It Started in the Library (Completed and Editing)

Special Chapter 4: Sugar

I've always loved listening to Aidan's voice eventhough I'd rather be caught dead than admit that. Di ko alam na nangingiti na ako habang nakikinig.

Mukha siyang tanga habang ginagamit yung mop na mic. I just want to pinch his cheeks. Damn Red, naglilihi ka na naman ba?

He turned and his eyes found me. He had the decency to blush and hide the broom behind his back.

"Um, hi Babycake." He smiled shyly at me.

"The twins?" I asked.

"Tulog na." Ibinaba niya ang mop sa tabi at dinakot ang mga basura at idiniretso sa trash can. "Are you hungry?" I shook my head. Kumain na ako sa HQ. Napansin kong bumagsak yung balikat niya after that.

"Uh... okay..." He didn't meet my eyes. "Are you tired?" Itinabi niya na yung mga panglinis. I noticed the covered plates on the kitchen counter, the unlit candles on the bar...

Oh, shit.

"S-sige, tatapusin ko lang itong nililinis ko. You should rest." He tried to smile but I can see the disappointment in his eyes. Minsan nakakaasar yung pagiging mabait ng asawa ko.

But he wouldn't be Aidan if he wasn't this sweet.

The normal me wouldn't tolerate this kind of foolishness, but tonight is a special night and I think I should allow myself to be foolish once in a while too.

I took the broom from Aidan's hand and threw it somewhere at our backs.

"Babycake?"Nanlalaki yung mga mata niya na akala mo may ginilitan ako sa harap niya. Psh.I pulled his head down to mine and kissed him. Hindi naman siya nanlaban.

Nanlaban, Red? Sheesh. On the contrary, he lifted me up by the waist and put me down on the counter while still kissing.

"Mmm..." He smiled in the middle of our kiss and I couldn't help it. I started smiling too.

"Happy anniversary, Babycake," he whispered softly. "I love you Mrs. Zabala."

Shit, kinikilig pa rin ako kapag tinatawag niya akong Mrs. Zabala kahit na outwardly poker-faced ako. When we were kids, hindi ko akalaing may magmamahal sa akin ng higit pa kay Ate Yelle at Kuya Blue. The world was too cruel to us, at nang mamatay si Kuya I lost my faith in justice and humanity.

But Aidan showed me a whole different world.

Akala ko hindi ko kailangan ang kahit na sino. Na walang makakatanggap sa akin dahil sa pinanggalingan ko at sa ugali ko. Frankly, I still don't see myself as social. Wala akong pake sa sasabihin ng iba.

Aidan makes me lose myself. It was so strange at first, this being in-love business. Tingin ko hindi ako kailanman masasanay na may naghihintay at nag-aalaga. He's just too generous, and loving, and he makes me fall deeper everyday. Minsan pakiramdam ko malulunod na ako sa pagmamahal ni Aidan and I have to take a breather, but when I go out, walang ibang laman ang isip ko kung hindi siya at ang mga anak namin.

Malala na ako.

At mas nakababahala na minsan nawawalan na akong pake kung mahahalata niyang in-love na in-love ako sa kaniya. Damn Red.

Aidan Stephen Zabala is my weakness.

"What did you prepare?" I asked when we parted for some air. Lumawak yung ngiti niya. Shet, those dimples.

"Iba na gusto kong dessert," he replied naughtily and di ko napigilang batukan. "Oww... Babycake!"

"Ang landi mo." I glared at him. Baliw na yata ako kasi ako naman yung unang humalik sa kaniya. Nice, Red... 'ge pagpatuloy mo pa pagiging bipolar.

"I thought of making something special." I rolled my eyes. Lahat naman ng bina-bake ni Aidan para sa amin ng mga bata ay special. I can't believe he didn't take up baking dahil mas masarap pa yung cupcakes niya kesa sa mga binebenta sa mga specialty stores.

Saglit siyang lumayo upang alisin yung nakatakip sa pinggan,"Dark Chocolate Cheese Cupcakes with Nutella Cream." He handed me one cupcake and a fork.

"Mmm..." Shet, ang sarap.

"Okay ba?" Sabay kindat pa siya. Mukhang tanga. Inirapan ko lang at inginuso yung cupcake. Gusto ko pa.

He continued feeding me at mauubos yata namin yung isang tray kung hindi pa umiyak yung mga bata.

We rushed to the twins room and picked one baby each, Scar on my arms and Vel on his. He looked so beautiful while cooing to our daughter. I touched Scarlette's tiny button nose and watch her crease her forehead. I can't believe this sweet bundle came from me. Akala ko noon wala akong ibang dala kung hindi kamatayan. I didn't know I'm capable of creating something so beautiful and innocent.

I'd say it was all Aidan's fault.

Nobody believed we were going to last. Heck, I didn't believe we would last. Hindi ako naniniwala sa kalokohang forever na 'yan.

But watching Aidan suffused in bluish light while singing a soft lullaby to our child brought a lump on my throat. Ah, Red you really are getting all soft and sentimental.

Minsan hindi ko alam kung anong ginagawa ko. I'm probably not the best mother in the world, but Aidan complements my weaknesses. Hindi siya nahihiya o nadidiri o naiinis kapag hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. I know nothing about bathing a baby, or changing diapers, or burping. He'd just smile and say we'd be okay. Minsan nagkukulong ako sa banyo pag naiiyak ako kasi nahihiya ako at feeling ko walang-kwenta akong nanay pero laging naroon si Aidan para aluin ako. He never once got angry while I'm all feeling shitty at inilalabas ko yung frustrations ko sa pag-ta-target practice sa field.

"Tulog na ang little cakes," he whispered to me and I looked down at the sleeping bundle in my arms. We returned them back to their rockers at inayos na ni Aidan ang higaan. I went to the bathroom and took a shower.

Natawa ako paglabas ko ng banyo at puno na ng rose petals ang sahig ng aming kuwarto. My eyes roamed the room and found him sitting on top of our bed covered in red rose petals.

I narrowed my eyes at him and pretended to be annoyed kahit na kinikilig ang aking kaluluwa. "Nagkalat ka na naman Mr. Zabala."

He pouted at me like a little kid. He gestured impatiently for me to join him.

"Sino maglilinis nito?" I whispered with a giggle nang tumayo siya at hinila ako papunta sa kama. It would be so easy to wrestle with him. Actually na-mi-miss ko na makipag-wrestling sa kaniya kahit lagi naman niya ako hinahayaang manalo pero baka magising ang kambal.

"Si Yaya?" he whispered back with a laugh before he kissed me and we lost ourselves in each other. I didn't think I'd let myself get lost in anyone, but with Aidan it's okay. It's more than okay.

I'm willing to get lost in him. There might not be a forever, but I swear to spend all my life with him.

And much later I touch his sleeping face. I must have done something saintly in my past life to deserve him. I hope he never gets tired of loving us. His heart is so big, and I'm more than willing to drown in him.

"I love you, Daddycake."