"El, alam kong pagod ka na ngunit kailangan mong umire," naaawang saad ni Xavier sa asawa habang pilit itong pinapakalma. 

Mga ilang minuto na sila dito at tinutulungang manganak si Elisa. She was covered in sweat and unshed tears. Mahigpit itong nakahawak sa kamay ni Apple Pie habang pilit na hinahabol ang hininga. Apple Pie was also wiping her face using the clean cloth that he gave her earlier.

"Hingang malalim, El," he added while looking directly at her eyes. He was trying to encourage her and to make her feel that he was here. Hindi niya ito pababayaan.

Maluha-luhang tumango si Elisa sa kaniya at huminga ng malalim bago pumikit at umire. Ang malakas na sigaw nito ang pumuno sa buong silid. Siya naman ay binalik ang atensyon sa kaselanan nito. Her genitals were already bulging during the contractions signalling that the baby's head was just in her entrance.

"Isa pa El," ika niya habang hindi pa rin hinihiwalay ang tingin sa kaselanan nito. After a few seconds, he immediately heard her grunts again. Each contraction and each push from Elisa moves their baby closer to her entrance. Sa kalagitnaan ng kada pag-contract ni Elisa ay nagre-relax ang uterus nito. Babalik ng bahagya ang bata pabalik sa loob ngunit hindi ganoon kalayo.

It was just like an ocean tide, in and out, in and out. Kada pag-ire ni Elisa ay mas lumalabas pa ang ulo ng bata. Tiningnan niyang muli ang asawa at maingat na hinaplos ang tuhod nito.

"El nakikita ko na ang tuktok ng ulo niya. Kapag napalabas mo na ang buong ulo ay madali na para sa akin ang susunod na gagawin. Tandaan mo ang tinuro ko sa iyo. Huminga ka lamang ng malalim at umire. Lalabas na ang anghel natin," he smiled at her and upon hearing what he said, she smiled back at him. It was a weak smile kaya unti-unti na namang bumabalot sa sistema niya ang takot. Parang ano mang oras ay mapapapikit na ito at hindi na gigising.

Nakita niya ang muling pagpunas ni Apple Pie sa pawisang mukha ni Elisa habang ang babae naman ay pumipikit muli upang umire.

He switched his attention back to her vagina and saw the baby's head stretches her vaginal opening to the size of the palm of his hand already. That's good. It would stay there already even with the contractions.

He kept encouraging her to push whenever she felt the most comfortable. She was semi-sitting earlier but they changed position when Elisa requested to lay on her side. Pinakaimpotante ang comfort when giving birth kaya naman hinahayaan niyang si Elisa ang magdesisyon kung saan ito komportable.

He then instructed Kuya Zynder and Apple Pie to urge her to push more while he was cleaning his hands again. Kailangang malinis siya dahil may tiyansa na magkaroon ng infection during the delivery of the baby. 

Bumalik siya doon na nakataas ang mga kamay at sinenyasan si Kuya Zynder na tanggalin muli ang nagtatakip sa mga binti ni Elisa. He would admit that he appreciates his Kuya actually avoiding to even get a glimpse of his wife's private part. He was just assisting him in a good distance away where he could still hand over him the things that he needed without glancing at Elisa.

Nang maayos na nakapwesto na siya ay kaniya ng sinimulan ang pagtulong sa pagpapalabas ng bata. He pressed one hand firmly on Elisa's perineum to ensure that the baby's chin would be close to its chest. Mas mapapadali kasi ang paglabas nito sa ganoong posisyon. 

"Tela Kuya," he ordered while extending his hand on his side and waited for Kuya Zynder to give it to him. Agad namang inabot ni Kuya iyon sa kaniya. He used that cloth to cover Elisa's anus because there are instances that feces may be pushed out with the baby's head. There's nothing wrong with that, actually napaka-common na iyon para sa mga nanganganak.

Nang maayos na ang lahat ay maingat niyang nilagyan ng downward pressure ang tuktok ng ulo ng bata. Once he saw the head crowned, it became more easier to guide it until the baby's face emerges. Agad-agad naman siyang humingi ng panibagong malinis na tela at maingat na nilinisan ang ilong at bibig nito. Some mucus and water can hinder the baby's breath so he has to ensure that it wouldn't be a problem.

Matapos makalabas ang ulo ng bata ay naghintay siyang muli ng contraction.

"El, isang ire ulit," he instructed her and she weakly obliged. Kita niya ang panghihina sa mga mata ni Elisa at para bang gusto na nitong matulog ngunit lumalaban pa rin ito upang maayos na maipanganak ang bata.

Maingat niyang dinama ang leeg ng bata at naramdamang nakapulupot doon ang umbilical cord nito. He gently loosened it so it can slip over their baby's head. He then directed Elisa to push more and thankfully the baby's shoulder easily slid outside. After that, the rest was already easy. He just needed to carefully guide the half part of the baby outside. 

"Apple, paki-ayos ang panglinis natin sa bata," utos niya dito dahil kailangan pa niya si Kuya Zynder sa pagputol ng umbilical cord.  Hinayaan niya muna ng iilang minuto na nakakabit pa rin iyon sa bata dahil mas advisable na panatilihin iyon upang makakuha pa rin ng needed nutrients ito

He quickly glanced at Elisa and saw her catching her every breath while looking at the ceiling. She looked okay compared earlier and when she glanced at him, they both smiled with deep pride. 

