ROYALS

THE HEALER

"Baby," somebody called. Then I felt strong hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me in to snuggle. Napangiti nalang ako as I kept my eyes closed. I'm still not used to him being all clingy. It never fails to make me flustered. 

"Can we stay like this all day?" he mumbled on my neck in his bedroom voice. I opened my eyes and found him shirtless. 

"Where did your shirt go?" tanong ko sa kanya. He just groaned against my neck. 

"I don't know. You threw it across the room last night." 

Agad akong pinamulahan ng pisngi. "Mommy?" 

Bigla kaming napabangon ng higa nang marinig namin ang boses na iyon sa paanan ng aming kama. 

"Hi, sweetie!" Exene muttered as he saw our three-year-old daughter standing on the foot of our bed. 

"Are you wearing something?" bulong ko sa kanya and he just nodded and gave me a sheepish grin. 

"Mommy, can I sleep there?" she pointed towards our bed. Nagkatinginan kami ni Exene before we both nodded and smiled to our daughter. 

"Of course! Come here," Exene said. Agad naman umakyat si Annalise sa kama and settled in between us. She immediately snuggled to her dad, wrapping arms around him. "I love you, papa," she said. I gave both of them an incredulous look and Exene just gave me the smuggest look he could do. 

Annalise has always been close to Exene more than me. Though ako pa rin hinahanap niya if she's scared or anything. But when she's like this, comfortable and at ease, kay Exene siya naglalambing. I don't have anything against it. Natutuwa nga ako. Exene is good with kids and he always has a way to calm her down. 

"I saw flowers on my ceiling," she said as she pointed to the ceiling of our room. At three years old, she's already fluent in speaking. 

"Flowers?" tanong naman ni Exene. Annalise nodded innocently. They both know the child was talking about her dream.

"Flying flowers. Red flowers." 

Exene chuckled and kissed the top of our kid's head. "They must pretty." 

"Hmm." Annalise nodded. Then tumingin ito sa akin. "Mommy, what's your dream?" 

"Oh, I was in your mom's dream--" Hindi ko na pinatapos si Exene sa sinabi niya nang hampasin ko siya sa braso. Tumawa lang siya and then leaned to give me a kiss on the lips. 

"Pasyal tayo." The moment Exene said it, Annalise was squealing and jumping on the bed. Napailing nalang ako as I slowly stood up from the bed. 

Exene just gave me a smile. 

* * *

I was expecting we'd just roam around the city. One moment, we were just in the park and the next thing I knew, nasa Carnes na kami. I was sleeping the whole ride at paggising ko, I could already see the beach. Wala na si Exene at Annalise sa kotse and I looked around. It was when I heard giggles that I realized Lise and Exene were already playing at the beach. 

Napangiti nalang ako. 

I got out of the car at naramdaman ko agad ang lamig ng hangin sa aking mukha. Walang tao sa paligid and it was just Lise and Exene running around. Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako as I watched them rolling in the sand.

Lise was complaining about how dirty she was while Exene was just laughing. Nagpasya akong maglakad papunta sa kanila and that's when Exene noticed me. 

"Look who's awake, sweetheart," sabi niya sa anak namin. Dali-daling tumayo si Lise at tumakbo sa direksyon ko and hugged me tight. 

"Okay, now I'm all wet," I mumbled and Exene just gave me a knowing look before he said, "Well, that's not the first time." And then he laughed dahilan para panlakihan ko siya ng mata. I felt the heat rose to my cheeks.