Lover from the Sky

36

"Mommy, can I go with you sa work?"

Napalingon naman ako kay Khari. I was getting ready for work. "It will be fine if you will behave? Are you willing to behave?" I said and looked at him through the mirror while I was tying my hair into a low ponytail. He nodded happily. "Okay! Let's get ready!" I said and carried him to his room. I dressed him up in black shorts and a striped shirt with his cute white sneakers. Ang cute niyang tignan sa suot niya.

"Good morning, doc!" Bati naman nung receptionist. She smiled wider when she saw Khari holding my hand and smiling at her. "Say 'good morning, miss', Khari." I said. And he did. He looked so happy that I brought him with me to work. It's the first time that I did. We walked to my department and went inside my office. I asked the nurse to give me a chair so Khari could sit beside me if he wants to kahit may sofa naman.

"Your office is so big, mommy." He said while looking around. As if my office was a museum or an art gallery. Napalingon naman kami ni Khari ng bumukas ang pinto.

"Ninang!"

"Khari!"

Sabay nilang bati. Ethiliah went inside and carried Khari in her arms. Nag-usap pa sila bago ako pinansin ni Ethiliah. Pinagpapalit niya na ako sa anak ko. "Where's Sev?" I asked. I had to give her a document. "Nasa office niya, kakarating lang. Pinapunta ko na rito."

She said while wiping Khari's sweat. I handed a handkerchief at sabing 'yon ang ipangpunas sa anak ko. "Good morning!"

Sev and Laurent went inside my office. Ano ba 'to? Reunion? Bakit dito pa sa hospital? Kinarga naman ni Laurent si Khari at pinaupo sa binti niya habang nakaupo siya sa sofa. "May surgery kayo today?" I asked while finding the document that I'm supposed to hand over to Sev.

"Ako, wala. Mamaya pa mga 4?"

Sev said and looked at her watch. I just nodded. Si Laurent naman ay nakipaglaro muna kay Khari bago lumabas dahil may surgery siya. Sumunod namang lumabas si Ethiliah dahil may gagawin din daw talaga siya at dumaan lang. "Girl, balita ko nagusap na kayo?"

Tanong naman ni Sev habang nilalaro si Khari dahil may tinatype pa ako. I just hummed. "Who did you talk to, mommy?" Natawa naman ako sa tanong ni Khari. Chismoso, just like his dad.

"Marites ka baby!" Sabi naman ni Sev. What the hell, my child is a boy! Bakit marites?! I thought while looking at Sev. "Mukhang...maaayos naman namin. Basta it's for Khari." I said. I stood up to give Sev the document and explained it a little before she went out. I gave Khari his iPad so he could watch videos. Para naman hindi siya mabored dito. There's nothing to do in here.

"Khari, guess what mommy brought?"

I said and made him look at me. Kanina pa niya ako hindi pinapansin dahil seryosong nanonood. Maybe I was the one who got bored in here. "What is it, mommy?" He asked while still watching. Ang suplado naman nitong anak ko, manang-mana sa daddy niya. I took out his letter book. He was happy to see it. I thought he would be mad over it, assignment niya kasi 'yon at hindi niya ginawa. Kanino ba nagmana 'to, at tamad gawin ang assignments niya?

I made him sit in my lap while I was sitting on the floor kahit pwede namang sa sofa nalang.

"What is this?" I pointed.

"Apple." Agad naman niyang sagot. He easily learned the fruits, the letters, the words and even memorized the spelling. Sadyang tamad lang siyang gawin ang kailangan niyang gawin. "Can you write your name, little Mr. Alvarez?"

I said and flipped a page and gave him the pencil. He nodded. He wrote his full name, though hindi pa maayos ang handwriting niya, it was still a little bit shaky and unstable. But that was fine, he is only three years old anyway.