It's been ten years since that night, but it keeps on coming back to him. It haunts him in his dreams at night. Little things will remind him of that mistake. Her very name, once heard, brings back the rush that he felt when they're together.

Moira.

At ngayon nga ay naaalala na naman niya ito. Hindi niya alam kung paanong nabago ng isang gabi ang nararamdaman niya para rito. He went to the states the day after that incident, but his mind never left the country. Palagi niyang tinatanong ang sarili kung ano na ba ang nangyari kay Moira, if she kept her promise or if she's already starting to move on from him.

He went back a few months later. Sinubukan niyang bumisita sa dati niyang school just to see how she's doing, but he learned that she wasn't there anymore. Moira just vanished. And he tried to shrug it off. Naisip niya na baka isa lamang ito sa mga pangyayari sa buhay nya na hindi naman talaga nakatadhanang magtagal, pero sobrang nakapanghihinayang.

He thought that he'd already forgotten about her. It's been ten years already. Pero heto sya, nakarinig lamang ng pangalang Shaira mula kay Vico, naguguluhan na naman. Nasa isang fashion show si Vico when he called. He was trying to set him up with this model, Shaira. But he heard a different name. And he was quite disappointed when Vico clarified. So, he told him no.

Mula nang makasal sina Troy at Red, lahat ng atensyon ay natuon na sa kanya. He's just 31. It's not like he's gonna retire next year. But they're all waiting for him to get married and everyone's itching to set him up.

"Tito Vince!"

Vince looked at the door of his study room to find Red with Kylie, his niece. Nakangiti itong kumakaway sa kanya. He folded his laptop and stood up. Lumapit siya sa mag-ina.

"Hello, pretty lady," he greeted.

"Thank you," sagot ni Red.

"I was talking to Kylie," he said blandly.

Red wrinkled her nose. "I know. I'm saying thanks on her behalf."

"Where's Troy?"

"May kausap sa phone. Can you hold her for a minute? CR lang ako."

"Sure." Kinuha niya ang pamangkin. Red went downstairs. Siya naman ay naupo at inilagay sa kandungan ang bata. Itinayo niya ito sa hita niya. Kylie smiled and pressed her hands against his cheeks.

He adores his niece so much. Bukod sa ito ang una niyang pamangkin, isinunod din nina Red ang pangalan ng bata sa kanya. They were supposed to name the child Kyle Alexander, but the kid turned out to be a girl. So they dropped the Alexander but kept and modified the Kyle.

"Hi, Kylie Roe. Hi," he cooed.

"Hi," pag-uulit nito.

"Yes, hi!"

"Hi!" she echoed.

He grinned. Inilapit niya ang mukha nito sa kanya at nakipag-nose to nose. Saka niya ito hinalikan sa pisngi.

"Don't get too attached. She's not yours."

Napatingin silang dalawa sa may pintuan. Troy was grinning.

"Mag-asawa ka na kasi nang magka-baby ka na rin," biro ni Troy. Lumapit ito nang mag-reach out si Kylie rito.

"There's plenty of time for that," he told his half-brother. He gave Kylie to Troy. Sakto naman na umakyat si Red.

"Plenty of time for what?" tanong nito sa kanilang dalawa ni Troy.

"Mag-asawa," sagot ni Troy. "Naiinggit kasi sya kasi may Kylie na tayo."

"Hindi ako naiinggit," depensa niya.

"Mag-asawa ka na kasi," Red told him. "I can set you up with someone. Approved na ni dad."

Bumuntong-hininga siya. Is this how he will spend his days? Kabi-kabilang setup hanggang sa makapag-asawa siya?

"Guys, I just turned thirty one."

"Exactly," halos sabay na sabi ng dalawa.

"You're already thirty one," paalala ni Troy sa kanya. "Dad's expecting you to get married soon. Pero okay lang din kahit hindi ka muna magpakasal. You've become a disappointment for once."

Nailing na lamang siya. It was hard enough to manage Red or Troy alone, but as a team? Talagang susukuan mo. Madalas siyang pagtulungan ng dalawa, lalo na sa mga ganitong bagay.

Pumay-awang siya.

"Is that what you came here for? Para pilitin akong mag-asawa na? Guys, give it up. I'm in no rush."

"Pero si dad, nira-rush ka na," Troy told him.

"And we didn't just come here para ipamukha sa 'yong masaya ang buhay may asawa," dagdag ni Red. "May dinner bukas sa bahay. Punta ka."

"You could have just called."

"I know," she said with a shrug. "But Kylie wants to see you."

She made a face and Kylie cackled with delight. His face softened. Great, now they're using the baby as shield. Siguro kung nakapagsasalita lamang ito, si Kylie na ang makikiusap sa kanyang sumipot sa mga blind dates na isini-set ng mga tao sa paligid niya.

"Speaking of Kylie, here..." Ibinalik ni Troy sa kanya ang bata. "Can you take care of her, kahit isang oras lang? Wala pa kaming masyadong tulog mula kagabi e. Iyak kasi sya nang iyak."

He raised an eyebrow. "Gagawin nyo 'kong baby sitter? Wala ba kayong yaya?"

"Kylie's calm with you. She doesn't even cry when you're holding her," nakangusong sagot ni Red.

"Please. You're her uncle. We need you," Troy begged.

