"Yaya, bakit naka-park sa labas yung kotse ni Daddy?" Rj says as he enters the house after work.
"Ahh...opo, andyan po sila ni Ma'am Maryann....sa kitchen po....di po ba kayo natawagan ni Ma'am Maine?"
"Huh? Bakit? May nangyari ba?"
"Ahh...kasi po si..."
"Sino?" Just then, screaming could be heard from the kitchen.
Rj rushes into the kitchen and finds the twins crying. Iggy was being consoled by his Mamu Maryann who was holding an ice pack to his left eye which was red and bruised. Eena was hugging her Papa Richard while Maine applied antiseptic to her wounds on her knees and elbows.
"...anong nangyari?" Rj blurted out as he witnessed the scene.
Maine finished what she was doing and took Rj's elbow and guided him away from the kitchen.
"Love, anong nangyari? Bakit nag-iiyakan yung mga bata?"
"Their teacher called me and I had to pick them up from school. They got into a fight of sorts...ayun, si Iggy, nagka-black eye while Eena had scratches on her knees and elbows...Daddy dropped by to check on the kids while Nanay came over to bring some callos which she cooked...."
"...wait....what?....who fought with whom? bakit naging punching bag ang mga anak natin?"
"Calm down....raising your voice won't help....you'll scare the kids more....I tried talking to them earlier and all I got was that Iggy was hit and Eena fell....let them settle down first...."
Rj returned to the kitchen and saw the 2 kids just sobbing quietly with both grandparents giving them some water to drink.
Rj took Eena in his arms and carried her to the living room.
"What happened, Princess?" he said as he kissed her sweaty head. Rj wiped her sweat with his hand as she sat her on his lap.
"....I....I....fell....sakit!" Eena explained in between sobs.
"Who pushed you?"
"...no....no pushing....I....fell....fell from....the monkey....monkey bars...."
A small smile broke from Rj's worried face but he had to keep a straight face while talking to his daughter.
"So, you slipped off the monkey bars?"
Eena nodded then bawled as a wave of pain and the memory of the fall came to her. Rj rubbed her back and wiped her tears and sweat.
"How about Iggy? What happened?" Rj asked again once Eena calmed down.
"...he....he was...run...running....then he bumped the....the monkey bars...."
"No one punched him?"
"...no....you....you said....fighting is....not....good...."
"That's right....always remember that..." Rj said as he kissed his crying princess.
Maine brought Iggy to the kids' bedroom to talk to him there. She gave him a bath and changed him into regular clothes. They were seated on his bed, him leaning against Maine while she applied ice to his swelling eye.
"Now, big boy, what happened?"
"....Eena was making yabang on top of the monkey bars....I ran to tell her to hold on....but I tripped and hit my here" Iggy began, touching the side of his eye, "......on the monkey bar....then Eena fell....." 8 year old Iggy explained.
"So, no one pushed or punched?"
"No....Daddy said fighting is not good.....do not fight.....diba, Mom?" Iggy said as he looked up at his mom.
"That's right, Love....never ever hit or push....what was Eena doing on top of the monkey bars?"
"She wasn't holding on kasi....she was copying the others....I was shouting to tell her not to do that....but she didn't listen...."
"Thank you, Love...."
"Thank you?"
"Yes...thank you for looking out for your sister...."
"She's the princess....I'm the prince....I should always protect her...."
"Yes, Love..."
Just then, Rj came into the bedroom with Eena in his arms. Maine took her and brought her to the bathroom for a bath. She cried as water and soap hit her wounds. Not liking the sound of his princess suffering, Rj went to the Master's bedroom to shower and change as well. The family gathered back in the dining room for dinner. Eena sat beside Rj while Iggy and Maine sat opposite them. The grandparents sat on either end of the rectangular table.
"....o, Eena....be careful next time, okay?" Daddy Richard said.
"Yes, Papa...."
"...don't be yabang kasi....you're not strong...you're not a boy!" Iggy said.
Eena stuck out her tongue at him and kicked him under the table.
"Daaaaaad!" Iggy complained.
"Cessy....that's not nice...." Rj said.
"...what do you say to Iggy?" Maine said.
"....s....." Eena hissed under her breath and stared at her brother.
"Say it nicely, please..."
"...ayaw...."
"Athena Celestine!" Rj said sternly and loudly which made both kids sit at attention. Their parents never call them by their full names unless they do something really bad.
"Sorry, Iggy!" Eena immediately said.
"Sorry Daddy!" she quipped as she hugged Rj tightly.
"....okay....finish your food...."
"...yabang!" Iggy said under his breath.
"Siegfried!"
Iggy's eyes grew big and tears started welling in his eyes.
"Iggy...say sorry to Eena...now..."
"...s....sorry...." Iggy said as he kicked Eena under the table.
"He kicked me!"
"Siegfried Richard! Go to your corner!" Rj said forcefully without looking up from his dinner. His ears were red with anger and everyone in his family knew that he should not be crossed or talked to at this moment.
Iggy was tearful and a bit hesitant to move but Maine gently nudged him so he stood up and went out of the kitchen.
The rest of the family ate their dinner. After a few minutes, Maine stood up and went to Iggy.
"Are you ready to say sorry?"
Iggy nodded and held Maine's hand as they walked back to the kitchen. He gave Eena a hug before sitting back down and finished his dinner. He hugged and kissed Rj as well.
"Sorry Eena...sorry Daddy..."
The rest of the evening was spent in "peace". The grandparents left after the kids were read their bedtime story and said their prayers.
"Goodnight Mommy...goodnight Daddy....goodnight Yaya...goodnight Papa....goodnight Mama...." both kids made their rounds at bidding each adult goodnight before being tucked in bed. Maine and Rj turned off the lights and closed the door to the kids' bedroom.
"....Love, were you ever a daredevil like Eena?" Rj asked Maine while they were settling in for bed.
"....let's just say na I had to "survive" kasi I have two brothers....ikaw? how was it growing up with Kuya RD?"
"....pasaway din ako nung bata ako e....kaya nga marami akong peklat e....hehehehe!"
Just then, they heard Iggy. "...I'm telling Dad in the morning! Yabang!"
"....you're clumsy e!" Eena retorted.
Maine and Rj just chuckled.
"Goodnight, Love!"
"Goodnight, Babe!"
