sixty-one

Kao

I was sitting beside Pete with my head down. My boyfriend seemed to not understand the severity of the situation.

He was sitting very comfortably with his arms over the headrest of where I was sitting. God knows how many times I've smacked his hand away when he would unconsciously put it around me.

Tita was sitting quietly opposite us while his father was facing back and forth in front of us.

How I was sitting on my apartment one time in my county and sitting on a lavish living room in another the next was beyond me.

I didn't even have a vivid recollection of when or how I was able to hop in a car towards the airport and on a private plane bound to meet the father of my boyfriend who obviously wasn't cheery about his son dating a boy.

The very reason why I didn't want to meet him just yet as everything was still so new and so sudden between Pete and I.

But then there's Tita, who may or may not have used some magic powder on me that the next thing I knew, I had my palms all sweaty and heart beating erratically as we waited for the man of the house to meet us that evening.

I was glad I was able to eat dinner at the airport or else, I might faint with hunger and nervousness that instance.

It was very quiet when we arrived at Pete's family mansion.

It's very unusual that I didn't get to see many house helps in a household like this but as much as I wanted to think about it my mind couldn't.

I can't even bring myself to marvel on the place as I was till really nervous with what's about to happen.

The place was very quite.

Very much that I could almost feel my hear beating erratically as if it wants to get out of my rib cage.

But it was only me who was feeling all those stuff as the mother and son with me seemed to have no problem about it.

Over the course of the three hour or so trip, Tita was even talking to me about the place that she wanted me to visit in the country.

She even lauded her son for getting me flying and traveling papers ahead.

Something which I thought, Apollo shouldn't have done.

Now I have no excuse but to fly with them and meet his father.

Ugh!

I raised my head up to the figure still pacing quietly in front of me.

The man was in his house clothes of plain shirt and pants but the presence he was emanating was just pure authority that I couldn't help but swallowed dryly.

The man looked like the older version of Pete.

But he was way much western and stern looking.

All the more reasons to be nervous about.

I mean, over the course of our fledgeling relationship, Pete and I weren't really able to talk about his parents that much.

Not that I was not looking forward to meeting them, it's just that, I was not thinking about it this soon.

I blew out an air quietly.

Even if they looked unbothered, both Pete and Tita weren't talking then that's why the ambiance was getting me more and more pressured and nervous.

It's as if everyone was waiting for the thunder to roll except maybe for my boyfriend who seemed too relaxed for my liking.

I glared at Pete when he deliberately cleared his throat after some time.

He just shrugged as I almost facepalmed.

A few more moments later, I jolted when I saw Pete's father  stopped on his track and faced us.

He looked at his son and I.

I tried to divert my gaze.

"So, can any of you explain this to me!?!"

Pete's father asked after what seemed to be the longest one hour of my life. I looked at Pete. He was smiling at me. My heart was more erratic than ever, not because of him but because of the situation we're in.

What if his father ask us to break up!?!

I can't seemed to take it.

I mean, maybe I can but at this point, I don't want to.

Not after everything.

Not after all the lies I thought I made myself believe just so I could forget Pete but totally failed.

Pete might have seen my agitation. He took my hand into his and gave it a soft squeeze. I looked at his father  who were looking at our entertwined hands.

I just realized, we weren't formally introduced yet.

But that's beside the point for now.

I can't even bring myself to talk even if I wanted to.

I heard Pete cleared his throat once more and my eyes widened with what he said next.

"Dad, I don't know about all the theatrics but Uhm, I want you to meet my boyfriend. Kao."

He smiled at me as I wet my lips still refusing to look at the man in front of us.

"Baby, this is my father, Lukas Charles."

He was smiling at the man with a stern face whom I gathered all my strength and bravery to smile at and regard to.

My boyfriend had mentioned before how he took his father's first name instead of his last.

But again, that's not what I should be focusing about at the moment.

I raised my head to look at the old man in front of me yet again.

All these time I thought I was brave and can manage everything on my own, but I wasn't sure if that was the case till then.

I bit on my lower lip before I gingerly stood up.

"Good—good evening, sir! I'm, my name is Kao Angelo Serrano. I'm —."

I trailed of and second think what I was about to say when I felt my boyfriend's hand over my shoulders.

"Come on, baby, say it."

He was smiling at me when I looked at him.

"Go on."

I inconspicuously glared at him when he stood up too.

How can he be so calm in times like this!?!

"Come on."

He seemed to not get all the glares I threw at him but instead, he smiled and turned towards his father.

"He's my boyfriend, dad!"

He was smiling at his father and I could hear Tita snickered on the side but I was not brave enough to look at her way.

"You already said that, Pete. What I'm wondering about is why am I only hearing about this now!?! And why am I the only one who didn't know about you having a boyfriend all this time!?!"

