Chapter 6: Twins

John Jacob POV

I am at the lobby. I am tired and rushing to go home because I had a long and tiring day  when I heard a tiny voice.

“Kuya Gio, he looks like you. Maybe he is our daddy.” I squinted and my bodyguards were alerted. The kids in the reception area are staring at me. The girl pointed  at me with her right hand while her left hand was carrying a huge doll. She is wearing a house dress while holding  her sibling after she pointed at me. “See that man over there Kuya? He looks exactly like you!” 

I’m alarmed because I have always been cautious when it comes to sleeping around with random women. I made sure I used rubber. But, that one incident five years ago is the exception. When I woke up from that wondrous night I shared with the only virgin in my life. 

“Bossing, baka napagkamalan lang kayo ng mga bata. Hindi pwedeng basta na lang kayo maniwala sa mga bubwit na yun,” ani Randy. “Boys, huwag kayong pakampante.” He signalled the others to be on the lookout.

“Relax, mga bata lang ang mga yan. At ano ang magagawa nila para saktan ako?” I walked near the kids. “Hello, kids.” I greeted them. The smile on the little girl’s face was so heartwarming. Her sibling looked at me. And I swear, I can see him as the younger version of myself. His piercing grey eyes evokes protectiveness towards his sibling. The young man instantly grabbed his sister and hid it in his back. I chuckled at his gesture.

“Vivienne, what did mommy tell us? Just don't approach a random stranger.” 

“But he is not just a random stranger! He looks like our daddy. He looks exactly like you, except you are still a child.” She pouted and wanted to come in front of me but his brother was serious about his declaration. He pulled his sister and resisted my persuasion.

Gusto kong matawa sa pagiging protective ng batang lalaki. He acts like a real gangster!

“You are so OA kuya. Look! He wants to talk to us, right?” She looked at me and I swear her eyes are giving me that come and get me vibe.

My heart melted by her words. Lumuhod ako sa harap nilang dalawa at binuksan ang aking bisig. I want to hug them both. “Come to Daddy, kids.”

Ang batang babae ang unang lumapit sa akin kahit na pinigilan ito ng kapatid. Tiningnan ko siya sa kanyang mata. “It’s, okay young man.”

“Kuya, what are you waiting for?” pangungulit ng batang babae. Hinila nito ang kapatid at ito na ang kumuha ng aking bisig para ipagsalikop sa maliit na katawan ng kapatid. Kaya, napipilitan man lumapit na ito sa akin. 

I hugged them tightly and it felt like home. I feel like they are indeed my kids, except that I didn’t know their mom. Nang bitawan ko sila ay tinanong ko kaagad ang batang lalaki.

“Okay, introduce yourselves first,” nakangiti kong utos sa dalawa. 

“I am Vivienne Rae Cordero, four years old and this is my twin, Kuya Giovanni Race Cordero. You can call me Vie and call my kuya, Gio, daddy. You are our daddy now, please,” ani Vivienne. Gusto kong matawa sa pagpapa-cute ni Vivienne while Gio looks grumpy. It’s very obvious that he is just putting up with his twin sister.

“So, how do you get here? I assume you are both still young and yet here you are.” I am looking for an answer. I wanna know their mother. 

“We get here from our apartelle by riding a taxi. My mom works here.” May dinukot na kapirasong papel si Gio sa kanyang jogger. The paper is crumpled. I reached for the paper and straightened it. The name Guia Cordero is in it. It’s an email from the HR, a job confirmation letter. I squinted as I am trying to recall who Guia Cordero is. Tiningnan kong muli ang batang babae at naaalala ko sa kanya ang bagong Chief Marketing Officer.

Checkmate. So, if these kids are mine, Guia Cordero was the woman I slept with five years ago!

“Mommy!” sigaw ni Vivienne. 

Napalingon ako. There is a shock in Guia’s face while looking at us. May mga sinabi si Gio na hindi ko masyadong maunawaan kasi biglang naging bingi ako sa lahat. It felt like the world stopped spinning for a while. 

“Kuya Gio, Vivienne, why are you here? Bakit niyo tinakasan si Nanay Nelia? tanong ni Guia. Maingat niyang kinuha ang kambal sa aking bisig. She instantly hugged them and put them away from me.

“Hey, what are you doing, Guia? Why are you taking away my kids?” tanong ko. Ngayon mas higit kong nabistahan ang itsura ni Guia. Siya nga ang babae na nakapiling ko five years ago.

“With all due respect, Mr. Larsen, they are my kids not yours. So, if you don’t mind, we need to go home,” Guia spat.

“Whoah, you’re not sure about that either. How can you explain that I look like them?” I insisted that the kids stay. I signalled my bodyguards to be alert. So, they are on guard, encircling us.

“Pwede naman po na maging kamukha ang mga hindi related. Now, if you excuse us, we need to leave.” Aalis na sana si Guia but Randy stopped her.

“Please, Guia, we need to make sure that the kids are really mine.” I almost begged her, which I don’t usually do. But, what can I do? Seeing the kids calling me Daddy made me ecstatic. It’s very unlikely for me to feel this way. It is like a bond we instantly shared the moment I saw them.

“Please mommy, sama tayo kay Daddy,” Vivienne requested. She pouted and clasped her hands as she looked at Guia. Meanwhile, Gio was just observing us like an investigator and his knowing stare. 

“Vivienne, don’t insist.” Sa wakas ay nagsalita na rin si Gio. “Mr. CEO, you might be our Daddy but you need to respect my Mommy. A no is a no. Please understand. Vivienne, let’s go,” anito.

I gasped upon hearing what Gio said. As I looked at Guia, she managed to smile a bit while Vivienne was defeated. He is indeed a little boss. 

“Okay fine. I’ll go with you two. But, Daddy, you can come and visit us at our humble apartelle. It’s not that grand, not as grand as Nanay Jo’s house in Sydney. I am sure you know where we live.” Tumalikod na si Vivienne kahit nakasimangot na sumama sa kapatid at ina. She waved her tiny hands at me so I waved back.

“Bossing, nakakatakot ang batang lalaki. Mukhang namana yata sa inyo ang pagiging bossy,” ani Michael. Siniko siya ni Randy, ang head of security ko.

“Itanong mo nga sa HR kung saan nakatira na apartelle si Miss Cordero, Michael. Hihintayin ka namin dito,” utos ko. Pwede ko naman sanang tawagan pa si Cynthia Manalo, but knowing her, masyado siyang babad sa trabaho.

Umalis na si Michael at habang hinihintay namin siya, binuksan ko ang company database kung saan naroon ang lahat ng mga employee profile. I scanned through Guia Cordero’s Curriculum Vitae. Tama nga ang hinala ko. Nakalagay doon sa personal information ang araw ng kapanganakan ng kambal. Five years after that one fateful night.

I stood when I saw Michael coming back. May hawak na siyang papel, kasunod niya ang sekretarya ni Guia.

“Good afternoon, Sir JJ,” anito.

“Bossing, sa iisang bahay lang po nakatira itong sekretarya ni Miss Cordero. Isabay na lang po natin siya para hindi na tayo maligaw pa.”