Fucked Up

41 - Sandwich

☺️

Honesty

Pauper

I am busy feeding my son when my door rings, I walked towards the door and opened it. Agad kong nakita si Red na may dala-dalang ice cream. Ngumiti siya sa'kin at akmang hahalikan ako sa pisngi nang ako na ang umiwas at nilakihan ang awang ng pintuan. I am eager to stay away from him by any means. Ayaw ko na silang guluhin, may pagkatanga man ako pero alam ko kung kailan ang tama na.

Napakunot ang noo ko ng ilang segundo nang makita siyang may kinakamayan palapit sa kanya. Maya-maya pa ay nakita ko si Alexa na nasa harapan ko na. Gulat man, pilit ko 'tong tinago.

He's not alone anymore, he has his fiancé now, wherever he go.

I invited them inside and Ethan hurriedly get the ice cream his father hold. My son knows it's for himself. I offered them to eat but Red roamed around the kitchen and stop on my pantry.

"Wala na kayong pagkain" he said, opening my fridge

"Mag-g-grocery ako bukas"

"Sabay ka na sa'min. Red scheduled a day for the four of us. He wanted to buy something for Ethan" Alexa said while having a bite of the fries I fried

"Kayo na lang siguro" sagot ko sa kanya at tipid na ngumiti

Tumabi si Red ng upo kay Alexa at tinuon ang tingin kay Ethan

"Sumama ka na, wala ka namang gagawin. Buy what you crave, it's on me" Red insisted

"Pupunta ako sa opisina ko, ilang araw na rin akong hindi napunta do'n. Ayaw ko namang iasa 'yun kay ate. Masyado na akong pabaya"

"I'll call her then"

Napabuntong-hininga ako na nakamasid sa tatlong kasama ko. Tinotoo niya talaga ang pagtawag kay ate kaya naman ay nakasama nila ako rito sa grocery.

Ethan is seating on the small part of the cart while Red's pushing it with Alexa clinging her hands on his arms. Nandito lang ako sa likod, nagpapakalayo. May mga taong napapalingon sa kanilang tatlo, akala siguro nila masayang pamilya ang mga taong nasa harapan ko. Hindi nila alam, hindi matuloy-tuloy ang kaligayan na gusto ng dalawang tao sa harapan ko kundi sa balakid na tulad ko.

Red keeps on asking what I craved these days but I have none. He keeps on glancing at me making sure I'm still in here, despite of my silence. He grabbed all the foods that I like that is still vivid in his memory and let my son picked what he wants that he placed the cart on the side to brought another one. He wanted us to have a months worth of supply for me to just stay and relax.

Ethan requested his father to eat at Nathan's restau. My son longed for his poppa. I keep silence until Ethan broke it.

"Bakit po?" I replied, matching his baby voice with my small voice

"Why are you not talking momma?" He asked, pouting

I gently pinched his cheeks and push his baby hair back

"Did you miss my voice? Magkasama lang naman tayo" sagot ko sa kanya pero ang mata ko napatingin kina Red

He shoved a small piece of shrimp in Alexa's mouth and the latter smile lovingly at him. And so, she let him taste the juice she ordered and Red gave a small moaned for satisfaction. I quickly averted my gaze at them and focus my eyes to my son.