It's Always Been Us

21: Meet the Kiddos

She was so nervous. Today is the day that she'll be meeting his kids and his mom.

He was assuring her that all will be well. He said he talked to his kids and that he is sure that they would like her. He also told her that his mom was a fan of hers.

She was busy packing the pork chicken adobo and spaghetti that she cooked earlier that morning. He told her his daughter's favorite pinoy dish is pork chicken adobo while his son's favorite food is spaghetti. She was not sure though which type of spaghetti his son prefers, but she cooked a creamy and cheesy spaghetti.

She also woke up early just to catch his dad via facetime so he could teach her to cook leche flan. She failed in numerous attempts, either the texture was too soft or too hard, but finally she was able to get the right texture for the leche flan.

She was still in the midst of packing the food she cooked when she heard a knock on her door.

"Hey love!"

She welcomed his kiss on her lips.

He can't help but gaze at her loveliness, with her hair in a bun, several strands of her hair covering her pretty face and tiny sweats running down her face.

"Stop staring, I look like a mess!" She became conscious at his stare.

"No, you look so pretty and you smell sweet, I could devour you.." He winked at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Sweet, yeah, literally sweet like caramelized sugar. Can you please help me out here?" She showed him the food that she was currently packing.

He chortled. "Ok, ok, I'll pack these ones, I think you better go take a shower and get changed. I'll take charge from here," as he resumed packing the food that she has prepared.

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They are now driving to his home.

"Coach, I'm really scared," she is so nervous that she thinks she's gonna have a heart attack with the fast beating of her heart.

He reached her hand using his free hand that's not driving and kissed it to calm her nerves. "Don't be, they'll like you. What's there not to love about you?"

"But, what if they won't?" Her pessimistic side is eating her.

"Can you shove away your negative thoughts? Chill my love!" He was still holding her hands as if assurance that everything will be alright.

Reaching his home, she busied herself setting up the table. She was insisting that she wanted to help him cook and prepare the remaining dishes and set up the table too. And finally this time, he was also able to bake the Banana Walnut bread that he longed promised her.

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"Dad!" They heard a loud scream of a girl who was running down the stairs.

"Oh, I think, Ysa's already awake! Let me call her in." He left her in the kitchen and went to the living room.

Instead of giving him a kiss, his daughter was like a reporter interrogating him. "Why do you have a shot of Ash on your camera?"

"Ash?" He wrinkled his forehead, not getting his daughter's question.

"Yeah, I had some of our photos in Yosemite and Baker Beach printed when I saw this!" Ysa showed her a photo of a woman with short bob hair, wearing a wide brimmed hat and large sunglasses.

He suddenly remembered, it was his last shot prior to leaving the beach that day. 'Wait a minute,' he thinks the photo is familiar. "Oh damn!"

"What's wrong dad?"