Come On, Make Me (COMPLETED)

Chapter 40

#COMM

Chapter 40

"JJ, stop that!" I said as he snatched the book from my hand. "Give me that!" I shouted, running after him. But this boy, my god! He has the energy of ten horses! I could never keep up with him! I tried, so hard, but he's just so full of energy!

"You're not paying any attention to me!" he shouted, still running around with my book on his hand.

"Because Mommy's working!" I shouted.

"You're always working! Don't you love me?"

I stopped, putting my hands on my waist. "Jasper Alexander Ybañez Jr.," I said, making him stop. He knew that if I call him by his full name, I was dead serious. "Give me my book."

JJ stopped and walked towards me, his head bowed down. "Here..." he said through his pouty lips. I wanted to be mad at him, I really wanted to... Sobrang kulit niya... but every time I'd look at him? Any anger or annoyance I felt just magically melts away.

He's got everything from his Dad.

And I could never get mad at that face.

I got the book from his hand, and I kneeled in front of him. I cupped his face with my hands.

"JJ, of course Mommy loves you. I'm working so we can eat," I reminded him.

"Are we poor, Mommy?" he asked, looking worried.

I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. "We're not... but if you won't let Mommy work, we might be poor soon."

JJ's turning four in a few months. He's always asking me if he has cousins like his classmates... or if he has uncles... I was so tempted to tell him that he has lots of uncles who would spoil him rotten... but I always stopped myself.

He's safer here...

He's much safer here...

I knew that Jasper would hate me more because I was hiding our son... but what choice did I have? Kapag nalaman ni Justin na may anak kami, what if he wanted to ruin our lives again? Paano na ngayon na may anak kami?

"We always have food," he said, pouting.

"And we won't have food anymore if you won't let Mommy work."

He sighed. "Then, can you please bring me with you the next time you go back to the Philippines? I promise I'll behave!"

My heart broke at the sight of him raising his hand as if he was promising me that he'd be a good kid... Gusto ko rin naman siyang dalhin sa Pilipinas... I wanted him to meet his Uncles... To meet the whole family...

But Justin...

Justin scared me...

Even if my whole family could protect me, it would only take one bullet to end a life... Kagaya nang nangyari dati...

"Okay," I said, smiling, but I knew in my heart that there's no way I'd bring him to the Philippines...

At least, not in the foreseeable future.

* * *

"You have to come home," Dad said.

I groaned. "I just went there a few months ago," I said. I was in the middle of making a proposal for work when Dad decided to call me. They knew about JJ... silang dalawa lang ni Mom. I knew that if ever my brothers learn about JJ, they'd hate me for hiding him... but really, I just wanted the best for my son.

The fewer people who know about his existence, the better. I just couldn't risk it.

"You have to come home for Cindy's wedding."