My Only Exception

Chapter 16

He realized when Raffy walked away from him that the situation this time wasn't as easy as before. When he left the salesman, he followed Raffy on her room and talked to her.

"Totoo yung sinasabi ko. Gusto kita. Hindi nagbago yun kahit kelan. Kahit wala ka, ikaw lang ang gusto ko," he explained. "Don't you realize that there was no one after you? Because until now, it was just you."

"Naniniwala ka na ba sa lahat ng explanation na sinabi ko sayo dati?" she simply asked.

She was at that point only wanting to hear a yes to her question. No apologies were needed and she knew she would gladly accept him to be a part of her life again. Dati nya na sinabi na pag minsan ng itinapon, hindi nya na pupulutin. But for the first time, she knew she was wholeheartedly willing to be with Ethan again.

No doubts, no fears.

"I would be honest. Nung dumating ka, hindi ko balak na paniwalaan lahat ng sinabi mo. Until I heard what you told Seff over the phone," Ethan recounted his conversation with Seff.

"Paano kung hindi mo anak si Cali and Seff is the real father? Are you willing to accept me? Ethan, buy one, take one. You can't have me but not accept my son," she told him.

Bigla syang napaatras sa tinanong ni Raffy. Is he ready?

He doesn't know how to change diapers. He doesn't know how to implement rules to toddlers. He can run a business, but he doesn't know how to make a kid follow him. It wouldn't work if he will continue to threaten Cali just to get him to follow. He doesn't know what to feed toddlers. He doesn't know what to do when they're sick. He doesn't know a dime about parenting.

He left her on her room after that question. It wasn't because he didn't want Cali. He knew it was okay for him to be with someone who has a child. What just made it hard for him was that Seff happened to be Cali's dad. It wasn't about him being a coward but rather he wanted to be sure that once he takes a risk with Raffy again, he wouldn't be doing the same mistakes he did before. Dahil ngayon, dalawa ang masasaktan nya. Now that a child is involved, his brother's kid to be specific, he would lose a lot if he messes up.

He learned to accept Seff as a part of Raffy's life. A part of him was telling him he was wrong for accusing Raffy infidelity and that there was nothing between them, nothing until now but friendship. It was only his ego that held on to hating Seff before they patched things up. He loves Raffy and she does too.

Magsasayang pa ba sya ng oras? Will he again let his chance just pass by?

When they had dinner, he remained distant and quiet. He needed to really think about the two of them and already made a decision. Kakausapin nya si Raffy the soonest time possible.

They all went out for a drink after dinner. Raffy started mingling with the rest and she had a good time like what he told her. Ethan just had a few drinks since he was looking after Raffy who didn't refuse any offer of drinking alcohol.

When he realized she was already starting to have slurry speech, he stopped her from drinking and offered to send her to her room. Agad naman sumunod si Raffy sa kanya and they went ahead of the rest.

She was dizzy and unable to walk straight. Ethan was assisting her but she tripped and fell while walking. Ethan then carried her going to her room and put her down on the mattress. He was about to go when she stopped him by holding his hand.

"I missed you," she started crying as he remained seated. She still had her eyes closed. If it was the alcohol or the heavy emotions she'd been keeping that made her speak, it didn't matter to her at that point. "I didn't want to go but I had to. I was trying to keep what I had left for you."