The resonant notes of C reverberate throughout the walls of the Vallejo's Mediterranean Revival home. Three-year-old Mason trails after his Tamy Lea, his tiny fingers dancing across the keys of a majestic Steinway & Sons grand piano, strategically placed beside the sweeping grand staircase. For the last twenty minutes, he's been captivated by the enchanting melody created by his every touch.
"Good job, Macy!" Lea exclaims, her fingers delicately pressing another key, "this one is G," she tells him while gently pushing the said key.
Mason mimics her, pressing the same key with a sense of accomplishment, relishing in the notes he produces.
"Tamy?" Lea hums in reply, curious about his request. "Pway a song for Macy pwease?"
Lea giggles, well aware that she can't resist his requests. "Sure! What song do you want?"
Mason hums as if pondering deeply. Lea finds it endearing because she already knows what song he's after, given his recent penchant for tapping along to its beat. It's been driving them crazy in the most adorable way.
"Wife is a highway!" he exclaims, his enthusiasm ringing out.
Lea giggles, attributing the entire thing to Ian. Her best friend introduced the movie Cars to the little one, sparking an obsession with Lightning McQueen. This fascination led to an array of Hot Wheel toys and, thanks to the grandfathers, a toddler-sized Hummer and Mercedes Benz that Mason gleefully rides whenever he visits either of the houses.
Lea begins her online quest for the sheet music, determined to fulfill the little one's request. As soon as she starts playing the familiar tune, Mason's head bops in sync with the rhythm, as if he's hearing the song for the first time. Lea's voice joins the melody, and Mason's face lights up with delight as he chimes in, singing along with his Tamy in perfect harmony.
As the song comes to a gentle close, a resounding clap echoes through the room, signifying Mariana's arrival from the kitchen, accompanied by a helper carrying a tray of delectable snacks for the gathering.
"Wow, Mason! Your singing is as wonderful as your Tamy's!" The grandmother tells her only grandchild with affection. "I believe he inherited it from you," she tells Lea while playfully ruffling Mason's hair.
Lea chuckles, shaking her head in playful disagreement. "Oh, come on, Mama Yans. He definitely got his talent from you! You've always been the most incredible singer I know. Clearly, it runs in the family."
The older woman blushes in modesty. "But I'm so proud of how well you still play, hija. I haven't heard you play the piano in years!"
Lea shrugs. "Well, I learned from the best," she supplies nonchalantly.
"I'm delighted that I could pass on the talent." Mariana beams. "Ian was the most stubborn piano student I ever had to teach. I really hope Mason becomes a great pianist!"
"Mason wiww pway piano, Nana! Wike this!" Mason tinkers with the keys, as if showcasing his newfound skill, which prompts delighted giggles from the two ladies.
"Don't worry, Mama. I'll do my best to teach this little guy. He seems genuinely interested in music."
Mariana's smile widens. "Oh, by the way, I've really missed hearing you sing. Could you sing at our 50th wedding anniversary?"
"Mama..." Lea hesitates, as she hasn't performed in front of a large crowd in years.
"Please, hija?" Mariana holds her hand, her eyes earnest.
"Tamy sing for Nana?" Mason gazes at his grandmother, and Mariana nods. He turns to Lea, pressing his palms together, "Pwease, Tamy?"
Lea chuckles, recognizing Ian's influence in this pleading gesture, a behavior he clearly passed on to his son. "Alright, Mama. I'll do it for you and Tito Ed." Mariana claps in delight, and Mason follows suit.
"What's going on?" Ian's voice resounds as he approaches.
"Dada!" Mason hops off the piano bench and rushes to his father, who promptly scoops him up.
"Hey, buddy! How was your day with Tamy and Nana?" Ian inquires, having hurried through a meeting to join the family dinner at their home. He's taken aback to find Lea, his mother, and Mason gathered by the piano; they usually play in the garden during their visits.
"Tamy sang for Mason and Nana! Tamy pway piano for Mason," the boy responds to his father's query.
Mariana's hand lands on Lea's shoulder as she says, "Hijo, Lea agreed to sing at our wedding anniversary."
Ian grins and glances at Lea. "That's great, so you can finally put what Ma taught you to use."
Mariana's lights up. "Wait, I've got an idea! How about Lea sings while you play the piano?" she suggests, prompting an exchanged glance between the couple.
