Another Beginning

• TWENTY THREE •

Alden

"MamaTen akyat na! Kunin mo 'tong dalawa." I shouted. I didn't realize that there's this much people today. Actually, I think this is the first time that this happened. Normally, when I come home, few fans will come to welcome me back, but not like this.

The twins are not crying, they are just hugging me tight. MamaTen entered the van and took Katie from me. She is wide eyed and curious as to what is happening, her head turning and looking at the crowd. I settled Enzo inside the van, my poor boy, I see fear in his eyes. I turned to Maine as I wrap my arms around her but her attention is at the distance.

"Hon, are you okay?" I asked, lightly shaking her shoulders.

"Huh? Yes, I am. I just got distracted for a bit." She said, smiling. "Uhmm hon, look!" She said, pointing at the direction she was looking at before.

I turned to look at where she's pointing at and saw a group of women with Enzo's and Katie's banner. They were shouting the twin's names. I smiled at them and waved.

Maine gets in the van and sat beside Katie.

"Katie, Enzo look!" Maine said excitedly, showing the twins the banner with their photo in it.

"Mommy! That's Enzo and me!" Katie's shrieked.

"Whewe? Whewe?" Enzo asked, squeezing himself between his sister and his mom. Maine moved backwards to give space.

"Thewe Enzo! Wook!" Katie tells her brother, cupping his face to point to the direction of the banner.

"Hi hi hi! That's us Katie!" Enzo giggled, the fear now replaced with excitement.

The twins waved back at them but since the van is heavily tinted, the women couldn't really see them.

So I get in and decided to sit by the window. I slide the window open and put both twins on my lap. They were smiling and waving at them.

"Daddy why awe they shouting ouw names?" Enzo asked, blowing kisses at the ladies. My little boy is already charming his way towards them.

"That's because they like you two." I tell them, kissing both their foreheads. "Okay, wave bye-bye now."

"Bye ewebody!" Katie shouted at them, waving her hands.

"Bye! Bye!" Enzo yelled, blowing them a kiss, one last time.

I close the windows and settled in my seat.

"Hon? The twins, they don't have a car seat?" Maine asked.

"They do, I asked Sam to get it." I tell her.

"Oh Maine they do have it, but our driver, this is Eric, by the way," Sam said, introducing our driver, "he thought that we don't need it today."

"Oh, okay, hello Eric, it's nice to meet you." Maine greeted him. I can feel she is uneasy, and wanted to say something else but decided against it.

"Eric, the twins need the car seat wherever they go. It's for their safety, so pag-uwi natin, pa-install na lang dun sa Pajero and sa GMC, that's what we are going to use when we travel with the twins from now on." I take Maine's hand and kissed the back of it.

"Will this be okay for now?" I asked her.

"Yes, yes. We just need to make sure that they are securely buckled." She looked at the back where the twins are sitting with MamaTen.