Chapter 13

MELISSA QUIZON

I kept looking outside of Eugene's car window until we got to our house. Eugene opened the passenger seat door and helped me get out of the car. I could still feel the weakness in my knees when I got up.

I didn’t know when Wright would give up. Why would he want to take my son? I couldn't understand him! I hated myself! Why couldn't I forget him? Why did my body still seem to miss his caresses?! How annoying!

I couldn’t believe all of this had happened in just a day! I was thankful that Eugene had arrived on time because I didn’t know what would have happened if Wright had caught up to me.

"Take a break. You need that." I could only nod in response to Eugene's concern. I was still weak.

I knocked on the door, and Minerva peeked out the window before letting us in. I was glad I could trust this woman. I sat down on the sofa, grabbed five hundred pesos from my wallet, and handed the money to Minerva. After that, she said goodbye and went home. I took off my shoes and raised my knees. I lay my head on top of them.

I don't know what to do, Grandma. What is right? Why did God take you away right when I needed someone I could lean on?

I could no longer hold back my tears. I felt someone sit next to me and rub my back. Eugene was so kind to me. I didn’t want to lose him. I turned to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I squeezed my head against his chest. My sobs grew louder.

"Eugene..." I said weakly.

"Hmm?"

"Can you...sleep here? I want you here. Don’t go home." I moved away from him a little. He wiped away the tears that kept running down my cheeks.

“Melissa, are you sure about this?”

I didn't know why, but when Eugene was here, I felt safe and assured. I knew that he would not hurt me or harm me. He was our protector. I was so lucky that I had met someone like him. I nodded.

He smiled, but there was still a concern in his eyes. "Where will I sleep?"

I didn't want him to sleep on the sofa because he didn't fit on it, so he would not be comfortable. "Uhm, in my room. I’ll sleep in Reid’s room."

He chuckled, and my forehead furrowed. "Woman! You're going to torture me."

I swallowed. Of course. It is difficult for men to hold back when they smell a woman, especially when in her own bed. "I’m sorry. I knew what I suggested was a bad idea, but I still proposed it."

"I'm okay here on the sofa."

He didn't fit on it. Even with an electric fan, he still wouldn’t be comfortable. "You don't fit.”

"In Reid's room, then. We used to sleep together, so I guess he won’t throw a fit."

Yeah! Reid's bed was surprisingly big. "Okay." I hugged Eugene again. My gratitude to Eugene was growing. "Thank you, Eugene. Thank you for always being around."

Eugene went out first to get the extra clothes in the car. I went to my room and changed into my pajamas. I wore a Lightning McQueen pair that matched Reid's. I grabbed two pillows and pulled out a blanket for Eugene. When I came out, I found him opening the door to Reid's room. He was also dressed in a white T-shirt and boxer shorts.

I averted my eyes because this was the first time I’d seen Eugene look like this. I heard his faint laugh before entering Reid's room. I was embarrassed to look down to hide the redness on my cheek. I was like a teenager who blushed at just seeing a man’s thigh.

I entered the room. There was a small light coming from Reid's lamp. "Extra pillows."

Eugene approached me and took the blankets and pillows. "Thank you." He put them to the side of Reid. Reid's bed was big because he was restless when sleeping. Once, I had woken up to find him kissing the floor of his room. I sat on Reid's side and kissed him on the forehead. I watched his sleeping form. He looked like his father. I noticed that he was hugging the relatively large teddy bear that Eugene had given me in the past. I felt relieved when I saw my son next to me.

I felt someone hold my shoulder. Eugene pushed me to lie down beside Reid. I moved so that he also had space by my side. I lay on his arm, and we both stared at the ceiling. His hand played with my hair.

I felt so safe. So damn safe.

He took a deep breath. "But oh, can't you see? / That no matter what happens / Life goes on and on / And so baby just smile / 'Cause I'm always around you / And I'll make you see how beautiful / Life is for you and me."

I smiled as he started to sing "Rainbow" by South Border. Eugene didn't have any singing talent, but I appreciated the fact that he didn’t care. I bit my lower lip. I knew he was just doing that to make me feel better, so I turned to him and then hugged his side.

He continued to sing even though he knew he had no talent in singing. "Take a little time baby / See the butterflies' colors / Listen to the birds that were sent / To sing for me and you / Can you feel me? This is such a wonderful place to be / Even if there is pain now / Everything will be alright / For as long as the world still turns / There will be night and day / Can you hear me? / There's a rainbow always after the rain."

I laughed as Eugene's voice cracked. He looked down at me and caught me smiling. His free hand caressed my chin. "You're smiling now. Finally."

"I've been thinking about it. Your problem is even bigger than mine. At least I can sing."

"That's too much. I only sing when I’m with you."

Eugene and I both laughed. I didn't notice that we had another person next to us until Reid whined, "Noisy. Stop!" His eyes were still closed as he rolled over. "Oh!" Reid then fell on the bed. Eugene and I were the only ones at fault. We had both interrupted his sleep.

"Ugh! M-Mommy…‘my…'my,” he cried.

Eugene and I quickly got up and approached my crying son. I didn’t know why, but the smile on my lips couldn’t be erased. And the source of that smile was Eugene.

Eugene picked up Reid and placed him on top of the bed. We were on either side of him until he fell asleep again. I slowly left Reid's side.

"Good night," I whispered to Eugene.

"Good night." Eugene could no longer stand because Reid's thigh was wrapped around his waist.

I slowly closed the door and went to my room.

EUGENE FUERTES

I woke up with a heavy thing on top of my stomach. I looked up and immediately saw a foot resting on my stomach. Then, I remembered that I had slept in another house and that Reid was next to me. He was lying upside down so that his foot was facing me. He was naughty when he was sleeping. I still remembered when he was a baby. He would cry whenever I held him and only stopped when his mother picked him up.

He had been rude to me before, the way he was to all his mother's other suitors. He was kind to me only because I was the one who had taken care of him since he was a child. All he knew was that his Mommy and I were friends, and I couldn't find the right time to tell him that I was hoping to court his mother.

I got up and looked at the wall clock. It was fifteen minutes before six. I had to get up because I had a shift today, and Reid had school. "Reid, wake up. You might be late."

He just growled. I began shaking him even harder to wake up his spirit. He got up and rolled his knuckles over his eyes. He also yawned before looking at me. There was no denying how much he resembled Wright. He needed a father, but the decision was still up to Melissa. I had nothing to do with his decision. All I could do was give her advice.

"Does your back still hurt?" I hoped he didn’t remember that he fell last night. Come on—it was his mother's fault.

He shook his head. "I had a dream. Mommy pushed me, and I fell in a pile of slices of bacon. Hard slices of bacon. Maybe they were burned slices of bacon."

He didn’t remember! Good. "Come on, I'll cook for you. Your Mommy is awake."

I got up and went straight to the bathroom to wash up. I began brushing my teeth with Reid. I could see him glancing at me and copying what I did. I secretly smiled when I caught him looking at me.

It was as if something had touched my heart because it felt like he was my son. I wished I were his father. If only I had met Melissa a little earlier. But I could do nothing but wait for when she was ready to open herself to me—not just a friend, but also as a husband.

We headed straight to the kitchen afterward. Reid offered to peel the white onion. He seemed to know how to cut it, but I didn’t let him. He fell into a bad mood and refused to talk to me, but he didn’t have a choice but to listen to me because I was older than him.

"Ouch!"

I lowered the pot I was holding and quickly went to Reid's side. His thumb was bleeding. I hurriedly put his fingers in the sink. He had minced the garlic while I was busy taking care of the pots.

When the bleeding stopped, I took the first aid kit from the bathroom and coated his wound with medicine. I didn’t use alcohol because I knew it would hurt him more. I didn’t want to hurt Reid. Even though I knew he wasn't crying, I knew his wound was painful.

"Uncle Doc, can you make my Mommy happy?" I looked at Reid and stopped putting betadine on his wound. I stared at him, puzzled.

Then, I smiled. He was starting to open up to me. "Yes. Why?"

He grinned. "Nothing."

I didn't let him help me finish cooking because he might get hurt again. He just watched me as I peeled the potatoes. He was perched on a chair and watched me make breakfast. "This is how it feels when you have Daddy."

I didn’t know if I should ask this, but it wouldn't be bad if I did. "Do you want to meet your Daddy?"

He shook his head and hugged his knees. "No. I hate him. I don't like people to hurt my Mommy. I’ll protect my mom. I’ll punch all the bad guys in the face! Look how big my fists are."

I just chose to keep quiet so as not to pique Reid’s curiosity. He just watched me until I finished cooking the corned beef. "Taste it, and tell me if it's okay." I blew on it first and then touched the spoon on his lips.

His smile widened after eating a bit. "You're good at cooking, Paps!"

It was as if I was struck by lightning when I heard those words from Reid. "What...What did you just call me?"

He covered his mouth. Maybe he realized the word he had just said. He jumped to get off the seat. "Beats me," he said quickly and then ran out of the kitchen.