Grieving Soul [#Wattys2019 Winner]

Chapter 45

My baby has been with them for three days now. It's time to get him back.

I pouted and nodded at my niece who's about to cry. I can see tears welling up in her eyes. I didn't want to make her cry, but I missed Hero so much and I wanted him back.

Arianne turned to the man beside me who has a softer heart than me when it comes to her. She looked at Gio with pouted lips, blushy nose and cheeks and teary-eyes. Alam kong sa ganoon pa lang ay mas lalo na niyang napalambot ang puso ni Gio.

Kinagat ko ang aking ibabang labi. Sa tingin ko, mukhang aalis din ako ng kanilang bahay ngayon nang hindi kasama si Hero.

"Tito Gio..." She sounded so pitiful and cute at the same time.

How can your heart not melt with this cute girl?

Gio slowly knelt down in front of Arianne and fixed her hair. A warm smile was plastered on his face.

"What is it that this beautiful girl wants? Hmm?" Gio sweetly asked her.

Sa boses pa lang ni Gio ay alam kong bumigay na siya. Guess I have to give up on taking Hero home today. Kung bakit ba naman kasi hindi pa siya binibilhan ni Ate Ariana ng aso.

"I want Hero po..." She started crying.

Hearing her cry made my heart ache. I suddenly felt like I was a bad auntie because I didn't want to give her what she wanted.

"But Hero's mine and Tita Iarra's baby..." marahan na sabi ni Gio. "Do you want Tito to just buy a dog of your own? I'll buy the same dog as Hero. Do you want that?"

Ibinaba ko ang tingin ko kay Gio na may ngiti pa rin sa kanyang labi. Kahit pala naaawa siya sa pamangkin ko ay gusto niya na ring iwui ang aming Hero.

"Ngayon na po?" My niece sounded too hopeful.

If Gio's just consoling her through words and making her hope for nothing, I swear, I'm gonna punch him.

"If your mommy will allow me to buy you one today, I will," Gio stated.

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ng aking pamangkin. Mula sa pagkakaupo sa lapag ay bumitaw siya sa pagkakayakap kay Hero at tumayo. Nang pinakawalan niya si Hero ay agad itong tumakbo sa akin. Napangiti naman ako at lumuhod din upang yakapin ang aking Hero na matagal-tagal ko ring hindi nakasama.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

Napaangat ako ng tingin kay Arianne na tumatakbo na patungo sa kitchen kung nasaan si Ate Ariana. Ibinalik ko naman ang tingin ko kay Gio na ang atensyon ay na kay Hero na rin. It was so obvious that he missed our dog too.

"Make sure you're true to your words. Mas lalong iiyak 'yan kapag hindi mo siya binilhan ng aso gaya ng sinabi mo," masungit kong sabi kay Gio.

Gio chuckled and looked at me while caressing Hero's fur. "I'm really planning to buy her a dog of her own. Iyon ay kung papayag ang ate mo. So, don't worry. I'm not playing with your niece."

"Mommy, faster!"

Muli akong napaangat ng tingin at nakita kong hila-hila ni Arianne si Ate Ariana nakasuot pa ng kanyang apron. Mukhang kahit na may ginagawa siya ay wala siyang nagawa kundi ang magpahila sa anak.

I could see Arianne's eagerness to have a dog. Kahit ako na ang bumili ng aso para sa kanya ay ayos lang sa akin para lang mapasaya ko ang aking pamangkin.

"Mommy, Tito Gio will tell you something!" Arianne excitedly told Ate Ariana before running beside Gio.

Nagtaas naman ng kilay si Ate Ariana kay Gio at mukhang kuryoso kung ano ang sasabihin ng aking asawa sa kanya lalo na't tuwang-tuwa ang kanyang anak.