Tumingin siya kay Kylie. The latter looked back and smiled, revealing her baby teeth. How can he not agree to baby sit?

"Please, uncle. Baby, say please."

Kylie tried to imitate the word. The sound made him smile.

Red glanced at him with tired eyes. "Please, Vince."

Pinagdaop nito ang mga palad.

"One hour lang."

Bumuntong-hininga siya. "Okay, fine."

Tuwang-tuwa ang dalawa. Kylie wasn't aware of what's happening, pero nang mapapalakpak ang mag-asawa ay pumalakpak din ito.

"Nasa living room yung diapers nya saka yung milk. But I already fed her. Just in case lang. Ipaakyat mo na lang sa maid."

Humalik ito kay Kylie. "Baby, be good to uncle, okay? Sleep lang kami ni daddy."

"Just make sure na matutulog kayo ha," paalala niya sa dalawa.

"Oo nga. Matutulog lang talaga kami," Troy insisted. "We'll even leave the door open so you could check."

"Hmm. Sige. Alam nyo na kung nasaan ang guest room."

Magkahawak-kamay na lumabas ang dalawa at tinuro ang guest room para matulog. Alam naman niyang palaging pagod ang mga ito. He even caught Red sleeping in her office once.

Pinabayaan na niyang matulog ang dalawa habang siya naman ay nakipaglaro kay Kylie. He still has things to do for work, pero ipinagpaliban na lamang muna niya. He can do them at his office, during work hours.

No one's forcing him to be extra assiduous. Pakiramdam lang niya ay responsibilidad niya iyon bilang panganay.

But Kylie demands his full attention, so he tried not to even think about work. Bumaba sila sa sala para doon maglaro. Carpeted kasi iyon at saka maraming throw pillows. He simply asked the maid to move the coffee table on the side, tapos may instant play room na ang bata.

"Ang cute cute nyo, sir," puna ng isang yaya. "Bagay po sa inyo ang may anak."

Napangiti siya sa sinabi nito. "Pati ba naman ikaw, ya?"

"Gustong-gusto ho kayo ng bata," dagdag pa nito. "Di ba, baby? Di ba, di ba?"

She made a face. Gumaya si Kylie.

"Ay, gayang-gaya!" tuwang-tuwa nitong sabi.

"Do you want to play with yaya, baby?" tanong niya sa bata. Iniabot niya iyon sa katulong, pero umiyak si Kylie nang kalungin ito ng maid.

"Ay, ayaw sir." Ibinalik nito sa kanya ang bata. "Sa inyo lang talaga gusto."

He sighed. So he really can't work hanggat hindi gising ang mag-asawa.

"Sige, ya, maghanda ka na lang ng merienda. And bring something for Kylie too."

Makalipas ang isang oras, umakyat siya dala si Kylie papunta sa guest room to wake her parents up. Nakaawang nga ang pintuan, like they promised. Sumilip siya. Tulog na tulog pa rin ang dalawa.

"Look at them," he told his niece. "Pilipilit nila akong magka-asawa't anak, but they're not making it look appealing."

Ngumiti lamang si Kylie.

Hinalikan niya ito sa pisngi. "Don't tire them too much, okay? Kapag pagod sila, pagod na rin si uncle."

Isinarado niya ang pintuan ng kwarto. Bumaba silang muli sa sala. He'll give them another hour. Siguro naman ay sapat nang pahinga iyon para sa dalawa.

--

The couple woke up an hour and a half later. Mukhang refreshed na refreshed ang mga ito. Pinakain muna niya ng merienda ang mga ito bago umuwi.

"Thanks, Vince! You're a lifesaver."

Red gave Kylie a soft biscuit a while ago. Nginunguya pa rin nito iyon.

"It's fine. Huwag nyo lang samantalahin kasi hindi ako makapagtrabaho."

Troy chuckled. "Pwede rin naman kaming pumunta kina Vico e."

Red tsk­-ed. "Hay nako, ayoko kina Vico. Ginagawa nilang canvass ang mukha ng baby ko." She turned to him. "Anyway, we'll be expecting you tomorrow. And oh, before I forget, pinapasabi nga pala ni dad na may ipakikilala sya sa 'yo next weekend. Aira yata yung name, daughter of some businessman na kakilala ni daddy."

He frowned. Tama ba ang pakirinig niya? "Who?"

"Aira something. I forgot her last name."

He exhaled. Katunog lang pala...

"No. I'm busy."

"Tell that to dad."

"I just did you a favour. You owe me," sabi niya sa dalawa.

Iniharap ni Red ang anak sa kanya. "So favour na lang pala ngayon ang pamangkin mo?"

"That's unfair," he said to her. They knew Kylie's his weakness. Kaya naman palaging ito ang idinadahilan ng dalawa para mapapayag siyang gawin ang kahit anong pakiusap ng mga ito.

"Red, let him be. We managed to get a couple of hours of sleep because of him. Bigay na natin 'to sa kanya."

"Thanks, Troy."

Troy raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome. But our dad's also setting you up with another woman. Unfortunately, you already used your save. So, good luck with that."

Natawa ang mag-asawa nang bumusangot ang mukha niya. Kylie laughed with them. Napabuntong-hininga ulit siya. Mukhang lalaki pa yata ang batang kaugali ng ama't ina nito. Huwag naman sana. Dagdag sakit ng ulo kapag nagkataon.