TPP - Special Chapters

Valentine's Day (part 1)

The Gomez kids; Hope, Paul, Sofia, Basty, and thus the twins have all been wide awake and still wearing jammies.

Hope, Sofia, and Basty were mostly busy setting up before their breakfast—and therefore presume a feast involving chocolates and ice cream amid preparations—leaving Paul to entertain the twins and keep a keen eye on them.

"Do you think mama would be upset after that?" Sofia questioned abruptly.

"Certainly. I recall the last time we have been in London, Basty and I claimed we forgot it was Valentine's Day and didn't greet mama the entire day, then we left her at home so we could buy the materials we required. She cried herself to sleep pa nga right," Hope recounts to her sister.

"Wait, I remember!" Sofia gasped, "Last minute na nga yun eh, you contacted us so we could all greet her and papa via facetime."

"See, I'm convinced maiinis si mama or she would get upset and irritated."

"It's alright; we'll basically tell her afterward that this was all papa's suggestion," Sofia remarked, making Hope chuckle.

"Speaking of which, I'll go wake up papa na so he would assist us in preparing as well," Hope said as she worked her way upstairs.

She reached for both the door handle and cautiously unlocked it, tending neither to make any noise. She, therefore, proceeded carefully towards the side of the bed wherein her papa remained sleeping comfortably.

"Pa," she said softly, tapping his shoulders, "Wake up, Papa."

Hope heard her father grumble and shifted to his side, cuddling her mother securely whilst their comforters slipped somewhat from his behind, displaying half of Richard's bare body.

"Oh my gosh, you've got to be kidding me," Hope murmured, closing her eyes as though face-palming.

Not wishing to see more of the blatant activity that occurred between their folks the evening previously, Hope squeezed Richard's arms once more and guaranteed that he would wake up.

"Huy Papa, please wake up."

"Love, aray ko naman—"

"I'm not your love, Pa, I'm not Mama."

"Hmm," Richard scowled after he recognized their eldest daughter's appearance.

Upon spotting Hope, Richard has been reminded of their purported plan for today. He immediately recalls that he has been hardly wearing any underwear, thus he grabbed the blanket that would have been concealing his wife and his lower half.

He subsequently shifted his attention towards his daughter, who had been frowning and concealing her eyes with one hand.

"Don't worry, Pa; I'll simply pretend I didn't notice your half-naked back, which would still be covered by your blankets pa naman, but please secure your doors next time!"

"I know, Anak," he chuckled, "and I apologize for being late."

"Yeah, you plan for this Papa then you'll wake up late; good thing mama's still sleeping," Hope handed Richard something, "Here's the list Papa, all for pick-ups na po yan ha, and here's the post-it pad that you had been searching for last night."

"All right, sige, salamat Ate Hopia. Happy—"

"Save your greetings for later, Pa. Put on such clothing muna po, sunod na kayo after ha."

Hope hastily departed the bedroom, leaving her parents inside, shrugged off the cringeworthy sensation, and hurried her way back downstairs.

Richard, on the other hand, positioned the list and sticky notes over the bedside.