The sound of running footsteps against the tiled floor caught my attention. As soon as I lifted my eyes, Jaykee's shrill voice pierced into my ears.
“Auntie Yen, Auntie Ara!”
“My love!” Ara stretched out her arms to hug him. “How’s my baby boy?”
“Jaykee is happy. Daddy Yuki is here!”
New name. Who was he, I thought.
“Auntie Ara, Auntie Yen, look!” Jaykee raised his finger and pointed the photo frame on the wall. “He’s my daddy.”
I got confused. I thought James was his real daddy’s name. Sylvia must have read my mind because she approached me and whispered into my ear, “Jaykee’s real father.”
I recalled everything she said that night while we were in the plaza. That before James, Maezy had an old man. But it hadn’t occurred to me that he was Jaykee’s biological father. I turned to look at Ara, and I got surprised when she also looked puzzled like me.
“Come, auntie. I’ll show you something,” Jaykee said, holding both mine and Ara’s hand.
Ara and I looked at each other meaningfully while we stood up to follow the boy. He then led us upstairs and stopped in front of the master’s bedroom.
“Jaykee, we are not allowed here. This is your mom and dad’s room,” Ara protested. I just observed.
“No, auntie. Mom and dad went out for a while.”
Jaykee opened the room and pointed to us another photo frame on the wall. “Look, it’s my daddy!”
To my horror, it was the old man’s photo. Last time, it was Kim and Maezy’s erotic one. I winced at the conclusion I had in mind. What kind of game was this woman playing?
Probably having the same conclusion in our minds, Ara and I hurried out of the room. Goosebumps started to wrap my whole body. I wonder if Kim also knew about this.
“Jaykee, can you show us the new toy daddy brings for you?” I said while hurriedly stepping down the staircase. I was afraid Maezy and Yuki would come, and she would know that Jaykee brought us to their room. She might not want us to know her dirty little secret.
“Sure.”
We took a seat in the living room while waiting for Jaykee to come out. He was indeed bringing out with him a huge toy robot.
“Who’s this, Jaykee?” Ara asked, stroking the robot’s head.
“Bumble Bee.”
“Oh, how cute!” I exclaimed, but honestly, I knew nothing about toy robots.
“Yeah. One of the Transformer models,” Ara replied.
“He is summoned by Optimus Prime to save the earth!” Jaykee bragged, his eyes glowing. I smiled at how he suddenly turned into a talkative boy. He didn’t almost talk when we were in the park. Perhaps, he had stranger anxiety, but after seeing Nanny Sylvia talking to us, he put his guard down.
“Jaykee! Stop making trouble for your aunties,” came’s Maezy’s voice from the main door. We turned to look at her, and she greeted us with a warm smile. A man in his seventies followed behind her. He was apparently the one in the wall frame.
“Gosh, thanks for coming, Ara and Yen. Yuki would be very pleased to meet you. Isn’t it, honey?” She turned to look at him then back to us.
“Of course. I hope I still have a clear vision to be able to see their beauty well,” Mr. Yuki answered politely. He may be old already, but his tone and gestures spoke of elegance.
“No need. I should be the only beautiful woman in your eyes.” Mezy winked at us then reached out to plant a kiss on his lips.
My intestines almost turned upside down, and the hair all over my body stood on its end.
“Ara, Yen, come on. Let’s start dinner. You must be hungry already.”
We followed them to the dining table. It was a long rectangular table, and in the middle sat a fresh flower centerpiece. Different kinds of fruit lay on expensive-looking fruit trays, placed between intervals of sumptuous dishes.
Maezy pulled out a chair for Mr. Yuki at the main corner. She then picked up his plate and placed food on it before sitting down with him.
“Shall we start eating? Please feel comfortable. My honey here would be so happy if you find the meal good enough,” Maezy started her flattery again.
“Of course, we do,” Ara answered, then start picking up her favorite Japanese dishes.
“Darling, do your friends know who I am?” Mr. Yuki started to pick up a piece of fried tofu with his fork as he gazed at Maezy.
Maezy glanced at us awkwardly before she answered. “Of course, honey. I always brag at them for having you in my life.”
Mr. Yuki chewed his food very well before he asked again. “Darling, since when have you started calling me honey. You used to call me darling.”
Maezy laughed out loudly, but I saw glints of embarrassment in her eyes. We also stiffened in our seats.
“It’s because I also called your son honey. And both of you are my honey bunches.”
Maezy indeed deserved a trophy for being so quick in making alibis.
“Well said. I thought you’re confused.” Mr. Yuki smiled and reached out for Mazy's hand on the table.
“Why would I? You shouldn’t be jealous of your son.”
“Of course not.” He then glanced at us. “Ara, Yen, please enjoy your food. I can’t see you well, so no need to be shy.”
“We do, Mr. Yuki. Thank you so much,” Ara and I chorused, making us looked at each other and laugh.
“That’s good.”
Honestly, I lost my appetite. Thinking about Kim and how cunning his wife was, took my hunger away. I wondered if Kim also knew about this old man. And recalling Tim’s bad mood a while ago, I then understood what made his ass pout. He was jealous of Mr. Yuki. Or, he may be mad because Maezy would be sleeping with him while he was at home with her.
“Darling, why do I feel I am not in our house?”
Maezy turned pale, and her eyes roamed at us stealthily. I remained looking down while taking a slice of mango into my mouth. I was careful not to eat any food because the food’s aroma alone made me want to run into the bathroom and throw up.
“What are you talking about? Of course, this is our house.”
I remembered Kim saying that he bought this house for her, so my desire to flee from this house heightened.
“Excuse me, Mr. Yuki, Maezy, and everyone. I’m pregnant, and…” I didn’t finish what I was going to say.
I sprinted out of the house and straight to the gate before emptying my stomach at the roadside. I remained squatting on the ground even after my stomach calmed down when a pair of arms picked me up. He covered my mouth with his hand when I was about to scream. My heart almost stopped when he walked over to the car parking beside me and opened the door. I didn’t notice this car when I came here, maybe because my focus was on vomiting.