“Good night, Stephen,” I muttered and kissed him again. I glanced at Nash for a second and saw his eyes closed, it looked like he was sleeping already. He fell asleep fast.
“Good night, Alyana,” Stephen mumbled with a beam and kissed my forehead.
“Sis Alyana, what are you doing?” I turned to Nash who was now looking at both Stephen and me.
“N-Nothing, we’re just talki—“
“I saw you kissed Mr. Driver.”
So, he saw it. Hays, I shouldn’t have kissed Stephen or maybe, I should have made sure that Nash was really asleep.
“Do you love my Sis Alyana, Mr. Driver?” he asked, reason for Stephen, who’s now blinking constantly, to turn his gaze on him.
“Because if not, I’ll just be the one who’ll love her—“
“I like her.” I suddenly held my bosom because of what Stephen had just said. Chill, Alyana, you already heard that before and Stephen already told you that so why is your heart pounding madly, huh?”
“Like? You only like her? My question here is do you love Ate Alyana...”
I’d just get hurt if Stephen will say no. Doesn’t mean a person likes you, he also loves you, right? “N-Nash, go to sleep. It’s already late, you should be sleeping now.”
“Okay...” He looked at Stephen seriously.
“If you only like Sis and you’re not sure if you love her, then don’t kiss her nor be sweet towards her because my Ate Alyana would surely end up getting hurt!”
Is Nash really a kid? He talks so maturely.
Nash then lay down and I tapped his tummy to help him sleep. A couple of minutes passed and I heard his snores. I was about to lay down, too, but I suddenly looked at Stephen who’s just staring at me.
I thought he already fell asleep?
“Why, do you need something?” I asked.
“Are you sure he’s just a kid?” he asked which made me frown.
“Nash is literally a kid.”
“Did you teach him such things?”
“Such things what? What am I going to teach him?”
He pulled me to lie down. “Never mind, let’s just sleep. Good night, Alyana,” he said and hugged me.
We then suddenly heard a hem. “It’s already late in the evening, Sis Alyana. And also, Mr. Driver, there’s still morning for that.” He then broke his hug on me and I turned to Nash to hug him.
“Sleep now, Nash.” I closed my eyes and felt Stephen caressing my leg with his foot but I kicked it and I heard him groan.
I didn’t realize that I had finally fallen asleep.
I WOKE UP to the sound of a thump, I roamed my eyes and the two of them were no longer beside me.
I rubbed my eyes. “Where are those two?” I fixed Stephen’s bed first because it’s so messy, the pillow was on the floor, and the blanket was also on the floor.
When I got out of the room, I heard Stephen’s voice. “Sh*t! Ouchhh! You’re really a dwarf!” Dwarf? Is he with Nash? Don’t tell me they are fighting again...
I followed where the noise was coming from and my eyes widened to see Nash’s two feet resting on Stephen’s shoulder while biting his head and pulling it as well.
“Alyana, help!” Stephen shouted when he saw me standing from a distance.
“Nash, what are you doing to Stephen!” I hurriedly ran towards them and tried to reach Nash but Stephen was just too tall. Madam Nessy will surely get mad at me if he falls!
Stephen bent down but still held Nash’s waist so he won’t fall.
“Nash, come here,” I said and raised both my palms, he held it and I lifted him down. I groaned a little because the wound on my hand was not that healed yet.
“Alyana, are you okay?”
“Are you okay, Sis Alyana?” they asked in chorus and I just nodded as a response but Stephen grabbed my risk and checked at my palm.
“This is your fault, you dwarf!” He gave Nash a darting glare.
“Hah! How come, Mr. Driver!”
“Don’t call me driver!”
“Then don’t also call me dwarf!” I covered my ears because of their endless clamor. It’s becoming annoying.
“Why do you care?!” Stephen vexatiously retorted.
“Why do you care, too?!”
“You’re such a copycat!”
“You’re a copycat, too!”
“Stop! What’s with you two fighting early in the morning? Nash, Stephen is not a kid for you to treat him like that, you might have forgotten that he’s older than you so be polite to him. When you’re talking to someone older than you, use ‘po’ and be polite, okay?” I calmly stated my last words.
“Okay... so, Sis Alyana.”
“Tsk, serves you right.”
“Serves you right, too, Mr. Driver!”
“Is there already food to eat, Stephen?”
“There’s none yet, and it’s because of this dwarf. I forgot to cook since I got busy washing my face because this brat wrote things on my handsome face!”
“Nash, you did that?”
“I just thought his face was a blackboard. Sorry po, Sis Alyana, I won’t do it again.”
“You should say sorry to Stephen, not to me,” I stated and it’s the truth.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Driver, I mean, ku... kuy... Kuya Stephen.” He’s even pouting, it’s too obvious that it’s just a forced apology.
“Are you hungry, Nash?” He nodded his head.
“Let’s just order food,” Stephen stated.
_
AFTER we ate, my phone suddenly vibrated and I quickly checked it because it was surely Madam Nessy.
From Madam Nessy: Alyana, I might be home around 10 or 11 am, are you just alright there at the house?
I bit my nail because how can I text Madam back when I don’t even have a load?
I just asked help from Stephen to load my phone in order for me to send Madam a message.
To Madam Nessy: We’re just alright here, Madam Nessy. And also, we’re currently not in your house po. Don’t worry because Nash is just fine. Also, I’m sorry po, I forgot to give Nash vitamins last night.
