Hello, mga ka-self quarantine! May tao pa ba dito? Kamusta? Grabe, life is really, really strange right now. And scary, so please stay at home. Donate (to legitimate campaigns!) if you can, or say a little prayer for this health crisis to quickly end. Always be good and relentlessly kind! Ayun, I just wanted to give you guys a small something to take your mind off of this stress and maybe entertain you a little (?), kahit panandaliang aliw lang lol. Stay safe and healthy! Take care of yourselves!
This is set two years after the preceding chapter. An epilogue of sorts. Rated M for my usual language. Also if you squint, there may be hints of porn (with feelings!). Sorry, mom.
Again, this contains a lot of foul language and a bit of sexy things. Please sin responsibly.
⁂
I am never having kids. I am never having kids. I am never having kids.
Paulit-ulit na idineklara ni Laurie ang mga salitang ito sa isip niya at bumuntong-hininga bago siya pabagsak na humiga sa kama. The bed served as an elevated refuge above the sea of children that littered their rubber-matted guest room floor. Well, maybe sea was a bit of an exaggeration. Lima lang naman sila. But to his defence, pagkatapak pa lang ni Laurie sa loob ng kwarto kanina'y napag-alaman na agad niyang sapat na ang ingay ng limang ito para mapuno ang Pacific Ocean.
Isang maliit na ulo ang dahan-dahaaaaang umusbong mula sa dulo ng kama at maigi nitong tinignan si Laurie. At dahil si Laurie ay si Laurie, natural ay madali siyang nagpanggap na abala sa panunood ng TV. He has probably seen this goddamn Christmas special a million times already but he had to pretend to be immersed in it so he could ignore the eyes intently fixed on him.
"Uncle Rawrence," bulol at pabulong na wika ng may-ari ng nasabing mga mata.
Laurie let out a controlled exhale. Blanko niyang tinitigan ang parte ng TV na hindi hinaharangan ng ulo ng bata. Nang malamang ay magsawa ito sa kakahintay ng reaksyon ay sumuko siya't dahan-dahaaaan ulit na lumubog at muling naglaho ang ulo pabalik sa sahig. Thankfully back out of sight, where it belonged.
Mula sa siwang ng pinto ay narinig ni Laurie ang pag-uusap ng mga bisita sa labas. Their friends and some distant family sounded like they were having fun while he was inside the guest room, stuck and miserable. Laurie would have craved for their company had he been wired to actually enjoy the presence of other people in the first place. He never really did, save for the company of a certain someone.
"Uncle Rawrence."
Muling sumulpot ang ulo at lumapit pa ito. He was right around Laurie's knee, now. Poking out of his mouth was the hook of a dissolving candy cane, sa kakasipsip dito'y nagsanib na ang pula at puting stripes ng candy at naging kadiring kulay pink na ito.
This was exactly why Laurie avoided children. They were noisy, stinky, and for some reason, all the ones under the age of seven managed to be sticky, kahit hindi naman sila nadidikit sa kahit anong malagkit na bagay. They were just naturally fucking sticky.
Dahil doktor si Laurie ay humahawak siya ng ibang tao, it came with the territory, pero sa labas ng trabaho niya'y never siyang naging touchy. May pagka-clean freak siya, eh, and, save for a very specific situation, sticky was definitely low on his list of allowable sensations.
Kaya naman hindi niya mawari kung bakit ngayong bisperas ng Pasko ay nakabilanggo siya sa isang kwarto kasama ang malalagkit at maiingay na mga bata. When he should have already been in Palawan by now, maybe cruising, maybe diving, or maybe... inside their villa in Amanpulo, engaging in very heated, very cozy, and very, very naked activities with Aria.
