The Second Time Around

Chapter 01

Its so hard being a single parent, in a new environment. Cant do all these things one at a time. Wala kang katulong. Though Mom and Dad helps me, pero iba pa din yung tulong na galing talaga sa other half mo. How hard can this be? Pride mo kasi!

'Mama, wake up! Wake up!' A cute little three year old wakes me up.

'One minute babe.' I said as I hid back inside the comforter.

'Then give me one minute again baby.' I said as I look at her with that toothy smile, showing ofcourse my baby teeth. Then hid back again to the sheets.

'Mama, someone's in the living room waiting for you!' I heard my daughter giggled. I didn't make pansin my daughter tho. I need this sleep badly.

'Tell whoever is in the living room to comeback once I'm awake na baby.' I said it closed eyes, still hidden in the covers.

I felt my daughter jumped out the bed and ran out the room. And I heard her say those words.

'Mama said you comeback once she's awake.'

Is she really talking to someone?

So napabalikwas na lang ako sa bed and stands up. Looked at myself in the mirror at the dresser, took a tie and tied up my hair in a ponytail. But when I'm about to turn back to face the door, here comes my happy pill running hurriedly to me.

'Mama, he said he will just stay and wait for you in the living room na lang daw.' My little girl blurted, full of giggles.

Who is he?

'Baby, didn't I tell you don't let any strangers come in the house?'

'But Mama, he's no stranger... And he said he's so gwapo that you can't resist him.' Binaba ko ang sarili ko para tingnan ang anak ko. Nagpapout na to, yang ngusong yan talaga. Bat ba kasi nakuha mo yan sa Tatay mo?

'Who? Ok ok, but don't do it again ha? Tell Mama or Yaya Plo kung may kumatok and kami na ang magbubukas ng door baby ha?' I said as I tuck a strand of her curly hair into her ear.

'Eh kasi nga three times na kitang ginigising, but then you didn't wake up.' Then rolls her eyes. My baby girl talaga. Manang mana talaga sa Tatay.

'Ok na ha, baby ko talaga. Ok tara na, let's meet your visitor.' I took her littles hand and guided her out my room.

Oh siya nga pala, didn't introduce myself yet. Well, kilala niyo naman na ako, way back year 2011, The Taft Tower? The Darling of the Crowd? The other half of the famous UAAP loveteam 'Miefer'? Kilala niyo na? Yes it's me, the one and only Mika Reyes. Okay, no long introductions since you know me already. Paulit ulit na lang kasi. Joke!

Yes, from what you've read in the first sentence of this update, I'm a single parent. Yes, you read it right, I'm proud to say, I'm a single parent this cute, bright, bubbly three year old. She's Kierra Mikaela R. Ravena. You read it right again, nabuntis ako ng Phenom na yun. And he knows it actually. Our lovestory may didn't get a happy ending but it bores a beautiful fruit naman, and that's Kierra.

Kiefer and I remain friends, tho many a times that we fought for the relationship to work, we came up to a decision na kung hindi pa kayang ibalik, eh we remain friends na lang muna, for the sake of our little angel.

I am now working as a Psychology teacher at a university here in Cebu. Yes, I am now residing in Cebu, with my little angel. Nagpakalayo layo para maiwasan ang kung ano man ang nangyayari sa Manila. After I finished my masters, this university offered me a work and with good benefits naman. Free lahat, but then I have still commitments with the RP Volleyball team, and because its my dream, I turned down the offer and focus on my game. But the university said na if ever I am willing to take the offer, they're just a call away. So I said its really a great pleasure to be considered still. And then the time comes, that I want to get away from the big city, para magpakalayo layo at umiwas sa mga nangyayari sa Manila, I didn't hesitate to call the university, luckily they still have me considered. I took the offer ng walang paligoy ligoy and flew here in Cebu.

With my little angel.

It's hard living in a place where you know nothing. New environment. And I can't even speak Bisaya, tho I know a little, since I have a teammates na Bisaya, and the language is similar lang din to Kiefer's native dialect, na naadapt ko na rin. Pero nahihirapan pa rin ako.

On our first year, the university offered me free housing but on the second year of our stay, bumili na ako ng condo unit, near a famous mall here in Cebu.

Mahirap parin since Kierra is growing and its just the two of us, tho Mama and Papa would visit me from time to time.

I enrolled my angel at a play house just near the university, I would pick her up after my classes. Pero ang hirap pa rin, many times would I pick her up late na kasi may mga meetings pa sa school na di maiiwasan. I would find her in the play house na mag isa na lang cause her classmates went home na, buti na lang her teachers and the guards are so mabait at di nila pinapabayaan ang baby ko, alam naman kasi nila kaninong anak to. Sabi nga nila, 'Miefer fans po kami Ma'am!' Natatawa na lang ako sa kanila. Andyan pa rin pala sila.

So I decided I would get my baby a yaya. I asked the help of my former LS Spiker, Cyd Demicillo, who is now residing with her own family here in Cebu, yes may family na siya, who would've believe makakatuluyan niya ang sidekick ni Manong. Yes, the one and only Paulycious. Iba din pala charms ni Pauly oh. They have a baby boy na, seven months pa lang. They manage Cyd's family's furniture business, to ask for a Yaya to my little one. Sabi ko yung maasahan, mabait, yung all around na. Cyd found one in just a week. Thanks goodness for the help Cydthealee! And Pauly!

'Mimi, where's Yaya Plo pala?' I asked my little girl.

'Ginaog lang si Blue para, para, para malibang.' My cute little girl said in Bisaya.

Oh diba, Bisayang dako na talaga my baby. Yaya Plo took our dog, dachshund to go potty. The dog's a gift from Kiefer to our little one on her third birthday. Nalala ko pa non, we celebrate her birthday in a posh resort in Mactan, with her classmates. The Ravena's and the Reyes' even flew from Manila to celebrate it with us. Sobrang saya nga ni baby girl, best birthday ever daw. Her Papa's surprise was given nong pauwi na kami, when we are about to ride the lift, this cute hotdog puppy ran towards us, our Kierra happily picks it. A small paper was hanged in his long body. 'Happy 3rd Birthday Angel! You're a big girl now, take good care of Blue. I love you so much Kierra!' - Papa

'Awww okay. Where naman imo bisita?' I asked my little angel where the visitor, without even looking at the surroundings.

'Tua...' she pointed giggling at the man who is standing in the terrace of our unit looking at the view. Having our unit at the eigthteenth floor, we got a really good view of Cebu City, the Mactan Island and its surrounding islands. Breathtaking!

I slowly looked at the guy, what the f... He's really here? Didn't kniw totohanin niya talaga na pupunta siya rito. He texted me a week before saying he'll be here in Cebu in time for the Sinulog, and he's got an exhibition game.

'Papa!'

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Maiba naman tayo ng location. Hahaha I just miss Cebu so much,  kaya naisip kong siya ang main location sa story na to. Hello Bisaya peepsz!