Lea protests. "Oh, come on, Mama Yans! That's not a good idea."
Ian scoffs at her and walks to the piano bench to push her a bit so he could sit beside her, with Mason still on his lap. "Seriously, labeling it 'not good' right away? Just because you're better at piano than me. I can play too!" Ian boasts and plays with the keys to sound a few notes from do re mi. He turns to his mother and winks. "Sure, Ma. I'll play, and Lea can sing," he says, earning an eye-roll from Lea.
"Mason can sing too!" The young boy blurts out, causing them all to erupt in laughter.
...
Rushing down the stairs, ten-year-old Lea inadvertently slams her bedroom door and dashes towards the front door, her backpack in tow. Tardiness is something she despises. However, just as she's about to make her escape, a voice calls out to her.
"Op op op! Where do you think you're going?"
Lea furrows her brows in annoyance and turns her gaze back to her eighteen-year-old sister, Lorna, seated on one of the couches, holding a telephone away from her face. She's pretty certain Lorna is deeply engrossed in a conversation with her friends once again.
She lets out a sigh. "I'm going to Ian's house, Ate."
"Why?" her sister inquires hastily.
"Mama Yans asked me to come. We have piano lessons today," Lea replies.
Lorna raises an eyebrow skeptically. "Are you absolutely sure it's Tita Mariana? Baka naman maglalaro lang kayo ni Ian. And have you finished your homework?"
Lea lets out a frustrated grunt. "Ate! It's a Saturday, and yes, I'm done with my homework. I finished it earlier."
"Just checking because if you're not done with your schoolwork, Mommy and Daddy will scold me," Lorna retorts. She's not fond of being supervised by her sister. Most often than not, she tends to be more uptight than their parents but whenever they are away, even if they have a nanny, Ate Lorna always ends up being in-charge, which is a pain on Lea's butt.
"I'm sure, Ate! Please, I'm running late!" Lea pleads, glancing at the clock.
"Fine! But you need to be back before dinner. I don't want to eat alone, and Daddy will call us."
"Yes, I remember, Ate. Can I please go now?"
"Alright, but take the driver with you."
"Ate!" Lea whines. "Ian's house is just down the street! I can easily bike there!"
"Will you take the driver, or will you stay home? I can easily call Tita Mariana."
"Ugh!" Lea groans. If her parents were around, they'd likely permit her, but it's her sister so... "Fine!" she concedes, merely to gain permission to leave.
Lorna smirks, triumphant, as she watches her sister begrudgingly call for the driver.
Lea arrives at the Vallejos' house and is just about to ring the doorbell when the front gate unexpectedly swings open, revealing an irritated Ian.
"Bakit ang tagal mo?" he chides, his annoyance evident. "It's already 3:15!"
Lea raises an eyebrow, taken aback by his ability to tell the time. "I'm here now," she asserts, gently pushing him aside as she strides past, him reluctantly following.
"Even so, you're late! Mama has already smacked my hand five times," he grumbles, wincing from the discomfort of enduring fifteen minutes of painful piano practice.
"Well, that's on you. You're not positioning your fingers correctly on the keys. And why are you waiting by the gate? Aren't you supposed to have started already?" Lea inquires, as it's usually the household helper or guard who opens the gate.
"Mom is on a call," he explains as they step through the front door. "So, why were you late?"
Lea sighs and turns to face him. "Ate Lorna!"
Ian's expression softens, and he lets out a resigned sigh. "Alright, I get it." If there's one person Ian fears, it's Lorna. But then, what ten-year-old is not afraid of a teenager?
They make their way toward the elegant staircase, leading to the grand piano that commands attention in the room. Lea gently places her bag on the floor and extracts her music sheets and a pencil, ready to jot down notes just in case. From her vantage point at the piano, she spots Mariana engrossed in her phone conversation. Just in the nick of time, Mariana looks up, and Lea's face lights up with an excited smile and a wave, which Mariana heartily returns.
Ian, on the other hand, feels a surge of happiness as Lea joins them. With Lea's presence, at least his mom will be occupied with teaching his best friend, leaving him free. He has a passion for music but finds playing the piano a bit dull. He's much more intrigued by the idea of playing the drums or strumming a guitar than deciphering notes on a sheet. Unfortunately, he's somewhat trapped, thanks to his mother's fame as an opera singer and pianist in the country.
