"Dada you look so funny. Hahahaha." Lauren laughed as she entered the guest room where JC slept. Sumampa siya sa kama at tumabi sa lalaki. "Bakit ka naka Hello Kitty?"
"Oh this? Walang damit si Dada so I borrowed your Mom's."
"Why didn't you borrow Daddy's? Mas like mo Dada yung pink o dahil favorite mo din si Hello Kitty?"
"No! Of course not. Di lang pwedeng ipahiram ni Mommy ang kay Daddy mo dahil wala dito si Daddy mo."
"Bakit. Andito naman ang Daddy ko ah. Here." Sabay turo sa dibdib ni JC.
"Lauren, come here. Kumain ka na." It was Coline's voice.
"Come Dada. Mommy cooked breakfast." Pamimilit ni Lauren kaya sumunod na lang siya palabas ng guest room.
Muntik nang tumawa ng malakas si Coline sa hitsura ni JC. Ang baduy. Kalaki-laking tao tapos naka-bistida Hello Kitty pa! "Magbreakfast na kayo. And you, little girl, sabi ng teacher mo wala kang pasok ngayon dahil malakas ang ulan."
"Really Mommy?"
"Really."
"Ibig sabihin pwede akong makipaglaro kay Dada the entire day?"
"Lauren, Dada has to work. Hindi siya pwedeng maglaro lang--"
"Don't worry I can call Yya to cover for me. Besides, it's still raining hard."
"Yehey! Thank you Dada. I love you." Lauren kissed him in the cheeks. "Dito ka na lang tumira, Dada."
"Lauren, hindi puwede ang gusto mo." Pagpapaliwanag ni Coline.
"Bakit hindi pwede?" Saka ngumuso si Lauren.
"Because Dada is the President of our school, hindi siya pwedeng maraming absent."
"Wow. Just like Daddy."
"Just like Daddy."
"Then can I call him Daddy?"
"No Lauren. Hindi siya ang Daddy mo."
"But he has Daddy. And he's just like Daddy."
"Hayaan mo na ang anak mo Coline. If it makes her happy, it's okay."
"Then can you lend him Daddy's clothes Mommy? Please?"
"Later Lauren."
******
Naaasiwa si Coline sa hitsura ni JC. Hindi niya maiwasang maalala ang asawa sa damit na suot ngayon ng lalaki. She never threw Louie's clothes. Iyon lang kasi ang inaamoy-amoy niya tuwing mamimiss ang asawa. But now that JC is here wearing her late husband's white shirt and shorts, she knows she terribly misses him.
JC stretched his arms. Kitang-kita niya ang emosyon sa mata ng babae. Siguro namimiss na niya ang namayapa niyang kabiyak.
"What?" Coline asked.
"You miss him, don't you? So...here, let me hug you. Tamang tama, maulan pa naman."
Yes. He's right. She misses him so much. She ran like a child in his arms and hugged him tight. She felt warm in his embrace and she felt her husband's heartbeat. Hindi niya namalayang tumulo na pala ang luha niya.
"Coline?"
Nag-angat siya ng mukha and he wiped her tears as he looked straight in her eyes. "Don't cry, sweetheart." And there, she felt his husband's words. She tiptoed to kiss him. Nagulat man, he managed to kiss her back to deepen the kiss and caressed her body. God. Inaapoy siya sa pananabik but he doesn't want to scare her. He'll take her nice and slow.
Napaungol si Coline nang sipsipin ni JC ang dila niya at himasin into ang dibdib niya. She felt his bulge ready for her poking in her belly despite the clothes they wear. Bumaba ang halik ni JC sa leeg niya. Napapapikit siya sa ipinaparanas sa kanya ng binata at naramdaman ang malambot na kama sa likuran niya.
