“DJ do you want to eat cake? I’ll buy it for you” King offered upon seeing the next cakeshop near where they are driving. DJ’s eyes delighted and he replied, “Yes please!”. King pulled over with Joanna, entered the cake shop leaving DJ with Delia inside the car. Joanna looked at the cakes displayed in the shop. She personally picked the red velvet slice while King was searching for something he thought DJ would love.
“I’ll take this rabbit-designed cake please” King pointed at the kiddie cake that would surely attract any kid’s appetite. He paid for the sweets and carried the paper bag containing their ordered cakes. Joanna spoke while they were walking back to the parking space. “Do you think DJ will understand my situation with his father?” she asked while walking beside King.
He glanced at her and answered, “Maybe he won’t understand. But I believe you can make him get your point. Just try to make things lighter so he won’t get confused”. Joanna just nodded and prepared herself to tell DJ about the divorce once they got home.
Delia placed the cakes on their diner table and served dessert plates and brewed coffee, while DJ got a sippy cup of orange juice. King sliced a little portion of the rabbit-designed cake and served it on DJ’s plate. “Did you like it? The cake looks cute, right?” King playfully asked. DJ sipped his juice and agreed on what King asked.
“I chose this for you. Eat up so you will get big faster” he added while glancing at Joanna who feels pressured. Joanna watched as DJ enjoyed the piece of dessert he had on his plate. “Let’s talk and play later after you eat,” she said to avoid ruining her son’s appetite. She leaned back and took a bite of her red velvet cake.
 
King brought DJ inside the bedroom, giving him the toys he loves to play. Joanna followed the two; her heartbeat is pounding. “You can leave us here, King” she requested and King did so. Joanna sat on the playmat where DJ is busy playing with his toy trucks. “DJ, let me ask you. Who do you think is your daddy?” Joanna started, imitating like a playmate to make her son comfortable.
DJ did not give her a look, instead, focusing more on the toys. “My daddy is daddy King” he simply answered; that’s what they taught him – to recognize King as his father. Joanna showed a bitter smile and asked again, “How about your big dude? Do you love him just like your daddy King?”. She saw how DJ thought over the question.
The kid’s eyes started wandering around but he came up with an answer. “I love big dude more than Daddy King. Because he takes me to Ocean Park, he buys anything I want, and he said he will give me all his cars when I become a big boy” DJ answered which made Joanna hurt. She pulled him close to her lap and hugged him tight.
“But what if you will never see big dude again? What will you do?” she asked, testing how much love DJ gave to Dior, his real father. “No, big dude promised he will never leave me and I won’t leave him also” the kid answered like a mature man already. He is smart for his age, not thinking of any negativities. Joanna got straight to the point and blurted out, “Big dude is not a good man! He will take you away from me. So we need to leave him before he can hurt us!” she said, being uncontrollable.
DJ’s eyes widened in shock. The kid’s eyes watered and screamed out of fear. King hurriedly opened the door, seeing Joanna and DJ both crying. King picked up the child and tried to console it, but DJ kept mentioning DK’s name. He brought him out of the bedroom and allowed Delia to take over in consoling. King approached Joanna and gave her a hug.
“I am a terrible mother. I am destroying the image of my child’s real father to him” she said in between sobs. King caressed her shoulder and comforted her, “You are the best mother for DJ. Right now, things are just too complicated for him to understand. Once he gets older, I believe he will understand what you are trying to say”.
They were in the middle of pulling themselves together when Delia rushed to the room and started panicking. “DJ is having trouble breathing. He has some rashes on his arms also” she said hysterically, transferring the panic to the two. “I’ll start the car. You get DJ first” King said and went outside. Joanna stood up and carried her son to bring to the nearest hospital.
Joanna started calling Miss Elizaga’s phone number to ask for help. She is treating her mother-in-law as her own mother now and Miss Elizaga treats her as a real daughter also. After a few rings, Miss Elizaga finally picked up the call. Joanna is still crying out of mixed emotions. “What happened? Why are you crying?” Miss Elizaga asked upon hearing Joanna’s sobs.
“Aunt Carmina, I am sorry for what I did earlier. Please, I need your help right now. DJ and I needs you with us” she said while crying and holding DJ in her arms. She ended the call while waiting for Miss Elizaga to follow them to the emergency room of her amiga’s private hospital.
 
Miss Elizaga called her personal driver and went straight to the hospital where they were bringing DJ. “He was just fine a while ago,” Miss Elizaga said upon seeing Joanna in the waiting area. “I am so scared. I don’t know what to do. If something bad happens, I will never forgive myself. I tried explaining my situation with DK to him, and then this happened” Joanna said, her trembling hands are held by Miss Elizaga.
King went to the canteen to buy a bottle of water for them to calm themselves down after the rush. Miss Elizaga replied, “Everything will be alright, Joanna. I know the doctors here. I’m sure they will take care of DJ well”.
DK ran to the hospital the moment he received his mother’s message. He saw his mother and Joanna sitting outside the emergency room while he was catching his breath. “This is the first time this happened,” he said with eyes full of anger towards Joanna. Miss Elizaga whispered, “I’m sorry I called him here. I just don’t want to be unfair”. Joanna nodded, signaling that it was okay for her to have DK with them at that critical moment.
King returned holding a plastic bag with water bottles inside. “This is an emergency case. No one should be blamed” he said while handing over the water bottles. DK sighed and leaned on the cold white wall, waiting for the doctors to give them a report on what exactly happened to DJ.
It took them half an hour to wait before the doctor gave them the result finally. The doctor came out of the emergency room while holding a chart of the report. “Where are the child’s parents?” the doctor asked. DK went to the doctor before King even tried to act as a parent. Joanna stood beside DK, so near but so distant.
“DK, based on the diagnosis, DJ got it from you” the doctor simply revealed. DK’s eyebrows crossed, “What do you mean he got it from me?” he asked to clear things up. The doctor showed some of the results and answered, “Your son is allergic to peaches. I remember you also ended up in the ER before as a kid with the same allergic reaction”.
King looked away; he was the one to be blamed for it. Miss Elizaga smirked, “That means, there is nothing to worry about. The kid can go home after the symptoms are gone, am I right?” she assured and asked the doctor. The doctor just nodded and left them in there calmly.