The Vow

51

"Hey, love" bati sa akin ni Elijah when I reached the parking lot.

"Hey, how did it went?" Tanong ko pagpasok namin sa sasakyan.

He closed the gap between us and hugged me tight, hanggang sa narinig ko syang humihikbi at sumisinghot

He's crying.

I just hugged him back, I removed my seatbelt muna and moved to him to sit on his lap dito sa driver's seat.

He's just hugging onto me while his face is buried on my neck.

I have seen him weak, pero this is the first time I saw him this vulnerable. Tahimik lang kasi si Elijah umiyak.

I wrapped my arms around him to hug him again and rubbed his back to console him.

"My baby daddy" sabi ko.

I kissed his cheek and smiled kahit di nya nakikita kasi nakasubsob parin yung mukha nya sa leeg ko.

After a little while, nag-angat na sya ng mukha, so I dry his tears using my thumb while smiling at him.

"Did the heavy load lessen?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Thank you, baby"

"Always welcome, you know I am always here for you" sabi ko habang nakangiti. "How did it went? Maya maya na tayo umuwi, tulog naman na daw yung kambal eh. Tell me how did it went muna, I'm all ears" sabi ko.

"She explained herself, and she told me that she tried to talk to me to apologize so many times simula nung bata ako, but, maybe I got blinded by my hate towards her that I closed my ears and heart for her apology. She told me na Dad still updates her kasi napag usapan daw pala nila yun before that Dad will give update about me, buhay ko at academics, nagstop lang when I became a doctor na. But shit! She was still being a mom to me from afar while I was growing up but, I was blinded by hatred that I never saw that. After ng iyakan namin, dun din pala kami kumain sa kinainan niyo na restaurant, sabi nya sakin dun din daw kayo kumain nung niyaya mo sya lumabas. Then she told me na she's lucky na ikaw manugang nya at asawa ko kasi minulat mo yung isip ko, at hindi ako kinunsinti. I am indeed the luckiest man to have you. I'm so so thankful that you're mine, baby."

"Ano pa sabi nya? Ano pa napag-usapan niyo at ginawa niyo?" Tanong ko.

"She told me na binibisita nya yung kambal twice a week kapag nasa trabaho tayo, tapos sabi nya, ikaw daw mismo nagtetext sa kanya na nakaalis na tayo and pwede na nya bisitahin yung kambal if she wants. We had like a mother-son date, tinulungan ko sya maghanap ng damit na susuotin nya sa kasal natin, coz I told her na umattend sa kasal natin. She even bought another gift for the twins, and for you din, puro teddies yung sa kambal sabi ko kasi malalakihan lang nila kapag puro damit, sabi ko umaapaw na closet nila sa damit"

"Actually nagbawas na ko, yung mga di na kasya sa kanila, nilagay ko sa isang maliit na maleta then nilagay ko sa storage room. Also yung mga pang-newborn na onesies nila basta yung ginamit nila from newborn to 9 months, pero marami parin silang malalaking damit"

"You can check the gift she bought you later, nahirapan pa kami kasi medyo mapili ka sa damit, but, we manage to get you some, personal pick ko yun, you will like it for sure" sabi nya.

"Let's see later. Pero, I'm glad, I know you're still not prepared to face her, but, you still did it for me and for the twins, kasi gusto ko talaga na magsimula tayo ulit once we get married. I'm just so happy na ok na lahat, we all had the closure we deserve to have."

"It's all thanks to you" sabi nya at niyakap ako ng mahigpit.

"Anyways, Rupert was here kanina, he went to my clinic. Kung may nagchismis man sayo na may kasama akong lalaki sa clinic ko, si Rupert yun. Sinadya nya kasi ako kanina eh"

"Anong ginawa nya rito?"

"Nangamusta, and he just asked some questions. Binisita pala nya si Mom kahapon, and kaya pala ibinilin sya sakin, kasi their maids are judging him, alam mo yung feeling na binabastos sya kasi hindi naman daw sya yung nagpapasahod sa kanila, and yung mga maids pa is umalis daw kanina without cooking food for him, kaya kumain kami sa cafeteria, I let him eat what he wants, kaya pala ang payat na nya."

"Asan na sya?"

"Ayaw nya umuwi, so pinasundo ko sya kay Daddy, kinausap ko sila sa phone na kung pwede dun muna si Rupert sa bahay matulog for tonight, and I explained naman what happened. Balak ko is dun nalang si Rupert patirahin sa bahay natin, if it's ok with you. If you're not comfortable, sabi ni Mommy pwede naman daw sya dun sa bahay eh"

"Kung sa atin sya, walang problema, pero hindi rin natin sya maasikaso because of work and the twins, baka mafeel left out rin sya. Don't take this wrong, love. I want him to be with us, kaso sa edad nya, baka yun din ang mafeel nya, he will be left with the maids, so baka yun din maramdaman nya"

"You have a point there. So, kila Mommy nalang sya? Mas maalagaan sya ni Mommy"

"Yes, kung babantayan ni Mom yung kambal, pwede nyang isama si Rupert, walang problema"

"Ok, I'll talk to him and them, yan din sabi ni Kuya kanina eh, kasi kausap ko sya kanina sa tawag" sabi ko at tumango. "Are you ok na ba?" Tanong ko.

"Ok na dapat kaso I realized where you are sitting" sabi nya kaya nangunot ang noo ko.

"Nako Elijah! Yang kamanyakan mo ah! Uwi na tayo, inaantok na ko, tsaka na yang kamanyakan mo!" Sabi ko at lumipat na sa pwesto ko dito sa shotgun seat.

Itong kumag naman. Pakalakas ng tawa.

"Elijah!!!" Saway ko.

"Ok, I'm sorry. I'll stop now. I was just teasing you, highblood ka naman masyado" sabi nya at pinaandar na ang makina at umuwi na kami.