Say You Won't Let Go

VIII. Happy Father's Day, Mama!

A/N: Happy Father's Day to all the Dads and Moms (who stood as both Mom and Dad to their kids) in the world, especially to our Tatay Digong and Nanay Leni! Mabuhay po kayong lahat! ;)

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"Jill, nasaan na 'yong mga kapatid mo?"

Leni asked her daughter while she was busy preparing their food. She placed a few bite-sized fruits on a Styrofoam plate.

"Naglalaro po sila ng Frisbee, Mama..."

She nodded and gave her daughter the plate.

"Oh, ibigay mo muna ito doon sa loob..."

Jillian grabbed the plate and brought it inside the house. She came back after a few minutes and joined her siblings in playing Frisbee.

Leni smiled as she continued fixing the table while looking at her kids who were running and giggling.

"Uy, tama na 'yan... Halina kayo rito... Kakain na tayo," she called them.

The children raced to the table and giggled non-stop. Leni stopped them, but couldn't stop herself from giggling because of the hype brought by her children.

"Oh, siya... Tama na... Be quiet na! I will call him na ha... Wala na maingay... Baka mainis 'yon."

Her children saluted her, "Ma'am, yes, Ma'am," then burst into laughter.

She went inside where he was patiently waiting while looking out the windows.

"Hi, Sir! Kumusta pakiramdam mo?"

He remained looking at the windows. She smiled, but couldn't stop sighing. She held his hand and he looked at her.

"Halika na... Labas na tayo... Naghihintay na sila doon."

She gently combed his hair and guided him outside. Once they were out, she noticed that the children were nowhere to be found. She was about to call them when they showed up.

"Happy Father's Day, Tatay Digong!"

The children threw confetti and cheered happily while greeting him. They blessed to him as a sign of their respect.

She couldn't help, but smile. She bowed at him and kissed his cheek.

"Happy Father's Day, Sir!"

He just stared blankly at her. She shrugged it off and maintained her happy aura.

It didn't take long til they were all quietly savoring the food on the table. The kids were quiet as they were busy refuelling themselves from a tiring Frisbee session.

After eating, the kids volunteered to wash the dishes and clean the table. She gladly obliged and went to where he was.

"Masarap ba ang pagkain," she initiated a conversation with him. He simply nodded and remained looking at the garden. She took it as a cue that he wanted to see a clearer view of it, so she offered to bring him to their favorite spot.

"Halika, doon tayo sa paborito nating lugar..."

He just looked at her and then at the garden. She immediately stood up and wheeled him to the spot. She grabbed a folding chair and sat next to his wheelchair while they were enjoying a great view of the blossoming flowers.

"Namiss mo siguro ito? Wala ka kasing ibang nakikita doon kundi puro pader eh..."

He didn't respond, but she kept on talking.

"Buti na lang pumayag na si Doc na makauwi ka na... Kailangan mo rin syempre ng fresh air. Ang tagal mong nasa kwarto lang eh."

He looked at her and then she smiled at him. She was the first one to look away.

"Maraming naka-miss sa'yo... Lalo na 'yong mga bata... Namiss nila 'yong-"

"H-happy Father's D-day, Ma-... M-mama," he said while still looking at her.

She was speechless. She didn't know how to react.

"H-happy F-father's Day, M-mama... Salamat sa pag-alaga man sa mga bata..."

Her eyes were immediately filled with tears as she grabbed his hand and kissed it.

"N-naaalala mo ako... N-naaalala mo ako, Tatay," she exclaimed out of excitement.

He just looked at her and tried very hard to smile. Only half of his body could function due to the stroke he had almost half a year ago - which also resulted to him having an Alzheimer's Disease.

She hugged him and kissed the top of his head. She was so happy that she started crying.

He tried to wipe off her tears with his shaking hand. He also rubbed her back.

"I-ish... I-isip ko lang a-ang n-nakalimot, p-pero d-dili ang pu... P-puso ko..."

He held her face carefully and she did the same to him.

"Tatay... Ang saya-saya ko ngayon... Sobrang saya ko."

He tried to smile again even though she knew that he was exerting all his efforts to make such a move. Their kids were able to watch what happened and they were all teary-eyed. Trish, being the crybaby of the group, burst into tears. Their emotional moment turned into a comedy one as Trish started crying.

Digong seemed to be happy. The children hugged him - except for one.

"Migo... Come to Tatay! He wants to hug you too..."

The young boy politely followed his mother's order and hugged his father tightly. Digong kissed the top of the young boy's head.

"I missed you, Tatay! Welcome back home and Happy Father's Day!"

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