.
.
.
Kim sought refuge on one of her favourite dress stores. With tears flowing from her eyes, she rushed past the curious salesreps. She immediately ran into one of the dressing rooms, which oftentimes became her own personal confessional. She didn’t expect such overwhelming emotions to affect her than it did today. It was a such harmless movie, yet here she was...a lifeless ragdoll desperately seeking her strings. God knows how much Kim was really needing direction --- directions to overcome her wayward emotions. She dreaded the fact that she was still the wreck that she was three years ago. All the personal growth and progress she thought she had achieved these last few years, were merely false hopes or facades to her truer, more broken self. Why couldn’t she get him off her mind? Why is she still secretly pining for his approval...why does she still need to hear from him that she was alright, and that she was okay...without him. Why can’t she do it herself? Why can’t she bring herself to say that she is over him at last? In as much as she denies it, a part Kim’s heart still loves him. That’s what hurts her the most.

Kim suddenly heard knocks on the dressing room door. The first few ones were filled with much uncertainty that she ignored them. But the more definite ones that followed caught her by surprise. Who could be knocking now? The store wasn’t that busy when she came in. This store, she knows, have lots of dressing rooms. Besides, she was only in there for just a few minutes. Who could this impatient person be, who cannot wait for her turn?

She forcefully opened the door, preparing to retaliate as soon as she sees a grouchy woman’s face. However the face that greeted her was the seraphic features of a four-year-old.

He looked at her in a way that he almost was boring into her soul. She felt uneasy...and ashamed. Kim hastily wiped off any signs of tears from her eyes and cheeks.

“Hi...” Kim said, which sounded more like a question.

He only looked at her, still very introspective. She felt unnerved.

“What are you doing here?” Kim once again asked.

He still didn’t respond. He just continued to stare at her. Kim at first thought he was mute...or maybe autistic. But his gaze didn’t seem spaced out. So, maybe he wasn’t that. Kim was definitely intrigued by his beguiling presence.

Kim kneeled on the floor and faced him eye-level.

“Okay, if you don’t want to answer my questions, maybe you want me to ask me something...” Kim said.

“Why were you crying?” he responded in a small, husky voice.

Alas, he speaks! But, the words that came out of his mouth were the very group of words she dreaded to hear from anybody. Such question was so personal and insidious, not even this innocent tot can allay the fears she had in answering that very question. She was very much afraid to hear what she herself has got to say.

“I don’t know...”Kim answered truthfully.

“Are you sad?” he asked once more, placing his hands on his pockets.

“Maybe....” Kim eyed him, searching for clues on his innocent face.

“My dad is sad too, and he said if I saw somebody sad, I need to give her a handkerchief....” he said, fishing out a small hankie from his pocket.

“Thank you,” Kim said, tearing up from the heartfelt gesture. She wanted to hug him. He was so sweet. She took the handkerchief and dabbed her tears with it. “What is your name?” she asked.

“Thomas,” he answered quaintly.

“Thomas, where is your dad?” Kim asked. “You said your dad is sad too....where is he?”

He pointed at the direction of the theatre.

“Goodness, he must be looking out for you then?” Kim stood up, following at the direction he pointed at. The movie house was now devoid of people. There were a few people that walked by, but none seemed to have lost a kid.

The little boy nodded his head. “Don’t worry...my dad finds me all the time!”

“Thomas, does your dad know that you’re here with me?”

The boy shook his head.

“Is this some sort of a prank?”

Thomas shook his head. Kim was almost mad at herself for asking stupid questions. She wasn’t going anywhere with this line of questioning.

“You mean to say you just followed me here just because you saw me crying?”

He smiled and nodded his head. Kim’s heart almost broke from his naïveté. She let out a sigh. Now she is stuck with this kid. She had to find his father somehow.

“Thomas, we need to look for your father, okay?”

Thomas nodded once more. He then grabbed her hand and pulled her slightly to the opposite direction of the theatre.

“Hey, Thomas, where are we going? The movie house is in this direction!”

“I’m hungry...” he said, pulling her towards the colourful ice cream house.

“But, we need to look for your dad...he must be very worried right now!” Kim protested.

However, Thomas kept pulling her. It was as if his inner strength was several times stronger than her own fragile one. He kept pulling her towards the ice cream parlour. She tried to protest but he was very assuring when he said...

