Kim woke up early the next morning. When she opened her eyes, Gerald’s boyish face greeted her. He was still sound asleep. Kim stared at him for the longest time. She closed her eyes and made a silent prayer. She wished fervently that she could lie next to him forever. Let this be the last place on earth she will ever be and she’d wish for nothing more. Right beside him is where she had always dreamed to be...the only place she knew where she could ever be truly happy again. Kim knew that now.

Looking at him, as he peacefully sleeps, Kim thought that she had completed what she came here to do. Right now, she could see no trace of sadness in his face. She smiled proudly.

She grabbed the white satin sheets and covered her body. She hastily gathered up her strewn clothing and tiptoed her way to his en-suite bathroom. There, Kim stared at herself in the mirror. She smiled at her own glowing vision. She was a picture of happiness too. A kind of happiness she has never seen on herself before. Maybe, it was the happiness that comes from sharing oneself totally with another person --- a happiness that can only come from loving and being loved in return.

Kim the shower. Warm water splashed her face. She fully revelled at the luxury of warm water. She felt very alive.

Gerald meanwhile woke up in a bit of a panic. Not seeing Kim beside him made his heart tremble. He was suddenly worried that she ran away like Thomas had dreamt of previously. But, the moment he heard the sound of the shower, he felt at ease.

Kim meanwhile was enjoying the warm, flowing water... She didn’t realize that Gerald already joined her in the bathroom.

“Good morning...” He said, breathing behind her ear.

Kim quickly turned around in shock. Gerald was in his full glory! He was dripping from head to toe...glistening like a new born child. Kim’s eyes widened as her vision traveled from his naughty eyes to his strong feet.

Gerald smiled proudly.

“Hi...” he said naughtily. “Did you like what you see?”

“Uhmmm...What are you doing here?” Kim said, covering herself with her arms. She can only cover much.

“It’s my shower...yours is on the other room.” Gerald reminded her. “It is I that should ask you that question...”

Kim closed her eyes firmly. But the moment she did, Gerald’s state filled her mind much more vividly than in real life. In her mind, he was in full HD.

“Wait, why are you covering yourself, it’s not as if I haven’t seen that before?” Gerald observed.

“You ert...” said Kim, still closing her eyes in vain.

“Kim, open your eyes. IT’s perfectly okay to stare.” Gerald said with a laugh. “You’re much beautiful , than you are clothed.”

Kim slowly opened her eyes as instructed. She allowed herself to look at him. IT gave her a sense of accomplishment to see him as he was made to be.

“Now, you’ve seen me...” Gerald sighed. “Let me see you...”

She slowly dropped her arms too, revealing her innate ness to his eyes. Once again...blind faith.

“Just as I imagined you to be...perfect.” Gerald said.
Kim smiled once more.

“See, there’s nothing wrong with being !” said Gerald.

Gerald suddenly caught Kim looking at him...somewhere else.

“Kim, what are you looking at?”

“It’s just that...I’ve never seen...one...up close before!” Kim exclaimed.

Gerald heartily laughed. “So, what’s the verdict?”

“I don’t know...it’s not as if I’ve seen a lot before...I guess it’s...nice?”

Gerald immediately covered his privates. “Nice?”

“Yeah, it’s nice...”

“Nice is for bunny rabbits and teddy bears...” Gerald protested.

“Okay, what did you want me to say?” Kim asked.

“I don’t know...anything but nice.” Gerald said with a half-smile.

“Can I see it again then?” said Kim brazenly.
Gerald slowly removed his cover.

“Wow...it’s very, very BIG!” Kim bantered.

“I’ll get you for that!” Gerald said as he chased Kim.

Kim shrieked as she hastily grabbed her robe. Gerald grabbed a towel instead. They raced out of the bathroom. Unfortunately Kim tripped, falling down on the floor as she opened the door. Gerald fell beside her, his towel, fortunately, was still knotted at his waist.

Thomas’ curious gaze greeted them at the door. He was seated where they left him last night.

“Good morning, squirt!” Gerald greeted him, breaking the ice. “Did you sleep well?”

“Daddy, why am I on the floor?” Thomas said, scratching his head.

