Chapter Twenty-seven

I love you

I've been calling Aaron repeatedly. At nang sagutin niya ang tawag ko ay hindi ko na napigilan ang galit ko. "Bakit ngayon mo lang sinagot ang tawag ko?!"

Hindi agad siya nakasagot sa kabilang linya. "I'm sorry, I was driving."

"Where's Bella?!"

"She's here with me, don't worry. Paakyat na kami sa unit n'yo."

"Bakit hindi ka nagpaalam na kukunin mo sa school ang bata?!"

"Sinundo ko lang siya, and dinaan ko na rin pinakain sa labas—"

"Hindi ka nagpaalam!"

"I will explain to you, okay? Paakyat na kami ni Bella. Please wait for us."

Binabaan ko siya ng tawag!

Nakakainis si Aaron! I was so worried when I found out that my daughter wasn't at school anymore when I called her teacher. Sinundo na pala ni Aaron at hindi man lang nagpaalam sa akin!

I heard the doorbell. Agad kong pinuntahan ang pinto at pinagbuksan ang anak ko.

"Bella!"

I hugged her. I was so worried. I thought something bad happened to her already!

I glared at Aaron who came after my daughter.

Halos magtaas naman siya ng mga kamay niya na para bang sumusuko siya sa mga pulis. "I called you many times. But you seemed busy you can't answer your phone. Magpapaalam sana ako na ako na ang susundo kay Bella sa school niya ngayon at ipasyal sandali sa mall."

My mouth opened but he added more words to his explanation.

"After calling you at hindi ka sumasagot pinuntahan ko nalang si Bella sa school. And she's been waiting there for nearly two hours already after their class was dismissed. I called you again noong nasa school na ako dahil hindi mo pa pala nasusundo si Bella."

I closed my lips. And opened them again. "I was busy at the hospital. Hindi ko halos namalayan ang oras... But still! Nag-alala ako!"

"If only you answered one of my calls."

"Are you two fighting...?"

We were stopped by Bella's small voice.

Agad akong bumaba para maglebel kami ng anak ko. "No, baby. We are just talking..."

She nodded her head slowly. Now she looked sad. Agad naman akong natauhan na nakikipagtalo na pala ako kay Aaron sa harap ng anak namin.

"I'm sorry..." I hugged her to my chest.

"Come here, sweetheart." Kinuha rin siya ni Aaron sa akin at binuhat.

"Mommy and Daddy were not fighting. Mommy just got worried for Bella..." Aaron smiled to his daughter.

Nang tumingin sa akin si Bella ay ngumiti nalang din ako.

And then after that binigay na siya sa akin ni Aaron. After kissing our daughter's cheek ay nagpaalam na rin siyang aalis...

"Will we see each other again tomorrow, Daddy?" Bella asked in her usual small and sweet voice.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Aaron. "Sure, baby. If that's what Bella wants."

"I want to see Daddy again! Every day!" My daughter enthusiastically said.

Aaron smilingly nodded. Pagkatapos ay inabot niyang muli ang anak namin na buhat ko at hinagkan ito sa noo bago siya tuluyang nagpaalam na.

Bella and I were left alone in our condo unit.

I'm a doctor now and most of the times I am busy at our hospital. Madalas binibilin ko nalang din sa kapatid kong si Lance o kaya sa driver ang paghahatid-sundo kay Bella sa school nito. She's now 5 years old and currently in Kindergarten. But Lance was busy today. At...halos nakalimutan ko rin na wala pa palang sundo ang anak ko sa school because I was busy at the hospital working and taking care of my patients.

"You've eaten dinner already, baby?"

"Yes, Mommy! I ate dinner with Daddy. We went to a restaurant and Daddy let me eat cake."

Si Aaron talaga. I've been telling him na huwag masyadong pinapakain ng matatamis si Bella. The last time binilhan niya rin ng candies ang bata. "But Mommy told Bella, didn't I? You can't eat too many sweets because it would ruin your teeth. And make it ugly. Do you want that?"

Umiling naman siya. "But I did not eat too much! Daddy said it's okay to eat sweets sometimes. To make Bella happy."

I sighed.

"Come, let's have your night bath." I held Bella's hand and brought her to her bedroom.