“My dad will find me, you’ll see...” Thomas said with a show of his perfectly white, almost complete set of teeth.
.
.
.
Moments later, he was happily munching on to his favourite bubblegum hazel nut flavoured treat. Kim just eyed him, curious about his background. Three things she was positive about. One, guessing on his branded clothes, he is affluent. Two, his well-mannered speech means his parents have good breeding, and three, because he was a good looking kid that means he had at least one good looking parent. Kim began to wonder what his dad looked like...

“What’s your name?” he asked, breaking off Kim’s daydreaming.

“My name is Kim!” she answered. Her attention was shifted into how he ate. He managed his teaspoon way better than any kid his age. She was amazed. She has an eight-year-old sister and he eats way better than she does. Lilly had got to meet him.

“Pretty name...” he uttered, smiling at her.

“Thank you,” Kim answered, blushing slightly. She never thought a small kid could elicit that kind of reaction from her. IT was his gaze more than anything else. It was piercing. “How old are you Thomas?”

“Four and a half...” he answered, looking down on his colourful, almost melted globs.

“Wow, I can’t believe it!” Kim exclaimed. “Has anybody told you that you don’t speak and act like a four-year-old?”

He nodded. Kim just looked happily at the way he took on his ice cream.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Me?” Kim was surprised. “Uhm, I’m 21 almost 22....”

“Just like my mom...” he announced.

“Your mom is my age?” Kim was even more surprised.

The young boy nodded.

Kim began to think. That means that Thomas’ mom already had him when she herself, was still talking to her stuffed animals. Was she that delayed as far as trying out things? Now she was curious how old the dad was. She just saw Juno the other night; she wondered if Juno’s kid would turn out exactly like this young boy did ...if or course, Juno took care of him herself. Probably not, Kim decided.

“Why are you sad earlier?” Thomas asked once more. “Do movies make you sad?”

“No, Thomas, it wasn’t the movie that made me cry...”

“What then?” he said in between bites of the frozen treat.

“You’re really something...” Kim said laughing. “If you must know, I cried because my heart was broken...”

“Did somebody you love leave you too?” He asked, pausing slightly, his eyes suddenly sad.

“Thomas...” Kim uttered. Other than his name, she was speechless; she didn’t know what to say.

“My mom left my dad too...”he added. “That’s why he’s sad all the time. Are all people sad because other people leave them?”

“Thomas...yes....If somebody leaves you it will hurt, it will make you sad to see them go,” she answered honestly. “I wish there was a magic spell that can take the pain away, to make you happy and not be sad by their departure. But we are human, Thomas. We cry when we get hurt..."

Kim was definitely struggling to explain herself to this boy. She thought of a simple analogy.

"It's like this, Thomas. Don’t you cry when you get a cut, say on your leg?”

He nodded.

“See, that’s what happens when somebody leaves. When one person leaves another, that person makes a cut on the other person’s heart. And that cut, is very hard to heal. “

Thomas nodded knowingly, as if he finally understood it.

“That’s a very deep thought for a four year old, Thomas...” Kim said. She felt for the boy. How could his mother leave him? He is such a great kid. I don’t think any mother could bear leaving him with his father. There must be a reason, Kim thought. “You should think more about that ice cream than about grown up problems...you should just be happy being a kid!”

Several precious moments later, Thomas asked her another angst-ridden question.

“Could you help out my dad?”

“Why, what’s wrong with him?” Kim said while eyeing him.

“He has trouble being happy...he is sad all the time...” he relayed to her, again looking erstwhile sad too.

She was a bit alarmed by his answer. She didn’t mean to pry more, especially from a preschooler. IT felt like it was cheating. But, she couldn’t resist the urge. “Why? Was it because your mom left him?”

He nodded, looking down on his ice cream. “My grandma told me that my dad is like the saddest person in the world right now....”

Kim sighed. This boy’s problem was way more complicated than at first glance. If only he had warned her that he had this huge personal baggage that he was about to unload unto her, she would have seriously thought of leaving him in the middle of the mall. She, of all people, was in no state to help another person when it comes to matters of the heart. Not right now.

“I don’t think your dad would want my help...” Kim suggested.

“Why not?” his young face wondered.

“I don’t know...I don’t think I’m the right person to ask...”

“Why not?” Thomas repeated his question.