"Hija, it's wonderful to see you here," Mariana approaches the pair, and Lea embraces Mama Yans with a warm hug.
"Sorry if I'm a little late, Mama Yans."
Mariana's smile is radiant as she guides them to the piano chairs. "No worries, sweetheart. Now, let's refresh our memory from last week, shall we?" She flips through the pages.
Lea eagerly assists in locating the page and points at it. "Right here, Mama. Beethoven's Fur Elise."
"Ah! Fantastic. I'm truly impressed by your dedication. Meanwhile, Ian is still perfecting his Minuet in G."
Lea steals a glance at Ian, who wears an expression of waning interest. Nevertheless, he manages to shoot her a playful, bored look. Lea understands that if given a choice, he'd be up in his room playing with his toys. But that can only happen once Lea finishes her piano lessons.
"Ian, you get to be Lea's audience for now. After this, it'll be your turn."
Ian sighs and nods. Lea starts and plays the piece flawlessly. Mariana applauds with genuine delight, and Lea's pride beams through her smile. "That was absolutely perfect, hija! I can't wait for Javier and Bella to hear you play. Now, why don't you take a peek at the next piece while it's Ian's turn?" She hands Lea a fresh sheet of music and motions for Ian to join her.
Lea can't help but giggle. She knows that piano lessons are not Ian's cup of tea and he's mostly just hanging around because she enjoys it (really, he enjoys it because his mother has someone else to teach instead of him). But hey, someone's got to take one for the team so she gets the lessons while he gets to skip them. Works just fine. Team victory.
...
"What the fuck is this?!" she bellows to the man standing across her desk, who is trying not to flinch from the bite of her words. "Mr Ramos, I am not paying you to hand me a piece of crap!"
The man visibly swallows and stammers in an attempt to explain. "A-ah kasi po ma'am, o-okay na daw p-pero nag iba ang g-gusto ng client last minute."
A stack of paper flies across the room.
"Bullshit!" her voice thunders, effectively silencing the entire team who are still standing frozen in their spots.
They have all dreaded this meeting. Everybody knows how cutthroat Lea Santiago is. Everybody is just as aware of how bad her temper can flare and when it does, it spares no one.
She points at the man, Mr Ramos. "You said that your team can handle this," she says slowly, every word bearing the weight of a dagger waiting to fly for the kill. "Mga tanga! This is a 20-million contract. Pag ito pumalya, ikaw ba magbabayad?!"
Nobody responds or says anything. They say it is never a good thing attempting to pacify a dragon. One might get burnt. They are right in this case.
"Punyeta! Everybody out of my sight and do not show your faces to me until you fix this mess!" She almost screams and everybody scrambles out of the office knowing that lagging behind is not an option, unless they want to get their head bitten off some more, as if the litany they got had not made them question the value of their entire existence.
Lea, on the other hand, huffs and turns on her swivel chair to face the Makati skyline that seems to be the only good thing in this office today. She hates incompetence, she hates failure. There is nothing more that ticks her off when people try to reason instead of finding solutions too. Words are just words, they aren't worth anything to her and if changing teams in the middle of the project wouldn't compromise, she would have fired those people already. They are being paid to cater to the client's requests for god's sake. They should be able to address it by themselves without it having to reach the executive floor (although to be fair, the reason why she knows it is because the client is her highschool batchmate who messaged her about a request to have it expedited. The whole explosion could have been avoided had Lea the patience but oh well... obviously, she doesn't have that).
She is massaging her temple in an attempt to dissolve a budding headache when she hears a knock from the door. "This better save the world or you're fired!" she shouts and really, she would've wanted it to go away but the door swung open and she turned around to see who it was, ready to throw another stack of paper at them when she realizes who it is, which garnered a raised eyebrow.
"What do you want, Ian?" she says to the man who is standing by the door, arms crossed and lips pursed, face all judgy. She rolls her eyes at him. "Are you here to waste my time?"
Ian heaves a sigh and walks towards the direction of her desk where he claims the chair adjacent to her table. "Alam mo ba kung ilang free coupon para sa restaurant ang nabigay ko sa mga empleyado mo ngayong buwan para hindi ka i-reklamo sa HR?" he scolds.
She scoffs at him and says haughtily, "And what is HR going to do to me? I own HR."
