Vice woke up nang marinig na tila may kausap ang anak. His eyes blinked several of times to adjust sa light na nanggagaling mula sa bintana. What time is it? Mukhang tinanghali na siya ng gising. Masakit ang ulo niya sa magkahalong jetlag at tama ng alak na nilaklak niya kagabi with the Showtime Hosts.
"The kid in the party pulled the wibbon of the dwess you bought me."
He looked for his daughter at nakita niya itong nakaupo sa ibaba ng kama. Snow was holding his phone and obviously talking to someone. When did she start using cellphones? Ni hindi manlang niya namalayan na alam na pala ni Snow kung paano sumagot ng tawag.
"I'm sorry, Papa. Snow didn't take care of the dwess." malungkot na saad ni Snow.
Papa. Vice smiled nang makilala kung sino ang kausap ng anak. Mababanaag ang lungkot sa mukha ng bata. The man she's talking to taught her how to appreciate things given by others and how to take care of them. He obviously is a good example and model to her.
"Uhm, maybe I'll ask Adi to help me put glue on the wibbon--- but I don't know how to make tahi, Papa." dire-diretsong pagsagot ng bata. Kahit hindi naririnig ni Vice ang isinasagot ng kausap ng anak, mukhang may ideya na siya sa kung ano ang sinabi nitong gawin sa natanggal na ribbon.
"We'll ask Lola Rosario to make it tahi on your dress nalang. She knows how,"
Snow hurriedly looked back kay Vice. Malaki namang napangiti ang bata who stood up and climbed up the bed.
"Papa! Adi's up alweady!" masaya nitong pagbabalita. "Okay. Adi, here's the phone."
"Terrence?" Vice greeted once nakuha niya ang phone from Snow. "Wait, i-loud speaker kita para marinig ka ng bata."
"Papa?!" Snow shouted. Tumayo ito sa bed and started jumping. "Boink! Boink! Boink! Papa? Can you hear the bed? It says, Boink! Boink! Boink!"
"Stop jumping, Niyebe!" pagsaway ni Vice but Snow didn't listen and continued jumping instead.
"But, Adi? The bed here is so cool! It says Boink! Boink! Boink!"
"Katniss Snow? You're not listening again!" seryosong sabi ni Terrence from the other line. Mabilis namang napahinto si Snow sa pagtalon.
"Bakit pag kay Papa nakikinig ka?" kunot noong tanong ni Vice. Hindi niya alam kung bakit nagagawa ni Terrence na mapasunod ang bata.
"Babe? Stop spoiling her kasi! Kaya hindi ka sinusunod ni Snow, isang iyak lang niyan bumibigay ka agad. Hayaan mo siya. Hindi pwedeng laging siya ang nasusunod," sagot ni Terrence.
Totoo nga naman. Yes, he can discipline her in his own way. Minsan nga ay napapalo niya ng slight ang anak kapag napapasobra na ang kakulitan nito ngunit hindi naman niya matiis once umiyak na ang bata. Agad niya itong aamuhin hanggang sa tumahan na ito, but with Terrence? Nope. Hahayaan lang ng binata na umiyak si Snow until she realise na mali ang ginawa niya and she has to apoligize for what she had done.
"Papa, when are you coming home?" sabad ni Snow sa usapan ng dalawa.
"In two weeks, anak okay? Papa has someting to fix pa kaya hindi pa ako makasunod agad but I promise, as soon as I've finished everything, makakasama mo na si Papa."
"How about me?" Vice said, acting jealous. "Ayaw mo 'ko makasama?"
"Baby Damulag. Hahaha!" Terrence joked. "Syempre gusto. Selos naman 'to agad,"
"I love you, babe!"
"I love you too, mahal!"
"Me, Snow? Don't you love me?" kunot noong tinitigan ni Snow si Vice, nagtataka kung bakit hindi siya sinasabihan ng 'i love you'