“I don’t know...” Kim said blankly. Hopefully that will satisfy him. How could one even begin to explain the complexities of the broken heart to a four-year-old? Kim had the same question in mind.

"Would you at least try?" he said. "I know you could do it!"

"Thomas, you're a tough sell!" Kim said of the pep-talk.

Thomas eyed her strangely.

"Never mind, okay...what did you exactly want me to do..."

"I don't know...maybe make him smile sometimes.." said Thomas.

"Okay, that might not be too tough." Kim agreed loosely. "Okay, sir, one smiling father coming up..." she said, Willy-wonka-like.

“Kim, I like you....” Thomas said out of nowhere.

Was that a proposition? Kim wondered. She felt her face warm up again. This boy is definitely going to grow up and break a lot of hearts, she was pretty sure of that.

“Thank you...” she said, stopping herself from the urge to pinch his cheeks.

“What makes you happy?” Thomas asked.

“Me?” His question surprised Kim again. The way Thomas was asking his questions, it was making her uneasy on her seat. His innate inquisitiveness was quite staggering. “A lot of things...”

“Like what?” Thomas asked.

“Hmmm, let me see...” Kim thought. “Rainfall makes me happy...greeting strangers makes me happy... uhmmm, what else...good movies!”

“I love movies!” he said.

“Me too...” Kim admitted. “You must watch lots of movies then!”

“My dad and I have movie nights on Tuesdays. Would you like to come and watch with us?”

Kim smiled. She was just asked out by a four-year-old.

“Only if your dad will approve...”Kim bantered. She really didn’t mean to say that. It was just to stop him from asking more uncomfortable questions.

“I’m sure he will...” he said. “Let’s ask him!”

“Ask him?!!!” Kim gasped.

Thomas searched his pocket once more. He pulled out a really small cellphone.

This young boy has his own freaking cellphone? Kim immediately grabbed the cellphone. When she looked at it, there were almost 15 missed calls on it. She realized that the silent feature was . Of course, they've just gone out of the movie house! The dad must have turned the sounds off inside the movie theater and may have forgotten to turn it back on.

Kim immediately dialled the number pertaining to DAD.

“Hello, sir?” Kim began. “I think I have your son....”

“Thank God! Where are you?” The voice that responded was panicky, yet his undertones were very much appealing.

“Ice cream house...across the hall from the movie house...”

“I’ll be right there, don’t move...” he said snappily. “and Miss...thanks!”

“You’re welcome...” Kim’s voice trailed off as the speaker cut off the call in haste.

The little boy was staring at her reaction.

“Why didn’t you tell me right away that you have a cellphone?”

He just shrugged his shoulders. If he wasn’t so cute, Kim could have strangled him for putting her into such trouble.

“Your dad is coming,” Kim assured him. “Do you want more ice cream?”

He nodded his head vigorously.

Then all of a sudden, a figure came up behind her.

“You are in big trouble young man!” the voice said.

When she looked around, Kimberly Tuazon saw the most gorgeous man she had ever seen in her life. Bar none.
.
.
.
__________
.
.
.
Gerald unceremoniously sat beside Kim. He didn’t even ask permission. She, in the meantime, just slid over to make room for him. He didn’t even take a moment to look at her. He just concentrated on his kid.

“How many times did I have to tell you not to stray away from me, Tommy?” he scolded him.

The boy looked down on his dessert. His little mouth quivered. Kim was almost certain he would cry. The father continued to admonish him. Kim didn’t pay attention to what the father said. She was just content in watching him.

As Kim then turned her attention to the man seated beside her, her heart must have skipped several beats when her gaze was caught by the rhythmic rise and fall of his Adam’s apple. From where she was seated, she gently assessed his profile. His nose was perfect, strong but not too big. His chin was chiselled perfectly, but not too angular like that of Greek statues. It softened his look. His eyes, though looking tired, are the perfect dark brown tinge. Even his generous eyebrows seemed perfectly placed. He was such a sight to see. He was breathtaking.

“Could you promise me, Tommy, not to ever, ever do this again?

The little boy nodded once more.

Only then did Gerald turn towards the lady seated beside him. He caught her, staring at him with a half-smile. She was very pretty. Her almond-shaped eyes were the perfect blend to her soft-featured face. Her little nose was the compliment to her overly-luscious lips. Her face instantly got stamped into his mind.

“Thank you, miss...” Gerald said courteously.