"Ha! 'Di ka takot sa HR pero matakot ka sa Labor oy! 'Pag ikaw talaga nakulong, bahala ka." Ian exclaims. She makes a face at him so he continues. "Bibisitahin naman kita pero 'di ka makaka survive doon. Walang aircon, mainit tapos 'di pa sila magluluto ng kung ano ang trip mo na kainin."
She smirks and shakes her head. "I have a team of pretty damn good lawyers on retainer, in case you forgot," she tells him in a tone ringing in condescension and a face morphed into an expression challenging him to scare her some more.
"Pano kung magresign lahat 'yan? Ano? Ikaw architect, ikaw na rin maging engineer, foreman at construction worker?"
She scoffs at him. "Maraming junior engineer na nag-aapply. They're all replaceable."
Ian sighs and shakes his head at her disposition. It's something he's been trying to work on, to get her to tone down a bit but obviously, he hasn't had much success in that department.
"Teka nga, nandito ka ba para sirain ang araw ko?"
Ian scratches his hair and slumps against the backrest of the chair, gesturing an open palm to the air as if admitting defeat. Then, he turns to look at her, wanting to knock her down a peg, "buti may nagkakagusto sayong lalaki? Ang sungit sungit mo! Kaya walang tumatagal sayo eh!"
Lea throws her head back in laughter and retorts. "Kung ikaw lang rin ang lalake," she says and points at him, "'wag na lang. Mamamatay nalang akong single."
Ian dons an expression of being affronted though he isn't really. At this point, this conversation has been going on for decades. Nothing she could say with her sharp tongue could faze him. "Bakit ang sungit mo sa akin lagi? Ang ayos ko naman makipag usap," he says, partly in jest.
She rolls her eyes at him yet again, sensing the lightness in his tone by then. "Why are you here nga kasi?! You should've brought something to eat para may kwenta ka naman."
Ian chuckles and pulls something from the seat across him which she didn't notice before. He places it on the table and pushes it towards her. "Ayan na mahal na reyna, dumaan ako sa Purple Oven. Timing may quiche kaya binili ko na."
Her face lights up visibly as she rummages through the package. "Thanks," she says and takes out the quiche from the box, certainly pleased. She takes a bite and smiles as looks at him. "So why are you here nga?" she asks, this time, voice lighter and generally more bait than a few minutes ago.
He shakes his head, pleased with himself. Oh diba, tumabla, he thinks. He knows her well enough to know that she'd be easily neutralized by good pastry. "I wanted to talk about Mason's upcoming birthday."
"You should've started with that," she says between bites, now pacified and ready to hear everything he has to say, surely softened by the mention of the darling little boy they have at home.
...
Over the years, they have developed a system to carefully balance their pseudo-family life with their extracurriculars— extracurriculars being dating. Should Lea be meeting someone, Ian will take care of Mason. If Ian is going out, Lea will take over. It's been like that in the past three years and oh boy, have it worked like a well-oiled machine.
It has been several weeks since Ian has gone out and surely, he is itching to go out which is why he is asking if Lea could watch Mason on Tuesday.
"May gagawin ka ba sa Tuesday?" he says between sips of wine. It's late and they are winding down. Or at least he is. Lea still has a blueprint laid out on the table which she is going through despite the hour.
She hums in thought. "Wala naman, why?" she asks without lifting an eye off the document.
"Would it be okay for you to watch Mason?"
And that gets her. She looks up, removes her glasses and flashes him a shit-eating grin. "Bakit?"
He shrugs. "I'm going out. Just around Poblacion."
She laughs knowing full well what he is planning to do. "Ang sabihin mo, tigang ka," she teases and well... maybe he is.
He shrugs, not denying anything.
Lea shakes her head while still laughing. "Oh siya, I'll look after Mason pero Christian Lucas, please lang naman," she continues in warning, "buy a fucking condom."
He throws a towel at her.
"Hey!" she exclaims and hits him back with the towel. "Asshole!" she exclaims and laughs even louder.
He leaves the kitchen grunting. At least he's free to go without having to worry about anything, even if it's at the expense of Lea making fun of him. Although he supposes it is the universe's way of making things even with him since he does a lot to her too for the longest time.
...
Lea is huffing by the time she climbs into Ian's car.
"Drive," she tells him as she buckles her seatbelt.
The boy, now nearly a man at 16, does as she bids and drives away.
"Why are you in a rush?" he asks while stealing a glance at the rearview mirror.
Lea heaves an irritated sigh. "I had to deal with dad pa kasi. Wouldn't allow me to go until I told him we were going to the arcade."
Except they were not. Lea is going on a date and Ian is the... scapegoat might just be the right word. Her dad has been clear from the very beginning: no boyfriends until she's graduated college. But she is Lea Santiago, she does what she likes and she gets what she wants, even if it's behind everyone else's back. Well, not everyone. Ian of course is complicit to every trouble she gets into, nevermind that they go to different high schools. Where she goes, it is very likely that he's the one who drives her there. So when she asked her Dad if she could go out to meet a friend and Javier got suspicious and did not allow her, of course she says she is meeting Ian and they are simply going to play at the arcade, what with her trying to best him in Donkey Kong.
But that's not at all true. She called Ian so she could go out without much question knowing that her family is used to the thought of her and Ian being tight and thick as thieves all the time. Although they might not be aware of how thick.
One call and all she says is SOS and he is driving to pick her up, having the instinctive feeling that she needs bailing out. And she kind of does. It worked like magic just like it does every single time.
"Saan ka ngayon?" he asks while the traffic is stalling.
She grins at him. "Cinema Square," she tells him excitedly.
He groans and shakes his head. "Who are you meeting?" he asks, just so he knows exactly who to go after in case things go sour.
"You know that guy from Letran I told you about? The one I met at the Insular Life Audi? It's him."
Ian nods. "Ano nga pangalan niya?"
"Andrew."
"Andrew what?"
Lea rolls her eyes at him. "Ano to? Spanish Inquisition?"
"Ako 'yong papatayin ng Daddy mo 'pag may nangyari sa'yo kasi tinakas kita so sino?" Ian retorts.
She huffs and answers, "Elizalde."
"Okay," he says and drives her to the walkway leading to the Cinema.
"Thank you!" she tells him and hops off of his car.
"Where do I pick you up later at saka what time?"
"Sa Nikko nalang mga around 6."
His head whips to her direction. "Anong Nikko ha? Hotel 'yon ah!"
"What?!" she exclaims. "We're getting early dinner after the movie," she says defensively.
Ian squints at her and says warningly, "Leedja."
"Ano?" she replies in challenge.
Sighing, he relents and warns her, "basta 'wag kang dumagdag sa populasyon," he says and watches her hop off the car with a triumphant grin before he speeds away.
...
The Manila traffic feels utterly unbearable, especially after coming from a site in Laguna. All the more that Lea tries to rush home as quickly as she can. It's her turn to look after Mason, and she also made a promise to her parents that they'd spend the night to enjoy some time with the little one before the grandparents embark on a trip.
As the elevator doors glide open, Lea hurries into the penthouse. "I'm here! I'm here! I'm sorry!" she exclaims breathlessly.
"Tamy!!!" Mason darts toward her, eager to be picked up immediately.
Lea obliges with an animated grunt, "Wow, Macy! You're really getting heavy!" She playfully teases while showering the boy with affectionate kisses.
"Lakas kumain eh!" Ian remarks as he emerges from his bedroom, holding his chef's uniform in his arm. "I'll pick you up tomorrow so we can all have lunch at Mom's. What time is Mama Bel's flight?"
"Are Mamu and Papu widing the airpwane?" Mason interjects, already understanding parts of the conversation.
Lea grins. "Yes, sweetheart. That's why we're spending the night there. They want to hang out with you!"
"Yay! Mason sweep next to Mamu and Papu!"
Lea giggles and turns to Ian. "I believe the flight is around 12 noon. I'm pretty sure this little guy will want to give them a lift to the airport. So, we'll be back home before 10 am to give this munchkin a bath."
Ian enthusiastically agrees, "Sounds like a plan. Anyway, I need to head to the restaurant now. Come here, Mason." He approaches the pair, his son still cradled by Lea.
"Is Dada cooking?" Ian nods affirmatively. "Alright, Dada, pwomise to behave, okay?"
Ian lets out a hearty chuckle, "Of course, Sir! Dada will be on his best behavior, and you, my little champ, remember to be good with Tamy, alright?"
Mason nods, his tiny hands gently resting on Ian's cheek as he plants a kiss on his lips.
"Love you, buddy!" Ian expresses warmly.
