Something That Will Last

7 // Careful, You Might Tell the Truth

Bad shot! Again!

"'Wag ngayon, please," I pleaded with a roll of eyes.

Halos mag-break dance na ako habang karga si Baby Juju para lang mapatahan siya. He's already holding his milk bottle. I don't know what's wrong now.

"Jules said not to miss any moment. And this," tumigil siya para ngumisi. Muli, ay itinaas niya ang camera sa kanyang mata at itinuloy ang sasabihin, "is definitely a moment."

His camera flashed. Napakagat na lang ako sa labi ko dahil sa frustration. Pumadyak ako at mabilis siyang tinalikuran.

So, he already knew what to do. To just click and click and click. I didn't have to talk to him about that anymore.

Good! Because God knows that talking wasn't really possible with us.

Baby Juju struggled to move so he could look at something behind me. Nang inikot ko iyong katawan ko para sana tingnan iyon ay malakas na naman siyang umiyak.

Okay, sabi ko nga! So I twisted my body back again so that he could see what he wanted to see. Now he's surprisingly calm!

I'm thankful, but what was it ba?

"Hi, Juju on da beat! You like my shirt?" bibong sabi ni... oh, wow!

"Jerkrick, I swear... 'wag mong paiiyakin ito!"

Inosente siyang napahalakhak. "What? Ako nga ang nagpatahan sa kanya. Look, he's reaching for my shirt."

I made an effort to look without tearing my nephew's gaze away from him. Juju's short arms were really reaching for the shirt, with his cute little fingers clawing as he tried. Apparently, the design on the shirt caught his attention.

I let out a small laugh. What. A. Cutie!

"I can hold him for a while," he offered.

As usual ay ready na akong tumanggi, but then I heard a very familiar voice from behind. So I panicked. Mabilis kong nailipat si Baby Juju sa braso ni Jerkrick.

"You gotta be careful, Vie..." kumento niya. "This is a real-life baby. Pamangkin mo pa."

Nanginginig na ako. Hindi ko na mapansin-pansin ang sinasabi niya dahil sa presensya ng taong hindi ko gustong makita ngayong araw... o kailan man.

"I will look for Lenard," I heard Tita Lar said. "Please, find a seat first. Babalikan ko kayo kasama siya."

"No worries, Tita Lar! Maybe I'll find Lenard later instead so I could greet him and Juju," the familiar voice answered.

Here he was again with that lively voice of his. That voice and personality always worked well with the elders. Because, of course, who wouldn't want a respectable and lovable guy for their daughters, right?

I understand that segment, but never the part where he—

"Oh, there's Viennica, Wyatt," I heard Tita said.

Here's we go...

Jerrick was just watching me turn pale white. He was so distracted being confused he got taken aback when I snatched his camera, taking the lanyard over his shoulders.