SPECIAL CHAPTER 5

TESSIA

"BYE, Momma!" My daughter, Tettia kissed my cheeks as she bade her goodbyes.

"See you later, Mommy!" My little Keishi also kissed my cheeks.

I smiled at them widely. "Take care, okay? 'Wag kayong magiging magaslaw. Nagkakaintindihan ba tayo, twins?" I murmured using a soft voice.

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am!" Mahina akong napatawa nang umayos sila ng tayo at sabay na sumaludo na parang sundalo.

My cute little soldiers.

 "Oh, siya, pumasok na kayo." I guided them to their school gate.

Naiiling akong napangiti nang muli silang lumingon at kumaway sa akin. I chuckled because of their cuteness. Inakbayan ni Keishi ang kapatid niya at inakay papunta sa kanilang classroom. Nang mawala na sila sa paningin ko, kaagad akong nagtungo sa sasakyang dala ko at nagmaneho papunta sa cake shop ni Arjelyn.

It took me a while bago ako nakarating doon dahil sa matinding traffic. Sabagay, pasukan na naman. Maraming mga estudyante ang bumabyahe ngayon.

Pagpasok ko pa lamang sa shop niya, bumungad sa akin si Tober na kasama ang kanyang anak na si River. 

"OMG! Bilat!" Huli na nang maka-react ako dahil kaagad niya akong dinamba ng isang mahigpit na yakap.

"Aray ko naman, bakla! Magdahan-dahan ka nga!" Iritadong aniko.

Kaagad siyang humiwalay sa akin ng yakap at pinanliitan ako ng mata. "Aba, ang sungit mo, ah! Parang naglalambing lang, eh!" Nagtatampong aniya saka nilapitan ang kanyang anak at binuhat.

Inayos ko ang nagusot na bahagi ng aking dress bago muli siyang tinignan. "Boba ka ba? Kakakita lang natin kahapon." Turan ko sabay irap.

Kinuha ko sa kanya si River. I smiled widely and kissed this cute young man's cheek. I also pinched his cheek lightly causing it to redden.

Tober is overreacting, he panicked. "Oh my gosh ka, bilat!" Nagulat ako nang gagawin niya sa akin si baby River. "Look! Namula na 'yong pisngi niya!" he hissed at me.

Sinimangutan ko siya't inirapan bago linagpasan. Nagtungo ako sa pwesto ni Arjelyn at yumakap sa kanyang beywang at ngumuso.

"Arj, hon, gusto ko ng ube cake." Pagpapa-cute ko sa kanya.

Mahina niyang pinitik ang aking noo at sinimangutan ako. "Hay, kung hindi ko lang talaga alam na…" pinanliitan niya ako ng mata. I giggled, making her shake her head.

"Oo na, lumayo ka na sa akin para magawa ko na 'yong cake mo." Inirapan niya ako. Kaagad naman akong humiwalay sa kanya nang marinig ko ang kanyang sinabi.

"Yay! Thank you, Arj, hun!" I cheered in glee and kissed her cheeks.

"Anong thank you? Aba, may bayad 'to, 'no! Ano ka, sinuswerte? Shuta ka, malulugi ako sa'yo!" She exclaimed.

Tinawanan ko siya't tinanguan. Muli pa niya akong sinamaan ng tingin bago pumasok sa kusina.

Ilang minuto na akong naghihintay nang biglang nag-sidatingan sila Secret with her husband and daughter, Si Romeo na dumiretso kaagad kila Tober, at si Selenn. Saglit akong nakipag-usap sa kanila at kaagad ding nagpaalam nang dumating na ang aking cake.

The moment I got home, nagsimula na akong magluto with the help of my parents-in-law and maids. Todo alalay sila sa akin simula nang malaman nila ang kondisyon ko.

Nang sumapit ang alas-kwatro, si Daddy Ken at Mommy Tin ang sumundo sa kambal dahil gusto daw nilang maka-bonding ang apo nila.

When 8 p.m. strucks, all lights are turned off. Nakahanda na rin ang mga pagkain sa lamesa, may mga disenyo na rin ang paligid. Kasalukuyan kong kasama ang kambal, ang mga kaibigan namin at ang sila Mommy Tin at Daddy Ken nang narinig ko ang pamilyar na tunog ng engine ng aking asawa. 

Kaagad kaming pumwesto sa naka-assign sa amin. Umupo ako sa upuan na nakapwesto sa gitna at dimapot ang gitarang niregalo niya sa akin noong ika-labing-dalawang kaarawan ko.

Naghintay kami ng ilang sandali. Nang marinig namin ang pagbukas ng pinto ay kaagad naman akong nag-strum. The familiar melody of our favorite song started echoing in the four corners of the living room.

There I was again tonight,

Forcing laughter, faking smiles.

Same old tired, lonely place.

Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy,

Vanished when I saw your face.

All I can say is, it was enchanting to meet you.

The light went on and I saw my husband's shocked face seeing his surroundings. He looks frozen on his spot. Grinning widely, I continued the song.

Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"

'Cross the room your silhouette,

Starts to make its way to me.

The playful conversation starts.

Counter all your quick remarks,

Like passing notes in secrecy.

Keishi and Tettia started making their way to their dad and handing him the letters I made back when we're in college. Well, until now, I'm still writing cheesy letters for him. Ako kasi 'yong tipo ng tao na hindi showy. I can't express myself through actions so I made a way to freely express my love for him and that's love letters.

