"Love, uhm, can we talk?" Ruru starts.

"We're talking right now, Love," Kylie replied sarcastically.

"I mean without the k-i-d-s," his eyes drifted to the direction of Amir teaching Noelle how to color.

"Oh, okay. Kuya, can you take care of your sister please? Mama and Baba just need to talk about something okay?"

"Okay, Ma," the boy smiled but when Noelle heard it, she got up and hugged her Baba's legs.

"I talk too," she said.

"I'm sorry, Baby. It's a big boys and girls talk that Mama and I have to do but we'll be right back, okay?" he said and crouched to kiss her head.

Kylie gently closed the door of their bedroom and faced her husband.

"What is it that you want to talk about?"

"I have to go to Cebu," he started.

Kylie's eyes widened, "What? When?"

"Next week," he scratched his nape.

"How long?"

"Seven days, Love."

"Seven days? Pitong araw kang mawawala sa bahay?" she asked trying to stay calm.

Goodness, she was already thinking about how Noelle would throw more tantrums and how no one will help her with Amir. Who would make Noelle shut up when she was crying? Who would sing her to sleep?

"Love, one week lang naman yun. It's for Roadtrip, we just had a meeting kanina," he tried to calm her down by caressing her shoulders with his hands.

"Anong one week lang? Ezekiel, one week yun! Seven days na ako lang magaalaga sa mga anak mong makukulit. One week na wala akong katabi sa kama, ano ba?!" she said her nose flaring.

"At one week mo din di makikita tong mukhang 'to," he kidded.

"Mabuti nga!"

"Then, why are you so mad, baby girl?" he said and smirked, showing his deep, damn dimples.

"Kase!"

"Kase ano?" he teased.

"Kase mami-miss ka ng mga bata and Noelle's gonna throw tantrums and cry," she reasoned.

"Ang mga bata mami-miss ako, eh ikaw? Di mo ko mami-miss?"

"Mami-miss siyempre," she admitted pouting.

He let out a slight chuckle at how cute she still looked even after two kids.

"Why are you laughing? Bakit ikaw ba di mo ko mami-miss?"

"Siyempre, I'm gonna miss you and the kids," he said and wrapped her in his arms. He pulled away and squished her cheeks between his palms.

"Itong mukha mong maganda, mami-miss ko ng sobra pero one week lang naman yun. One week lang for work, okay?"

She nodded.

"Good girl. Now, come give me a hug kase mami-miss kita," he instructed.

"For your information lang, Ezekiel, ha? Hindi ako aso kaya huwag mo akong ma 'good girl' diyan," she rolled her eyes and hugged him.
-
"Baba, why are you packing po?" Amir asked looking at his father organize his clothes in his trolley while his mother double-checked the medicine box she packed for him.

"I'm going to Cebu, Bud," he shortly answered.

"We're going to Cebu?" the boy asked excitedly.

"Sorry, buddy. Only Baba's going there, it's for work kase," he explained and the boy let out a disappointed sigh.

"When are you going?"

"Tomorrow."

"When will you come back?"

"I'll be there for seven days, Kulit."

"Okay."

"Somebody sounds bummed out," Ruru said and left his bag to carry his son, "Anak, seven days lang yun. It'll be one day and then two and the next thing you know, I'll be home na."

"But, I'm gonna miss you," said the seven year old.

Ruru's heart melted. It was rare for him to hear things like this from his son nowadays. Amir was a 'big boy' now.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Anak, you know that. Pero kailangan ko pumunta doon for my work. You understand naman, Kuya, diba?" he said placing him down and crouched to be at his level.

Amir nodded.

"No hug fow me?" Noelle interjects as she waddles her way to her father.

"Of course, hugs din for you," says Ruru as he hugged her tight and peppered her face with kisses.

"I love you, Anak."

"Ayabyu, Baba," the little tot said as she grinned and proudly showed her inherited dimples.

