A flower cannot blossom without sunshine .....

"Have I bought everything that father asked me to buy?" Henry asked himself while checking the list on his way back to his father's house. Standing outside Theo's house Henry heard Amor's voice, "Maybe mother has come to fetch me already" he thought. He tried to turn the doorknob but he heard his father's voice also, "Uhm..... maybe they're arguing again I'll just come back later" he told himself. But he has already overheard their conversation and his curiosity made him linger on. After hearing what his parents are talking about he can only imagine what they are doing. Afraid that his mother might open the door and see him there, he slowly walked away from his father's house thinking about the complexity of his parents' relationship. Standing by the highway he was staring blankly at his father's house trying to understand the kind of family he has.

"Henry, you're there!!!!!" Amor called him out.

"Ah.....," he then saw his mother come out from his father's house.

Upon seeing Henry near the highway Amor approached him, "Oh..... good that you're already here, bring the goods to your father's house so we can get going."

"Uhm..... yes..... yes ma," said Henry.

For what seemed like an eternity, they finally arrived and can see her parents' house from the highway.

"Amor you're here, come in," greeted her father. "Come with me, your mother is preparing lunch."

"Amor, Henry!" greeted her mother. "You can stay in the kitchen while I take out our lunch."

"Ma, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Huh? Yes," Elizabeth's startled reply.

They left Henry in the kitchen with Daniel so that the 2 of them can talk in the living room.

"Henry seems to be acting weird lately."

"Why do you need to tell me that?"

"Because he seems to be silent ever since we arrived here from the city."

"I noticed that also but maybe that is just part of his puberty stage."

"I already miss the children's growth for 2 years and now I will miss another 3 years."

"Whatever decision you make you know we will always support you."

"I might need to talk to the children again especially Henry."

"Why do you need to talk to Henry separately?"

"Ah..... he spent a long time with his father maybe he has seen or heard something that he shouldn't."

"What should he not see or hear?"

Left with no other choice, Amor decided to talk to Henry to put her mind at ease.

"Don't worry about your children, if Henry has seen or heard something he will surely ask you about it," assured Elizabeth.

"I don't know how to explain to the children the complexity of my relationship with their father especially to Henry," long-withheld tears have now been freely released and are dancing on her cheeks.

"I'm really sorry Amor if we cannot be of much help but still don't hesitate to ask and we will sort things out together, okay?"

"Thank you ma I guess I need to tell the kids now so that they will not be confused I'll take my leave now," before Elizabeth can respond Amor stood up because her words have now turned into cries.

Going back to the kitchen brought her to reality again, not knowing where to draw her strength from she still managed to walk toward her children.

"Ma, kuya (older brother) Henry is finally back," said the now 7-year-old Jacob.

"Oh..... are you happy he's back? We'll prepare a nice dinner for him later okay?"

Amor placed Michael on his chair in the kitchen and he obediently sat staring blankly at his mother busy preparing for dinner.

"I'll be the one to help you prepare for dinner instead ma," offered her now 12-year-old daughter Olivia who just came out from their room.

"Yes, thank you, my child. Uhm..... after our dinner we'll have a family meeting okay?"

"What are we going to talk about, ma?"

"For now I can't tell you yet, it's better if we have all of your brothers and sister later."

Knowing how young her children are, Amor does not know the effect of her current relationship with Theo on them.

Anxiously waiting for her children to finish their dinner Amor gave the announcement, "Ah..... kids we will have a family meeting after dinner okay?"

"What is it all about ma?" asked her now 10 years old Emma.

"Oh..... we'll talk about it in a while, enjoy your dinner first then help me out with the dishes later okay?"

After dinner, Amor called her children's attention, "Kids, thank you for helping me out with the dishes. Can I have your attention now?"

Seeing her children looking up to what she was about to say the words seemed to get in the way, "It's now or never," she thought.

"Uhm..... you can see that your father and I are no longer living together right?"

"Are you going to live with someone else also?" asked Henry.

"It's about that matter that we need to discuss, I am not saying that I will live with someone else but I am also not saying that I will not live with someone else."

Upon hearing the news Olivia joined in the conversation, "Where will we live then if you will be with someone else?"

Amor knows what she should say but she is definitely not emotionally prepared to answer her kid's questions, "Ah..... I don't have anyone special at the moment but if ever that time will come I won't leave you here alone."

"I guess that would be fine, as long as we will still be together."

"Ma don't take us away from father," pleaded Emma.

"Of course not, it is not even an assurance that I will be with someone else. I'm just letting you know as early as now so that when the time comes that I might find someone who is willing to accept us wholeheartedly then I hope your hearts will also open up to that person."

"Okay, but what happens if that person will not accept us?"

"I will never leave you and that's for sure."

"How long will it take before you look for someone else?"

"I'm not in a hurry, if it comes then it will if it doesn't then that's fine with me."

Henry then immediately opened the door and left the house.

"Henry where are you going?"

As soon as Amor called him out he stopped, "I don't care what you plan to do with your life but I can no longer just sit and follow what you want me to do!"

Daniel also went out to try and talk to him, "Henry if you have a problem let's talk about it don't leave your mother this way."

Henry hailed a tricycle and left but Amor tried to catch up with him, "Henry come back!"

"Amor!!!!!" Elizabeth shouted and when Amor looked back she saw her mother trying to carry her father.