“Dad, her name is Kim.” Thomas interjected.

“Yes, Kimberly Tuazon,” Kim answered, smiling at Tommy first before shifting her gaze to him. Kim extended a hand to Gerald and he immediately took it.

The moment their hands touched Gerald felt this sudden connection. Maybe he was dreaming it, but that was how it felt. That sudden surge of good hormones instantly enveloped his senses.

“Pretty name...” Gerald replied, still holding her hands.

“Thank you...” Kim answered courtly. She immediately thought...like father, like son.

“Gerald Garcia...”

“Nice to meet you!” Kim greeted.

Silence ensued.

“Dad, could I have another ice cream?” asked Thomas, breaking off their gazes with one another.

“Sure thing...” Gerald said.

Actually, Gerald was about to go back to his own restaurant, but he decided to stay on a little bit longer. HE was caught off guard by the innate beauty that was hauntingly seated too close to him. He was instantly smitten.

Gerald Garcia was the owner of The Colour Club --- a chain of Restaurants and bars. He actually started the business with a couple of friends, but now he manages them on his own. He spends most of his time going from one bar to the other every day, inspecting them. He manages six clubs all in all. The demand for his trendy restaurant was so high, this year alone he opened four of the six bars. At 22, he was so successful, oftentimes regarded by most women as the perfect catch. Most people believe that he is the most elligible bachelor in town. But to him, he was worthless. He just lost the love of his life and he was hurting like hell.

Gerald stood up and got his son his order. On his way back, he seated right beside Tommy and right across Kim. Underneath the table, their knees grazed each other. Once again, they both felt a tingle surge up their spines.

“Did my son give you a hard time?” Gerald said, his eyes never leaving Kim. He slid Tommy’s bowl to him and the little boy immediately attacked the dessert.

“No, in fact, he was such a perfect little gentleman!” Kim answered truthfully.

“He must have asked you a lot questions...” Gerald guessed.

“Yep, he did. It almost felt like I was on one of Barbara Walter’s specials. It was like one probing question after another.”

He laughed at her quip. Kim’s heart glowed. His own brand of laughter was so stirring, it was intoxicating.

“Yup, that’s my son!” Gerald boasted.

“You must be really proud of him. He is such a wonderful boy!” Kim said.

“I am...” Gerald said. “Except when he runs away like that...it’s his ugly habit...”

“I don’t know what drove him, but he said he was just curious to see me cry, that was why he followed me...”Kim explained.

“That’s the only thing I like about this troublesome habit of his...he always end up with beautiful women.” Gerald regaled.

Kim was taken aback. She smiled at the compliment.

“But please, don’t ever think that I use my son to score on women!’ Gerald added.

“I’d never thought of that, to be honest!” Kim said truthfully.

“Good, I just can’t blame him for having good taste in women...”chuckled Gerald.

Kim laughed. She just assumed it was a joke. Gerald responded by laughing too. He didn’t intend it to be a joke, but what the heck. She was even more lovely now when she’s smiling.

“You must have been really young when you had him?” Kim said candidly.

“Yep, barely out of high school. My whole family went ballistic when they learned about him. My girlfriend and I kept it at first, but when her stomach was too difficult to hide, we confessed....” Gerald recounted.

“How old was she?”

“She was seventeen when we had Thomas.” Gerald said, some sort of nostalgia lingered on his face...his glorious eyes...

“Wow!” Kim uttered under her breath.

“Why the shock?” he asked.

“Uhh, I don’t know...” Kim said. “Maybe because it had me thinking of what I was doing back then...back when I was seventeen!”

“What exactly were you doing back then?” asked Gerald.

“I don’t know...but certainly not making babies!” Kim said tactlessly.

IT was Gerald’s turn to blush. He wasn’t offended though, just a bit ashamed of the inconvenient truth. He began to laugh, much loudly than he anticipated.

Kim looked at Thomas in horror. His little face looked at her in wonder. He then smiled.

“I’m sorry...” Kim said.

“Sorry for what?” Gerald said.

Kim pointed at the confused boy. Gerald recalled Kim’s “making-babies” spiel. He just smiled.

“Thomas, what did you hear your Tita Kim say?” Gerald asked him.

“Nothing, dad...” he replied.

“See, he’s well trained.” Gerald smiled as his gaze switched back to Kim. “And what do I always tell you about two grown-ups talking?” he said, looking at Thomas intently.

