CHAPTER 36

MELISSA QUIZON

"Mommy, I want this and this and this—oh, and this too. Mommy, what's that? I want that." Reid jumped up and down as he held my hand and pointed to the ones he wanted to buy me.

"Reid, baby, calm down."

He laughed. "There are lots of toys, Mommy!"

I leaned down to make our faces level. "What about when Santa comes? What else will he give you, eh? You've already bought all the toys you want?"

He snorted and looked up as if thinking. I didn't even want to spoil Reid. Now, it was time for him to learn that he wouldn't get everything he wanted.

"Oh, you're right, Mommy," he said while smiling. "Why didn't Daddy come to the grocery store?"

I gulped. "Daddy has a job, so he can't come."

This morning, Reid and I woke up to find him gone. He just left a note on the kitchen table saying he had an early meeting in the office. He also left a black credit card for us to use for groceries. When we left the house, a driver was waiting for us. He told us that Wright had ordered him to take us to the grocery store. I didn't bring Bobbie. After all, her mama had picked her up because she had a check-up.

I looked at Reid as he pulled on my dress. I stopped pushing the grocery cart that was filled wtih everything we had bought.

"Toys, Mommy?"

"At Christmas, baby. I promise." I stroked his hair.

He nodded.

After we went to the grocery store, we immediately went home. I was taking out my groceries when Reid pulled on my dress again.

"Mommy! Mommy, look! Mommy!" he repeatedly said. He pulled me to the door of the house.

"What is it, Re—what the what?" My eyes widened at what I saw.

All the toys that Reid had pointed out earlier at the mall were inside our house now. One by one, they were lined up on the living room table.

"Like it?" We looked at Wright, who was wearing a wide smile as he sat on the one-sitter sofa.

What the heck!

"Daddy! You bought all of them?" Reid ran over to Wright. He climbed into his father's lap.

Wright stood up while carrying Reid. "Uhm, no? Some guy wearing red attire brought it all for you.

"It's Santa!" Reid said happily. "But it's not Christmas yet. Don't fool me. You bought that."

Wright chuckled. "Guilty as charged."

"How did you know?"

"I own that market, sweetie," Wright said and lightly pinched Reid's nose.

Reid went downstairs and enjoyed the toys Wright had bought. Wright approached me and helped me carry my groceries in.

I raised my eyebrow at him. "You're spoiling him."

He shrugged. "So what if I am?"

"Don't," I said coldly.

He sighed. "Your reason?"

"The day will come when he asks me for things I can't afford to give him."

"I won't let that happen," he said softly. "Trust me."

Trust. Really?

He turned away from me and entered the kitchen. I followed him and laid the few bags I had bought on the table.

Reid poked Wright and lifted the toy he was holding. "Daddy, teach me how to fly this plane."

Wright messed up Reid's hair. "Let's go outside."

When the two came out, I became more comfortable using the kitchen. I made our lunch and took it to the lanai. I found Reid sitting on Wright's thighs as he taught our son how to hold the controller. I put the food down on the table.

"Hold the controller, baby. Here, look at this button. This one is the start," Wright taught Reid.

"Lunch!" I called, and Reid jumped off Wright's lap, running to the table.

After we ate lunch, they went back to flying Reid's toy plane. I couldn't even bother them because they both seemed to be happy with what they were doing. I just lay in the hammock while reading a book and periodically looking at them.

"Aya!" I turned to Reid when he shouted.

They were looking up at the mango tree. The plane they had been playing with was hanging there.

"I got it." Wright ruffled Reid's hair, then climbed the tree.

"Be careful, Daddy!" Reid warned.

Wright grabbed the plane and dropped it to Reid. Reid caught it immediately. I got up when Wright came down, and he slipped on a branch and fell. His back was the first part to land on the ground. I ran closer to him.

"Daddy! Are you okay?" Reid said, panicking.

"Wright, stop moving, will you?" I said.

He stood up while holding my shoulder. "Ugh! I'm okay, baby. At least I saved it."

He smiled sparingly at me and shifted his attention to Reid. I was shocked when they came back to play some more. While they were playing, I noticed Wright rubbing his shoulder. He still frowned at times, but he made sure Reid didn't notice it.

So when Wright said he was going inside the house, I followed him with an ice pack. He got water in the kitchen and drank it. He was facing me when I poked him. He lowered the glass into the sink.

I lifted the ice pack. "Uhm, ice pack?"

"Don't need it."

"I know your shoulder hurts."

"How did you know?"

"You fell off the tree, didn't you?" I said rudely.

"I'm just feeling some kind of pain, Melissa. Besides, you're not going to give me another chance. And that's all we are!" I sighed at what he said. The resentment was obvious in his eyes.

My knees trembled because of the kind of look he gave me. I bit my lower lip and just chose to turn away from him. But less than halfway through my walk out of the kitchen, someone pulled my arm.

My eyes widened as my lips touched Wright's. He gripped my neck tightly so I couldn't escape.

"Wright—" He took advantage of the opening of my mouth, and he inserted his tongue. I pushed him hard and gasped as I got away from him.

I covered my lips with the back of my palm.

His eyes widened as he looked at me. He averted his gaze. He wet his lower lips and then looked at me again. "I'm just taking a chance and hoping that when I kiss you, your heart's decision will be different." He took a deep breath. "Guess I'm wrong. It's still the same."

After he said that, he passed by me and went out of the kitchen. The corner of my eye heated up, and my tears slowly fell.