"You said you only met your father when you're eighteen, right?" he asked.
I stilled. "Yeah… after my mother died."
"Why did your mother passed away?"
"Cancer," I said in a small voice. "She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The cancer cells already spread to her other organs when the doctor diagnosed her."
"I'm sorry." I felt his hand on mine.
I smiled. "It's okay," I said as I tried to lighten up my voice. "That was a long time ago. Back then, I really thought I would be all alone in life. But then three months after my mom died, I finally met my father. Turns out that before my mother died, she sent a letter to my father telling him that they have a child together, and she wanted him to get me."
I saw how his forehead creased. "How about your other family here?"
"I have no other family in the Philippines aside from my mother. My mother was an only child and both my grandparents were dead. I only had a best friend there who I considered my family. So it wasn't that hard for me to leave the Philippines."
"How about in Greece? How was your life there?"
"The Alinsky are very welcoming. Conrad and Luke accepted me who heartedly. And Dad… he loved me like his own."
"Did you miss them? You're family in Greece?"
"Of course. I miss them. But I know that I'll be able to see them again soon."I looked at the kitchen. "What I miss the most right now is my mother."
We were enveloped by silence for a moment. I turned to him. "How about you? Did you miss your parents, too?"
I already asked him this before. But this was different. I felt like I was talking to a new version of Xander right now.
"Yeah. I missed them," he answered in a small voice. "Especially Mom. She used to cook for me before, you know." A smile appeared on his lips. "When I was still in grade school, I remembered she used to bake brownies for me. I bring them to school and eat them in front of my classmates."
"I didn't know you like brownies."
He slightly raised his brows. "I never shared that memory with you before?"
I bit my lower lip. "Nah. You only told me your love for pasta." I placed my hand over his. "Thank you for opening up to me, Xander. I know you're still awkward around me, but thank you for not pushing me away anymore."
Xander cleared his throat. "Thanks for the dinner, Charity. I'll better go back to our room now."
"HI. What do you think, Berna?" I asked as I let the woman taste the dessert I placed in front of her.
I have nothing else to do, so I decided to just spend the night in the kitchen.
We just had lunch and I decided to cook a Greek dessert for later.
"Instaead of spending your time here, why don't you just join your husband?"
Xander was in the living room. He was listening to an audio book.
"I don't want to disturb him, Berna." I pursed my lip.
The woman looked at me, her eyebrows slightly raised. "How can you get closer to your husband when you're here doing different things?"
I bit my lower lip. "We're much better now since we left the hospital."
I was pretty satisfied with my relationship with Xander. He no longer pushes me away. We already talked during meals. Last night, he even held my hand for a minute. I smiled as I remembered how butterflies invaded my stomach back then.
"It seems like Xander is slowly going back to his old self." I said with a smile.
Berna playfully nudged my elbow. "Look at you. You're blushing as if he's not a husband."
I just pursed my lips. Oh, Berna. If only you know that truth.
"Come on," Berna said, smiling at me. "Bring this to him and let him taste it."
With a tray of dessert and tea on my hand, I left the kitchen and walked to where Xander was.
I found him sitting on the lazy boy. His eyes were closed as an earpiece on his ear.
I placed the tray on the table before grabbing his attention. He opened his eyes and looked at me.
"Hi…" I smiled even if he couldn't see me. "I cooked something."
He shifted his seat and took of the earpiece from his ear. "Really? We just had dinner?"
"Uh… it's just a Greek dessert. It's best to partner it with tea."
He smiled. "Come on." He tapped the space next to him. "Sit here."
I bit my lower lip. The other day, he was distancing himself from me. And now… he was asking me to sit with him. I bit my lower lip but I couldn't help the smile from my lips.
He sniffed me. "You smelled orange."
I felt the heating up if my cheeks. My heart was beating loudly inside my chest. He smelled good, too.
"Uh… this dessert I made. Its main ingredient was orange."
"Like an orange cake?"
"Well, sort of." I picked up the platter of dessert in front of me. "It's called Porkokalipita."
"What?" His brows furrowed, confused. "Porkokalipita?" he repeated.
