Chapter 33- Doting and Learning

From scratch, Sydney was able to put up the hotels and apartments where they hoarded their billions of dollars. He started working on to hit his dream when he was still in college as a working student. His goodwill, graciousness, and determination made him to put them up triumphantly. However, when the first woman whom he loved betrayed him, he asked and taught his younger brother, Carlos to take his place as the CEO.

Nineteen years ago, he decided to be in the Philippines to heal his broken heart. It was also the time when he agreed to Dr. Steven Domalaon to undergo with the IVF of his seed whose recipient was Ms. Peace.

He was glad that Carlos, his younger brother was doing well as the CEO, just the way he had expected him to do so. While he was away from them, he was sure that his parents were well taken care of.

The children roamed at the surrounding of their grandparent's mansion that was built for them by their father. They enjoyed the beauty of the collection of flowering plants of their grandparents. The more they were thrilled when they reached the orchard where apple trees were in bloom. They were overwhelmed with enjoyment picking and eating them. Not far away from it, a small area was planted with some grapevines. They were in awe while looking at them.

Ace Sydney, the second child and only son texted a message to his father asking if they could pluck some fruits of the grapevines by which they were going to eat.

Reading his text message, Sydney told Ms. Peace to accompany him going to where they were. Before leaving the family room, she switched off the television, unplugged it and off she went with her husband, Sydney.

Arriving at the small grapevine plantation, he helped his children pluck some ripe fruits without removing the whole bunch from its mother plant. The family enjoyed chewing the crunchy, juicy, fresh and sweet seedless fruits. It was almost time to prepare and cook for the evening meal that was why they left the spacious garden with an orchard.

Sydney led them to the backdoor where not far away from it, the children discovered the tool hut and the water system with a very lengthy water hose.

"Dad! Will grandpa and grandma allow me to water the plants for them?"

"You can ask them for yourself, okay?"

"I'll ask them. I'll also help them cultivate them." Ace replied back to his father enthusiastically.

Passing through the backdoor, it enabled them to be in the kitchen before the dining room. There, Sydney and Ms. Peace inspected what ingredients were in store before deciding what to cook.

Before cooking they left it momentarily in search of his parents who were already in the living room talking with their children.

Just how Ace Sydney planned, he asked his grandfather to let him help in his gardening. While Pallas Athena, the youngest child and the second daughter was asking her grandmother to teach her how to knit. Between Adrianne May and Pallas Athena, their grandmother explained and demonstrated how to do the knitting with ease.

They were so engrossed that they did not notice the presence of the couple had Sydney not talked with his old parents.

"Mom, can we have the kitchen for ourselves? Peace and I will do the cooking." Sydney asked.

"Thanks for not bothering me from my knitting session. I have to teach your daughters this hobby of mine."

She quipped.

"Dad, please bear with our son's insistent behaviour. He won't stop till you give him a positive answer." Ms. Peace informed her father-in-law about Ace Sydney's being importunate.

"Never mind, I am more than willing to give in to his request, anyway." he mused.

"Grandpa, pleeeeeaaasssse don't take back your words!" Ace Sydney snapped and knelt down with his two palms metting together as if praying and begging.

Then he stood up and walked to and fro in front of his grandpa and said, "You are all my witnesses what Grandpa had just said! He has just given in to my request."

Everybody laughed. The couple left them for the kitchen while their children and their grandparents continued what they were so busy with.

Experienced in cooking, the couple was able to come up with the dishes they would be serving during their dinner.

Sydney asked Ms. Peace to cook a Filipino dish such as Pork Adobo. The latter cooked it tenderly with sticky sauce that tasted sweet and sour and a little bit spicy.

Sydney, on the other hand, decided to prepare a cooked rice instead of a mashed potato. He also cooked 'tinolang' chicken.

For their dessert, Ms. Peace peeled two pineapples, washed and sliced them before putting the plate where she placed them in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, in the living room, the three children who were together with their grandparents were all knitting. They were so engrossed that the arrival of Carlos was unnoticed.

Carlos was standing at the door in his keen observation with the five individuals. From time to time, his parents would check the progress of his two nieces and one nephew in knitting.

Without making noise, he tip toed toward his bedroom where he changed his clothes. It took him only several minutes when he marched toward the dining room.

No one was there so he went to the kitchen as he could not resist the aroma of the food being cooked. There he found that his big brother and his sister-in-law were very busy just like the people in the living room. However, the couple noticed his presence at once that he requested him to call Adrianne May for them in order to set the table.

Carlos did what he was told to do so and both Adrianne May and him helped in setting the dining table.

The sitting arrangement was similar to that during the lunch time. Sydney's parents were seated side by side. At the right side of grandmother, Adrianne May was seated. At the left side of grandfather, Ace Sydney was seated. At his left side, Carlos was seated. Pallas Athena was seated at the left side of him. At the left side of Pallas Athena Sydney was seated. While Ms. Peace was seated on his left side and right side of Adrianne May. The sitting arrangement was planned by the eldest daughter of Sydney as they had to dote on their pet grandparents and an uncle.

The couple was free to dote one another without being noticed by their family members around them.

The American sibling and parents of Sydney were amazed of the pork 'adobo' and 'tinolang' chicken, their viands to the shiny white rice that was perfectly cooked by Sydney.

When they were almost done devouring the palatable dishes, Ms. Peace stood up to get the chilled pineapple. Just like the way they had started eating, they also prayed the after meal prayer.

Again, the children were responsible enough to do the washing of dishes and cleaning both the dining room and the kitchen as well.

While the children were busy, it was time for Ms. Peace to learn how to knit. Her mother-in-law was willingly obliged to teach her patiently.

The three men were at the little bar where they were engrossed in serious conversation about their business while enjoying the red wine.

Done with the chores, the children continued learning how to knit that made their grandmother noticed their fast progress in developing their skill in knitting. They spent their idle time in learning how to knit as they were planning to do it at their home when they would be going back to the Philippines.

Carlos taught his youngest niece, grandfather taught his only grandson, grandmother taught her oldest grand daughter while Sydney taught his wife. They were already sleepy when their skill in knitting had become progressive and fast.

They went to their bedroom to sleep but before it, each of them had their warm shower in their bedroom's bath room.

The next morning, the couple woke up to cook only to find Adrianne May who was already with her grandparents helping prepared the foods for their morning meal.

Carlos and Sydney were together in going to the office where the latter was going to visit it after nineteen years.

There he met his personal assistant and secretary who were never replaced by his younger brother as he recommended them well to be outstanding loyal and hard working employees of their company.

Like him, they, too, had grown to be matured employees but were indulged in training younger worker as they were preparing them to replace them in their position as their retirement years were already approaching.

His presence in his company made them, Carlos & him, be active in doing his usual duty & obligation as a CEO. He gave Carlos a vacation while he was in their company.

On the following day, Carlos flew to France as his first country to be visited. Whereas, Sydney was busy sorting out and signing the documents after the daily several meetings that he had to attend to.

Despite the long years that he was gone, still he was so able in running the company even without Carlos.

With the suits he did not wear for a very long time, his wife admired him everytime he would be in it. If in the Philippines, it was Ms. Peace who was leaving home for her work, here in USA, it was the other way around. Sydney left home for work while his wife had become an ordinary housewife, tending all the household chores with the help of her children and parents-in-law.

Like what Sydney promised, his children and his wife doted on his parents and only brother while they were learning more and more the art of knitting.