Chapter 42 – Harana
Rein’s P.O.V.
“What’s the noise all about??” I asked sleepily. I muttered a curse when I remembered that we were all on the living room space on the second floor of the house. We were fixing the custom made invitations for my sister’s wedding and I guess we all fell asleep after we finished 3 bottles of champagne. Still not opening my eyes, I tapped Daniel’s arm that’s wrapped around my waist, pulling me tight against him. “Daniel…”
“Hmmmm??” I felt him nuzzle his nose against the crook of my neck.
“Can you please tell Seth to turn the music down?? Its too loud.” He groaned.
“Seth!!” I heard Daniel called out. I’m guessing he’s too sleepy to stand up and tell Seth quietly. “Seth!!!.... Rein, natutulog din si Seth.”
We both sat up straight and saw Bliss and Bryan curled up in the Persian rug while Safe and his fiancée was in one of the single couches. Seth on the other hand, was slumped against the table. Unfortunately, Daniel woke everyone up because of his loud voice.
“What the hell is your problem, Daniel?? Kailangan talaga sumigaw??” Seth complained while he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.
“I thought you were playing the music.”
“Well, I’m not. I’m also sleeping. And that music… is not my genre.” He snapped.
Before we could say anything else, Bliss ran to the balcony and opened its sliding doors. The song is now clearly heard and I recognized it as one of Hunter Hayes’s songs. One of my favorite’s too.
But instead of hearing Hunter Hayes’s voice to his song, Wanted, I heard another familiar voice. “Ate! You should come and see this.” Bliss exclaimed while she tried to stop herself from laughing.
With curiousity, we all stepped outside the balcony and saw Blake with a band while singing. He looked really cute in his v-neck shirt and torn jeans while holding his mic. My lips betrayed me and I couldn’t help but to smile at his cuteness.
Blake’s P.O.V.
We already finished the bottle of champagne I bought when Daniel came down with Ian in his arms. The moment I saw my son, I wanted to hold him close to me. Its been weeks since I last saw him.
“Hi Blake. Hi Mom. Hi…” He stopped to yawn and rub his eyes with the back of his eyes then hugged back Daniel.
I waved my hand to him and Rein went to Daniel and took Ian in his arms.“Hi baby. Bakit ka nagising??”
“Eh kasi when I opened my eyes, I didn’t see you. Then I also looked at Daddy but he wasn’t there. I thought I lost my daddy again.” Daddy??
All of them looked at me then to Daniel who looked away. Of course, my son treated Daniel as his Dad afterall, he didn’t know who I really was. I felt my heart drop but I controlled my emotions and just gave them a faint smile.
“Okay. This is really awkward.” Rein broke the silence and laughed softly. “Ian, say good night to them and Daddy’s going to tuck you into bed. You’re going back to sleep. Late na oh.”
“But I don’t want to…” Ian complained but Rein whispered something to him. He frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I’m not sleeping without you. I want you and Daddy beside me.”
“I still have to talk to Blake, Ian. Go to sleep.”
“No!”
Daniel was about to take Ian back upstairs while he frowning and whispering things to Daniel. “I would like to tuck Ian into bed. May I?”
They all looked at me like I’ve said something offensive but Rein said yes. Ian and I went upstairs. He told me where their room was. True enough, the three of them were staying in one room like a real family with their things arranged beside one another.
I felt jelousy stab me. Everything Daniel was experiencing with my family is supposed to be mine. I should be the one whom Ian was calling Dad. I should be the one sleeping beside them. But I pushed aside those thoughts when I saw a picture of the three of them back in Central Park. They looked like a family more than us.
“Why did you tuck me into bed??” He asked suddenly.
“Wala lang. I just wanted to do something nice for your Mom.”
“Do you like her??” I just smiled as my reply. “But she has Daddy Daniel already and I like him for her.”
“Of course you do.” I kissed his forehead. “And you should sleep.”
“You know, my Mom had an accident earlier. She cut her finger with a cutter then I started crying because there’s a lot of blood… then she told me about my Dad… I mean my real Dad.” I sat closer now. I wanted to know what he knows about me although I can’t imagine what’s my relationship with a cutter. And blood. “She told me to stop crying because accidents happen and its not always bad. Then she told me this story… Her story and my dad’s. Not actually all of it but she told me why he left.”
“Can I hear that story??”
