Days passed by in a blur, today is the day that Abegail is returning home with Aurora. Since her daughter is still under medication the hospital will only allowed an ambulance to take her child to the airport which she doesn't really mind.
"Apo, Gwen is already here." Julia knocked on her room while she was checking if she missed anything.
"I'll be out in a minute Lola." Abegail fixed her bed.
"Give this beanie to Aurora I promised I'll make her the last time I visited her." Julia hands her crochet beanies.
"I'm sure she will like this beanie thanks Lola." She placed it inside her carry-on luggage.
"I will miss you both dearly but at least Aurora will get to meet her other Lolo and Lola." Julia was now in tears.
"I know they even claimed they have apo that they can spoil with I just felt bad leaving you because of the arrangement." Abegail wiped her grandmother's wrinkled face.
"I will be fine just take care of my apo and yourself too." Julia hugged her.
"Always Lola I better take this luggage out before Gwen decided to kill me with this." Abegail switched her eyes to the ground.
"Don't forget to message me you have my FB, Viber and Skype." Julia named the apps that sound unfamiliar to Abegail's ear aside from FB.
"Of course I will." Abegail go along with it.
"Have a safe trip apo." Julia kissed her one last time before both of them head downstairs.
As soon as she loaded the luggage she hugged her Grandmother one last time and promised to call her. When they are totally out of the street, she composed herself and called the hospital to prepare her daughter for departure. Thank God she and Gwen already fixed the papers two days prior to the day. As soon as Abegail head to Aurora's room, she was there to help her being transfer to the ambulance. She was with her inside the van while Gwen followed them with the other car. An hour drive passed Gwen and Abegail are now standing outside the airport while waiting for Aurora to be unloaded from the ambulance. Soon a medical assistance wheeled her daughter to them.
"I can't believe one month already passed and now you're going back to the Philippines with a daughter." Gwen watched Abegail attends to her daughter.
"I didn't know my life will change that fast but I'm not complaining. Aurora is the best thing that came out from all of this." Abegail smiled.
"I will not forget those days that we are both interns in the hospital where you always find me hiding inside the supply room sleeping." Gwen giggled from the memories.
"I know at least those days are not boring and I'm just as lucky as you are because you're always taking the blame everytime we go to the bar and Lola will lecture you instead of." Abegail joined her giggling friend.
"Call me okay? I don't care what time it is and don't forget me on your wedding invitation as the Maid of Honor." Gwen slipped the word in front of Aurora.
"Wed-ding?" Aurora interrupted.
"It's the day you will meet your new Daddy." Gwen was first to crack and Abegail nudged her.
"Ne-w Dad--dy." Aurora knitted her eyebrows with confusion.
This time Abegail spoke in their language that only them can understand. Aurora can only watch animatedly as her mother and Aunt talks like an alien.
"Why did you tell her that?" Abegail glared at her but not enough to hate her best friend.
"Your daughter is smart sooner or later she will meet him so its better she hear it now." Gwen countered.
"I me-et Dad-dy?" Aurora once again breaks their conversation.
Their foreign language was cut short but Abegail was once saved by the bell when the announcement pitched in.
"All passengers of Philippine Airlines bound for Manila. Please proceed to the boarding area. Thank you."
"Oops! That's us Princess we better go now and bid goodbye to Aunt Gwen." Abegail was more than relief after that.
"B-ye Aun-ty Doc-tor." Aurora waved at Gwen.
"Bye sweetcheeks. You take care of yourself and Mommy okay." Gwen bends down on Aurora.
"Ye-s Aun-ty Doc-tor." Aurora smiled.
"I'll miss you sissy." Abegail's turn to bid her farewell and both of them started to cry.
"Me too and this little sweetcheeks. Take care both of you." Gwen hugged her best friend for the last time.
A minute later a crew approached them and assisted them until they went to the special lane. She was advised that their ticket was upgraded from economy and they are now sitting in the business class section. She managed to befriend with the cabin crews and tells her that it's a privilege for children who are travelling with some medical assistance. Inside the aircraft Abegail instructed her daughter to remain seated while she placed their hand luggage to the compartment.
"Are you ready to ride the airplane Princess?" Abegail strapped first and then Aurora's seatbelt.
"Mom-my I'm af-raid." Aurora's voice is little shaky.
