ward (completed)

21

"Rose, please cancel all my meetings for today."

"Yes, sir."

"Set up a meeting with Miko and his team."

"Yes, sir. When would you want to meet with Sir Miko, sir?"

"As soon as possible."

Nicky leaned back on his seat and picked up the toy from the table and fiddled with it. He closed his eyes.

"Nic..Nic...wake up, honey. Nic..." Nicky decided to walk into the abandoned house a few blocks away from his house. He and June had been scouring the village empty lots and low trees for the past two hours without any luck. Nic had ran off the evening before. Andrea, Nicky's girlfriend, also took off. But now, Nicky didn't care much about Andrea, he was concerned about Nic, his daughter.

Nicky remembered that loud noises and strangers scared Nic so he gently called out to her when he found her sleeping on the cold and dirty concrete floor of the abandoned house. Nic stirred and sat up, startled. She looked at Nicky. He held out a piece of bread which Nic quickly snatched from his hand and ate.

"Hi there. Remember me? It's Daddy." Nicky smiled at Nic. He had a lump in his throat as he tried to stop his tears from falling. He had never married but now he felt that he had missed out on being able to carry and care for a little baby in his arms. Nic continued to eat the bread, wiping her runny nose with the back of her hand.

Nicky imagined what it would have been like if he had witnessed Nic grow up. He imagined a chubby pigtailed little girl in a cute sundress running across the garden, giggling and squealing as he chased after her.

He slowly approached Nic while she ate and sat beside her. When Nicky didn't feel any resistance or nervousness from Nic, he took out his handkerchief and gently wiped Nic's nose. She didn't react and continued to eat. She also allowed him to brush away some of her hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear.

"Do you want some more?" Nicky said when Nic looked at him.

"Daddy? Ikaw ang Daddy ko? Sabi ni Mommy dead ka na. Galit na galit sya sa yo noon e. Ako, di ako galit sa yo. Di kita kilala e. Thank you sa bread."

"...dyyy..." Nic said.

"What's that?"

"...dyyy..."

"Are you trying to say 'Daddy'?"

"...dyyy.." ("Daddy!")

Nicky was flustered. He wanted to hug Nic but saw that she cowered a little when he lifted his arm to embrace her. He smiled at her as he let his tears fall.