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“Tay! Malakas ho ba kayo?”
Miong looked down at Goyong, an eyebrow raised. He briefly wondered what was going through his son’s head, but then decided that it was best to indulge his boy, whatever he was thinking.
Miong bent down on one knee and ruffled his son’s hair. “Aba'y oo naman.”
The boy’s eyes sparkled, glee eminent in his young face. “Talaga Tay? E ‘di ibig sabihin kaya niyong buhatin si Papa?”
Miong laughed. Loud. Loud enough to catch the attention of the lawyer in his study room who rolled out into the living room with a raised eyebrow.
“Anong meron?” Pole asked, folding his glasses and setting it on the nearest desk.
Goyong ran towards his Papa and leaned on the man’s legs, his hands on top of the man’s thighs. He looked up at Pole with a wide grin. “Pa! Malakas raw po si Tatay!”
“Oh?” Pole smiled and bent down on his hyperactive son to kiss his forehead. “At paano naman niya nasabi yan?”
“Kaya raw niya po kayong buhatin!”
“Yung parang ganito, 'di ba, Goyong?”
Before Pole could even say anything, there was one hand moving under his legs and another behind his back. He only realized that Miong carried him when he was face to face with his smiling husband.
Pole can’t help but smile as well.
“Uy! Sali ako!” Was the only warning that the spouses received before Goyong climbed on the nearby desk, climbing on Pole’s parked wheelchair to help him up, and onto Miong’s back and positioning himself on Miong’s shoulders.
Goyong smiled down at his fathers, resting his arms on top of his Tatay’s flat hair.
“Aba! Talagang malakas si Tatay!” The boy said with such excitement, as if seeing Miong carrying both him and his Papa was the greatest thing in the world.
Perhaps it was. For how else would one measure the greatness of a father, than being able to carry his family through the ups and downs of life?
Miong knew his arms and his back would ache later on, but it would be all worth it.