Playing For Keeps (Book 2 & 3)

3. Chapter 2.

"Well, I'm sorry if I haven't told you both ahead of time," she said to them and then she turned her attention back to Zooey.  "I got excited... I wanted to see this little pumpkin pie kaagad..." Zooey giggled and cooed.

"Of course! You're welcome here anytime, Madam! Walang problema sa amin ni Drei," Alex blurted out, his arm still wrapped over Drei's shoulder. He gave it a little squeeze and glanced at her. "Di ba, bubba?"

"Definitely, bubba... def...definitely!" She met his gaze and a sardonic smile appeared on her face. Yeah, there will definitely no moving out happening today! She swallowed an imaginary lump on her throat as she glanced back at Caroline. "We're more than..." she croaked. "...Happy to have you around, Tita..."

Drei felt her chest tighten and she did her best to try not to wince over the fact that this was actually happening right before her eyes.  Why did this even have to happen? Why now? Why today? Why? And why does this have to happen to her? She tried so hard not to wail in disappointment. But this was Alex's beloved Tita Caroline. She's the same Tita Caroline whom they've been lying to... Tita Caroline who doesn't even have a single, freaking idea that they're not together. So how's it going to be? Then she glanced up at Alex with brooding eyes. She needed to talk to him. Alex just arched both his eyebrows and gave her a tight-lipped smile that told her that he knew what she meant.

"Then good!" Caroline's face lit up and Drei could feel the guilt sweeping through her again. She's been having some really wild guilt trip these past few days and this one topped the notch. The genuine smile on the old woman's face was just something she couldn't shatter. Sure Caroline scared the life out of her when they first met, but somehow Drei felt that Zooey softened Alex's aunt a little.

Caroline, Chi, Dan, along with Alex's other cousins paid them a visit at the hospital the day after Drei gave birth. They were all marveling at and taking pictures of the new addition to the Lizareses. But out of all of them, Caroline was the happiest. First, they had another baby girl in the family, the third actually. Second, she got her wish as a Marian devotee because Zooey shared the same birth date with Mother Mary. And lastly, it meant a lot to her that this was Alex's first born and somehow for her, this little girl is going to change her favorite nephew's life, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud that he is her favorite amongst his cousins. Zooey made Caroline smile more often than ever and the old woman couldn't deny to herself that she was attached to this new bundle of joy in her arms.

"By the way, where's Kuya Matty?" she asked. "I haven't seen him around..."

"He's with his dad's family, Tita... gagala daw po... kaya ayun sinundo po kanina..." Drei told her. "Usually they take Matty home after dinner... so mamaya pa po siya uuwi..."

"Ahhh I see... kaya pala si Pilar ang nagbukas sa akin sa pinto..."

"Teka, does Dad know you're here?" Alex asked.

"Yes he does..." she answered.

Alex's brows furrowed. "Then why didn't he texted me that you were staying here?"

"Cos I just called him when I got here..." she snickered and then she looked at Zooey. "Wala naman magagawa si Lolo Dan di ba, Zooey?" The little one gurgled. Caroline shifted her gaze to Alex. "So where's my room? I need to unpack before I prepare dinner..."

Alex and Drei stared at each other for a while. How could they forget the stuff inside Drei's room that they just finished packing?

"Ah yeah the room..." Alex started. "We were cleaning up actually when you got here, Madam... kaya Manang Pilar was the one who was with Zooey..."

"Cleaning up? Talaga?" Caroline narrowed her eyes on her nephew, like she didn't believe him. "Are you sure?" Hearing this out the two blushed.

"Opo naman, what else would we be doing?" he told his aunt.