Bab 11: Chapter 11
After attending the early morning mass, the family enjoyed Rizza's requested 'Fried Rice and Beef' for breakfast in the morning of Athena's birthday. Athena was very glad when the whole family gave her their birthday presents.
Athena is so delightful when few of her friends, those who are truly close to her arrive in Laguna. According to Richard, it was Mommy Dei who thought about the idea of inviting her friends for a simple swimming party in Grandpa's place. So, as requested by the queen, Richard immediately called the parents of Andrea, Beatrice, Halley and Isabelle to get their permission to take the girls to Laguna for Athena's simple swimming party. After Athena proudly introduces her Mom to her friends, they wasted no time and enjoy the pool.
"She is extremely happy to see her friends here. Thank you my queen." Richard said to Dei who is busy with Rizza in assisting the caterer in setting the buffet table. "I'm glad she's happy. Athena is the harder to please among my girls when it comes to giving gifts." Dei replied. "They are my girls too. I'm their father if I may remind you." Richard said and left.
Everyone was enjoying the simple party when an uninvited guest suddenly arrives. "Elise is here Richard." Ms. Virgie informed Richard who is having his Lunch with his Rizza, Grandpa and Dei. "You did not tell us that you invited Elise." Rizza said with a lifted eyebrow.
"I did not invite her" Richard replied to Rizza, but he was looking at Dei who just continue eating as if she hears nothing. When Richard saw Dei's gesture, he just remains eating his lunch like her.
Grandpa was not surprise on Richard's reaction. He is actually expecting that, but he decided to have a little tease on him. "Don't just sit there Richard, go and greet your guest. I don't remember teaching you some bad manners." He said.
"Like what I've said, I did not invite her so technically, she is not my guest." Richard replied.
Realizing that Richard has no intention to see Elise outside, Dei stood up and said "Maybe Athena invited her, as her mother I have to check on her guest also." Dei said.
"I doubt that it was Athena who invited her." Richard said.
"Regardless if Elise is invited or not, since she's already here, we need to show some appreciation on her effort to travel from Manila to Laguna. Besides we have to show her some manners, even if she does not have that. I know it is impolite to just show up to a private party without an invitation, but it is not enough reason of snobbing her." Dei said and left to meet Elise.
"Richard, how did Elise knows that we are celebrating Athena's birthday here?" Rizza irritably asked.
"I don't know, and I don't care. I am not insane to invite her on a family event Rizza." Richard also irritably replied.
"Will the two of you stop it? We can't do anything about it anymore. Elise is already here regardless who invited her. Let's just be civil to her despite how much annoyed you are with her presence. Like what Dei said, show some etiquette kids." Grandpa said when they saw Dei and Elise approaching. Richard stood up to pull the chair for Dei but Elise immediately runs towards Richard and hugged him.
"Hello babe, I missed you." Elise said and tightly hugs Richard. As usual, Richard discreetly removes Elise's arms around him. He pulls the chair so that Dei could continue her lunch but Elise immediately sits on it.
Dei remained standing while Rizza could not contain what's happening in front of her "Ah, Elise, you may sit beside me, Dei was occupying that seat before you arrive. Look, she has not finished her food yet because she has to greet you as Athena's guest." Rizza irritably said, but Dei immediately butts-in "No, it's alright Elise, you may sit there. I'm done with my lunch, I'll just ask Ms. Virgie to remove my place and replace it with a clean one."
After Dei instructed Ms. Virgie to give a clean plate for their unwanted visitor she quickly excused herself "I'll go and check on the kids, excuse me." Dei said and left.
Richard's face was all red due to irritation."Who told you to come here Elise?" He asked Elise without looking at her and just continued eating.
"I called up Athena last night to greet her. She said that you guys were here in Laguna for her birthday celebration. Of course I don't want to miss this special day of my precious girl, so here I am Babe." Elise flirty replied.
"I'm done. I'll just go and check on the kids" Richard said then stood up.
"But Dei is with them already Babe, just stay here with me while I am having my lunch." Elise said.
