Chapter 11

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 11

The boat moved steadily against the waves, bobbing rhythmically as it cut through the water. Karlos’ boat had two primary colors, blue and white. A common color scheme among small boats in their region. The upper part of the boat was painted white, though up close, it looked more like dirty white due to age and stains.

The lower part of the hull was painted blue. Boats in their area were called bangka, typically equipped with bamboo or wooden outriggers on both sides of the hull to stabilize against waves and prevent capsizing in turbulent waters. Some outriggers were made of wood, others of plastic, depending on availability.

These outriggers helped balance the boat and gave the hull more resistance against side currents. They played a crucial role in keeping the boat steady.

Karlos gazed at the endless horizon, then turned his head to glance back at the shore he had departed from just minutes ago. The contrast was clear. The sea was vast and mysterious, while the shore felt warm and familiar. He admitted both had their own kind of beauty that brought him peace in different ways.

He decided to spend a few more minutes at sea and complete a circle before returning to shore, just to ensure the engine was functioning well.

Once the water was shallow enough, Karlos stepped out of the boat and began pushing it using the outrigger as support while the hull scraped softly against the sandy bottom. With a final shove, the boat touched land.

He dragged it back next to the familiar coconut tree and secured it with a chain as part of his usual routine.

"With this, I can fish again." He grinned and wiped the sweat off his face.

He carried the engine back once it had cooled, grunting as he lifted the weight. The engine was about 25 kilograms and had 15 horsepower, not much, but just right for local fishing. It was a good match for his 4-meter-long boat, especially for crossing shallow waters.

When he returned home, he saw Maya playing with the twins. Arabella and Iñigo were crawling on the bedding like curious little turtles, full of energy even though it was barely noon.

The radio played softly in the background, tuned to a local station.

Karlos placed the engine in the corner of the house, far from the babies, to keep it safe and out of reach.

"I'll cut some bamboo later since it's still early and the sun isn’t too hot."

"The kids and I already ate. There's food here for you."

Maya handed him a bowl of rice and fried fish. Karlos sat down and began eating quickly. His pants were still wet from stepping into the sea, but he didn’t bother changing since he was heading out again. No point in wasting clean clothes.

Arabella spotted her father eating and approached with excited curiosity in her eyes.

"Ga! Ga! Ga!" she exclaimed. No one knew what it meant, but it definitely sounded urgent in baby language.

"You want to eat?" Karlos tilted his head, unsure.

He looked to Maya for confirmation, like any new dad would.

"Is she okay with rice?"

"Just give her the meat from the fish, make sure there are no bones."

"Ga!"

Arabella slapped his pants, splashing seawater that left dark spots on the floor. The little girl stared at the reaction with curiosity but then smiled and started gleefully slapping his knees again, making more water splash. She giggled loudly in delight.

"Don't touch my pants. You'll spread the water and someone might slip. Here, eat this."

He handed her a small piece of fish, and Arabella immediately lost interest in playing. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth, munching the fish with great enthusiasm. Her chewing was surprisingly loud.

As expected, she quickly asked for more.

"Ga! Gaga! Ga!"

"I swear you're going to eat all my food before I even get the chance to finish it."

Unbothered, the girl crawled onto him, asking for more food with pure determination.

"Hey, don't touch me! My clothes are wet. You're always active when it comes to food. Do you really eat that much? You're going to get fat. Look at that chubby face."

"Ah! Gaa! Ggaa!" the little girl protested and slapped his stomach instead.

Karlos gently placed her back on the floor and gave her another piece of fish just to keep her from climbing again.

"Just eat your food already. I fed both Arabella and Iñigo earlier... but Arabella is such a foodie. Look at her chubby cheeks. She eats so much."

Maya giggled as she watched the father-daughter moment unfold.

"Ga!"

Arabella suddenly called out to Iñigo, who was crawling on the bedding, minding his own business.

"Ga! Gaaa!"

The little boy looked confused at first, but once he saw Karlos feeding his sister, he crawled over to ask for food too.

Now, Karlos had to feed both twins at the same time.

He didn’t complain. He just kept giving them pieces of fish while he made do with rice and the bits of meat stuck to the bones. He ate without protest.

Knowing they'd want more, Karlos quickly finished his meal... He had to eat.

Once he was done, Iñigo looked at him, then turned around and crawled back to Maya as if disappointed that the show was over.

Arabella, however, stared at the empty bowl like her world had ended. When she saw only bones left, her eyes welled up with tears.

She let out a loud wail, making the couple shake their heads. They were all too familiar with this reaction. Out of the two, Arabella was the dramatic one, especially when it came to food and tantrums.

"Hush, hush, baby. I’ve got a milk bottle here. Take it."

Maya stepped in, shaking a milk bottle in front of Arabella. The little girl stopped crying instantly and reached out for it.

Maya also gave Iñigo a bottle to be fair. The two babies calmed down and began drinking peacefully.

As for Karlos, he had already washed his bowl and spoon and moved on to the next task.

He carried a sheathed machete, recently sharpened, as he stepped out of the house.

On the way to the river, he greeted some of the neighbors.

"Karlos, got nothing to do today?"

"I'm on a day off."

"Haha, that’s great."

He reached the flowing river and spotted a sturdy-looking bamboo of the right length among the stalks. He planned to use it to fix the creaking floor of their house.

He began chopping the bamboo with steady hands and full force. It swayed and then fell away from the riverbank. Karlos carefully pulled it aside.

Once he found a better spot, he hoisted the bamboo over his shoulder, grunting slightly from the weight.

Some neighbors asked what the bamboo was for. Karlos answered honestly with a smile, no reason to keep it a secret.

When he got home, he found Maya shaking her head as Arabella waved her now-empty milk bottle, asking for more.