Lea, watching the scene, can't help but smile at the exchange. She finds it endearing how Ian has grown more open with Mason, especially in expressing affectionate sentiments. It's been 3 years since they started coparenting, and it took them a lot of parenting coaches and various videos on child-rearing to actually get here. Not that all of them worked. Most of the time, they end up discovering things on their own, like how Mason cannot seem to part with his baby blanket. That's not in any manual they've read or watched so far.
"Love you too, Dada!" The little one responds, prompting Ian to pepper him with tickly kisses, thanks to his beard. Mason bursts into laughter. "Stoooop, Dadaaaa!"
"Alright, I'll stop. See you tomorrow." Ian stands upright, teaching his son about obedience.
"But wait, Dada!" Ian hums in response. "Where's Tamy's kiss?"
Sharing a knowing look, Ian and Lea exchange chuckles. Each day, they get amazed by Mason's growing cleverness while wondering where he picks up the quirks. Although they might not often display affection toward each other, since Mason's arrival, they've embraced the frequent kisses and hugs shared with him, so really, they aren't surprised by the question.
"Give Tamy a kiss, Dada!" Mason pleads.
Lea shakes her head, while Ian steps closer, planting a kiss on her cheek just to placate the boy. "You really need to stop teaching him these things," Lea remarks audibly for Ian.
Ian's chuckle fills the air, "I didn't teach him that. Baka ikaw pa nga! Besides, I appreciate how sweet and affectionate he is." He says before stepping back.
Suppressing an eye roll, Lea adds, "Alright, enough! Go na, and we'll see you tomorrow. I still need to pack his things."
Ian playfully ruffles his son's hair, repeating reminders before departing for work, while Lea prepares Mason's things for their staycation at her parents' house.
The rest of the day unfolds at the Santiagos' place. Javier makes a splash by joining the little boy for a swim, and it's clear the kid absolutely loves the water. He even asks when they're heading back to the beach house, getting a promise from his grandpa that they'll go after their vacation. Isabella steps up to the plate with a huge spread of food that could feed a whole village - not surprising, considering the way the boy devours his meal, just like his dad.
After dinner, Mason gets a bit fidgety, throwing a mini tantrum. He's tired but doesn't want to hit the sack just yet. That's when Lea steps in, sweeping him up and soothing him until he eventually drifts into a deep slumber.
Since Mason is already sound asleep and his grandparents prefer to have him in their room, Lea settles into her own room with the intention of getting some work done, after making sure that two huge pillows are placed on both sides of the child, that is.
Ever since Mason entered their lives, she's learned to make the most of his nap times to tackle her tasks. It's been a juggling act, she admits, but one that's incredibly gratifying, especially when Mason showers her with the boundless affection only a child can give. She likes to believe that Mason is her lucky charm, considering that more projects are starting to pour in for the firm.
As Lea diligently fires off emails to her team, a soft knock on her door and the faint creak of its opening pull her attention away. She turns to find Mason on the brink of tears.
"Hey there, why are you up?" Lea crosses the room in a couple of strides, gently lifting him up and settling them both on her bed. Mason is growing heavier, and her petite frame can only bear so much.
"Tamy..." he mumbles, and she responds with a soothing hum while her fingers gently twirl through his hair. "I want Bankee..."
Bankee, his baby blanket that's been his steadfast companion since infancy, especially during sleep. Lea assumes he's searching for it even within the realm of his dreams. She bought that blanket for him the moment they discovered he was truly Ian's child.
"Isn't Bankee with you?" she asks. He shakes his head. "Did you bring it?" He shrugs and groans. She sighs, "Okay. Stay here, and let me check your bag." She sets him down on the bed and inspects the bag she packed earlier. She distinctly remembers placing it on top of the bag just a few hours ago, but apparently, it's not there.
"I want my Bankee, Tamy..." His tears are on the verge of falling, and the last thing Lea wants is a cranky toddler in the middle of the night.
She sighs. "Can you stay here while Tamy checks the car? Maybe we left it in your car seat." She knows the child is quite curious and might have fiddled with it.
"I want to come with you, Tamy," he pleads, his big, teary eyes tugging at her heartstrings.
She looks at him, unable to resist his plea. "Fine, c'mon." She scoops him up and retrieves her keys from her desk. They quietly descend to the garage, mindful not to wake the sleeping household. At the car, she sets him down, but after a thorough search, Bankee is nowhere to be found.
"It's not here, love." She's frustrated but seeing Mason's distress prompts her concern even more.