"I want to check on them myself. Also, stop calling me Babe. I don't allow my friends to call me that and you are one those friends, you know that since day one." Richard said then excused himself.
"Please excuse my son for his bad demeanor today Elise, maybe he is having a bad day." Grandpa apologized.
"No problem Dad, I am used on Richard's grumpiness. Maybe he is just not feeling well. Or maybe he just not comfortable with Dei's presence, that's why he is a little bit annoyed." Elise said smiling while Grandpa and Rizza look at each other with disbelief. "Hmmm ... this pasta is so good. No wonder Richard has a clean plate this time. He is very picky on his food and yet it is pretty obvious that he likes this dish. And this is the first time I saw him eating pesto pasta. Your caterer is very impressive Rizza." Elise added while munching the pasta.
"That is not part of the caterer's menu Elise. Ate Dei made that. It's Richard and Athena's favorite. The way you speak earlier, it seems that you know so much about my brother, how come you do not know that Richard only eats pesto pasta cooked by Dei. Ohhh … I can't believe that you missed that little detail about Richard." Rizza said which kept Elise mum.
Meanwhile, at the pool area Richard saw Dei sitting at the edge of the pool, her feet playing with the water and enjoying herself watching the kids having fun at the pool. "Why don't you join them? I know how much you love the waters. Don't you miss it?" Richard asked then sat beside Dei
"Not much as before, though I still do it once in a while sa Cebu. There were times that I join Charmaine for her swimming practice." Dei explained. "Did she tell you? She passed the try-out. She is now a member of the junior varsity players in her school." Dei proudly added.
"Yeah, she told me about that." Richard said bragging. "I promised her a full membership in a country club near your place. I told her that it would be better if she uses their Olympic size pool. The papers are already with me for her membership. Please remind me to give it to her when we get back home." Richard said.
"Ok." She briefly replied then continue to play her feet with the water "Wait a minute, why are you here? Why did you leave your girlfriend with Daddy and Rizza? You're such a bad boyfriend." Dei said.
"And you are a witch, why did you just leave us with Elise?" Richard said. "How dare you leave me with that brat."
"I don't want your girlfriend to feel uncomfortable with me." Dei replied.
"She is not my girlfriend, and she will never be." Richard seriously declared.
"Stop denying, she even calls you, Babe. Imagine you have been together for a long time already. She has been there when we were still together. Also, I noticed that she was very at home here in Laguna" Dei said sarcastically which made Richard chuckled.
"Again for the record, I am not dating her. Much so, she is not my girlfriend and she has never been. I already cleared that to her a thousand times. She is just very stubborn to believe that we will end up together." Richard explained. Then suddenly his face brightens and said. "Wait a second... hmmmm... You are jealous!"
"Of course not, you wish." Dei said in denial. Richard did not stop laughing "You are the one denying, I can see jealousy all over your face. Also, I know how your nose sweats if you are jealous." Richard teased.
"It is natural that I perspire. We are in the middle of the heat of the sun" Dei said denying
"The jealous Dei." Richard deeply sighs. "Hay... I missed that side of you my queen. Until now, my heart has jumped for joy when you get jealous. Richard honestly said and a smile never leaves his face
"Shut up Ricardo Reyes, Jr." Dei exclaimed.
"Hoooaaaa, I miss that you call me in my full name too. I wonder if it will affect you once I kiss Elise in front of you." Richard continued teasing.
"I don't think I will be affected, not anymore." Dei quickly replied and rolled her eyes. "Go ahead and try it. I will make sure that I throw you and your girlfriend in the pool." She whispered.
"You were saying something my queen?" Richard asked.
"I said, why don't you go inside and be with your girlfriend. She might break up with once she sees us now. I'm sure you don't want that to happen." Dei said then stood up.
"Where are you going? Don't you want to see me kissing Elise?" Richard said, hugely beaming.
"Honestly, I don't care whether you kiss her or not. I just hope that you don't do it in front of my children." Dei said.
"Regardless if you care or not, I will still not do it with any other girl, unless it is you." Richard said but Dei just walked out away from the pool area.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone