CHAPTER 35

MELISSA QUIZON

"Auntie! Auntie! Please lend me some lotion," Bobbie said loudly. Her mother had left her with Wright and me, which was why she was here at Wright's house.

I gently pulled her hand away and sat her down between my thighs. "Come here. I'll put your lotion on."

I rubbed the sunblock lotion in my palm and started rubbing it on Bobbie's arm.

"Auntie, come swim with us. The water is cold. It's good for the skin."

I bit my lower lip and stared at the blue water. That swimming pool seemed fascinating. Reid enjoyed swimming in the pool here. He waved at me while hugging Wright's neck, and then they slipped into the water.

I gulped when Wright's eyes met mine as he surfaced. I immediately averted my gaze.

"Uh—"

Bobbie stood up and smiled at me. "Teach me, Auntie. I'm jealous of Reid."

She had already taken her pink life jacket and went down a step of the swimming pool.

"Okay." I stood up and took off the long that covered my body. I was wearing a black swimsuit that was so simple in design. I immediately felt the coolness of the air, so I walked closer to the pool.

"Mommy, are you going to take a bath? I thought you were just going to stay there forever," Reid said, laughing.

I glanced at Wright and saw that he couldn't look at me directly. He swallowed a few times and wet his lower lip.

I swallowed once and went down into the pool.

"Come on, Auntie," said Bobbie. I pushed her on her floaters.

We approached Reid's location because that was what Bobbie wanted. Reid was riding above Wright's life jacket. I felt awkward because of the way Wright was looking at me.

"Mommy, hug Daddy's shoulder. Let's take the train," Reid said excitedly as he waved his foot under his life preserver.

My eyes widened, and I looked at Wright's muscular shoulders.

"Huh?"

I heard Wright sigh. "Just put Bobbie between us if you don't want to stick to me," he said coldly.

I put Bobbie between us. Bobbie automatically clung to Wright's shoulder.

"Chug, chug, chug. Train, train, put put. Train, train, put put. Daddy, push more," Reid said cheerfully. He was so loud because he was at the front, and Wright was pushing his floaters.

Wright chuckled. "Yes, all right. As long as you're happy."

After we did that, we went upstairs. The sun was setting, and soon, it would be too dark to swim in the outdoor pool.

"Come here. I'll clean you up," I said to Reid and sat him down between my thighs. He sat up, but he took the towel in my hands.

"I'll do it. I am now a big boy."

"My baby boy is so naughty." Reid didn't do anything when I took the towel from his hand and wiped it across his wet hair.

At the same time, we both watched Wright dive into the water again. I couldn't even catch up with Reid when he ran fast and picked up his floaters, which were at the side of the pool. Wright laughed as he supported our son, who was riding on his floaters. I just facepalmed when Bobbie followed.

"You didn't put your sunblock on again, Reid. You're going to have a sunburned," I said, frustrated.

"It's okay, Mommy! You still love me." I frowned at his reply.

After we ate dinner, we went to our rooms one by one. I could already see the tired eyes of the two children. I was also tired from chasing after them to put sunblock on again.

When I went to bed, I just felt tired. I thought being tired would help me fall asleep faster, but even after rolling around in bed for a while, I still couldn't feel comfortable.

I went out of my room and went down the stairs. I was amazed that there was still light in the living room. I slowly walked downstairs and stopped at the last five steps of the stairs when I saw Wright playing his guitar while sitting on the one-sitter sofa and singing "Broken Strings" by James Morrison ft. Nelly Furtado.

"Let me hold you for the last time / It's the last chance to feel again / But you broke me, now I can't feel anything / When I love you, it's so untrue / I can't even convince myself / When I'm speaking it's the voice of someone else / Oh, it tears me up / I tried to hold on, but it hurts too much / I tried to forgive, but it's not enough / To make it all okay…

"Can't sleep?" I winced when Wright spoke.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah."

"Me neither." Wright smiled wryly and let go of the guitar. He placed it on the side of the sofa. "Uh, you want some milk?"

I kept going down the stairs. "Uhm, I can make it myself."

I went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and picked up a box of milk. When I turned around, I almost dropped the milk carton because Wright was so close to me.

"You don't need my help, huh?" he asked earnestly.

I took a deep breath and walked away. "Don't start, Wright."

I took a glass and put the milk in it.

"How's your Doctor Eugene?" I almost fainted because of his sudden appearance. There was resentment in his eyes. "Any calls from him?"

"Let's not talk about him!" I couldn't help but raise my voice.

"Miss him?" He still didn't stop. I looked at him, but he just raised an eyebrow at me. "I know a great private investigator."

"I'm alright," I managed to say.

He shook his head. "No. You're not."

Silence reigned throughout the kitchen. Neither of us spoke. We just glared at each other. Neither of us wanted to lose.

I got goosebumps when his gaze dropped to my lips. Gradually, his face moved down, but I immediately avoided him before our lips touched.

"Damn," he mumbled.

"M-Mommy.." I heard Reid's trembling voice say behind me. When I turned around, I saw the redness in his eyes.

I frowned when Wright picked Reid up first. "Why is my baby crying?"

"I had a nightmare," he said, crying. "You left us."

They seemed so…close?

"Why would I do that?" Wright put Reid's head in the crook of his neck. Reid's small arms automatically wrapped around Wright's neck.

"Because you're mad at me?" he murmured.

"That's unreasonable, baby. I wouldn't leave you for such a superficial reason," Wright said softly.

"Let's sleep together, Daddy," Reid sobbed. He glanced at me with those begging eyes. "Sleep with us too, Mommy."

"Anything for my baby," I said, smiling.

"I'm in the middle." Reid immediately lay down in the middle of the bed. I wanted to give up because we were going to sleep in the same bed. In Wright's bed.

I took the blankets and pulled them over Reid and me.

Reid squeezed against Wright's chest. "Daddy, you're not leaving, are you?"

Wright stroked Reid's hair and kissed him on the forehead. "Did you know that sometimes, a dream is the opposite of reality?"

Reid turned to me. "Mommy, when Daddy leaves, you will deport him to Dapitan. Then, we will shoot him in Bagumbayan."

I smiled wryly and nodded. I caressed his cheek. Reid was asleep, and I was still wide awake. I sighed.

"Sleep now, Mel," Wright said. I thought he was asleep, but he wasn't. He hugged Reid even tighter.

"I can't."

"You can. Just stop thinking about him."

I sighed. "Wright."

"Hmm?" he moaned.

"Why are you still awake?" I asked while looking at the white ceiling of his room.

He chuckled. "I'm trying to sleep, but your scent is stopping me."

My scent? Damn it, Wright.

"Good night, Wright," I growled.

"Melissa."

"I'm trying to sleep, Wright."

"Sorry for being a burden, baby," he said softly as my chest tightened again.

"Wright, please. Reid's sleeping. Good night," I pled.

He tiredly sighed, seeming so hopeless.