"Mommy is right here you don't have to be afraid you're my brave little girl." Abegail encouraged her.
"Br-ave gi-rl." Aurora somehow relaxes after that.
"Just take deep breaths with me." Abegail hold her hands.
"De-ep bre-ath." Aurora repeated to herself.
"I have a secret and don't share it to anybody okay?" Abegail took the small candy wrapper out of her pocket.
"Gu-ms." Aurora figured what it is.
"I will let you eat it while we are flying." Abegail opens the pack.
"It-s ba-d fo-r tee-th." Aurora put her little arm on her waist.
"Well we can have an exemption today because if you eat this your ears won't hurt and you won't feel pain." Abegail give her the packet.
"Yo-u ta-ke o-ut pa-in." Aurora is still not taking the bait.
"I can't take the pain away Princess because Mommy needs to eat it too for my ears." Abegail take one and eat it.
"Yo-u a-re Doc-tor." Aurora defended her argument.
"Yes I am Princess but this gum will help us it's like a medicine." Abegail chewed the gums for her to be more convinced.
"Gu-ms no-t medi-cine." Aurora giggled.
"Oh God! I'm running out of explanation with you. Why does my child have to be a smart one?" Abegail talks in her own language again.
"Wh-at Mom-my?" Aurora has creased on her forehead.
"I said you are very smart." Abegail interpreted to her.
Few attendants and passengers heard them and they are entertained how a child at her age can have logical arguments to everything. Imagine a mother being lectured more like scolded by a seven year old is an adorable sight to hear and see.
"Your daughter is amazing I can't help but listen to your conversation. How old is she?" The lady passenger pondered.
"She's actually seven." Abegail makes conversant with her.
"She's very smart at her age." The lady gave her input with a smile.
"Thank you." Abegail returned the kind gesture to the lady and returned in convincing her daughter.
On the other aisle a man was also watching them and he approached the mother when she speaks the same language as he is.
"The woman is right she is smart kid." He speaks on their language.
"Oh Gosh! You're also a Filipino." Abegail smiled at the man.
"Do you mind if I try to convince her?" He offered and Abegail will gladly allow him for her daughter's sake.
"Hi sweetie!" The guy went to her Aurora's side.
"H-i." Aurora's voice is timid and shy.
"You know I don't like gums too but if we don't eat a little monster will crawl out of your ears. Do you like that?" The guy touched her ears softly.
"N-o." Aurora went wide eyes while shaking her head.
"Then here you go take one and eat it when the airplane starts flying okay." The man took the gum on Abegail's hand.
"O-kay." Aurora instantly chewed them without a fuss.
"Mabuhay! This is your Captain speaking please proceed to your seats and fasten your seatbelt as we prepare for take off. Maraming Salamat po! (Thank you very much)! " The announcement ended.
"I better go back to my seat." The guy speaks fast.
"Thank you." Abegail watched him walked away.
All throughout the flight Abegail didn't see the guy since she was also dozing off after Aurora. Once in a while she will get up and do her toilet breaks and checked on her daughter but other than that it was a smooth flight. Abegail woke up with a small nudge from the cabin crew telling that they were about to land. Abegail thanked her and put on the seatbelt once again and started waking up Aurora.
"Princess you need to wake up now, we are landing very soon." Abegail slowly wakes her sleeping daughter.
"W-e se-e Gran-nies?" Her daughter asked while scratching her eyes.
"They will be waiting us in the hospital since the Airport is very far from where they live Princess." Abegail helps Aurora on her seat.
"Hos-pi-tal a-gain?" Aurora pouted.
Her poor child is probably having a traumatic experience with all the tests she was doing but it needs to be done.
"We need to stay there for awhile Princess but as soon as you are very much healthy we will go home, I promise." Abegail tried to cheer her.
"W-e se-e Dad-dy to-o?" Her daughter's sudden curiosity made her freeze.
It was then Abegail thanked the Attendant who cuts in saving her from her daughter's inquest. As soon as the plane landed the Attendant assisted them to the baggage cartel and after getting their luggages they were guided to special lane where an ambulance is waiting. Abegail immediately called her parents as soon as they are settled inside the ambulance.
