Run Away, Bride (as published by Lifebooks) - Complete

Second Epilogue: Of Twins and Chocolate-tasting Babies

KKRRRIIIIIIIIINGGGG!

Slance hated that sound. He swears to God, he hated it. Ang ibig sabihin kasi ng tunog na iyon ay kailangan niya nang gumising. Ang ibig sabihin n'on ay kinse minutos nalang bago mag-alas-sais. Good thing that that day, it was one of their rest days.

Nang malamang ay mapatay na ni Bride ang alarm clock, hinayaan niyang pumikit ang mga mata niya. Hanggang sa hindi niya na namalayan na nakatulog na siya ulit. Nang magising siya ay kinapa niya ang asawa niya sa tabi niya. Wala ito doon. He opened his eyes a bit and found her on the edge of the bed again. Napangiti siya. Naging habit na ni Bride na gumising sa pinakadulo ng kama para daw ibabagsak nalang nito ang mga paa't pwede nang bumangon.

"Baby, what time is it?" aniyang bahagyang nag-inat.

Tiningnan ni Bride ang relo nila. "6:57."

Napamulat siya. "Shit. Bride, come here," aniyang bahagyang gumulong at hinapit ang bewang ng asawa niya't hinalikan ito sa labi.

She giggled in the middle of their kiss. "Late nanaman tayo nagising," anitong yumakap sa kanya.

He snuggled closer to his wife. "Nakatulog ako n'ong patayin mo iyong alarm clock."

"Hmm," ani lang ni Bride na hinigpitan ang yakap sa kanya. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too," pakli niya. "One minute." He slightly pulled away from his wife and cupped her face. "You're beautiful, you're the best wife in the world, I still look forward to seeing your face every morning and every night, I love falling asleep in your arms and you're the best mom in the world."

"You forgot the best cupcake maker."

"Oh, yes. And you're the best cupcake maker." He dropped two kisses on her mouth.

"You're the best husband in the world. I still fall in love with you everyday and I probably won't stop. Kinikilig parin ako sa tuwing sasabihin mo sa aking mahal mo ako. You still do wonders to the poor butterflies in my tummy."

"Nakalimutan mong sabihing guwapo ako."

She giggled. "At guwapo, guwapo, guwapo guwapo mo," anito bago siya hinalikan sa labi.

They have that scripted conversation every morning for one particular reason.

Three, two, one.

"MAMAAAAAA!!!!!!"

"PAPAAAAAAA!!!!!"

That. That's exactly the reason why they have to wake up before seven and tell each other the things they want to say for the whole day: ang kambal nilang sina Sylvana Idessa at Sylvester Ronan. Three years old and they already ruined their parents' lives. Pero hindi lang iyon. They also tore Tito Alex's favourite flannel shirt, ate Tita Barbie's wedding cake (the day before her wedding to Tito Brent), played tag on Tita Posy's garden (and ruined all the flowers) and threw Tito Knight's iPhone to the sea (while they were on a boat to Boracay). It was weird that when Bride gave birth to the twins, he thought they were angels. But when they learned how to walk, they turned into little devils.

"Ugh," aniya nang makaakyat si Ronan sa kama at gawing daanan ang tiyan niya. Dumiretso agad ito sa Mama nito at yumakap ng mahigpit. Si Ana naman ay tumabi sa kanya at halos sakalin siya sa higpit ng yakap nito sa leeg niya.

The twins wake up at exactly seven in the morning. Pagkagising ay lumilipat (at lumilipad) ang mga ito papunta sa kanila ni Bride at pumapagitan sa kanilang dalawa para matulog ulit. Ayaw ng mga ito na hinahalikan ni Papa si Mama o yinayakap ni Mama si Papa.