People may call it cheesy but for me…it's magical. Words are magical.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go.

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home.

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew,

I was enchanted to meet you.

Next we're my friends. They handed him tons of photographs. Behind each picture is a message that they wrote. 

This is me praying that,

This was the very first page,

Not where the story line ends.

My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again.

I can feel my tears start to stream down to my cheeks. I stood up, still singing and strumming my guitar while crying.

These are the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon,

I was enchanted to meet you.

Please don't be in love with someone else,

Please don't have somebody waiting on you.

Please don't be in love with someone else,

Please don't have somebody waiting on you.

I can still clearly remember this familiar scene. Ganitong-ganito noon ang nangyari. Way back in highschool, si Romeo ang inaalayan ko ng kanta pero ngayon si Kit na. 

Deja vu?

I know this is too unfair dahil si Romeo ang una kong kinantahan nito pero ito ako ngayon, kinakanta din sa kanya. I even told him that I can compose a song for him but he refused.

He told me that this song, Enchanted by Taylor Swift, is too precious for him. Dahil noong nakita niya akong kumakanta noong Graduation Ball namin, he had the courage to tell his feelings for me which I really appreciated. And he also said that he can relate to the message of the song.

Lumapit ako sa kanya. I smiled at him, still crying. Nakita ko ang kanyang pag-ngisi. He wiped my tears and caressed my cheeks

"Ano na naman itong pasabog mo?" He chuckled.

I looked at him with disbelief. "What the fuck ka talagang lalaki ka! Aba, ikaw na nga ang sinorpresa tapos nagrereklamo ka pa?" Naiinis na turan ko.

Narinig ko ang halo-halong tawanan ng mga kaibigan namin dahil sa sinabi ko. Marahas namang umiling ang magaling na lalaki. "No, no! You got it wrong!" He denied.

Pinameywangan ko siya. "Kung ayaw mo ng surpresa ko e'di sabihin mo ng diretso! Aba, sayang 'yong effort kong umiyak, hayop ka!" I gritted my teeth in irritation. "Kung ayaw mo nito, e'di kay Romeo na lang. Hmp!" Humalukipkip ako't inirapan siya.

"Hoy, bitchesa! Akin lang si Romeo!" Pagsingit ni Tober at niyakap ng mahigpit ang asawa. Palihim naman akong napangiwi dahil sa kanyang ginawa.

E'di sa'yo lang. Pakelam ko d'yan sa hinayupak na 'yan? Mas gwapo pa asawa ko kesa d'yan.

Nagulat ako nang may humablot sa aking braso at sinalubong ako ng isang mainit na halik. Nang mapagtanto kong si Kit lang pala 'yon ay kaagad akong tumugon. Mahina akong napatawa nang marinig ko ang hinaing ng mga kaibigan namin.

"'Wag ka na magtampo, hmm?" He whispered when our kiss broke. "I love it, babe. I will always love your surprises and efforts." Finally, that made me grin.

"Aba, dapat lang, sayang effort ko kung hindi. Baka sa sala talaga kita patulugin kung gan'yan." I smirked at him.

Wait, speaking of surprises…'yong gift ko pala!

Kaagad akong napatakbo paakyat sa kwarto namin nang maalala ko ang regalo ko. 

"What the fuck? Tessia, don't run!"

"Bruha ka, mag-ingat ka nga!" 

"Tessia!"

Napangiwi ako dahil sa samu't-saring sigaw nila sa akin anng makabalik ako sa sala. 

Oo nga pala hehehe.

I gave Kit the box that I was holding. "Open it!" I said, excited about my gifts for him.

Mukhang nawe-weirduhan siya dahil sa inakto kanina ng mga kasama namin pero unti-unti niya namang binuksan ang kahon. Nang tuluyan niya nang mabuksan ang kahon, kumunot ang kanyang noo at kinuha ang laman nito.

"Holy…" he gasped. Nabitawan din niya ang kahong hawak niya kanina. His eyes widened and his skin went pale. "Holy fucking fuck! You're pregnant?!" He exclaimed while his eyes are still focused on the pregnancy test he was holding.

I gave him a nod and smiled widely. "Surprise!" 

"Fuck, yeah!" Natawa ako nang yakapin niya ako.

"Congrats, daddy." I whispered as I kissed his temple.

"Fuck!" Maligaya siyang napasuntok sa ere at pinuntahan sila Keishi at Tettia saka sila binuhat. 

Nagtatawanan kaming lahat dahil sa naging reaksiyon niya. Para siyang bata na tumatakbo't paikot-ikot sa sala habang buhat ang mga anak niya. Keishi and Tettia are cutely giggling. Looks like they're enjoying.

"Motherfucker!" Once again, Kit shouted.

"Maderpaker!" Keishi mimicked his father.

"Madahpakah!" Tettia also exclaimed.

And because of that, I frowned and shouted, "That's it, Kit! You're sleeping on the couch for one month!"

Grabe, nakakastress.

And that's how it goes, Kit slept on the couch while I enjoyed our King size bed for a month.

Once again, This is Tessia Hera Tuzon-Grand, married to Zeus Kit Grand and already have a twin; Keishi Ares Tuzon Grand and Tettia Hebe Tuzon Grand, and after a few more months, a new baby is coming. Finally, I'm happy and contented.