Chapter 13: Backride

MELISSA QUIZON

I moaned as my bed shook. "Mommy, wake up."

"One minute." I buried my face even deeper in the pillow.

I felt him lie next to me. He took a few strands of my hair and then inserted it behind my ear. I was overwhelmed by what he did. "The food will be cold. Get up."

"Fine."

I embraced him and he embraced me back. I suppressed him with a kiss on the cheek. My son smells like a new toothpaste.

He giggled and forcefully pushes my face. "No kisses! Brush your teeth first, You’re your breath stink."

“You don’t love me anymore just because my breath stinks?”

“No. But I’ll love you more if you brush your teeth.”

I laughed at what he said. He quickly got off the bed when I let him go. He gave me a flying kiss first before running out.

"Uncle Doc! Uncle Doc! Mommy is awake!" I even heard him say that.

I stretched first before getting up. I yawned as I entered the bathroom. I washed and brushed my teeth before leaving the room. I went to the kitchen and found Eugene holding a bowl with only rice. Eugene makes our kitchen small with his large frame. Our ceiling almost touches his head. I bothered him last night and he's the one cooking today. I approached him and I would have picked up the bowl if he avoided it.

"Morning." He said sweetly. He lowered the bowl on the table before facing me. "You still have morning glory."

He touched both my cheeks and he himself removed it. I didn’t feel embarrassed when Eugene did that to me.

"Is it true that eye boogers can hurt someone?"

We looked at Reid. He's already spooning rice.

“It depends. When you throw your eye boogers at someone then they stop and fall. They will be crippled.” Eugene explained.

I shrugged. "Make sense."

He also gently combed my hair. I sat down on the chair and scooped up some rice. After Eugene, washed his hands, he sat down next to Reid.

"Uncle Doc, can you give me some corned beef?" Reid's polite command.

Eugene's eyebrows rose. "What? You call me 'Uncle Doc' now? I thought you’ll call me—"

Reid averted his eyes. "It just slipped out of my mouth."

"Eh?"

My forehead furrowed. I swallowed what I was chewing before speaking. "What are you talking about?"

"Boys talk, mommy."

"Huh?"

Reid turned to Eugene. His eyebrows went up and down. "Don’t ever tell, Uncle Doc. It’s just between you and me!”

"Yes." Wow, he found an ally, huh?

I grinned. "Fine, I won’t ask."

"Uncle Doc, are you going to do anything tomorrow?"

"My days off are Friday and Saturday. Why?"

"We have Family Day tomorrow. You are family!" I stopped. Eugene and I looked at each other. "I still don't agree that you’ll take Mommy away from me. I just want the three of us to bond."

"All right. I'll come. If that’s what you want."

I’ve noticed the relief on Reid's face. Suddenly Eugene's cellphone rang. He snatched it from his pocket and looked at it. "Excuse me. Urgent call."

He got up and left the kitchen to answer the call. I just silently watched Reid as he ate the food. It seems that he is getting closer and closer to Eugene. Eugene came back to tell us that he had to go to the hospital because he had an emergency. He kissed me on the forehead and gave Reid a high-five.

Friday came. He didn’t disappoint Reid. In his car we went to the Family Day venue. They chose to held the event at a famous resort and we had to wear swimwear. So, I get a one piece swimsuit for that event. It's good that my budget fits.

We arrived at the evet center. We each had a cottage there and there was a large pool in the middle. The principal said that other games will be held there.

The Emcee take the stage and moved the microphone close to his mouth. “Our next game is Flag Snatching. What we need here is the father and their son.”

"Reid!" I stopped and turned to Thunder. He’s sitting his father’s shoulder while looking down at Reid. I waved at Zander and he nodded at me. “Let’s go! Come on!”

“Huh? I don't have a father.” I turned to Reid. He knelt on the cottage chair and held his two hands on the backrest. It was in his eyes that he wanted to join.

"What else am I here for?" I stopped approaching him when Eugene appeared behind Reid. Reid could no longer respond because Eugene had already picked him up and placed him on his shoulder. He teased me before running closer to the pool. "Come in!"

I first removed the meat from the grill. I entered the cottage to get the camera and immediately ran to the pool. They were soaked in water. He wears the garter with a handkerchief pendant on his waist. The handkerchief will serve as the flag that each player must grab to win. I adjusted the knot of my sarong first because it loosened a bit before getting serious about taking Reid's picture.

