A Little Push And I'd Fall

Push 19

“Mommy, when will Dad visit us?” tanong ni Reese.

“Baby, Dad’s busy,” pagtatakip ni Saab.

“I want Dad,” pabulong na sabi ni Reese na halospahikbi na.

“Okay, okay, we’ll go see Dad but we will not disturb him. ‘Kay?”

“Hmmm’kay,” pasinghap na wika ni Reese.

Pumunta ng ospital na pinagtatrabahuhan ni Thirj si Saab kasama si Reese. She’s still affiliated there but she transferred her clinic to a hospital nearby.

She parked her car at the front of the hospital. Tinawagan niya kanina ang sekretarya ni Thirj bago pa man sila pumunta ng ospital. Dapat mga ganitong oras ay palabas na ito ng building. Inaabangan nila ang paglabas nito. Maya-maya pa ay lumabas ng front door si Thirj.

“Daddy!” tuwang-tuwa si Reese.

“Oh yes, there’s Dad,” pag sang-ayon ni Saab.

Nakita nilang dumiretson si Thirj sa kanyang sasakyan.

“Mom! Let’s go to Dad!” aya ni Reese.

“Reese what did I say to you?”

“That we won’t ddisturb Dad,” ngumuso ito.

“And why is that?”

“’Coz Daddy’s busy,” sumimangot pa sya tapat sa mommy niya, “Daddy must be tired,” dagdag pa niya.

“Good girl,” ngumiti siya sa anak, “now I want ice cream,”

“Ice cream!” umaliwalas agad ang mukha ni Reese, “can I have Dad’s share?”

“We’ll share Dad’s share,”

“No Mommy, Dad said you should not eat ice cream,”

Kumunot ang noo ni Saab, “and why is that?”

“’Coz he can’t breathe everytime you sleep over his chest,”

“Lokong Thirj ‘to ah. ‘Nung akala niya sa akin, balyena?” bulong niya sa sarili. “Tara na nga, I need ice cream,” sabi niya sa anak and she pulled off from the parking lot.

Nag drive si Saab patungo sa pinakamalapit na ice cream parlor. Bitbit si Reese ay lumapit sila sa ice cream stall, parehas silang halos kumukislap na ang mga mata sa nakahilerang ice cream tube sa harap nila.

“Mom! I want that one, and that one and that one,” walang tigil saka tuturo si Reese sa mga ice cream na naka display.

“Ako rin! Tapos lagyan natin ng waffles at white kisses at syrup,” sagot ni Saab sa anak.

May narinig na lamang silang tawa sa kabilang bahagi ng counter, “childish as aways Max,”

Napatayo siya ng tuwid. Hinawakan niya si Reese at iginiya sa tabi niya bago siya nakapagsalita, “Keith,”

Ngumiti si Keith, “its good to see you, can I take your order?”

“Choco chip mint, peaches, double dark, cantaloupe, red bean at saka ginger ale,”

“Mom, vanilla!” dagdag ni Reese, “Dad’s vanilla!”

“Sure kid,” sagot sa kanya ni Keith. Titig na titig it okay Reese, “will that be all?”

“Paki dagdag na lang ng dalwang waffles, cup ng white kisses, tube syrup at bowl of fresh fruits,”

“Sure, Max,” napabuntong hininga siya, “950”

“You stopped flying?” tanong niya habang inaabot ang bayad.

“No,”

“Aw okay,”

“Your kid smiles like Aragon,”

“Nobody knows, Keith, better shut your mouth,”

He smirked, “my lips are sealed, parang wala naman tayong pinagsamahan kung makapagsalita ka,”

“Keith please,”

“What? I’m just happy,” at dumating na ang order nila sa counter. Inabot ni Keith ang tray kay Saab, “mabuti at pinakawalan ka na nya. I’m glad,”