My boyfriend pulled me with him and as we sat back on the couch.

I would have fight him about it but he regarded his father already.

"But I told you about him already. That's basically why I flew back to the Philippines. He's basically the reason."

I saw how his father shook his head before he regarded me and I could only blink at the older man when he answered his son while looking at me.

"No! You didn't mention anything about this guy. All I heard back then was how you wanted to make up to the love of your life. There was never a mention of a boyfriend. What's up with you and your son, Solana!?!"

Pete's father regarded his wife who seemed unfazed with his husbands glare and accusations.

As much as I wanted to swoon with the fact that Pete calls me his what? Love of my life as he talks about me to his father, but I cannot.

All the nerve endings that's supposedly responsible for reacting with all the endorphins and serotonins were all stressed out at the moment.

"Honey, you already allowed Pete to fly back to the Philippines despite me asking you not to, don't go blaming me now."

I blinked at Tita who winked at me and I just couldn't help but looked at her husband.

"But that was different! When Pete won't stop talking about the love of his life I just assumed it's a girl."

Tita just shrugged at his husband.

"It's your fault for assuming, my love."

She then went on.

"But then, so what? What's wrong with your son having a boyfriend!?! Don't tell me you're discriminating—."

I heard Pete's father groaned before he raised a hand to stop her wife from saying what she was supposed to say.

"Stop there, mama. Don't go over reacting."

He eyed his wife who could only pursed her lips fondly.

"I just—-why didn't you guys tell me!?!"

I saw Pete's father closed his eyes before he continued and went to regarding us back.

"We're telling you now."

He shook his head at my boyfriend.

"That's not the point! I—, you!"

I almost stopped breathing when he regarded me.

"Kao, right!?!"

I nodded at him frantically.

"Yes. Yessir."

He heaved a sigh before he looked me straight in the eye.

"What's your intention towards my son!?!"

I wasn't able to answer when Pete who was sitting beside me stood up.

"Dad!"

The mother and daughter said in unison.

"Quiet you two!"

He said with a booming voice which somehow surprised both his wife and son that they weren't able to say something.

Pete went back to sit beside me as he groaned in disbelief.

"I assume you know who your boyfriend is. And I mean who and what he has that is!?! So I'm asking you now, what's your real intention towards him!?!"

I took a deep breath.

I just know this day and this question would come.

And I'm not taking it against Pete's father that he's asking me this way and with this question kind of question it's just that, at the moment, I was really taken aback, and nervous and my head is still spinning from all the travel that I was not able to say anything as quickly as I would have wanted.

"Love, don't listen to him. You don't have to answer him—."

Pete held my hands.

I didn't know why but when I felt him near me and saw his eyes with mine I smiled at him before I looked up and regarded his father.

"I love your son, sir. I love Pete."

I took a deep breath before I continued and it's as if everything just came flooding in.

"I know I don't have much compared to him. Tsk! God knows how I remind myself that over and over again but you see. I love him. And that's something I just can't shrug off and forget and not admit to myself no matter how much I try to."

I stood up to level with the man.

"I can't tell you anything more because I know deep inside that I will never be enough for your son but. I love him the way I know how. And with that, I'm willing to do everything to prove to you that I deserve him. That I deserve the spot he so willingly and generously offered me in his life."

I looked at his eyes.

"As it is, I'm more than willing to do anything just to prove myself to you."

Pete's father was quiet as I realized how much I was holding my breath and how much my palms were sweating.

"Very well then."

The old man said after a while to which Pete protested.

"Dad. Come on! There's really no need for this. I respect you and love you but I love Kao too. I've waited too long for him to finally take me back after all this time, I don't want you scaring him away just because of some issues that's really unimportant."

I looked at Pete and his serious countenance towards his father.

Really, I know that he loves me.

He never fails to tell me that and show me and make me feel it.

But seeing him now, telling his father about it was yet another surprise for me.

"I love him as much as he loves me or maybe more. I'm not sure. What I'm sure about is that, now that he has agreed to be with me and now that I have him, I'm never letting him go away. Not anymore."

Pete took my sweaty hand in his and gave it a gentle reassuring squeeze before he continued.

"I brought him with me tonight to meet you. Because I want for the two of the most important men in my life to finally meet each other and that's it. I'm not taking or asking anything from you aside from it. We love each other. That's all you have to know."

Pete never backed down, but I was still too nervous to swoon.

Although I held his hand even tighter as I did before.

Rivulets of sweat ran down my head when after being quite I heard Pete's father spoke.

"How did this even started!?!"

Pete's father was more of asking himself but he was quick to answer.

"Honestly, I don't know, Dad. I just woke up one day and realized that I don't want to ever be without Kao."

