My Only Exception

Chapter 21

"I'm not pushing you away, Ethan. Ang tagal mo na dito. Hindi ka ba hinahanap ng anak mo?"

"He does," Ethan answered. "But I'm not sure what I would do yet."

She patted his back. "Remember why you needed to do this. Don't let what happened before happen again. Some things cannot be mended twice once broken."

••

"Nanay... When is Tatay coming back?" Cali asked her. She was lying beside her on the bed. "I miss him."

"I don't know babe," she answered. She was confident at first that Ethan would go back after a month as promised but he needed to extend. She knew he would come back but the longer he extends, she was slowly losing faith that he would be back. Iniisip nya kung kasalanan nya ba dahil sinabi nya dito na wag na itong bumalik kung aalis sya. Pero kung mahal sila ni Ethan, he should go back despite her pushing him away.

Three months has passed and he hasn't returned. He calls regularly but she refused talking to him pagdating ng pangalawang buwan. She felt that Ethan was having another hard time leaving his business behind. He was doing his responsibility to them kahit na alam nyang nahihirapan din ito na malayo sa kanila. She tried reevaluating what she has and what would happen if she leaves. Her career is at its peak and she knows that if she leaves, kailangan na naman nyang magsimula ulit sa ilalim.

"Nanay, can you ask Tatay to go back please?"

"Didn't you tell him to go back?"

"I did but he seems to be very busy. His employees are always asking for his approval," Cali answered. "Mommy..."

"Yes baby?"

"I don't want to be away from Tatay," he answered sadly. "Can't we go to him?"

"Nanay can't leave her work for a long time honey, I'm so sorry," she answered.

"Don't you want to be with him? He made a house for you and he has work too. Can't we just stay beside him?" he asked innocently. "I'm sure Tatay also wants to be with us."

"Honey... If... For example, we leave this place and settle where Daddy is... What do you think of that?"

Cali smiled. "I love that Nanay. I would be happy where Tatay is. I don't want us to be alone anymore."

She smiled at him. Kailan lang hindi nito kinakausap ang ama. "Tell your Tatay when he calls that Nanay wants him home soon."

She left for work the following day and Cali, as part of his routine since Ethan left, called his Dad using the internet.

"Hey, it's my little boy calling. Good timing, Tatay is tired and I need to be happy. How's my boy?"

"I'm good. I just had my breakfast. Nanay left already for work. Tatay, when will you go back here?"

"Babe, I'm not sure. I am still stuck at work and I do not know what to do to make sure that it will be kept okay. I have a good news for you though," he said.

"What?"

"Tatay might be opening his third restaurant soon and I'm thinking of putting it on a different name. Guess what," he told him.

"What is it?"

"Cali's," he answered. "It will still be considered as a branch of Tatay's business right now but I want it named after my favorite boy."

"That's amazing! You'll name it after me? Thank you Daddy!" he said. "Are you building it now?"

"Well, we haven't started but we will soon," he said.

"But... Would that mean you would be away from me a lot of times?" he became sad.

"I don't know. I'm going to think about it really well," he answered. "Cali... It's a good thing you called. I want to ask for your permission about something."

"About what?"

••

"Nanay."

"Yes baby?"

Raffy was busy preparing their dinner. She went home early from work after finishing her article. Cali was asleep when she arrived.

"I love you," Cali said.

Raffy laughed. "I love you too baby."

"Do you love my Tatay?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"I just thought of asking you. When we went to Miss Graciela's before, Tatay told me that you were classmates and that you used to help him."

"Yes. Your dad and I are classmates. He used to be my classmate. He was a star player," she narrated.

"I guess that's the reason why he was good when he was teaching me basketball," Cali said.

"Yeah, Tatay's really a good player," she smiled.

"Mommy, what if daddy says he wants to marry you, will you say yes?"

Raffy paused. She was surprised with her son's question. He never asked her any question before pertaining to her relationship with Ethan.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Uhm... I just want to be a Yu. If you get married, at least my name's going to be Cali Alexander Castillo Yu."

"Aren't you afraid of your long name?" she kidded.

"No. I love my name," he said. "So what Mom? Will you say yes to Daddy?"

"Let's find that out once your Tatay asks me but for now, dinner is ready."

••

Raffy was left standing beside her window. Ilang gabi na sya na nagiisip sa mga nangyayari sa buhay nya dahil sa mga desisyon at bagay na sinabi nya.

Was anything worth it?

Yes, Cali was worth it. When she decided to bring Cali into life, wala syang pinagsisihan sa bagay na iyon. Wala din syang regret sa bagay na pinapasok nya si Ethan sa buhay nila ulit dalawa.

But she should have realized how big Ethan loves his business. Kung sila man ni Cali ang priority ng pagmamahal ni Ethan, pangalawa ang pamilya, she knows that third in rank is his business. Pang-apat lang kung may kabit pa sya. But she shook her head. She knew that infidelity wouldn't be a reason of argument pagdating kay Ethan simula ng naging sila years ago.

Ngayon na may anak sya, did she make the right decisions? Or was she only basing it from initial reaction? Was it for herself alone? Did she consider Cali? Naisip nya ba what impact it would bring Cali kapag naghiwalay na naman sila ni Ethan?

Was she selfish for wanting to have Ethan stay when she knows he couldn't neglect his business? Sya din naman alam nya kung gaano kahalaga ang trabaho. Ayaw nya nga itong bitiwan.

But Ethan gave up something para sumama sa kanila kahit na alam nya gaano kahalaga ang iniwanan nito sa Pilipinas. Yes, he made the same mistakes back then pero dapat ba na gawin din nya iyon? Hindi naman kailangang gumanti. They avoid bringing in the past when they reconciled pero sya yata ang tila nagbabalik nito.

She tried reevaluating her priorities. Ano ba ang mas mahalaga? Her career or her family?

She paused for a while and took a coin out of her pocket. She flipped it. She smiled when she saw it.

This is my temporary home.