"mama!"
a small but familiar voice called, as i placed down the heavy paper bags of grocery onto the nearest table. i turned around seeing my daughter, hani, run to me with her hands behind her.
i raised a hand, motioning for her to stop, "hey little lady," a smile crept up on my face, "what are you hiding?"
she just giggled and smiled wider, "nwothin', just gimme hwugs mama!"
i raised an eyebrow at the child, knowing her, she has a knack of pulling pranks on the family. i laughed, sitting down to her level, "show me your hands."
the five-year old child's eyes widened, seeming to catch up on what i am planning to do. she smiled, showing her small teeth, "nwope."
i looked at her still, not wanting to be a victim. last time i remembered, she pranked her twin, hami, telling the other that she cut off her own finger, but she just placed ketchup and pretend it was bleeding. i was shocked when hami came to me and her father, souvviel, while we were watching movies with tears on her face. it took a while to calm hami down, and hani was not allowed to go to the kitchen again without someone to accompany her.
hani, who was now in front of me, frowned as she showed her hands who is colored with white and red paint. i sighed, kinda thankful i stopped her before she could even place paint on my shirt, which is unfortunately white-colored.
"where did you get this paint, hani?" her head hung low as we walk to the bathroom to clean her painted hands.
she looked down her feet, "dada." i sighed deeply, as the person who i expected to behave well and to watch over my kids is also behaving like one. i was expecting her brother, giovanni, to help her do this, but her father? i can only shake my head in disbelief.
"let's wash this off, okay?" i asked hani, lifting her head as i smile. "so that you can eat the ice cream that i bought you earlier."
she beamed happily, smiling widely, "owkay!"
her smile was contagious, making me smile too. soon her hands were sparkling clean, and we walked out of the bathroom, hand in hand. i grabbed the groceries i bought and went on my way to the kitchen.
hani went to play with her twin, hami, who was at the living room, playing bahay-bahayan. my eyes traveled to hana, my second, who was sitting on the sofa as she slightly smiles while she reads her book, beside his little brother giovanni that is older than the twins, who was probably enjoying himself as he listened to music through his headphones. i heard hane, the eldest, giggling at the corner end of the sofa.
"why are you laughing, hane?" i eyed her warily, thinking if she was talking to her crush or something. omo- what if she has a boyfriend? oh well, i'll just let her father talk to the both of them. i always tell her not to be in a relationship yet, i hope she follows and understands.
"nothing, mom!" the giggles stopped, but i can see her lips smile in the slightest.
i shook my head, "where is their father though?"
i continued to walk to the kitchen, assured that he's just in the corner busy tinkering with something, or doing his work. i started to place the various food i bought earlier into the refrigerator.
arms snaked through my waist, making me almost drop the can that i was holding, and maybe also my heart as i jump in shock. i turned around, seeing viel, now knowing where hani got her silliness.
"you gave me a heart attack!" i glared at him, and i got more irritated as he laughed. soon, i feel myself preventing not to laugh too, but i failed to do so, as usual.
