Ours

reason

A/N. Happy MarNella Day!

J

The moment Janella heard that phrase, she wanted to jump off the cliff.

see you both in court

No.

NO.

WAG.

She started sobbing uncontrollably, slumping down the floor with her head buried in her hands.

A pair of arms wrapped around her frame. Cooing her, whispering sweet notings, Janella was reminded of what they could have been before and what they cannot be now.

She cried even harder.

"Bat ka po iyak?"

A little girl in a hospital gown was looking at them with her curious eyes. Probably around six years old, but how did she get in here?

Janella wiped her own tears and smiled at the little girl. Marlo still has his hold on her so she wiggled out of it.

"Bat ka nandito babygirl?"

"Sabi kase Tito dito daw malnera. Kayo malnera diba po? Watch nga po kita sa tv kaso pangit sama mo. Di siya."

"Ah. Kase baby kakadating lang niya. Saan ba room mo, balik na tayo para makapagpahinga na si Marlo."

"Ayaw. Gusto ko makita malnera. Kase love kayo ni mama eh."

"Talaga ba baby? Asan na si mama mo?"

"Nasa heaven na siya ate ganda."

"Nasa heaven na? Anong nangyari?"

"Kase kuya pogi sabi niya dun na daw siya punta. Sama niya si lolo tsaka lola tapos dito lang daw si malnera."

"Malnera pangalan mo baby?"

"Opo ate ganda po. Malnera po. Parang kayo darawa. Diba kayo yung nagsing sa tv ni mama? Sing kayo ulit please."

Kung ako lang eh kakantahan ko talaga tong batang to eh. Because damn cute kids, they are such wolves in sheep's clothing I swear. They would just smile at you, and they already had ypu wrapped around their little finger.

But sadly, this doesn't just concern me. Duet daw kami ni Marlo. Uhm.

"- 'ta?"

"Ha?"

"Janella, nakikinig ka ba? Sabi ko anong kanta."

"Ah. Ok lang sayo? Baka kase mamaya hindi na maayos blending natin."

"Wag narang po kayo sing. Baka po di pa okay si kuya pogi."

"Ay hindi okay na ko baby! Okay na si kuya pogi oh."

To prove his point, he carried her up in the air and turned around. That got the little kid to scream in giddiness.

Hay, he will be a good father talaga someday.

Someday.

A knock on our door cut my musings. Enter an middle-aged man carrying a duffel bag.

"Excuse me. Mr. Mor - Marnella! Sus ginoong bata ka talaga."

Marlo put her down and the kid ran to his uhm, father?

"Anak niyo po?" Marlo voiced out my thoughts.

"Ay hindi. Pamangkin. Nako sorry dito ha. At sorry narin pumasok kami ng walang paalam. Ikaw naman kase Marnella. Wag malikot diba?"

"Pelo Tito diba sira rab ni mama? Sira yung asa raptap." She ran and hid behind Marlo's legs.

"Mabait kaya si kuya pogiiii. Rab niya ko." Ugh so adorable

"Haha ah eh bale po Marnella talaga pangalan niya?" I couldn't help myself, I had to satiate my curiosity.

"Ay oo Jea. Sorry haha feeling close. Pero sobrang fan niyo talaga yung nanay niya. Pinaglihi nga ata niya sainyo tong bulilit na to eh."

Buntis pinaglihian ang loveteam? Wow.

"Nako hindi ko lang hinayaan magtwitter. Kase naman baka mastress diba? Pero nako, sobrang replay ng replay ng mga video niyo sa youtube yan. Lahat na ata ng video niyo pinanood."

"Eh kasama niyo po ba siya? Baby asan mama mo?" He crouched down to ask baby Marnella.

Baby Marnella. Huh, that sounded so right.

"Nasa heaven na po si Mama. Pero mamaya po I tell her, rumabas kayo sa raptap."

"She died?" I directed the question to her uncle.

"Yeah, breast cancer. Totoo kase niyan, diagnosed na siya noon pa. She had Be Careful as her happy pill habang nagchechemo. May boyfriend din siya non, tatay niya. Kaso iniwan siya eh. He didn't know about his child, wala naman kaming planong ipaalam. Pero yun nga, sainyo kumuha ng lakas ang mommy niyan."

Yung pinagdaanan nitong batang to, grabe bata palang siya. Hay Marnella, sana masaya ka.

"Papa is in her na daw. Di daw ako pwede punta dun. Kase he made mama cry eh. Bad daw if you make pipor cry. Raro na pag rab mo."

So hindi niya ko rab? Baby, he made me cry eh.

"Nako, ikaw ha, wag ka cry. Pramis kuya pogi!" Immediately, she raised her hand.

"Ano po palang ginagawa niyo dito sa ospital?" I asked as Marlo continued playing with her.

"The cancer's hereditary. Paalis na kami ngayon, she scheduled for an operation abroad. Eh kumalat nga yung balitang nandito daw kayo sa ospital. Yan kase, kaibigan niya na lahat ata ng tao dito, nahanap tuloy kayo."

I looked at her again. Grabe nakangiti parin siya. I have to admit that I've already met cancer kids on charity events and such but none had the effect baby Marnella had on me.

Siguro dahil sa pangalan niya.

"Ate ganda cry ka?"

"Ha hindi baby. Napuwing lang. Alis ka na pala eh."

"Punta kaming disneyrand ate ganda. Dun sa sing mo. Sama si miki maus. Sing din ako dun ate ganda."

"Oo baby. Tapos balik ka dito kay kuya pogi. Lalaro ulit tayo."

"Baby Marnella, wag ka susuko ah. Pray ka lang always kay G. Tsaka kay Mama. Rab ka namin." I hugged her real tight as I looked at Marlo who seemed to be in a serious conversation with Marnella's uncle.

" - financial, moral. Tutulong po ko sa pagpapagamot sa bata. It's the least I can do, hindi ko po nameet yung mom niya noon." They shook hands.

"Ako din sir. Anything for her." A whisper of thank yous came with his hand shaking mine.

"Smay smay tito preese?"

"Ah osige. Picture daw pwede?" Both of us crouched down to her side. Marlo's left hand immediately went to my shoulder. Just like old times.

"Groupie naman oh." He held his phone on his right hand. The other one on my shoulder remained. I smiled as Marnella shouted 'smay smaaay!'

"Ha. Ang cute." He smiled and handed me his phone.

Damn. We look like a happy family.

stop losing yourself
in fantasies of you and me
oh baby can't you see
that we, we will never be