STRINGS (UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 3

"Rex!" Billy stood up from her seat and walked to the ice cream bar. "No more. You already ate two. Red, go back to the table para maka-alis na tayo. Hindi ba mamimitas tayo ng strawberries for your Tita Mina?"

Red looked at Rex to warn him not to argue with their mother and just follow her.

"Right. Sorry, Mama."

And it's always the smile that wins Billy's heart. Sighing, she tapped the small back of her son's and paid the ice cream they ate.

After lunch, they head straight to the strawberry farm. The kids enjoyed it a lot. They also tried a few strawberry delicacies and bought some for pasalubong.   They decided to go back to the cabin when the sun finally set down. Then the kids took a hot shower and ate dinner together. If you'd look at them from a far, you'll think they're a real family. The restaurant even offered them a free dessert and asked them for a few photos of them together for advertising. Billy was hesitant at first because they're not even a real family. Second, it was kind of embarrassing. And last, she didn't want to be seen especially her sons on papers or online. If it was not because of Lukas insistence, she wouldn't participate on it. She even told the manager of the restaurant that they're wrong about them after which the latter immediately apologized for mistaking them.

"Should we call it a day already, Hon?" Lukas whispered to Billy. He was teasing her because of what happened.

"Come on." Billy rolled her eyes, laughing by the way. "Shut up, Lukas."

Their tease-whispers were only interrupted when the waiter came back on their table with the change and that's when they finally decided to call it a day.

"Are you two gonna be staying here for one more day?" Billy asked. Lukas and Kency were walking them to their room.

"Yes. Magiikot-ikot muna kami ni Kency then uuwi siguro kami kinabukasan. Kayo? Uwi na kayo bukas?"

"In the morning. May pasok pa kasi 'yong dalawa sa hapon and I also have work. And here's our room." Billy stopped and turned to Lukas. "Thank you for today. The kids and I enjoyed your company a lot. Right?" She glanced at her twins then to Lukas niece.

"Me too, tita." Kency gave her a quick hug. "I enjoyed it so much. Let's do it again please?"

"Oo naman. Red and Rex will be so happy to be with you again." The two shared a warm smile. Red and Rex on the other hand hugged Lukas and thanked him as well. Lukas promised to let them ride his helicopter when they meet again in Manila which made the twins so ecstatic.

"Thank you, Lukas." Billy smiled.

"You're welcome, I guess?" Lukas chuckled along with Billy. "Thank you also. Our outing wouldn't be this fun if it weren't with you, guys."

They bode their goodbyes after that.

Billy then immediately forgotten about Lukas and Kency the moment she closed the room's door. Her heart was beating so fast against her chest. She decided to finally tell her children about her and their father's break up.

"I have something to tell you both." She started after Red and Rex came back from the bathroom after brushing their teeth.

On the bed, Billy reached for her twins hands, squeezing it a little. "Red, Rex. Alam niyo naman na mahal na mahal kayo ni Mama, 'di ba?" Billy sighed. It's as if something heavy was weighing her chest that she couldn't breath.

"I love you more than anything else in this world. And your dad loves you two the same. Lagi niyo yang tatandaan, hmn?"

Red and Rex looked at each other before nodding their heads.