UNKNOWN

IX

Pablo leaned back and cleared his throat. "After you left Caleb with me, things were fine. Normal, to say the least. He was in shock ya know? Your tia and I didn't know what to do. He was a missing child after all." He shifted his gaze unto the table in front of him. Dale noticed the tiredness on Pablo's complexion. Somehow it made him look ten years older. "So we just took care of him. Like how a parent would. Your tia and I always wanted a child, as you already know. So to us, Caleb was like our chiquito."

"Then months passed. Nothing happened. We wanted to send him to school, but since he didn't have a birth certificate attached to him, we know we couldn't. And judging by the state in which you found him, I'm guessing whoever his previous guardians were, they have absolutely no rights in handling any child whatsoever. So we refrained from exposing Caleb to outsiders," Pablo shifted in his seat. "And as to why you did not follow-up on the poor boy after sending him to us, I would like to know why." Pablo's gaze was petrifying. Dale averted his eyes and stared at his hands instead. "But unanimously your tia and I decided that Caleb was seven, based on his height and weight. Besides you and your friend, what's his name again?" Pablo pondered as his stare never left Dale. Dale struggled in his thoughts. "Uh, Mike. His name is Mike." Pablo nodded, as if struck by a revelation. "Ah, that's it. Mike. So, besides both of you and both me and your tia, only people who lives in our street knows about Caleb. Things were going well between us." Pablo stared at his coaster. It was a thin one with red and white stripes. There was a short pause before Pablo lifted his chin and stared straight into Dale's eyes.
"And then that happened."