2032
Philippines
"Dad, Mommy's calling already. Lagot tayo."
"Oh, shoot," Thirdy said.
"Answer it, Iza!"
"Dad, can we go to Tito Van's house? I wanna play Transformers with my kuyas," Troye told his dad, who's busy packing their lunch.
"Yes, we will."
"Dad, hindi pa nakakain si Nike," paalala ni Iza habang kausap si Bea sa phone.
Thirdy stopped and said, "Okay, kalma nga muna. Umupo muna kayo sa sofa."
He gave Nike his dog food.
"Mommy, we are still in the house. The school bus left us, but Dad will hatid us na lang daw," Iza told her mom.
Bea's laughing on the phone.
"Tell your dad to call me while you guys are on the way. Put me on speaker na lang kamo. Ingat, babies. I love you all," she said before putting down the call.
"Dad, call her na lang daw when we are on the way to school."
"Fine. I'm almost done. Go get your bags already."
Thirdy put the Tupperwares in his children's bags, and they went to the car.
"Wala na kayong nalimutan?"
"Wala na po, Dad," sabay na sabi ni Troye at Iza.
Thirdy drove as fast and as safely as he could para hindi malate ang dalawa. Iza is already 12 years old, and she's studying at Poveda. Troye is 7 years old, a Grade One student at Ateneo.
"Princess, send a text na lang when I need to pick you up. Nasa resto lang ako," he said before Iza went to her class.
His daughter just nodded and ran inside.
"Troye, what time is your uwian?" he asked his son, na ngayon ay lumilipat sa passenger's seat.
"12, lunchtime. Pick me up, okay?"
"Okay. I'll ask Ate Kristine to remind me."
"Oh, okay. Ingat, Daddy. And oh, you forgot to call Mommy! Lagoooot," tukso ng anak bago bumaba ng sasakyan.
He got his phone at sinundan ang anak na lalaki. When he saw na pumasok na si Troye sa room, agad siyang bumalik sa kotse and dialed her number.
"The kids are late already. Otw pa lang kayo?" she asked.
"Already in their classes. Nasa Ateneo parking ako. We were in such a hurry, we forgot to call you."
"Oh, thank God. Kelan ba babalik si Ate Carly?"
"Tomorrow pa. Day off niya, love eh."
"Okay. I'm sorry I'm not there. I'll be home na the day after tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll pick you up. We miss you!"
"Baked crabs pag-uwi ko, okay?"
He chuckled. She never changed.
"Yes, Doc! Take care of yourself. No sickness ah."
And they ended the call.
__________________
The Grid has a lot of branches now, QC, U-Belt, Ortigas, and Pasay, but Thirdy always goes to QC, the original home of The Grid.
Kristine greeted him.
"Remind me, I have to pick up Troye at lunchtime."
She just nodded at her boss.
Thirdy reviewed the reports about the restaurants. He sat at one table with his laptop.