Kylie watched them smiling. "Tomorrow, that sweet little angel is gonna be ripping my eardrums out and pushing me to my limits," she thought causing her smile to fade.
-
"Baba!" screams the toddler as her father attempted to even take a step closer to the airport entrance.

Ruru sighed, "Baby, don't cry na. I'm gonna be back super fast, I promise."

"No, no, I come!" she screamed and buried her head in her father's neck while he carried her.

"Look at Kuya and Mama, they're not crying oh. Enough na, princess," he comforted running his hand up and down her back.

"No, Baba thtay hewe!"

Oh boy, coming here two hours prior was a good idea after all.

"Baba's just going to work, mahal ko. I'll be back in a jiffy."

"No, no, no!"

"You want snuggies nalang before Baba goes?" he said pressing his lips against her head and caressed her dark locks.

"Nuggieth," she whimpered placing a kiss on Ruru's cheek.

He hugged her tight and peppered little kisses all over her face and ended it with a big kiss on her cheek.

"I love you, Baby."

"Ayabyu," she responded still sobbing.

Slowly, Ruru handed her to Kylie and gave his son a hug, "You'll be the man of the house muna while I'm in Cebu, ha?"

Amir nodded, "Opo."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

He then straightened his posture and smiled at his wife. He leaned in to give her a quick kiss and rubbed his nose against hers.

"Take care, okay?" she said.

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too."

Ruru looked at Noelle again and kissed her on the forehead, "Bye, princess."

The moment he turned his back, Noelle started crying again. He shut his eyes and held his luggage tight. Trying not to look back he shifted his attention to Rocco saying goodbye to a very pregnant Sanya.

"Baba, don't leave!" she screamed.

He swears that made him not want to leave ever.

"Hey, hey, no crying. It's okay, Baby. I'll call and facetime with you okay?" he said cupping the little girl's face.

"I don't want you to go," she said in a small voice making Ruru feel guilt etching in his heart.

"I don't wanna go either, Baby, but I have to," he smiled bitterly.

Why did she have to inherit her mother's clingy-ness?

"Ru, let's go!" Rocco called.

"I have to go na, bye," then he quickly kissed each one of their foreheads.

Not minding his daughter's cries was the hardest thing he ever had to do. Finally getting inside, he looked back and waved at his family. He gave out flying kisses in hopes of comforting Noelle.

Noelle squirmed in her mother's arms crying. Sanya came near to them waddling her way.

"Aww, kawawa naman si Noelle," she said gently touching the child's hair.

"Kung alam mo lang, ako ang mas kawawa," Kylie joked.

"Nakakainis nga eh. Super short notice naman kase," Sanya said and winced in pain.

"Oh? Bakit?" Kylie asked worried.

"Sumipa si Raffy," she replied referring to the baby girl in her womb.

"Magma-martial arts din siguro yan gaya ng tatay."

"Oo nga eh, ang sakit na sumipa," she laughed.

"Sabay ka na samin, Shai. Uwi na din kami," she invites bouncing her daughter in her arms.

"Thank you," she smiled, "Hay, feel ko magiging ganyan din ito pag laki."

Sanya rubbed her belly.

"Ganyan talaga. Ang unfair nga eh, ako yung naghirap pero yung tatay niya yung favorite," Kylie joked as they walked to the car.
-
"Anak, stop crying na please. Drink your medicine na para you'll feel better," Kylie pleads.

It has been five days since Ruru left for Cebu. As he promised, he would call and facetime at night before the kids go to sleep. But just on the fifth day, Noelle started having fever and it isn't as easy as you think. Noelle is a preemie baby and the effect of that on her is that she has a weak immune system.

"I want Baba!" she cried.

"Baba will be home soon, Sweetie, but for now, please drink your medicine," she pleaded holding the medicine cup close to her daughter.

"No! I want Baba!" the girl snapped.

Kylie put the medicine cup on the side table and carried her daughter. She started swaying and caressing her daughter's hair.

"Mama, so cold," she shivers with tears still in her eyes.

"Sshh, I know, Baby. Let's go turn down the AC, okay?" Kylie comforted walking to the AC of the room.

