Connection

Chapter 4

/THIRD PERSON/

Lea had already finished her breakfast when her daughter came downstairs in her school uniform. Their classes resume today and they’re all back to their normal routine. If they couldn’t have dinner together, same things goes during breakfast because she had to leave earlier than Hael. Obviously, they cannot just arrive at school together in one car.

Hence, that is where Aga is most useful at. He sends and fetches Hael to and from school so she won’t have to. It’s complicating on his part but it’s the least he can do as her father.

“Good morning, Mom.” Hael managed to greet her as an act of courtesy.

“Good morning. Kumain ka na para hindi ka ma-late. I’m about to leave.” Lea said before brushing her teeth.

Hael sat alone in the dinning room and ate her breakfast while Lea was putting on some makeup. The daughter is gorgeous for a reason that her parents are blessed with genetic beaut. Aga is good-looking, but Lea is so much more than that. Her face is both alluring and sweet— shall depends on her mood— but it always displays fierceness.

Perhaps, one of the reasons why her father fell in love and eventually made her.

“Hael, nandito na ang Daddy mo.” Nanay Cristy informed her which startled both the mother and the daughter.

“Po? Ang aga naman yata?” Hael asked.

Maaga nga, Lea agreed to herself. She and Aga usually don’t cross paths despite having an offspring together. She would intentionally avoid seeing or meeting him because that’s just how she felt about him— to not care about his existence. That’s why he’s only allowed at the very gate of their household because she will never let him inside.

So having him in her house while she’s still around doesn’t really make her happy. She assumes that he’s already here to fetch Hael, but still, he should come when she’s already gone.

“Iyon nga ang sabi ko sa kanya. Sabi ko nandito pa ang Mommy mo kaya maghihintay na lang daw siya sa labas.”

Good to know that he knows where his place is, she thought and finished up.

“I’m heading off now, Margarette. Don’t be late.”

“Okay, Mom. Safe drive.” Hael said and waited until Lea was already out of earshot. “Tell Dad to come in once Mom left.”

Lea opened the garage door so she could finally drive her car out. Outside, she saw Aga— her asshole ex-husband— leaning against his car wearing a white polo and a black slacks. Only a blazer was needed and his office attire would be complete.

Guwapo sana, gago naman. She could discuss the ex-husband part for a day and the asshole on the next one. But they’re pretty much connected. Just the perfect words to describe him.

Aga looked on her direction when he heard the gates opened. He caught her looking away from him which almost made him smile. The estranged wife. It’s only Lea who claims that they’re exes but, legally, they were never separated. They are still married in papers because no annulment was ever granted nor signed by the both of them. Lea signed, he didn’t. He refused to do so and she was left with no choice but to let the marriage go on. She could have begged him to sign the annulment to finally get away from him, but she should die first before doing so.

She will never, ever beg a man to do something for her.

He wanted to approach her, initiated a conversation, and just act like how normal people would do toward each other. But they were never civil. She’s North Korea while he’s South Korea— the war between them is conspicuous. And the only thing that keeps them from killing each other is their daughter.