I removed her school uniform before I brought her inside the bathroom. Pinaliguan ko siya sa bathtub and let her play with her rubber ducks.

After ko siyang mapaliguan I dressed her into her cute pink colored pair pajamas. I smiled watching my adorable baby girl. Pinanggigilan ko pa siya ng halik sa pisngi niya pagkatapos ko siyang mabihisan. To which she giggled. "Mommy! Your kiss tickles Bella!"

I chuckled, too. I hugged her to my chest. "I love you my baby." Hinagkan ko siya.

"Bella loves Mommy, too! And Daddy also!"

Ngumiti nalang ako. Hindi niya talaga makakalimutan si Aaron. Kapag minsang tinatanong siya kung sino ang mas love niya she will choose to cry instead of answering. Kasi pareho niya raw kaming mahal ng Daddy niya.

Hindi ko rin maipagkakaila na mabuting ama naman si Aaron sa anak namin. Mas may time pa nga siya kay Bella kaysa sa akin. I'm a busy doctor and he's a busy businessman, too. Pero ni minsan ay hindi um-absent si Aaron sa mga important events ni Bella ma pa school man o saan pa. He's always there during our daughter's birthdays, school activities, ballet recital, school meetings, etc. Ako pa nga itong hindi nakakapunta minsan sa mga meetings ng anak ko. Kaya si Aaron ang palaging umaattend.

I sighed.

What really happened?

Five years ago when Aaron proposed to me for the second time already. And I agreed to it. Mahal ko pa rin naman siya. And he's the father of my daughter. Naghahanda na rin kami noon para sa kasal namin...

"Very good naman si Daddy. Marunong magpaligo kay Bella." We started calling Arabella in her little nickname Bella.

Aaron smiled while finishing bathing our baby daughter who was only a few months old at that time. Nagtatrabaho si Aaron kaya minsan si Mommy if hindi siya nag-d-duty sa hospital or sina Manang ang nakakatulong ko lagi sa pag-aalaga kay Bella sa bahay ng parents ko. But when Aaron's with us siya ang nag-aasikaso kay Bella. He knew how to bath our daughter, change Bella's diaper, and make her milk. Marunong din talaga siyang makipaglaro sa anak namin na palagi pang bungisngis si Bella kapag ang daddy niya ang kaharap niya.

After bathing Bella I helped Aaron dress our daughter in her cute little onesie. "Awww. Sobrang cute naman ng baby namin na 'yan."

"Akin na." Aaron got her from me.

Ngumuso ako. Bakit parang busy lang siya palagi kay Bella kapag nandito siya sa amin? Hindi na niya ako napapansin... "Aaron..." I called.

"Hmm. Yes?" Bumaling din naman siya sa akin.

Lumapit ako sa kanila ni Bella sa kama at nahiga sa tabi ng mag-ama ko. Sa dibdib ni Aaron niya nilagay si Bella habang nakahiga kami doon. And Bella was already falling asleep fast on her father's chest.

"What is it?" Ngayong natutulog na ang anak namin ay napagtutuonan na ako ng pansin ni Aaron.

"We're too busy with Bella." I said.

Aaron smiled. Bumaba rin ang tingin niya sa anak namin na natutulog sa kaniyang dibdib at pinagmasdan ito. He looked happy watching our baby sleep. "Yeah. She's so adorable."

"She is." Napangiti na rin ako.

"When are we planning for the wedding?" Nagtanong na ako.

Aaron turned to me again. "Ikaw? You said you'll still need to go to the gym..."

I sighed. "Yeah, but,"

Nagkatinginan kami ni Aaron.

"Babe, ikaw nga ang bahala. I'll just wait for you. We'll do it your own pace."

Napangiti na ako. Inabot ni Aaron ang noo ko at hinagkan. "Don't worry yourself with it."

Tumango na rin ako.

"Thank you, Aaron. I love you."

Medyo matagal bago ako natugunan ni Aaron. Pero sinabi niya rin iyon sa akin pabalik. "I love you, too."

I smiled more. I was already happy with my life now.

And I thought that was it.

Pero hindi pa pala.

Hindi pa rin pala kami handa ni Aaron na harapin ang mga bagay bagay...