LIKE I NEVER LEFT °[KathNiel] ✓COMPLETE

5. First Night

Four

After the dinner, it begins to rain outside and it's heavy. Not only that, malakas din ang hangin na tila ba may bagyo. The weather explains why Amara sulks at the moment. I can't blame her. She hates being around me. How could the world be so unfair? Kahit nakasimangot na nga siya pero ang ganda-ganda niya parin.

"Darryl, it's late. Dapat matulog ka na." Malambing na wika ni mommy rito. Kanina pasiya nakikipaglaro kay Dos Joaquin, anak ni Kuya Dos at Brook na panganay. Hindi na nga kami nanood ng TV. Lahat ng atensiyon nasa mga bata.

"Mommy, I want to have a baby sister." Nagkatinginan kami ni Amara. Mabilis naman siyang umiwas ng tingin at kinarga ang anak namin, pinaupo sa hita niya. "Look at DJ, he has baby Ali. I want to have a sister too, someone as cute as baby Ali or baby Alex."

Gabbi and Brook both smile at the mention of their daughter's names.

"Darryl." Sambit ni Amara na nakangiwi ngayon.

"Is it impossible for me to get one? Daddy's already here. Dad and I will take care of my sister, right daddy?" Amara blushes, turning her cheeks into tomatoes. On the corners, my brothers are just holding themselves not to laugh. "I promise. Please." Darryl continues to implore with her innocence. Her eyes becomes teary so I panic.

"Why do you want to have a sister? Don't you like to be dad's only one princess?" I interrupt to save Amara from her loss of words.

"No. But..." She pouts as if processing something in her brain. "Baby Ali and baby Alex are just so cute. They're like live dolls and I wanna play with them." She cries. Quickly, I wipe the tears off her small cheeks.

"How about we go to mall tomorrow and get you any dolls you want?"

"I want a baby sister." She retorts, teardrops forming in her eyes again.

"Darryl. Come on, let's go to sleep. We'll talk about this tomorrow, honey." Bulong ni Amara rito. Somehow, my little jellybean obeys her mom. "Ah. Tita, tito..." She looks at each one in the room, my brothers and their wives, and nods to  bid goodnight. "Iaakayat ko na po si Darryl. Inaantok na 'to kapag ganito." Nahihiyang paliwanag niya sabay ngiti. Namumula parin ang pisngi niya.

"Samahan mo sa kwarto, Four." Wika  ni Tres sa pilyong tono. Kuya Uno eyes him quickly before I could.

"Say goodnight to everyone, love." Malambing na sambit ni Mara sa anak namin.

"Goodnight, mommy lola. Goodnight mommy lolo. Goodnight titos. Goodnight tita Gabgab. Goodnight tita Brook. Goodnight tita Dandan. Goodnight tita Maddy." Nagtawanan ang lahat sa pag-iisa-isa niya sa mga tao sa living room. "Goodnight, DJ. We're going to play again tomorrow, right?" DJ nods and that gives a smile on my little bean's face. "Alright. Goodnight everyone. Goodnight baby Ali. Goodnight baby Alex."

"Goodnight Darryl." Everyone says in unison. That is so heart-warming. I can feel something warm flowing through my veins.

"Daddy, let's go." Tawag niya sa'kin nang hindi ako sumunod sa kanila ng mommy niya. "Mom, I like dad's room better."

"Darryl, hindi tayo pwedeng matulog sa room ng daddy mo. Uuwi din tayo bukas tapos makakatulog ka na sa room mo."

"But I don't want to go home. And I like to sleep in dad's room." She recoils and I can sense Amara getting impatient.

"Baby, look at mom. Dad's room is small. The bed is small. There won't be a room enough for you two. Para kay daddy lang kasi 'yong bed niya." Pagpapaliwanag niya sa mahinahong boses.

"You're lying mommy. It's big. The three of us can fit in there without falling." She argues and then looks at me for reinforcement.

Oh baby, I'm sorry. Your mom is pissed at me.