LIKE I NEVER LEFT °[KathNiel] ✓COMPLETE

Special Chapter - Failure

Amara

It's early in the morning. We just have finished our breakfast and everyone is nowhere to find. Well, by saying nowhere, it only means they are in the theater room or in the music room. The latter is where I find them in this instance.

"Kulang ka sa timing sa mga drumfills mo, Aki. But little man, you are doung great." Darryl coaches her youngest brother, Achilles. He loves the drums even when he is just five years old. "Real real soon, you will master it eventually. Now, let your kuya Augustus play the drum." Augustus is seven years old.

"Mommy!" Tawag ni Aki nang makita ako. Bumaba agad siya sa upuan.

"Wanna join mom?" Nakangiting yaya ni Atticus na nakahawak ngayon ng bass guitar. Ang daddy naman nila, mukhang busy sa pag-eedit or sa panonood ng mga videos. Nakaheadset kasi ito. Si Asher naman na may pagkatahimik sa kanilang magkakapatid, ang nagle-lead guitar habang nasa piano si Darryl. The twins are now eight years old and our only baby girl isn't actually not a baby anymore. She's eighteen. She grows up into a very fine-looking lady except that she never really have introduced us a female friend. Her circle is composed of guys. But it's not something that bothers me and Four because DJ is in that same circle too. Honestly, he is more protective of Darryl that I am to her. Kaya nakakampante kami somehow.

"Sing mom." Darryl tells me.

"You wanna sing with mom, Aki?" I babytalk our little champion. The smol bean smiles adorably. Karga ito, lumapit ako sa microphone stand. Lumingon si Four sa'min at napangiti siya nang makita ako.

"Hi love." Malambing na bati niya sabay kiss sa'kin sa pisngi. Ngumiti si Aki, natutuwa sa ginawa ng daddy niya. "Mommy, ang galing na magdrums nitong si Aki. Parang si ate niya no'ng five din si ate Darryl."

"Wow naman."Sambit kong nagpangiti kay Aki.

"Ate Darryl said I need to timing my rolls and drumfills." He innocently says afterwards.

"Listen to ate Darryl. Soon enough, you'll master playing the drums too, just like her. You're only five, champ." He tells him.

"Alright dad. Get the mic. Ate Darryl is angry." Aki whispers to Four.

Four turns on the cameras before we sing together with our kids to make a video cover. We record two songs and play a few more random songs that we intentionally don't record. We have a youtube channel as a family, The Palmers, which is managed by Darryl. All the covers we upload there are usually just music covers that we do for fun or when we're bonding, just like today. Music is our kind of recreation.

"Mom. I'm going out today." Darryl informs me while I am at the kitchen to cook for lunch.

"What did your father say?"

"It's fine with him. I'm going out with DJ and the others."

"Others?"

"Sila Zephan? Sila Leonard, Shaquille at Philip. Kami ni DJ. Si mommy naman parang di kilala kung sino ang mga kaibigan ko." Nagpout siya habang nilalapitan ako.

"Umuwi ka ng maaga. May klase ka bukas."

"Before nine. Pero sa labas na kami kakain for dinner. Wag niyo na akong hintayin."

"Be a good girl, Darryl."

"Si mommy." She sounds amused. "Eh di ba nga huli kayong napatawag ni dad highschool pa kami ni DJ? I'm not going to do anything stupid mom."

It's the truth though. As expected of them, lumaki sila ni DJ na magkasama. They really grow up treating each other as bestfriends. It's good to have DJ around. Somehow, nagiging kampante nga ako, kami ni Four. Growing up very active, it was also expected for us to receive complaints from the school. It's what happened since they were in elementary until high school. There was one event during her senior year that really have a big impact on Darryl. Mula noon ay hindi na ulit kami napatawag. Nakakahinga kami ng maluwag ni Four pati narin sina kuya Dos at Brook.