“The only rules of this game are to gain more flags. When you lose your flag, you are out of the game. ” The emcee reminded. "Game? Is everyone ready?"

"Game!" Simultaneously said by the participants.

When the Emcee whistled, the game began. Many were removed immediately in the beginning, but Eugene and Reid were good and fast. The tandem of the two is perfect.

“Go, Reid! Go, baby! You can do it!” I cheered as I continue to take pictures. Many also shouted to cheer their husbands and children. I was shocked when Reid's shook a bit. “Eugene! Don’t drop my son if you don’t want me to hurt you!’

"Yes. I’m scared of you.” I heard Eugene shouted.

As Reid watched someone in front of him, he didn't notice a fat kid running after him from behind.

“Reid! Behind you! Aah!” In my confusion, I didn't notice that I was at the very end and I was about to fall into the pool. I went up and coughed because water entered my throat. When I opened my eyes, Eugene's smiling face greeted me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes— Oh, no!" I noticed that the handkerchief was gone from Reid's waist. I looked up at him. "They got your flag, baby."

He was still on Eugene's shoulder. He scratched his nape. “Mommy, I looked at you when you fell, so Thunder took the chance and got my flag."

I looked at Thunder's whereabouts. Him and his father are still playing. I looked back at Reid. "Oh, I’m sorry."

“It’s okay, ‘my. You are more important than the game.”

I blushed because of what he said. I suddenly remembered what I was holding before I fell into the pool. I stomped my foot under the water when I saw my camera drowned in the water. “The pictures! Eh! How unlucky!”

My son's handsome face is all in the camera.

I heard Eugene's weak laugh. I looked at him seriously. "Laughing at my misery?"

“Nope. You were cute earlier when you were into the game. We saw how you look like before you hit the water. Priceless.”

I slapped him on the arm. he just laughed and removed some hairs that covered my face. "Let's leave the pool. The sun is up, your skin might get burned."

I noticed that many were looking at us. Some of them had a smile that seemed suggestive. I was the first to climb the stairs and then lift Reid off Eugene’s shoulder. We waited for Eugene to get out of the water. He gripped both railings and lifted himself.

I stared as I watched the water drip down his body. A few drops of water go to every slit of his body. His trunks slid down a bit so he could see the V-line. He messed up the hair to get rid of some of the water and made him even more attractive in what he did.

Both my cheeks got hot. I averted my eyes because he catches me. I looked around, almost all the women were staring at him. I even saw a couple fighting because the man was telling a story, but the woman was watching Eugene.

I dragged Reid to our cottage and immediately wiped him with a towel.

"Lunch break first." The emcee announced.

I prepared the plates and served the food I cooked. Eugene and Reid talk about a few more games. When lunch time is over, I didn’t let Reid joined in the first game because he might experience a stomachache. He ate quite a lot. When the first game was over, he ran over the deck.

“Reid, wait. I'm not done yet. You need sunblock!" I grabbed Reid's arm. I continued wiping him with sunblock. The sun is too high, I don't want him to complain that his skin hurts after this event.

“Come on, mommy. Hurry! Hurry! Look, Thunder is already there!” The game is call ‘Last Man Sitting’, where in you must be the last one to take a seat on the remaining chairs. That's his favorite game.

I let go of his arm to get the lotion to be applied to his leg. But the head, he ran away. I sighed deeply.

"Reid!" I didn't notice that there was a rock in my path. My knees hit the hard floor. I shook my hand and sat down. I saw the wound on my knee. "Ouch."

"Mommy, are you okay?" I looked up at Reid. He was standing in front of me.

"Reid, I have a wound. The pain." I said tearfully as I blew air on it.

"Because you’re not careful." When I looked up, I saw Eugene. He’s standing next to Reid. He kneels, his back is facing me. "Piggy back ride."

I no longer hesitated. I immediately climbed up behind Eugene. When I encircled my arms on his neck, he stood up.

“Joined the game, Reid. I'll take care of your lame Mommy.” Reid just nodded and ran to the venue.

"I haven't put lotion on his leg yet." I said softly as I watched Reid distanced himself to us.

Eugene laughed softly and walked back to our cottage.

"What a fucking scene!”

I heard a man shout. I searched for who would own that voice. I noticed a man on the side of the wall, not far from where we were. He hits the store wall with his fist. With so much force, I think that’s bleeding now. I winced. Suddenly my heartbeat quickened when he looked at us. Wright looked at us for a moment, then quickly turned around and walked away.