“You...you fell from the bed, squirt...” Gerald quickly explained. He gave Kim a suggestive look, capped-off by a naughty wink.

Thomas scratched his head once more. Even his young mind found it impossible to explain being in the middle of the bed, flanked on each side by them, then falling down to the floor.

Kim gave Gerald a stern look. Thomas meanwhile was shifting his gaze back and forth between them.

Gerald quickly picked himself up and rushed to the walk-in closet to dress. Kim gingerly sat up, keeping in mind that she was as a pea under her robe.

“Did you sleep here last night, Mommy?” Thomas asked Kim in the most innocent manner.

“Yes, I did...” Kim confessed. Kim stood up as well and quickly fixed herself.

Thomas then ran and hugged her.

“Tommy...”

“When I woke up...I thought you left...” Thomas said.

“Honey, like I promised you...” said Kim. “I will be here when you wake up...”

“Mommy, I wish you will never ever leave me ” said Thomas once more.

Kim knelt down and faced him. “Tommy, you really don’t want to wish that. When you grow up, when you have a wife of your own...trust me, you don’t want mommy to be there all the time...”

Thomas stared at her blankly. Kim laughed and hugged him. “Mommy loves you very much, Tommy. Always remember that, wherever you go, even if I’m not with you, Mommy Kim will forever love you, okay? That I promise you...”

“Promise?” Thomas said, holding out a pinky.

“Promise...” Kim said, hooking her pinky finger with his.

Kim sighed. Pinky promises are one of the most binding contracts of all. Most especially to kids and grown-ups like her. Defying it means an angel will lose his wings. Kim believed that till now. That is why she felt suddenly uneasy.

Gerald appeared in the room fully dressed. He picked up Thomas. “I better dress you up...you will have to carry your Tito Jake’s ring later on his wedding, okay?”

Thomas squealed proudly, “Mommy, I am the ring-bearer!”

Kim smiled. Gerald then dropped him on the floor and placed a pillow on his hand. Thomas proceeded to walk towards Kim, one foot after the other, smiling pompously. Kim had to clap her hand as he reached her.

“Was I good, mommy?” asked Thomas.

“The best ring bearer I have ever seen!” said Kim, pinching his cheeks. “Not to mention the most handsome...”

“Daddy said that if you two will get married, I will be the ring-bearer too...” added Thomas.

Kim shot Gerald a furious look. Gerald just shrugged his shoulders mischievously. Kim sighed once more. Last night, they made love for the first time. Now, they are talking about marriage? Kim wondered if she was in a warp zone. Everything seemed to be moving on break-neck speed. She just hopes that she doesn’t trip or else, everything will come heaping down...it’ll be one giant disaster.

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“See you later,” Gerald waved goodbye at her at mid-morning.

HE had Thomas in tow now. The little boy was very debonair in his white shirt, black vest combo. Lilly was almost sad to see them go. Gerald meanwhile promised her a treat when they comeback, lifting her spirits.
He then moved closer and whispered something in Kim’s ear. He was promising her a different kind of treat. Kim frowned and playfully pinched him on the side.

“We need a sequel...” suggested Gerald.

“Go! Or else you will be late...” Kim reminded him.

“Farewell, my concubine...” Gerald said, giving her a kiss on the cheeks. “I’ll be back...quickly.”

This left Kim a bit cold. Concubine? Is that all she is going to be?

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Restless thoughts bothered Kim all day long. Scenes from the day before kept replaying in her mind. As Lilly spent the afternoon napping, Kim made her way downstairs. She needed something to take her mind off certain things. She perused through his DVD collection. She settled for a comedy movie. Maybe that will ease her mind.

As she the DVD player, Kim accidentally hit the play button. Anne’s beautiful face proliferated the screen once more. Kim played the Gerald and Anne’s honeymoon video by accident.

A sudden rush of familiarity seized her. Kim just stood there in place...staring at her beautiful face.

“Anne, I know you’re listening...” Kim said to the figure on the screen. “I want to let you know that I really genuinely care for the both of them. I love them both equally. As one woman to another, I am going to ask you one big favour...if I could...I am going to ask you for your family...”