I felt Pete's hand squeezed mine some more.

I smiled at him when he looked at me.

I almost cried.

"How sure are you about this!?!"

Pete looked at his father once again.

"I'd like to say a hundred percent. But to be honest, I'm not sure. I mean, nothing's ever sure in this world but I am sure about Kao. About us. And I think, for starters, that's enough."

Pete regarded his father again.

"Dad, this may come as a shock to you but I hope you understand. I'm happy. Kao makes me happy. And I love him. We love each other. I hope you get that."

I saw Pete's mom wiped her eyes and smiled at us.

She was silent all those times.

"Kao?"

I swallowed dryly.

"Sir?"

"Are you happy with my son?"

I looked at Pete before answering.

I just saw my whole life.

"Very. I can't imagine anyone else, Sir."

Pete's father heaved a deep sigh before he regarded us.

"As parents, we only want what's best for our children. We all love you. That's never going to change. And you're lucky Kao, that you've been with my son longer than I had been with him. That's why I wanted to make sure that you're not going to hurt my son."

The older man's face softened as he looked at me and his son hand in hand as his wife walked towards him and held his hand as well.

"You cannot expect me to accept this all at once. I won't be lying to you. But, as long as you're happy then I'm fine with it. Not that I could stop you anyway."

I couldn't explain the happiness I felt when I heard him say those words.

Even Pete's face lightened up as he looked at me.

I also saw Tita smiled and patted her husband on the back.

I felt like a heavy burden was lifted off of me.

"Just one thing for me, please."

Both Pete and I who were smiling at each other looked at the old man.

"As I hope you'd stay here a little longer, I hope you avoid skinship and kissing when I'm around."

Pete and I looked at each other.

And then were laughing.

I laughed with them right after I wiped my tears away.

I didn't even realize I was crying.

But now, I was just too happy.

I was blessed to have Pete, but more so because he has understanding and supportive parents.

Pete's father may not have given his hundred percent support just yet but knowing that he's willing to accept me for his son was more than enough for now.

I was able to wait for Pete for years.

I wouldn't mind waiting for his father to fully accept me.

"Welcome to the family, Kao. Formally!"

Tita approached me with a hug that I couldn't help but chuckled and even cry some more.

"Thank you, Tita! Thank you."

She smiled and shushed me as she helped me dry my tears when she regarded her husband and their son who was smiling next to us.

"You two, come here! Let's do a group hug."

I chuckled when Pete was quick to hug me as his mother had to pull his husband towards us and we all huddled and hugged.

It hand been so long since I felt like this.

Since I felt home.

And funny how this strangers were the one who gave it to me.

Actually, Pete did.

He made all these possible.

This is it.

Everything was just in place.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

An hour after a light meal with the couple as well as Pete were catching up with each other, Pete offered to show me around the house as we talked about how everything panned out after everything.

Finally, we ended up by their back ground swimming pool.

Pete and I were sitting on the wooden bench.

We were lounging in the serenity of what just happened.

"So, are you glad that you agree to come here with me now!?!"

I laughed and raised my hand to point towards our house.

"You're really crazy you know that!?! Your lucky you have your mother with you or I wouldn't be caught dead flying a thousand kilometers to meet your father this way and this early. You almost gave me a heart attack earlier."

My boyfriend groaned.

"Didn't I tell you that everything would be alright? You just didn't believe me."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"You're too confident for your own good."

I shook my head.

"But really, what if your father didn't agree?"

My boyfriend smiled at me as he held both my hands.

"You don't have to worry about things like that, really. I love you. If half a decade weren't ably to keep us apart, nothing would. No one. Not even my parents. We're just lucky that they're supportive really."

I smiled at him.

I'm lucky.

Yes, I am.

"Thank you. I love you."

I told him to which he smiled.

"Kiss me then."

I chuckled and hit him on his arm.

"Didn't you hear what your father said!?!"

My boyfriend made a face.

"He said not to let him see and we wouldn't, that's why we should kiss now while the coast is clear and then maybe run to my room now."

I smacked him.

"Don't be such a pervert will you!?!"

Pete hugged me.

"I'm only ever this way with you tho."

I rolled my eyes at him not long before he took my lips into his. We got lost in each other's kiss that we hardly hear the commotion on the back ground.

Not long after, we heard Pete's father shot some epithet!

"Oiiii! What did I say about kissing you two!?!"

I struggled out of Pete's arms but my boyfriend who was a big tease extended his tongue out to lick me on the lips before he plunged it inside my mouth again.

I heard Pete's father screamed once more, asking his wife for help.

I should be shy and guilty but I was too caught up with Pete's mouth that I moaned.

So.

Loud.

A/N

hey loves!

last chapter next! (real!)😅