Another One
1140 Words
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“Do you want another one?” asks Aiko, lightly biting her lip.
“Pardon me?” Enzo asks.
“You want another child?”
He clears his throat. “Do you want to?”
“I'm leaving it up to you. Just tell me if you want another one and I'll be glad to do it.”
“Well, I'm f... fine with Dany.”
“You think he's gonna be lonely?”
“He's gonna be fine.”
“He needs someone to play with.”
“I'm not sure. We already have our hands full with Dany. I feel that soon, even the two of us aren't enough to watch over him.”
“What makes you think so?”
He stops slicing the tuna and looks at the horizon. Something is shining gold from the distance. He narrows his eyes. “I just feel it, my love. I'm sorry.”
“I wanted to have a daughter.” She rolls her eyes, resting her chin on her hand. “And find out if she looks like you. Also, I want her to have your eyes.”
Smiling, he turns to look at her. “That's all you wish?”
She gasps a little when she sees his smile then looks away. “Never mind, forget what I said!” She stands up and walks away.
“I'll see you in the woods after Dany sleeps then.”
Her eyes widen and he winks at her. Turning, she hides her blushing face and walks hurriedly to the door. She enters their home and shuts the door. Then his smile is gone as he continues to slice the fish. He looks at the horizon again and what he saw earlier is gone. Even so, it doesn't ease him for a bit.
Upon entering, Aiko discovers Dany playing with his father's short sword. “Dany, what-”
“Mom, look what I can do!” He throws the sword and while it's in midair, he teleports to it as Enzo does. Then he crashes against the shelf. It falls on him as it breaks into pieces.
“Dany!” she yells, pulling him from under the broken shelf.
He chuckles as she holds him under the armpit. He's still holding the sword in his right hand. “I told you not to touch your father's things!” she scolds him so he drops it, realizing his mother is mad.
“But-”
“And you haven't even finished studying!”
“I hate it! I wanna be like Dad!”
“That's it, no coconut juice for you later!”
“No!!!”
“If you want to have it, then listen to what I say.”
“No!!” he starts to cry, struggling from her grip.
“Dany, stop it this instant!”
“NO!!” he rages.
He teleports to the sword then tries to run away but Aiko teleports him back to her arms. “Stop it or I'll get mad at you!”
“What's happening?” asks Enzo at the door.
“Dad!” cries Dany.
“What happened to the shelf?”
Dany does it again and goes to hug his father. He holds out his hand to ask Enzo to carry him. Bewildered, he carries his son and looks at Aiko.
“What happened?”
“He can use your sword.”
“Wow, really?” he exclaims.
She frowns, grumbling, “You're spoiling him too much.”
“Oh, I'm sorry.” He clears his throat and asks his son, “Dany, what did you do?”
Sobbing on his father's shoulder, he answers, “I just want t... to show... I can do ‘whoom’ like you.”
“Mom told you not to touch my stuff, right?” He nods slowly. “You could've cut yourself.”
“But I... just want-”
“It can wait, Dany. Right now, you have to listen to what Mom says, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Mom's doing this because she loves you. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Then go and apologize to Mom.” He puts him down to go and approach his mother.
Looking to the side, Dany is rubbing his nose, gathering his confidence to say his apology. “I'm sorry... Mom.”
She kneels and embraces her son. “Alright, Dany,” she says, kissing his cheek. “Don't play with your father's sword again, okay?”
“Okay.”
Later in the night, the blowing wind is going back to the sea. Perhaps returning there to prepare to take off inland again during the day. Crickets and frogs sound their calls. The waves on the shore are suddenly loud because of the silence in the air. Then the slow creaking of the trees are echoing across the island.
On the bed, Aiko is fanning Dany using a fan she weaved from coconut leaves. Slowly, he becomes sleepy. She smiles, looking at his face, seeing her husband in her son. Finally, he closes his eyes and is now asleep. For a moment, she stays there until she decides to go where she and Enzo are supposed to meet.
Before going out, she brushes her black long hair while looking at the mirror—which Enzo brought for her. She cleans her face and the parts of her body that she knows he will touch soon. And using lipstick that she has stored for a long time, she paints her lips red, hoping that it will entice him so much that he won't get enough of her. She changes her clothing into a loose white dress that she never wore unless there's a special occasion. Well, this is a “special occasion”. The dress just shows her figure more because of how well it fits her. The last thing she did is put a white flower over her ear. It's as pale as the moon and would be glistening in the dark if any little light strikes upon it. Then off to where they agreed to meet, she goes. The darkness of the night is not enough to hide the radiant smile on her face.
She can sense his presence in the middle of the woods—where no one else will see or hear them. Besides, only the three of them are on this island. She carries with her, an oil lamp to light the way to the man of her life. A few steps later, she finds him.
Her smile turns into confusion when Enzo is wearing his armor—that she thought he stowed away and his two short swords on his back. He even cut his hair to the length like it once was.
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- Writer