"Mom, we just landed and now on our way to the hospital. Thank you for arranging the ambulance for your apo." Abegail smiled as she talks to her Mom on the other line.
"What ambulance?" Her mother's disordered voice.
"Didn't you call the hospital about it?" Abegial asked in return.
"I didn't aren't you or Gwen supposed to be the one to arrange it?" Claire is still confused.
"It could've been Gwen and she forgot to tell me. Anyway I'll see you at the hospital Mom." Abegail cuts the line and called her bestfriend to ask this time about the transfer.
As expected she got the same reply and that leaves her to be disoriented until they reached the hospital. Good thing her daughter was back on sleeping as soon as she hits the bed of the ambulance.
"So any hot guys you met during the flight?" Gwen with her teasing tone asked.
"Yes he is also a Filipino but before you start interrogating me about his name and number I'm telling you I don't know." Abegail already read her friend's mind.
"You let a hot guy go again? He is the seventh man in a month!" Gwen almost wants to strangle her she thought to herself.
"I was interrupted by the Captain's announcement so I didn't have the chance to introduce myself or even him." Abegail heard shuffling on Gwen's background.
"What exactly happen?" Gwen is a type who wants every single detail.
"He helped me with Aurora regarding the bubble gum..." Abegail didn't skip anything when she told her the details.
"He sounds a very nice and a hot man!" Gwen was making coffee while her friend speaks from the other line.
"I checked him out and to be honest he is good looking but he seems younger than me. His hair is curly, black eyes and fair skin I think he is half Filipino and American since he got the accent." Abegail detailed once again.
"It would have been a nice journey if you knew his name." Gwen can only hope that her friend is like her when it comes to men.
"It still was, anyway I better go now we will be arriving shortly at the hospital." Abegail bids her goodbye and so as Gwen.
Around three in the afternoon they reached the hospital and Aurora was wheeled to a private room while Abegail signed the admission papers. Aurora is reluctant to let any nurse touch her since she only feels safe with Abegail. After Abegail pulled the needle out she hands the blood samples to the attending nurse. She thanked her and called her parents telling what room number they are.
After that she went to the coffee vendo machine when she heard some nurses conversing. It wasn't in her nature to eavesdrop but as soon as she heard her daughter's name she got alerted. That's when she finds out that it was Mr. Mortiz who arranged their hospital transportation and made a mental note to thank him. An hour passed her parents showed up after five months when they broke the news.
"Hi Dad! Mom!" Abegail rushed to her parents.
"Hi baby girl! How is the flight?" Her Dad was first to hug her.
"Flight was okay Dad although it took us seventeen hours but I'm thankful Aurora didn't throw a fit minus the gum incident." Abegail hugged her Mom after.
"Why?" Her Mom thinks over.
"She doesn't want to eat the gum even how many times I convinced her good thing there is a Filipino guy who offered to help me. In the end Aurora took his bait and I thanked him." Abegail shortly detailed what happened.
"Where is my apo?" Her Mom gave her a tight hug too.
"She's inside and I know you're excited to meet her too. Let's go." Abegail walk ahead of them.
"Of course we are Hija!" Her Mom looks expressed it all.
"Sweetie, there's someone who wants to meet you." Abegail gestured her parents to come in.
"Gran-nies!" Aurora greeted them enthusiastically.
While they were still in Arizona Abegail introduced Aurora to them and from then on Aurora likes them. They often chat through FB courtesy of her Lola or talks to her phone whenever she is up or the time is not really late.
"We have presents for you." Claire showed the stuff bear she was hiding from behind while her Dad was holding the balloons on the side.
"WO-W!" Aurora clapped her hands.
"Do you like them?" Mr. Reyes walks to Aurora's bed followed by his wife.
"YE-S!!" Aurora exclaimed.
"We also heard your brave story inside the airplane." Claire is now sitting on the chair near the bed.
"Tha-nk yo-u." Aurora's eyes were still on the gifts she got.
"You're very much welcome." Claire watched her new apo.
They were still catching up that neither of them noticed the visiting hours ended and Aurora is starting to fall asleep.
"Mom-my I wa-nt sle-ep." Aurora yawned.
"Then go sleep my princess." Abegail instructed her with love and care.
"Ni-ght e-very-one." Aurora spoke lowly.
"Goodnight apo." Claire kissed her forehead and so as Adam.
