happy because you like that Papa and I love each other."

RT leans his head on M's arm. "Yes, Mama. We love that."

"And we love you very much too." R says, extending his arms to bring M and the kids in a big family hug.

R and M smile contentedly, grateful for the beautiful family they were blessed to have.

"Papa, can I dance wyk you?" C asks breaking the silence.

"Sure, sweetheart. I can teach you. Would you like to join us, buddy?"

RT nods his head. "Yes, Papa but only if Mama joins us. Will you, Mama?"

"Ofcourse, I'll join you." M beams and stands up after giving their family hug a final squeeze. "Let's do this. Do you have the music, Papa?"

"No but I can search for it." R replies and types on RT's iPad.

R and the kids get up from the couch and join M.

And as the song starts, R shows his family how to move to the music and they all start dancing. They happily move the beat of the music and the sound of their laughter. The sound of joy, love and endless kilig.
❤💃❤👪❤🎼❤

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Photo credits to original owners
Video uploaded from YouTube