Ian nodded and hugged the comforter closer to him. “She just told me this part when they went to Europe eh. Oh, and mom described my Dad too! Sabi niya he is gwapo like me and he has many cars. Although she also said that he is mayabang.” I couldn’t help but to smile. Rein never forgets to say that I’m mayabang. “Mommy told me how my Dad loves her so much pero an accident happened. My real daddy didn’t want to have kids and then they had me. I was the accident my mom was telling me. My dad got mad then he told her that… I forgot what my dad told mom.”
“That their relationship isn’t going anywhere? That they should end it?”
“Oh, you’re good! How did you know???” I just smiled at him.
“Sleep ka na.” I watched Ian as he fell asleep. At the back of my mind, the memory of that night kept on replaying with my guilt almost drowning me.
I took a last glance at my sleeping son and stepped out of the room. I went back to the kitchen to see only Daniel and Rein were left. “Tulog na si Ian??” Rein asked while she was eating a salad with Nutella in it and I swear it’s really weird. First, Rein didn’t like eating in the middle of the night and second, she didn’t like Nutella. I just nodded to her question. “That was fast.”
Daniel told us that he would go out for air muna and left us. I had my time to just simply look at my wife. No offense, she’s not getting fat pero parang she gained a little weight since when we were in New York. When she noticed me staring at her, he took a piece of green vegetable in her fork and dipped it in Nutella and gestured it to me. “Want some?? This is really good.”
I looked at her with a confused look. Instead, lumapit siya and placed the fork right in front of my lips kaya napilitan ako na isubo. I forced myself to swallow it even though it tastes really, really bad. “Rein, bakit ka kumakain ng ganyan? Its not even a good combination.”
“It is!! Ang sarap kaya! Carrots and Nutella is even better.” I forced a smile kahit medyo nawi-weirduhan ako sa mga gusto niya. Nagulat ako when she quickly put the plate in the breakfast bar and held on the edge with a hard grip. She closed her eyes shut.
“Rein??”
“I’m okay. Nahilo lang ako bigla.” She smiled and suddenly okay na ulit siya.
“I think I should go home and you should go back to sleep.” It dawned me that I probably disturbed them in their rest and that I should go. Her smile faded.
“Yeah… Maybe I should.”
“Good night.”
“Blake!” I was nearly at the living room when I heard her call me. Pagkatalikod ko, I was surprised to see her near me. “Uhhhmmm… thanks for… for the champagne… and thanks for all the effort. “
“That wasn’t a problem. I’ll do everything for you.”
“Sorry for what Papa did to you a few weeks ago. I didn’t expect for him to do that and… I didn’t know he is that mad at you.”
“Its okay. I’m still alive and standing in front of you. Just had a few bruises but I’m fine.” She laughed.
And complete silence. This was supposed to be the part where we hug and kiss but I knew that wouldn’t be possible now.
To my surprise, the impossible just became the possible. She wrapped her arms around me tight until I did the same. Our bodies were close that I could feel her heartbeat against my chest. “Good night, Blake.” She said softly.
I can say those lips of her are really tempting but I resisted the urge to kiss her. I didn’t want to take advantage of the moment. Instead, I kissed her forehead and said one last good bye.
“So, Ian called you Dad.” I said to Daniel once I saw him outside. Suddenly, he became tensed when he faced me.
“Look, I don’t intend to replace you in Ian’s life. Sorry kung right now, I am living your life. Let me just clear one thing Blake, you’ve done enough damage in Rein’s life and I’m willing to do everything to make things better.”
“Oh, that’s good. That’s if you plan to live your whole life being my wife and my son’s second choice.” I said sarcastically.
“I may be their second choice but I was never the one who abandoned them.” I was supposed to say something else but I know that we were only testing each other’s temper. We were smirking at each other.
Napailing nalang ako. “I didn’t abandon them, they left me. And you should know that in the eyes of the law and of everyone else, I’m still the legal husband and father and ikaw, you’re just someone who’s trying to ruin everything.”
“Don’t be so sure, Blake. Madaming nagagawa ang media. May the best man win.” We shook hands and without saying anything else, we parted ways.
And since I did harana to Rein just a few hours ago, I believe I gained a point. But since he’s sleeping with my family tonight, that makes us even.
Blake – I
Daniel – I
But seriously, Nutella in a vegetable salad?? Is that even edible?? I still can’t get my mind off Rein eating that stuff.