Ruru loves his children equally, really he does. And he firmly believes that there is no such thing as the 'favoured child' because they were treated equally. He also thinks that no one is better than the other because they both excelled in the things they did. Amir was a wonderful kuya and he excelled in his academics, he was graceful in martial arts, he had an eye for art, his mind was wondrous with poetry and story plots of his own, he's an amazing dancer and a wonderful singer. Noelle, like her brother, is a really fast learner, she was very good with words, her skills in martial arts were amazing, she danced captivatingly, and her singing voice was soothing and light. Their wisdom and ways of thinking were way beyond their age. His kids were special in his heart and could melt him in a snap of a finger.

   But there was something about Noelle that he really couldn't explain. He didn't love her more, but there really is something to her. With just one pout, he turns into goo. She hugs him and he's suddenly a teddy bear. One squeal and he becomes excited too. Maybe it was the undeniable charm she got from her mother or the EVERYTHING she got from her mother that he could not resist to the point where Kylie would have to remind him not to spoil her too much. Or maybe it's that father-daughter bond that Kylie always jokes about, he really did not know.

   That something is truly special, so if Noelle says they're having Filipino spaghetti for merienda again for the fifth time in a row, then so be it. Even if everybody else was getting umay.

   "Sweet spaghetti, yum, yum, yum," Noelle sang and swayed her hips from side to side. Kylie watched in amusement and chuckled.

   "Noelle, what are you doing?" Amir laughed.

   "Dancing."

   Kylie shook her head and connected her phone to the speaker on the kitchen island counter. She clicked on her jazz playlist, which they loved so much as a family, and watch her kids pair up and dance. She turned her head to her husband who was busying in the kitchen while adding some dance moves to his every move.

   She laughed, "Love, mukha kang tanga!"

   "Kung alam ko lang, mas lalo kang naiin love sa'kin," he wiggled his bum in her direction while he was shredding the cheese.

   "Ru!" she exclaimed and covered her eyes with her hands, but still she peaked through her fingers.

   "Love, look at me," he teased and tried to pull her hands away from the other side of the kitchen island.

   "No, I'm gonna look at the kids nalang," she giggled and rotated her chair to face her children.

   She watched gaily as their children danced and seemed to have the giggles. They laughed and sang along to the lines of Richard Poon's version of L-O-V-E. Amir twirled his sister around again and again causing their laughter to fill the air even more.

   "You guys really like this song, noh?" Kylie asked.

   "Opo, it's nice kase," Amir said and continued dancing with Noelle.

   "Yeah, and when I get married, I like this song to be my-"

   "Hoy, hoy, anong married?! Walang kasalang magaganap. Naku sinasabi ko talaga sa'yo, Noelle Amariah," Ruru cut her off and shot a protective glance towards her.

   The young girl pouted and crossed her arms, "Mama, you stop nalang the song please."

   Kylie  wiped both her kids' backs before she carried the little Kikay in her arms, "Why, Baby? Diba you love this song?"

   "Baba won't let me listen to it," she tattled.

   Amir continued humming the tune of the song earning a sharp look from Noelle. The boy only smiled at the younger Madrid and mouthed 'I love you, Kikay.'

   "It's okay naman with me if you listen to the song, Kikay. Just don't talk about marriage," Ruru explained.

   "No! Don't talk to me, we're not bati!" she snapped and buried her face in the nook of her mother's neck.

   "Ay, we're not bati ba, Kikay?"

   "No!"

   "Sorry na, Baby. I love you," he soothed and placed a chaste kiss on her arm as Kylie put her down on the counter and attended to Amir who was sauteing the garlic and onions.

   "No!" she exclaimed and wiped the spot where Ruru's lips landed.

   "Ay, you wiped pa my kiss. Friends na tayo, Kikay," he said in a loving tone as he tickled her side, only to be pried away by his daughter's pudgy hands.

   "We're not friends! Me and Mama lang friends," she said.

   "You and Mama lang friends?" the little one nodded, back still facing her father. "Okay, me and Kuya lang din friends."

   Ruru was gonna gently pull Amir towards him when, "No! Kuya, you're kampi to me, not Baba. Friends din tayo."

   Amir chuckled and shook his head while he listened to his mother's words on when to add the other ingredients.

   "Aba! So who will be my kampi?" Ruru slightly chortled at Noelle's maldita little attitude.

   "No one."

   "Baby, sorry na. I love you so much. Bati na tayo, please?" he apologized to which the young girl shook her head to.

   "Kikay ko, hug and kiss kita para bati na tayo, please?" still she shook her head. "Kiss mo ko dali, tapos bati na tayo."

   The upset little angel only shrugged him off when he planted another kiss on her shoulder.

   "Kikay, ouchy na my heart kase you won't kiss me," he said copying her signature pa-awa line.

   "I don't like you!"

   Ruru laughed and carried her like a sack on his shoulder making the child hit his back repeatedly and chanting 'put me down, Baba! We're not bati!'.

   "I will kagat your pwet if we're still not bati, Noelle Amariah," he said in a light warning tone.

   "No, Baba!"

   "So, we're bati na?"

   "Okay, we're bati na."

   Ruru, then, carried her properly and kissed her rosy cheeks, "So matampuhin naman my Kikay. Just like your mama. Are you mana to Mama?"

   The little girl nodded.

   He peppered her face with kisses, "My baby girls are so matampuhin, but I still love them."

   "Baby girls? I'm only one, Baba," she rolled her eyes.

   "Yes, pero Mama is also my baby girl," he said and put her down.

   "Mama is big na. Me lang," she pouted.

   Kylie laughed.

   "What if Mama gets pregnant again and its a girl? Then, you won't be my only baby girl na," Ruru teased.

   "No!"

   "Kase Kuya wants another baby sister na din eh. Diba, Kuya?" he continued.

   "Yup," Amir nodded along.

   "No! Me lang your baby sister!" she screamed as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

   "Don't worry, Kuya. We'll make a new baby sister for you para may ibang baby girl na din ako," he smirked.

   Noelle was too cute when upset, seriously.

   "NO! NO! NO! ME LANG YOUR BABY GIRL!" she cries as her tears finally spilled out. She hit the ground with her fists and squirmed, "ME ONLY! I DON'T LIKE YOU NA, BABA!"

   Kylie shot Ruru a 'you-better-make-her-shut-up' look. He smiled in return.

   Ruru scooped down and carried the squirming mess, he means angel, in his arms and cleared her face from the stray hairs that stuck to it because of the tears, "Hey, Baby, hey. Look at Baba. I was only joking, no need to cry, Princess."

   The girl stopped crying but her breathing was still laboured by the slight sobs, "Me only, okay?"

   "Yes, you lang my baby girl forever and ever, Kikay," he kissed her forehead. "Hug na Baba bilis."

   The young girl wrapped her arms around her father's neck and kissed his cheek, "Me only your baby girl or else."

   Hay, Noelle!
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Hi there! The wedding request is already being worked on. I think it will be done after new year. Love lots!

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