"Baba," Noelle whimpered.

"Hey, don't cry, it's okay. I'll call Baba, ha?"

She nodded.

Ringing.

Ringing.

Ringing.

Ring-Answered.

"Hello, Love?" Ruru answered from the other line.

"Love, Noelle's sick. She wants to talk to you," she said putting the phone on speaker.

"Hey, Baby. How are you feeling?"

"Baba, mith you," the girl pouted.

"I miss you too, Sweetheart. I'll be back in two days, don't worry," he reassured.

"Come home."

"In two days, Honey. For now, you listen to Mama and drink your medicine and lots of water, okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you, Kikay."

"Ayabyu."

"Bye, Love. I love you," Kylie said and ended the call.

"You heard Baba, right? Drink your medicine daw," she said and tucked the stray hair on her daughter's face behind her ear.

Noelle nodded.
-
Day seven, finally. Ruru's gonna be home any moment now. They were supposed to pick him up but, Noelle needed time to recover from her fever and being outside would just contaminate her again. So, they waited in the living room.

"Ma, what's taking Baba so long?" Amir asked impatiently.

"I don't know, Kulit. Just wait, okay? Baba's on the way na," she answered smiling at her son.

Then, they heard the doorbell ring. Amir's face brightened up and he ran to the door to open it.

"Baba!" he exclaimed as his father crouched down and hugged him tight.

"Missed you, Bud," he said as they walked to the girls in the couch.

"Missed you too," he smiled.

"Baba!" Noelle beamed.

"Hey, Sweetie! I missed you," he said as he carried her in his arms and kissed her cheek.

"Mith you too," she smiled and poked his father's dimple.

"Psst, hi, Love," Kylie interjects.

"Hello, Gorgeous," he said and put down his daughter and pressed his lips against hers.

"Eww!" the two kids said in chorus causing their parents to break away.

"Kissing is gross!" Amir exclaimed.

"Yeah, you're right. Kissing is yucky, huh?" Ruru laughed and tickled the boy's side.

"Yup!"
-
"Chicks! Hi, Chicks!" Ruru playfully said as Kylie walked out of the bathroom in her robe.

She rolled her eyes and shook his head.

He whistled, "Mamansin ka naman, Miss."

She ignored him and started taking off the towel on her head.

Ruru leaned against the mirror she was facing, "Miss, pwede manghingi ng number?"

"Five," she shortly replied.

"Ms. Beautiful, sungit mo naman. Nanghihingi lang ng number eh."

She stopped drying her hair and faced her flirty husband, "Sorry ha, may asawa at dalawang anak na kase ako."

"Talaga ba? Dalawa na? Di naman obvious kase and sexy mo," he cocked his eyebrow and wrapped an arm on her waist.

"Oo, dalawa na. Huwag mo akong ano-anohin, inaantok na ako."

"Sus, antok daw! Kung alam ko lang di pa talaga eh," he teased.

"Ru, stop!" she laughed.

"Wow, alam mo pangalan ko, Chicks?"

"Ezekiel, baliw ka ba?"

He wrapped himself around her and buried his nose on the nook of her neck, "Baliw na baliw sayo."

She blushed, "Corny mo!"

He gently bit down on her shoulder, "Sexy mo kase."

He started kissing from her neck to her shoulder, paying special attention to the bite mark he left. Slowly, he pulls the knot that was keeping her robe together and lowered it until her elbows. She turnef around, not being able to stop herself anymore, and kissed him.

"I missed you so much," she whispered against his lips.

"I missed you so much too," he mumbled in between kisses.

He hoisted her up and carried her. Her legs around his waist and her hands around his neck. Ruru gently put her down on the bed and smiled at her beautiful face.

"I want you," he whispered and bit her ears.

And that was the beginning of a long, long night.
------
Okay, throw those tomatoes in my face. It sucks so badly. And yeah, I just had to include SanRo/RocSan because they are so cute.

I still take request, guys.

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