We took a rest first for a while before going, it’s nearly 11 am.
When we arrived, we saw a car parked there and it was Madam Nessy’s. Nash and I got out and at the same time, Madam got out of her car, too.
“Mommy!” Nash quickly ran towards Madam Nessy, I smiled as I also went their way while Stephen was just leaning on his car while staring at them.
“Alyana, thank you so much for watching over my son... Uhm, who’s that guy, by the way?” She pointed out Stephen.
“My boyfriend po, Madam Nessy.’
“What? Boyfriend? So you already have a boyfriend.” Oh my, it seems like Madam Nessy understood it the wrong way.
"Boyfriend, as in a male friend po, Madam Nessy,” I clarified and she laughed.
“Ah, boy friend! I thought he’s your lover. What a waste, you even look good together, Alyana, ija.”
‘Really, we look good together?’ I wanted to ask that but I feel shy, I just bit my lower lip to prevent myself from smiling.
“Mommy, where is Daddy? Aren’t you with him? How many days will it have to take for me to see him?” Nash asked Madam.
“He’s just busy, son. Look inside the car, I have a lot of pasalubong for you.”
“Wow, really? Thanks, Mommy!” He hugged her and quickly got into their car.
“Why aren’t you with Sir, Madam Nessy?” I suddenly asked, why did that even come out of my mouth? Well, I’m just curious... I didn’t really mean to ask her.
The glint of sadness in her eyes didn’t escape my sight.
"A-Ah, he still has a lot to take care of there, and I was also wrong jumping to conclusions that he has another woman...” It seemed like Madam Nessy’s tears would start to fall for a few seconds but she just stopped it. I know if she's lying, I can tell it.
I remembered the times when I am also lying wherein I always stutter, looking like wanting to cry, and being confused about whether, to tell the truth or not. I’m very familiar with it for I’m also like that whenever I lie. I’m not mad that Madam Nessy doesn’t want to tell me the truth, I understand her and I also don’t want to see her cry in front of me. Also, Nash is here, for sure she doesn’t want her son to see her crying.
Of course, a child seeing his mom crying will get hurt, too. I can say that Nash really loves his mom so much and he’s closer to her than to his dad so if he sees madam crying, he’ll naturally get hurt. You’ll always get hurt when you see your loved ones getting hurt, too.
I can tell that Madam needs comfort but not this time. I think she’s not yet ready to share about what happened.
“It’s okay, Madam Nessy. I’m always here whenever you want and when you’re already ready to share, I’m here to listen.”
“Thank you, Alyana. Ah, right, I also brought pasalubong for you just like what I texted you yesterday.” She took something inside her car and she also gave me five paper bags, I didn’t bother to check them anymore.
“Thank you, Madam Nessy.”
“I should be the one thanking you.” She hugged me and I hugged her back. “I am not the one who did that, okay?”
_
WE’RE now back here at Stephen’s house and I decided to cook after a few minutes because it is close to 1 pm when I felt someone hug me from behind.
“Stephen?” I assured.
“Hmm?” And I started getting nervous.
“A-Ahm, I can’t move properly.” It’s because his hug was so tight, to the point that it felt like he had no intention of letting me go. He then loosened his embrace on me a little.
“Is this fine?” He really has no intention of letting go.
I just decided to do the cooking quickly while Stephen is hugging me from behind. Whenever I walk to get something, he’ll still follow, causing me to even have a hard time walking properly because he’s still hugging me.
“You’re really a good cook.”
“Thanks.”
“You can even get married now.” I coughed due to what he just stated. Getting married right away is too much, I haven’t even yet finished college.
“You okay?” I plastered a fake curve upon my lips and nodded.
I sighed as I thought about what I saw in Madam Nessy’s room. The necklace and the photo, I still can’t really forget those. Maybe I should have asked Madam? It’s not bad for me to ask her about those, right?
_
I’m currently in my bedroom, taking the clothes that I’ve worn already. I’ll go do some laundry today since I noticed that I don’t have any clothes to wear tomorrow. I mean, those clothes I used to have ... I can’t wear anything anymore because they are all dirty and I haven’t washed them yet.
“How am I going to do the laundry if there’s no soap?” I asked myself. I went out of the room and knocked on Stephen’s door and it immediately opened.
“Stephen, do you have soap?”
“Just check Manang Daley’s room, she puts the soaps and whatnot in her room. Oh, where do you plan to use the soap, anyway?”
“I would like to do my laundry...” I answered, scratching my nape.
“Do the laundry? The washing machine is in the fourth bathroom—“
“I want to do it manually.” I don’t know how to use a washing machine and I’m more used to using only my hands.
“Alyana, your hand isn’t healed yet, but you’re planning to do laundry with your hands? There’s a washing machine and you still have a lot of clothes in the cabinet. I bought you some, right? ”
“But I want to wash my clothes, I’m not used to wearing the clothes you bought,” I muttered. I still really prefer to wear those clothes I used to wear.
“I said no,” he said firmly.
“But—“ He cut me off.
“Don’t be hard-headed, Alyana.”
“Then you do the laundry instead if you don’t want me to do it,” I retorted with my arms crossed. It’s just so annoying, I just want to wash my clothes.
“Give me your clothes.”
“Huh?” I confusedly mumbled.
“Where are your clothes, I’ll do the laundry.” My jaw almost dropped because of that.
Is he serious?
“You’ll really do the laundry?” I asked, surprised.