The Faulkersons

XL. - Amanda pt. 1 -

Athena took a deep breath before she approached her parents. Tanner called him an hour ago to remind her about the meeting with his step mom, Amanda.

"Mommy? Daddy?" she asked.

"Bakit, Athena?" Maine asked her.

"Uh, yung step mom ni Tanner ... she wants to meet you."

"Di ka naman buntis no?" RJ suddenly asked, catching her off guard.

"What? Dad no!" Athena yelled, feeling herself blush a bit.

"Ricardo? Buntis agad?"

"Eh Menggay my loves, baka mamaya pamamanhikan na pala yun." he said. Athena just rolled her eyes and continued speaking with them.

"You two are so corny ... so ... ano na? are you going to meet her or not?"

"Sige anak, we will." her mom said.

"Thanks!"

--

Thirdy took a deep breath before he and Jack entered their class. He looked around and quickly saw Emery smiling at him. Thirdy smiled back and waved at her.

"I missed you." he whispered and she smiled.

"Baliw, tapos na yung calculus niyo? sakin tapos na." Emery said proudly. Thirdy scratched his head before hea nd Jack exchanged like you.

"Paano? Eh di ba, solo flight ka?" Jack asked her.

"Because I'm smart and you two are morons." she replied and Thirdy's eyes widened.

"Grabe siya oh." he said and the three of them laughed. A few minutes later, their teacher came in. Thirdy started getting nervous. He stretched his arms and went straight to his seat.

"Good Morning guys!"

"Good Morning Ma'am!" they all replied. Thirdy noticed a planner in their teacher's hands. She then opened and announced to the class that the list of candidates for the school's popularity contest has been released. Jack nudged him and he rolled his eyes.

"First contestant ... of course, Richard Mallory Mendoza-Faulkerson!" she said and everyone clapped for him. Thirdy just shook his head from side to side and grunted.

"Next is Jack Vera-Perez!"

Thirdy's face lit up and he quickly started clapping for his best friend. He looked at Emerya nd saw her smiling at well.

After the teacher is through announcing the candidates, she picked up her chalk and started writing something on the wall. Thirdy looked closely and smiled after she stepped away.

"Ngayon na rin pala tayo magbubunutan para sa Monito at kanyang asawang si Monita ... mag-asawa sila okay?"

---

"Do we really need to go there?" Maine heard RJ ask a few minutes after they left home. She rolled her eyes and looked out of the window.

"Di ba nag promise tayo sa susuportahan sila? This is it , tsaka okay na 'to para at least makilala natin sila ng mas maayos." she replied, hoping that the meeting will go according to plan.

"Yeah ... pero ... ano kasi name?"

"I don't know, di naman sinabi." she said. Maine then looked at RJ and quickly wiped the lipstick mark from his cheek.

"Cute mo ngayon no?" she asked him.

"Anong kelangan mo?"

"Grabe siya, wala akong kailangan no? I hate you." she said and grunted at him.

"Love, we've been married for almost sixteen years. Kahit amoy ng utot mo alam ko na." he told her and she quickly blushed.

"Huy!"

"What? I mean it." he replied and she giggled a bit.

"Oh ano? what do you want?"

"Wala ... I just complimented you. Dapat, you're thankful."

"Love?"

"What?" she asked.

"Ikaw na yung pinaka-magandang babae sa mundo, buntis man o hindi." he said. Maine looked at his face and saw him smiling. Her heart fluttered after sensing how genuine it is. For the past couple of weeks or so, he complained about nothing other than sadness. he was depressed and lonely. And seeing him smile for the first time since his mood crashed made her a bit emotional.

"Love?" she asked.

"What?

"Thank you for everything, I love you."

"I love you more, my queen."

---

"Are you sure they're coming?" Tanner asked Athena. The young girl quickly nodded and looked at the restaurant's front door. A few moments later, her parents came in.

"Kala ko di na kayo darating." she told them.

"Sorry anak, traffic eh." her mom said.

"Tanner, where's your step mom?" RJ asked him.

"Ayun po." Athena said and both of her parents turned around.

"Siya?"

---

RJ's heart dropped at the sight of Amanda walking towards them. But what surprised him more is the fact she too, is shocked.

"Kayo?" she asked back.

"Wait, what's going on here? You know each other?" his daughter asked before she quickly placed herself right in between them.

"Yes Athena, she's the bitch who tried to blackmail your Dad." Maine said.

"Hey!" Tanner yelled and moved right in between them as well.

"Is that true?" he then asked Amanda.

"Tanner, of course not!"

"Tita ... Tito, hindi naman daw po."

"Tanner, believe me. She did." RJ said and all eyes in the restaurant went to him. They already gathered enough attention to draw an overwhelming amount of intensity in their situation.

But before Tanner could reply, Amanda already held his arm and started pulling away. Athena tried to meddle but Maine stopped her from doing so.

"Bastos parents niya, tara na." Amanda said. RJ suddenly zoned out. He doesn't know what to say or do. He felt absent from the scene, everything did not look real to him. After Amanda and Tanner left, RJ looked at a teary-eyed Athena.

"I hate you." she whispered. The young girl then grabbed her bag and started walking away. Maine tried to stop her but Athena was a little too quick.

"What are we gonna do now, Richard?" his wife asked after they were left alone.

"I don't know ... I don't know."

--

Emery went home home with a smile on her face. She's extremely proud of all the achievements that Thirdy accomplished over the past few months. She loves him, she loves him very much.

But her happy thoughts were quickly interrupted after she heard her mom crying. Emery rushed towards the living room and saw standing next to two massive suitcases.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"Pack your stuff Emery, aalis na tayo. Iiwanan na natin ang tatay mo."

---

can they get through their problems this time? stay tuned for the last 10 chapters ^^ Happy Holidays you guys :) !