"Papa... story.." My 6 years old baby girl looked at me with her doe like eyes.
"It's time for bed.." I said as I pulled her covers.
"Story!" She whined.
I had to laugh. She tries so hard to give me a deadly glare but it's not quite right.
"Araseo.. What do you want? Princess stories? Knights? Or faries?"
My daughter shooked her head so hard I'm afraid it would snap!
"You and Omma..."
"Baby haven't you heard it all already?"
"I want more! I want more!"
"Araseo! Just like your omma.. won't take no for an answer... So what story do you wanna hear?"
"The first time you met Omma."
I had to smile to that story. It's actually one of my favorite.
"It was a rainy night when I saw your omma...."
She was standing alone and cold on the bus stop, one rainy night. I recognized her since I saw her a couple of times outside the apartment building. I don't know what came over me..
I stopoed my car and opened the window.
"Excuse me. Do you need help?"
She looked at me in shocked. She looked at her sides and behind. Then back at me. I tried not to smile.
"Me?"
I nod. "Do you need a ride?"
"Ani.. I'm waiting for someone." She replied.
"Ok... just to let you know.. taxis rarely pass this road. Because it's too dark..."
Her wide eyes got bigger.
"You're joking.. right?"
"Ani.. it's true.. this is not a great neighborhood to be honest.."
I can't stop myself.
"If you really don't need any help. I'll go ahead.. goodluck!"
I started to count in my head as I close my car window..
"7...6...5..." I whispered to myself.
"Excuse me!" I saw a hand stopped my window.
"Yes?"
"Can you... drop me off at the nearest subway?"
"They're already close at this time."
She bit her lower lip. I knew she was fighting with her inner self right now. Debating if she should stay or take the risk and ride in a car of a stranger.
"Wth..." I barely hear her say. She opened the door and slide inside.
"Thank you.."
"No problem."
"Papa.. you are so...chiv...chiv.." my daughter scratched her head while t hinking of the word.
"Chivalrous?" I offered.
"Yes!"
"Word for the week?" My daughter nod.
I laughed. "You're omma shouldn't teach you big words yet."
"Omma said it will help me when I started school."
"Ok.. do you wanna hear more?"
She crawled over me and sat on my lap.
"Ok.. where were we? Oh yeah... she slide inside my car...."
The ride to the apartment was a quiet one. With evey turn and road I take. She keeps on looking at me. Confused.
"Umm.. We live at the same apartment building." I explained. You can literally see her breath in relief.
"Is that why you stopped?"
I nod.
"Yah! You should have said that from the start! You scared the living sh*t out of me!" She yelled at me.
I looked at ny daughter and cleared my throat. I changed the curse in to the word "shell".
"Omma said Shell? Why?"
"Omma said a very bad word. Something you shouldn't be saying or hearing."
"Omma said a bad word?" My daughter's eyes widen.
"She used to... but not anymore."
"Good. Then what happened Papa?"
"Well I looked at her.....
I looked at her in shocked. Where was the timid girl I see around? She curse too?!"
"God! I thought my heart would explode in fear the minute you stopped the car! How could you do that!?"
"Me? I didn't want to come off as a stalker.."
"And a stranger offering a female a ride in the middle of the night is better?"
"Well... you're here now right? So it worked?" I smirked at her.
"Yah! Don't smile!" She yelled at me. But I can't help it.
"I told you not to smile!" I was so focused at her I almost didn't see a motorcycle cut us off! I had to break so suddenly that she didn't had time to brace herself. So I extended my arm to stop her from hitting the dashboard! My hand landed on her right bre..."
I had to stop my story there.. I looked at my daughter who was waiting for the rest of the story.
"Then papa?"
I cleared my throat and started to speak.
"Umm.. I extended my hand to stop her from hitting the dashboard. I had to hold on to her shoulder."
Ok.. that was close.
"Papa! You saved Omma!"
"I did! That's when you Omma fell in love with papa!"
My daughter stood up and jumped up and down on her bed yelling yehey!
"Little Monster shouldn't you be sleeping?"
We both looked at the door to see my wife leaning against the frame. Smiling at us.
"Omma!" My daughter screamed as she ran to her mother. I walked behind her
"You're home." I said to her, she smiled at me and gave me light kiss on the lips.
"Eewww! Omma and Papa sitting in the tree K-I-S-S... something. Something." I eyed my wife in confusion.
"Cars..." my wife whispered at me. I nod as I vaguely remember a tow truck singing the exact song.
"Ok princess time for bed." I said to my daughter as I took her from my wife and went to her bed.
"But our story!"
"We still have tomorrow baby. Mommy will finish it for you. Unlike SOME people I know. I can remember that night well. I'll tell you everything tomorrow."
I laughed softly.
For a few seconds our daughter pouted then smiled.
"Ok Omma. Goodnight!" We each gave her a kiss and a hug and turned off her light before heading to the door. As soon as we were out of sight I grabbed my wife for a tight hug!.
"I miss you..." I whispered.
"Me too.. Sorry work was H*ll tonight. But it was a good thing I came home just in time for your stories."
"You heard?"
She nod.
"Ow! Yeobo! Apa!" I jumped in pain as I held my side where she pinched me.
"I fell in love with you that night huh?" She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest.
"Didn't you?" I said as I took a step back.
"Ani.. that's not how I remember that night.."
I took another step away from her.
"As I remember it, and believe me my memory never failed me before... you suddenly extended your hand infront of me..."
He suddenly shot his arm across me to stop me from hitting the dashboard. I was so surprised!
"Are you ok?" He asked me
All I did was nod. I suddenly realized the weight of his hand on top of my left chest!
"YAH!!" I looked at his hand and the him. I saw the horrified expression he had as he stared where his hand was placed.
"Im sorry!"
"Take you're hands off me you perv!"
He immediately withdrew his hand and placed it on his lap. In his confusion he suddenly bowed his head to say sorry but he hit the steering wheel hard instead!
I can't help but laughed out loud as he looked at me with a pain expression.
"Apa..." he moaned.
"That's what happened that night. It was the LEFT breast. Not right.
"Really.. I can't remember.." I chuckled at the memory.
"Well I do. It was my chest you were holding."
I can't help but laugh.
"I did remember how you nursed me back to health."
I said as I stepped closer to her this time.
She laughed. "Nursed back to health? You're such a baby! It was only a bump!"
"A very special bump. It broke the ice between us." I said as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
"Really? Yeah.. I think you're right... thanks to that bump. I got myself a husband."
"And I got myself a pretty wife.. Saranghe Yeobo..."
"Me too... I love you.."
I smiled at her as I leaned over for a kiss.