AMACon 3: Oikos - Children

Eros - Chapter Four

It was the wedding anniversary of Richard's parents, and they decided to celebrate with a beach outing. Maine was excited as this was her first beach outing with Richard. This young, she already loved the sea and looked forward to building sand castles and learning how to swim with Richard.

He was her hero and she worshipped him. Yaya Pe once told her how Richard tried to save her mother during an earthquake and how mam Charo and Richard found her. It was Richard who insisted that they keep her and for that Maine was forever grateful.

She looked at him adoringly, feeling so lucky to have someone care for her this much. On her last birthday, he gave her a picture book of her favorite fairy tales, the stories he used to read to her when she was little.

Sometimes she imagined she was Rapunzel and Richard was her prince. She imagined every visit he made was a visit to her in her tower, where she would let down her hair to allow him to climb the tower to see her. This was why she wanted to have long hair. She was Rapunzel and Richard was her prince.

"What are you building, princess?" He asked her sitting down beside her.

"I'm building Rapunzel's tower," She said proudly.

"You need help?"

"Yes Papa."

"Diba I told you not to call me papa anymore? Sige, if you keep calling me papa, I won't come home anymore."

"Can I call you prince?"

"Hahaha, why? Do I look like one?"

"Yes. And because you saved me. "

"Sige na nga. Yes you can call me prince."

And that made her day. She was so happy, she now had her own prince.

-----

Charo had a plan. If things fell into place, she would finally break this bond between her son and Maine, and avoid a disaster in the making. After talking to Richard Sr. about her plan, they both agreed it was a good idea. They called him from where he sat on the beach and asked Yaya Pe to watch over Maine.

"Sit down Richard, we need to talk about something."

"Ma, if this is about college, please. I want to study here in Cebu. I've been good, my grades are ok. I hope you will allow me to stay. I miss you and Pa, I miss my sister."

"Richard, listen. Your Tita Irma is migrating to New Jersey. This means you cannot stay with her in Manila for college, and I would hate for you to live in a dorm. We sent your credentials to a few schools in New Jersey and three have shown interest. I am also thinking of expanding the business, when you go there I will be flying with you to look for restaurant sites. Once the restaurant is up, you will see us more often."

"Don't you want to be with me? Why are you always sending me away?"

"Son, this is your future we're talking about. I want to leave the business to you, and what better way to prepare you for it by sending you to a really good school? That's all there is to it. I will be in the US most of the year to set up the restaurant, we'll have time together. Your mama will take care of things here."

"What about Maine? How will she take this?" This time, it was Charo who spoke.

"Richard, Maine will be studying in the US after she finishes seventh grade. Who knows, you might even end up together with Tita Irma?"

He smiled, liking his parents' plan. Running the business was not so bad, he actually liked entertaining the diners and hanging around the kitchen. He was beginning to warm up to the idea, of living in the US, probably watching NBA games live, and soon, having Maine with him and Tita Irma. He left them to go back to Maine.

"Why did you promise him that Maine would follow to the US? That wasn't part of the plan, Charo."

"Of course not. Pa, I had to say that, otherwise, your son won't agree to our plans. "

"You'll make him expect for something that's not going to happen. You'll break his heart." Charo looked at her husband sharply.

"Break his heart? I'd rather break his heart than let this strange fascination between them continue."

"Haven't you ever stopped to think that no matter how hard you try to break them apart, they still remain close? Maybe there's a divine intervention that will keep bringing them together."

"Do NOT bring God's name into this. What purpose would it serve to bring them together and in what way? Romantically? Our son is 18, Pa. Maine is merely six, how can you think of a romance brewing between them?"

"Charo, some things work mysteriously beyond our comprehension. They are not blood relations, a 12-year gap is not impossible between two people in love."

"Not between an 18 and six-year old! Stop this nonsense, ok?