"Tamy... I want my Bankee..." he starts to cry, and Lea immediately scoops him up.
She sighs, wondering how to calm him down. The only solution she can think of is returning to their condo. She checks the time; it's already 10:30 in the evening. A roundtrip drive will take around 20 minutes. At this point, she's just yearning for a sleeping child so she can finally get some rest.
"Stop crying, honey. We'll find Bankee back home, okay?" she reassures him, and he instantly wipes his tears. "Promise me you won't cry anymore." Mason nods, and all she can do now is strap him into his car seat.
True to form, there's no traffic at this late hour, and they arrive at the condo swiftly. The elevator bell chimes, and as usual, Mason dashes out, with Lea following close behind.
As Lea gets engrossed in some mail she found on the console table, she hears Mason's small voice.
"Dada?"
Dada? Why did he say Dada? Lea's head snaps up when she sees what Mason is witnessing. She rushes to where Mason is, scooping him up and shielding his eyes. "What the fu–" she catches herself before she could actually curse, remembering that they have a toddler who seems to pick up on every little thing they say. "–udgee bar?!" she exclaims at the startling sight before her. She does her best not to curse in front of Mason, but in her head, she is going ballistic.
There, atop the couch, is Ian, getting cozy with a woman Lea has never seen before in her life.
Ian immediately disengages, pushing the girl he's been kissing away from him upon hearing Lea's voice. They all stand there in shock, the situation sinking in. He gazes at Lea, who's still guarding Mason's eyes, though the child is clearly trying to remove her hands. Is he seeing a ghost?
"What are you–"
"Christian Lucas?!"
Mason giggles. "Tamy! Dada has fudgee bar?"
They get stopped by a shriek. "Oh my god! You're married?" The woman's voice cuts through his words. Ian looks at her, poised to explain, but the woman rises while adjusting her bra strap and dress.
"Wait! Wait!" he interjects, "It's not what you think -"
"Tamy, I want fudgee bar," Mason whines and tries to remove Lea's palm covering his eyes, curious to see what's happening. They seem to be having fun. He wants to have some fun too! "Dada?" Mason's interruption leaves Ian perplexed.
The woman is already slipping on her shoes, hurrying to put them on. "You even have a child! Oh my god! What did I put myself into?!" She grabs her bag, approaching Lea swiftly as she heads for the elevator. "I'm sorry.. I'm really sorry. I'm not a homewrecker or his mistress."
Lea bites her lip, attempting to process everything while suppressing laughter.
The woman manages to hit the elevator button, and it opens promptly. Ian is still trailing behind, trying to get in. "Wait! Hold on, Cheska!"
The woman steps into the elevator, frustration and annoyance etched across her features as she presses the close button. Ian wants to join her, but he's a tad too late. The last thing he hears is, "It's Chelsea, you asshole!"
As the elevator doors close, Lea erupts into boisterous laughter, finally releasing Mason to the living room, assured enough that the scene they arrived at seemed to have only been beginning, so there are no... disgusting fluids just yet. Ian walks back to where she is and lightly tugs her hair, irritated by her teasing.
"Panira ka ng gabi, Leedja!" He makes his way to the kitchen to grab a bottle of beer.
Lea, unfazed by the hair pull, continues to laugh heartily and follows him.
Pissed, Ian exclaims. "Can you stop it? Ano ba kasing ginagawa niyo dito? Weren't you supposed to be sleeping at your place?"
Lea wipes the tears of laughter from her eyes. "Well, I didn't know you'd be home early! It's a Saturday night; you're usually at the restaurant around this time! So, it's not my fault!"
Ian takes a swig from his beer. "Hindi mo sinagot ang tanong ko."
Lea is about to respond when Mason bursts out of Ian's bedroom, shouting in happiness, "I found it, Tamy! I found Bankee!" All eyes turn toward the excited child, hugging his beloved blanket.
Lea looks at Ian. "There you go. That's the answer to your question," she says, still amused at the entire thing.
Ian sighs in understanding and hands her a bottle. "I need a drink," he says as he takes another swig. Maybe two.
"Tamy?"
They both turn to the direction of an excited little boy who had Bankee wrapped around his arms.
"Yes, love?" Lea asks and slides the bottle to Ian so she could crouch and be eye level with the little boy.
Mason grins and says, "I want fudgee bar."