TAMING THE VICIOUS STORM (Familiá Altamirano #4)

【CHAPTER 14: DUSTIN】

Rara meeting Thunder

   RARA left crying because of me. I saw the pain in her eyes when I said awful things to her. But even I was hurt because I made her cry. Ito ang unang beses na umiyak siya dahil sa akin. . . and it hurts like fucking hell.

Hindi ko maiwasan ang hindi ma-guilty dahil hindi ako sanay na tinatrato siya ng gano'n. . . But that's a natural reaction of someone who's hurt. I just lashed out my grudges at the person who caused it.

I had a rough year when she disappeared— sleepless nights, drinking until I lost consciousness, burnout in taking care of the newborn version of Thunder.

She left me without words, now she's back as if everything was the same. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ibabalik ang mga pinagsamahan namin dahil matagal na noong huli kaming nagsama.

A lot of things have changed for the past two years of my life without her. . . One of them is my son.

"Ashiro Thunder.  .  ." I mumbled when I saw him on the play fence playing with his truck toys.

It was my day off, and I was at our gym studio at home. I need a distraction. Iniiwasan kong isipin si Rara kahit kanina pa siya sumasagi sa isip ko. Damn. I can't deny that I miss her a lot. I want to see her, talk to her, and hug her. I fucking miss that girl.

"I'm tawyd na!"

Mabilis akong umahon mula sa dagat ng alaala nang marinig ang lagabog. My eyes laid on my son.

Thunder was lying on the thick mattress, his chubby left legs lifted as he reached for his toes. He was only wearing a gray muscle shirt and a diaper. Katatapos niya lang dumede kani-kanina bago ako pumasok dito sa studio para magworkout.

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang lumingon siya sa akin at ngumiti. I looked away and continued balancing myself at the callisthenics bar.

But then, my lifts suddenly went slowly as my son started walking towards my way. I bent down a bit to look at him.

"What's up, bud? Are you hungry?"

I widely smiled when he pointed a finger at my abdomen as his eyes looked at me with innocence.

"Dada, wa-ya damit!" he giggled, causing me to chuckle loudly. 

Nang matapos ako sa workout ay lumabas na ako sa studio buhat ang anak ko. Sinabayan ko na si Thunder maligo pero sa mini bathtub siya habang nasa shower ako.

"Dada, bango!" Thunder chirped as I dressed him up.

Lunch time na kasi at balak ko na bumaba para makakain na rin kami. I smiled at him, and then I snatched the comb and brushed his brown hair as I applied baby powder to his neck.

"What do you want for lunch, bud?"

"Anything!" he shouted.

Tumango ako at hinalikan ang kaniyang pisngi. Tumayo ako at binuhat siya sa aking bisig. Bitbit ko ang cellphone sa kabilang kamay habang palabas sa kwarto. Ilang palapag na lamang ang hagdaan nang bumagal ang hakbang ko sa nakita. Gamit ang isang kamay, kinusot ko ang mga mata ko para makasigurado kung totoo ba ang nakikita ko o namamalikta lamang.

Damn.

Nasa harapan ko talaga si Rara! She's not a hillucination. She's fucking here again! Habang nakatingin ako sa kaniya ng matagal, mas lumalakas ang pagtibok ng puso ko.

My eyes slowly crept down towards her body. She gained weight, which made her look more attractive. Those curves emphasize more. But her face looks like it lost some weight.