“Don’t listen in...” Thomas finished.

“Good,” Gerald said.

Kim laughed loudly this time. Thomas was now officially the cutest thing she has ever seen. If she could, she would just take him home and lock him in her room forever.

Several more precious moments after that transpired without them speaking. Both of them were just content on watching Thomas go through his ice cream.

“Your wife...girlfriend... must be really, really lovely...” Kim broke the silence first. This she deduced as she was observing Thomas’ features.

“Yes, she really was.” Gerald said. “Thomas, really took on after her. He is her carbon copy.”

“...was?” Kim caught on.

“She died...” said Gerald, this time with a bitter smile. “Just after she had Thomas...”

“I’m sorry...” Kim gasped. She didn’t know what to say after that. She wasn’t really good at verbalizing empathy either. ‘I’m sorry’ was all she could muster.

“That was four years ago...” he said...his eyes now seemed dull and lifeless. “Thomas never really got to know her....”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Kim reassured him. She almost dreaded herself for asking the question.

“Anyway, why am I bothering you with my sob story...” Gerald trivialized, trying to evoke a bit of sparkle in his demeanor. But, the way his voice cracked at the end meant that he was on the verge of tears.

Kim smiled at him. Deep inside, she felt sorry for him. It made her really think of her own dilemmas in life. They all seemed so trivial compared to what he had been going through. Having to raise a little boy on his own is such a daunting task that Kim really was amazed at the way he brought up Thomas. She was really impressed with Gerald.

.
.
.
After a few more hours, as they strolled along the busy mall, Gerald and Thomas had to leave. It was already getting dark.

“Well...” Gerald said.

“Well, what?” Kim smiled.

“It’s time...”he said, looking for signs of disappointment on her face.

“I guess it is...” she answered briefly. She then knelt down to face Thomas instead. Deep inside she didn’t want him to see how disappointed she was that they were leaving.

“Well, young sir, I guess this is goodbye...” said Kim to Thomas, fighting her urge to hug him.

“Okay, but what movie would you bring tomorrow night?” asked Thomas.

“Movie?” said Kim puzzlingly.

“You promised....” Thomas demanded. “She can come and watch a movie with us, right Dad?”

“If she wants to, of course” said Gerald, smiling lightly.

“See, I told you it was okay with him!” Tommy exclaimed giddily.

All Kim could do was nod. Gerald beamed at the sight of Tommy and her. Kim, meanwhile, thought how unwillingly she got herself into this situation.

“So, see you tomorrow?” Gerald asked.

Kim nodded absent-mindedly.

“It’s a date then...” he said as he turned around.

Kim’s mouth was left gaping. As she stood there, watching him take a few steps, she longed for the time when she can see him....them again. It was strange how much she missed them already, and they haven't really gone yet. She really can't wait for tomorrow to come.

Then, she felt something tug her shirt. She looked down and there was Thomas still smiling at her. He loosely took something out of his pocket. It was a toy car.

“Here, keep this.” He said.

“Thank you...” Kim said as she finally hugged him, very tightly. “What is this for?”

“For keeping your promise...” said Thomas.

“What promise, dear?” Kim asked him, confused.

“That you’re gonna help my dad...”he answered curtly.

“I don’t know if I could ever do it, Thomas...”

“You just did...”he replied.

“I did?” Kim asked, wondering what he was referring to.

Then, they both looked at Gerald who was just a few feet away. He had the biggest smile on his face. He looked really happy just looking back at them.

“Thank you for giving his smile back...” said the young boy. With that, he ran away.

Kim knew what the young boy meant. As Kim looked at Gerald, smiling at her, her heart sang. But, somehow Kim knew she was way over her head too. She must be really crazy. She knew she was just putting herself in a dangerous situation. She can’t be too attached to a man and his child she just barely met. But, she felt oddly happy doing it too. Under the circumstances, considering how dreadfully she had been going through her days, it was a definite achievement.

As she watched Thomas run back to his dad, she felt that it was her duty to keep her promise to the young boy. And she has never ever broken any of her promises, and she certainly won’t do so with him. Against her better judgement, Kim resolved to help them in any way she can.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
------
.
.
.
thanks for reading. thanks for the comments. more to come.
please disregard the minor errors. I really don't have time to edit that much. :o)