Sober

Chapter 4

/THIRD PERSON/

Aga woke up with the continuous sound produced by his alarm clock. He would’ve chosen to turn it off and went back to sleeping if he had not realize that he still has a daughter to take care of. Eight years of being a parent yet he still sometimes forget. Shame.

It’s 7:30am when he was able to went out of his room. He checked Aya’s room and he found no one but an empty and messy bed. Napabuntong hininga siya. Ilang beses na niyang tinuruan ang anak niya na ligpitin ang kama bago umalis ng kuwarto. Ayaw niya kasing lumaki ito nang nasasanay na may nagliligpit sa mga kalat niya. Pero minsan, hindi pa rin talaga nasusunod ni Aya.

He chose to fix her bed first before completely leaving the second floor of their house.

“Aya, where are you?” tawag niya sa anak nang hindi niya ito makita sa sala at sa kusina. Saan na naman kaya nagsusu-suot ‘yung batang iyon?

Lumabas siya ng bahay gamit ang pinto sa kusina dahil baka nasa kabilang bahay lang niya si Aya. At, hindi nga siya nagkakamali dahil natanaw na niya ang anak mula sa kinatatayuan niya.

“Kumain ka nang marami, Pica ha? Para you stay healthy. Bibigyan mo pa ako ng baby Pica, but before that I’ll look for your husband first.”

Hindi naman maiwasang matawa ni Aga habang pinapanood ang anak na kinakausap ang alaga niyang ibon. Aya has a pet parrot named Pica. It was his birthday gift to his daughter last year. Gusto kasi ni Aya na magkaroon ng alaga and she requested a parrot. Noong una ay nag-aalangan pa siya dahil baka patayin lang ito ng anak gaya ng mga ginagawa niya sa mga alaga niyang sisiw rati. Kawawa naman ‘yung inosenteng ibon kapag nagkataon. But Aya promised to take care of it kaya pinagbigyan niya, and so far, she’s being responsible with her pet.

“Shaniah!” he called his daughter.

Aya looked down at her Dad and smiled sweetly, “Good morning, Daddy. Did you cook na? Gutom na ako, eh. Nauna pang kumain sa akin si Pica.”

“Bumaba ka na d’yan. I’ll cook na for our breakfast.”

“Just a minute, Dad, hindi pa siya tapos kumain” Aya answered and giggled after. Paano, she’s feeding her pet using her small palm kaya nakikikiliti siya sa tuka nito.

Aga just smiled, “Pasok ka na lang sa loob kapag tapos ka na d’yan ha. Dahan-dahan sa pagbaba.”

“Okay po, Daddy”

Pumasok siyang muli sa loob ng kusina upang maghanda ng kanilang almusal. While cooking though, he could still hear his daughter talking to her pet. Kung nagtataka kayo kung nasaan si Aya, she’s in her tree house. A tree house that Aga built when Aya was two years old. Nasa plano na kasi talaga niya ang gawan ng tree house ang magiging anak niya bago pa man dumating si Aya, and he was able to fulfill it.

Aya has things inside of it. A bed, pillows, blankets, mini-table, and some of her toys. Doon kasi madalas mag-nap si Aya tuwing hapon kasi mahangin. And she likes fresh airs. Doon din nakatira si Pica and she often invites her friends to play there. Binabantayan naman siya ng Yaya niya pero dahil wala pa ang Yaya niya sa ngayon, hindi niya muna pinapayagang maglagi roon ang anak. Baka kasi maaksidente ito kapag aakyat o bababa lalo pa’t medyo mataas din ang kinatatayuan ng tree house.

Nakarinig siya ng maliliit na yabag at alam na niyang papalapit na ang anak, “Hi, Daddy!” Aya greeted while Aga was frying bacons.

Aga looked down to see his daughter’s smiling face, “Aga mo naman nagising. Naunahan mo pa ako.”

“Antukin ka kasi, Daddy,” sagot nito at tumawa nang mahina. “Daddy, nose kiss ko?”

“Nose kiss? Ano ‘yun?”