156 Who Was He?

The launching of Hailey's Pen and Pill was, indeed, highly successful. The queue to Hailey's Pill Section in all Catherine Fields Medical Center was very long. All branches of the hospital wordwide had built a separate building for Oncology Unit alone to accomodate all cancer patients.

The team had a sudden headache. They had not prepared for these tons after tons of orders. Not only those cancer patients were buying it but also the healthy ones. Worst of all, those who could afford it, bought horrible quantities, making their stockrooms empty. They had not prepared ahead for the control of these impulsive buyings.

It was too late for them to plan out, that only those who were diagnosed with cancer and other degenerative disorders were allowed to purchase Hailey's Pill.

The Ybañez couple came in to the rescue. They hired lots of planters to hasten the planting and harvest process as well as the bottling. In just one day, almost all of their stocks was sold out. They needed to purchase more machineries and more manpower.

___

One weekend, when everyone was at home including kuya Nap, Anthon came over with a bouquet of red roses at the Wayne's home. On the card, a note was written. "To Baby Jianna."

He also bought a big bear for Jian.

Jim opened the door and warmly greeted him. He, then, called up Jian. Kuya Nap also stood up right away and greeted him. Seeing Mr. Wayne looking up at them, Anthon approached him, took up his hand and pressed it on his forehead. It was an act of showing a respect towards the elders.

"Good afternoon, sir! "

Mr. Wayne remembered him as the one who accompanied Jian on that day he abducted his own grandson. He also saw him on that engagement dinner following behind Brian. Just lately, when the news came to him that Jia had a precipitate labor and did not almost make it to a maternity clinic, he came for her rescue. Just who was he in Jim and Jia's lives?

"Daddy Anthon! " Jian ran towards him and hopped on to his lap.

Anthon's eyes lit up. He did not answer the question of Kuya Nap as his attention was caught by Jian.

"How's my little kuya? " He asked after hugging the chubby bundle in his arm.

"Dad, she's so scary cute! " His eyes rolled out at the mention of his baby sister.

"Scary? " Jim asked.

"Yes, dad, because she's so tiny! She'd break! " Jian gestured out, making him look cuter than ever.

The three men laughed, making the little boy hide his face at Anthon's back.

"Don't be shy. It's true. Tiny babies are too scary to hold." Anthon comforted his son while placing him back in his lap.

When he turned his back to pick Jian up, Mr. Wayne' s eyes widened when he saw a brown birthmark that looked like a chicken liver at the back of his ear...

"Ton, what is that thing at the back of your right ear? "Mr. Wayne's voice startled them all. The two brothers knew that his presence was still intimidating for Anthon.

"Ah, this. A birthmark. " He awkwardly smiled at him as he touched his right ear.

"Really? It's unique." Mr. Wayne nodded in amazement.

"What's unique, dad? "Jia asked as she walked into the living room.

"It's Tonton's birthmark at his earlobe. " He replied seriously.

Jia laughed. She was amused at the way he called him.

"What is it? " Kuya Nap wondered why she laughed. Jim wondered as well but he kept his silence.

"I'm just amused at the way dad called Anthon. " She reasoned out, still smiling.

"But it is his real nickname, right Ton? " Mr. Wayne confirmed.

"Why do you know, dad? " Jim asked, he could no longer hold his curiosity from the odd way he was looking at him to the way he was startled in seeing his birthmark. And now, it's his nickname. As if he was calling him that as an endearment.

"Well, it's expected. " Mr. Wayne was more clever than him.

"Daddy, can we now go? " Jian pulled Anthon's sleeve on his right arm.

Anthon looked at Jia and Jim. "You're not asking permission from your parents yet. " He told him while ruffling his hair.

No matter how hard he tried to control his emotion, his heart would always leap everytime Jia looked at him.

"He's been waiting , Ton. You may now go. " Jim replied.

Anthon smiled at his son as he looked into his eyes. "Shall we? "

"Yeheey! " Jian hurriedly hugged and kissed everyone before he held Anthon's arm who was already standing by the door.

"Bye, again, Lo! " Jian yelled over his back as Anthon opened the door.

"Bye, big boy! " Then, he seemed to have forgotten something.

"Ton? " He called out.

Anthon turned back to him.

"Sir? "

Mr. Wayne was about to speak again but something seemed to hold him back. "Ah, never mind. "