Anne answered Kim with a wry smile. Her eyes were sullen and dull. She then spoke...

“Are you out of your freaking mind?” Anne answered.

Gerald was obviously behind the camera at that time. Ann was lying on the bed, dressed only in a white shirt, probably his. Gerald was asking her some questions.

“Could you please stop doing that...” Ann said irritatingly, referring to Gerald's videotaping.

“Today is officially our second day as a married couple, how does it feel...” Gerald asked her.

“Fun...” Ann Marie replied, her voice a bit lackadaisical.

“Come on, honey...” Gerald coaxed her. “Give me a smile...”

She smiled wryly. Anne then reached for the bedside drawer and lit up a smoke.

“Honey, don’t do that, please...” Gerald said from behind the camera.

“I already did what you said, I didn’t smoke all throughout the pregnancy...”Anne said sarcastically. Her face suddenly turned cold. It made Kim shudder. “Now that you had your fun, let me have mine...”

“But, you’re not supposed to smoke in here...”

“Let them sue me, then. They can’t stand in the way between me and the only other precious thing in the world to me...”

“I’ll stop you if I have to,“ Gerald said sternly.

“You can’t make me...”Anne said with a hollow laugh, puffing circles into the air.

“I will...I am your husband!”Gerald said. He dropped the camera on the table. The video ran on as scenes continually played. Gerald tried to grab the cigarette from her.

“You’re only my husband...not even you can stop ANNA MARIA CUSTODIO!” she said.

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Anna Maria Custodio.

That name reverberated in Kim’s mind like an eternal echo. Kim’s jaw dropped. All sense in the world started to fall apart for her.

Kim knew her. She just didn`t know it was her! God knows, she knew her alright! She was the one person Kim prayed all her life she wouldn`t get to meet. What great irony it was that she was his wife. Of all people...why her? Fate was very cruel.

Kim`s hand trembled as she struggled to find the stop button on the remote control. She instead pressed forward...

She thought that was the end of it. She was wrong. Her cookie cutter life began to spiral out of control even more.

Apparently, things started to become more heated between Gerald and Anne on screen. They probably didn’t realize that the camera was still on. They argued heavily. Anne was shouting curses after another. She was turning out to be a real monster. Gone was the respectable version of her. So did Kim’s admiration for her.

“You forced me to marry you, jerk! Look at me now...see how f*#king happy I am?!” Anne shouted at Gerald.

Gerald turned around to face her. Fury screamed from his eyes. He was about to say something to her, but he held it back.

“You should have left me on my own...” Anne said, when she had a moment to recollect. She was breaking down.

“I married you because it was the right thing to do!” Gerald answered grimly.

“The right thing to do was to get rid of it!” she countered.

Gerald looked at her remorsefully. “Thomas was the best thing that ever happened to you, Anne!”

“Yeah right...you only married me so that you could be the hero once again...Why do you always have to do the right thing? Why do you have to be so g*ddamn perfect all the time?” said the bawling Ann.

“Anne, I care for you...”

“Liar, all you care for is yourself!” responded Anne. “If you really care for me... or Thomas...you should have returned him to his real father!”

Kim’s mouth quivered. Her whole body shook from Anne’s latest revelation.

“You know that I am best person to take care of him!” answered Gerald.

“How will you know, if you conveniently hid the information from everybody...” Anne accused him.

“I love him with all my heart...” he said.

“You’re still not his dad...” said Anne.

“And where is he now?!” Gerald exclaimed harshly. “HE left you, Anne! He left you for another girl...while you were pregnant! So much of a father figure is he!”

Anne threw a glass at him. The video then went black.

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Kim was breathing heavily at the end of it. She shivered at the amount of new information she had. Her world has suddenly become ultra complicated.

She had to do something. She immediately fished her cell phone from her pocket. There, she dared dial the number she vowed never to dial ever again.

Somebody picked up from the other line.

“Hello, is this Matt?” Kim asked.

A familiar voice greeted her back.

“Matt, I need to see you...” Kim said. “No, not tomorrow, I mean...right now...”

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Guys,

Two succeeding chapters to make up for my absence...
Thanks for the wonderful comments...and greetings!

Happy new year to all!

Reg