I bit my lower lip to prevent myself from smiling. He sounded cute while speaking Greek. "Yeah. Porkokalopita." I cleared my throat. "It's basically an orange pie. It's a Greek dessert made of orange, milk, sugar and eggs."
"Sounds delicious." He said, smiling. "Come on, let me taste it."
"What do you think?" I said, looking at him after he took a forkful of desert. My eyes stared at his red and moist lips. Shit. I suddenly remembered our first and only kiss.
"It's good," he said, licking his lips. "It's not too sweet. And I like the orange zest."
"Really?" I replied, satisfied with his reaction. "Then, you want more?"
He cocked his brow. "Why do I feel like you're planning to make me fat?"
"Fat?" I scoffed. "You don't even have fat in your body." I looked at his body. He was wearing a white v neck shirt. My eyes stayed at his muscled arms. Damn. Even if he's not working out right now, his body's still toned.
He chuckled. "Everyone has body fats, Charity."
"Well… I don't see any."
"Tsk. Look at you. Shamelessly staring at my body."
My eyes widened in disbelief. What did he just say? "I'm not," I denied, my cheeks blushing.
"I'm just kidding, Charity." He smirked, and almost choked on my own saliva.
"Ugh. You!"
He chuckled. "Did I pissed you off, sweetheart?"
I didn't answer. I just stared at his face. This was the first time I heard him laugh since his accident. It sounded so good in my ears. I felt the corner of my eyes tearing up.
"Charity?"
I cleared my throat. "Come on, eat more."
"You know I still can't work out right now," he said after we finished the dessert I made. "You're making me fat."
I pursed my lips. "Well, that's what you get for marrying someone who likes spending time in the kitchen."
"Hmm…" That was his only reply. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"What are you listening to?" I asked as I glanced at his earphones on the center table.
"Audibooks."
"About what?"
"Today, I listened to a fiction audio book," he answered. "Yesterday, it was a business book."
I suddenly remembered his bookshelf in his condo. He picked up his earphones on the table and offered the other one to me. I took it and placed it on my right ear.
We listened to the audiobook while on the sofa. Our arms were pressed against each other. Despite the clothes, I could feel the heat of his body against mine. He really smelled so nice. We were both quiet. But it was a comfortable silence.
"What's this all about?" I asked him in a soft voice.
"It's about Greek gods." He turned his head at me.
"You're a fan of Greek mythology?"
He smiled. "It's fascinating."
I didn't realize I leaned my head on Xander's shoulders.
"Sorry," I mumbled as I tried to move my head away from him.
"It's okay." My lips parted when his arms went to my head and urged it to lean on his shoulders. He cleared his throat. "Are you comfortable like this?"
"Y-yeah," I answered, my heart was beating loudly inside my chest. "How about you?" I asked in a small voice.
"I'm good."
We stayed like that. I smiled to myself. I could stay like this forever. I didn't know how long we stayed in that position.
"Hmm…" I muttered as I found myself yawning. I could fall asleep in his arms.
"You sleepy?" He asked me, his voice soft as if sending me to clouds.
"Kind of." I answered.
I bit my lower lip. How could I tell him that I don't want to let go of him?
I looked at the clock. I realized it was already ten in the evening.
I was forced to move away from Xander. I pulled out the earphone on my ear and handed it to him. "Thank you for letting me listen to this with you." I said.
"Uh… you go to our room now. I'll just put the tray back in the kitchen."
"Let me help you." Xander stood up but I stopped him.
"Come on. I can handle this, Xander."
He cleared his throat. "I'll just wait for you, then."
I blinked my eyes. Before I could answer him, Berna already emerged from the kitchen.
"Charity, let me handle that. Just go back to your room now with Xander."
I looked at Berna who was smiling. She even winked at me as she picked up the tray on the table.
I pursed my lips as I turned to Xander who was already standing beside me. His earphones already in his hand.
"Let's go, Charity," Xander said, holding out his hand on me.
It took me a few seconds before I took it. The whole time we were talking to the master's bedroom, I kept on glancing at Xander's hand on mine.
I smiled.