"St-ay Mom-my." Aurora held her hand.
"I'll be here when you wake up I promise." Abegail comforts while her daughter is closing her eyes.
"A-bu Mom-my." Aurora uttered.
"Abu too more baby." Abegail was emotional because it was the first time she heard it.
Abegail kissed her daughter's forehead and reminisce the day she told her that it means I love you. It was originally her father's when she was a little girl and having hard time pronouncing it.
"It's nice to know that you passed it on her." Mr. Reyes is smiling to her daughter.
"Yeah it's easier for her to remember so now there are three people who knew your secret Dad, Me, Mom and now your apo." Abegail teased her Dad.
"The more the merrier." Her Dad chuckled.
"I'm so proud of you Hija." Claire praised her daughter.
"I know you will be a very good mother." Her Dad added.
"Thanks Mom, Dad. By the way can you set me a meeting with Mr. Mortiz?" Abegail sipped the warm coffee.
"Actually baby girl their family already set up a lunch meeting two days from now." Claire notified her.
"Ah okay that's good at least I still have time to relax and spend more time with Aurora." Abegail put the reminder on her phone.
"I will text you the time so you can prepare then you can come with us." Her Mom offered.
"I just hope my arrival didn't leak the media I don't want to shock Aurora that her Mom was once a famous personality." Abegail softly giggled.
"Don't worry no one knew that you're back aside from us and the Mortiz family." Adam reassured his daughter.
"How about the wedding?" Abegail can feel the stress just by mentioning the word.
"We need to make it real in public so when the merger signed you will somehow face the press but we wil try to keep your identity as private as possible." Her Mom knew that it was the best solution that they can give to their daughter.
"We're sorry for putting you on this spot we know you love your private life in Arizona, the kids and your work." Her Dad can sense her fears.
"Speaking of work, I wonder what you told Wesley since you haven't told us." Claire question took Abegail off guard since she didn't talk about her former boyfriend.
"I broke up with him because I caught him with another woman." Abegail revealed to her parents.
"That guy will surely hear a lot from me, how he could do that to my baby girl?!"Adam suddenly wants to break the guy's neck.
"Love, tone your voice down you will wake our apo." Claire soothes him.
"Dad, Mom its okay I've been over that for a long time besides that's more than better since I don't have to tell him about the deal." Abegail explained.
"Yeah I guess you're right but still he doesn't have the right to do that." Adam agrees and a bit relax than earlier.
"Dad, Mom don't worry about me I already have come on terms with it so don't beat up yourself. Aurora made me realized the value of life and you also raised, taught me not to be selfless and reminds me to be humble I'm just applying it." Abegail holds her parents hands.
"Seems western life brings out the best in you baby girl we're proud to be your parents." Her mom says with a smile.
"You have grown to have the Eastern accent I'm surprised you can still talk our language fluently." Mr. Reyes noticed how fluent his daughter is.
"Of course Dad! I am still a Filipino wherever I go." Abegail placed a hand on her heart.
"Anyway we knew you're also tired from the flight so I'll stay here. You can go with your Dad since its Tatang Rolly's day off." Her Mom volunteered.
"It's been five years since last time that I talked to them how are they including Nanay Jena? I bet their apo Rhona is also grown up she was only two years old when I last saw her picture." Abegail remembers.
"They are fine and excited to see you especially Nanang Jena she has been uneasy when she heard you are coming home." Claire can tell her daughter longed for her long-time Nanny.
"I'm also excited to see them and eat Nanay Jena's pancake." Abegail really missed that even when she was in Arizona her Lola used to make it but nothing can compares to her Nanay.
"I'm sure she will be happy to know you're here. Anyway it's getting late you need to get going so you can rest well." Her Mom checked the time.
"Here's the key to your Condo it's already cleaned so you have nothing to worry about." Her Dad hands her the key.
It was her parent's graduation gift to her that Abegail only stayed for ten days before she left the country.
"Thanks Dad, Mom." Abegail took it and put in her pocket.
When they reached the parking her Dad insisted to drive since she's not familiar with the places anymore so she agreed with a fuss. They arrived two hours later and Abegail was too exhausted she went straight to her bedroom after bidding goodbye to his dad who will sleep on the guest room.
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••••• MJ Cristine