A loud splash and Richard's distinct laughter echoed through the cottage. Nic was with June on an errand to practice more of her life skills. Hanz went to the toilet. Ruth was in the upstairs bedroom attending to Baby Gaby. Sally had begun her chores – cleaning the bedrooms and getting the laundry.
Ruth and Sally didn't mind the sound at first because Richard's laugh was something they normally heard around the house. They didn't know that Richard was 'alone' on the first floor of the cottage and that Hanz left him for a while (he had left Richard watching cartoons in the living room; Sally was still in the kitchen when Hanz left Richard in the living room) to go to the toilet.
Sally came down from the upstairs bedroom and heard more splashing. She wondered where it was coming from as the swimming pool of the estate was located in the other side of the other buildings beside the therapy complex in Wing 15. She was carrying a bundle of dirty clothes and beddings that she almost slipped on Richard's shirt on the floor. She picked it up as she heard more happy sounds from Richard. When she turned to locate the source of the laughter, she found Richard sitting in the fish pond of the interior garden!
"Susmaryosep! Chie! Richard! Anong ginagawa mo dyan?" Sally dropped what she was carrying and rushed to the fishpond.
"Chaaa sim!"
"Ha?"
"Chaaa sim!"
"Swim? Hindi yan swimming pool! Asan si Kuya Hanz?"
"Chaaa sim! Pay fish!"
"Kuya Hanz! Kuya Hanz!"
Hanz was returning from the smaller house and saw the mound of laundry on the floor, and Sally standing by the edge of the fish pond.
"Bakit?" Hanz called out as he approached.
"Si Chie!"
"Ano?"
"Ayan!" Sally pointed to a naked Richard sitting in the fish pond, splashing the water and laughing.
"Ayyy! Richard! Tayo! Tayo!" Hanz said as he stepped into the fish pond and held Richard by the arm.
"Chaaa sim!"
"Hindi yan swimming pool!"
"Chaaa sim! Pay fish!"
"Hindi nga yan swimming pool...at di nilalaro yung isda dyan!" Hanz said as he struggled to get Richard to stand up. Richard, on the other hand, refused to move and continued to splash on the water. The fish in the pond had gathered in one corner, confused with the goings-on. "Tingnan mo, yung fish andun sa isang sulok. Natatakot na."
"Fish kot?"
"Oo...natakot sa yo!"
"...oodboy Chaaa pay fish"
"Hindi naman laruan yung fish dyan e...."
"pay fish! pay fish Chaaa!"
"O sige...ahon ka dyan at mag play tayo fish dun sa banyo mo...dali!" Hanz remembered that Richard had a toy fishing set with plastic fish.
"Pay fish?"
"Oo...dun sa loob...dali..."
Richard stood up with the help of Hanz. Sally wrapped a towel around Richard's waist as he stepped out of the fish pond.
Hanz took out a small basin. He filled it with water and Richard's toys. Richard enjoyed playing with the toys while Hanz bathed him.
"...ang lansa mo tuloy!" Hanz chuckled as he scrubbed Richard.
"Chaaa sim! Pay fish!"
"Oo na. Pero wag mo na uulitin yun. Di yun swimming pool."
"Fish?"
"Walang fish sa swimming pool. Sabihan natin Daddy mo. Punta ka sa beach para may fish..."
"Sim! Chaaa sim!"
"Oo, swimming ka!"
"Sim Chaaa!" Richard exclaimed, raising his arms up. "Niii?" Richard put down his arms and looked quizzically at Hanz.
"Oo...pwede! Swimming kayo ni Nic."
"Niii sim! Chaaa sim!" Richard exclaimed happily.