They're officially parents now.

"Nagawa mo El," nakangiti niyang saad dito. She weakly smiled back at him while fresh tears flowed down from her eyes.

Nginitian niya itong muli bago binalik ang atensyon sa bata. He asked Kuya Zynder for the sterile string and he tightly tied the cord about two finger widths from their baby's belly. Alam niyang mas malaki ang risk na magka-tetanus ang baby kapag mas malayo ang pagkakaputol ng umbilical cord nito. He carefully put another sterile string in the first knot, he then added a third knot two fingers from his second knot. Mas mainam na gawin iyon upang mas less ang risk ng bleeding. 

"Gunting Kuya," utos niya dito at nang maabot iyon sa kaniya ay maingat niyang ginunting iyon after sa second tie niya. "There we go . . ." bulong niya sa sarili.

Maingat niyang binuhat ang bata at nakangiting tiningnan ito. She is a girl. Their little princess. Naiiyak niya itong pinagmasdan at nahaluan ng mga luha ang kaniyang mga ngiti. She looked so beautiful. Si Elisa kaagad ang naisip niya pagkakita dito. Sigurado siyang kamukhang-kamukha nito ang ina paglaki. 

"El, kamukha mo . . ." ngiti niyang balita dito ngunit unti-unting nawala ang mga iyon nang madatnan niya ang nakapikit na mga mata ni Elisa. Her right hand was dangling lifelessly on the far side of the bed. "El . . ." takot niyang tawag muli dito ngunit katahimikan ang tanging nakuha niya. 

She looked so . . . lifeless.

"Akin na ang bata, Xav." Naramdaman niya ang pagtapik ni Kuya Zynder sa kaniyang balikat at wala sa isip niyang binigay dito ang anak niya. 

"El!" sigaw niyang tawag dito habang nagmamadaling lumapit sa may gilid ng asawa. Tinapik-tapik niya ang pisngi nito ngunit wala itong reaksyon sa ginawa niya. He quickly placed his ear on her chest and listened for a heartbeat, but he was only greeted with absolute silence. "Fuck!" iyak niyang mura habang sinisimulang i-chest compression ang asawa. 

"El don't do this to me! Nangako ka! Hindi mo ako iiwan!" sigaw niya habang pinipilit buhayin ang asawa. "El please! You promised! You fucking promised!"

He continued pumping her chest and occasionally blowing air in her mouth. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" sunod-sunod niyang mura habang nanlalabo ang mga mata. Ni hindi na nga niya makita ang ginagawa dahil nababalutan na ang kaniyang paningin ng mga luha na patuloy na tumutulo mula sa kaniyang mga mata.

"Xav . . ." mahinang bulong na tawag sa kaniya ni Kuya Zynder habang pilit siyang pinapatigil.

Malakas niya itong tinulak at sinigawan. "You fucking stay away from me! Hindi ako titigil dito hangga't hindi ko nabubuhay si Elisa!" Binalik naman niya kaagad ang atensyon sa ginagawa at pilit pa ring pinapatibok ang puso ni Elisa.

"She's dead, Xav! Give up now!" maotoridad nitong sigaw sabay malakas siyang hinila. Naiiyak siyang naglakad papalapit sa patay na katawan ni Elisa at ipagpapatuloy sana ang ginagawa ngunit tinulak na siya ng nakatatandang kapatid na naging dahilan upang matumba siya sa sahig. "Patay na siya! Wala na tayong magagawa!" sigaw nitong muli sa kaniya.

He buried his face on his hands and cried there like a little boy. 

"No. No. No." paulit-ulit niyang bulong na para bang kinukumbinsi ang sarili na panaginip lamang ang lahat. 

"Xav . . ." naaawang tawag sa kaniya ni Kuya Zynder habang umuupo katabi niya sa sahig. 

Maluha-luha niya itong tiningnan at umiling-iling. "Kuya . . . I can't live without her. Alam mo iyan. Siya ang buhay ko. Wala ako kung wala siya."

"I know, Xav . . . pero may anak ka na. Siya na magiging mundo mo," comfort sa kaniya ng kapatid. 

Mas naglabasan ang mga luha niya dahil doon at nanghihina niyang tiningnan ang kama kung saan nakahiga ang asawa at nakita ang walang-buhay nitong kamay na nakabitin sa gilid ng kama. Nanghihina siyang tumayo at lumapit muli dito. Nagpapasalamat siya at hindi na siya pinigilan ng kapatid. 

Naupo siya sa gilid nito at hinaplos ang pisngi ng asawa na basang-basa pa dahil sa pawis at mga luha. "El . . . I'm sorry. Hindi kita naligtas. I love you . . . I love you so much. Alam mo iyan. Walang ibang makakapalit sa iyo. Mahal na mahal na mahal kita."

He totally broke down and cried on her neck. Elisa's lack of response to his pleas were the indication of her lifeless body. She's no longer there to comfort him. 

Her hands that would gently caress his back whenever he felt down was just hanging on the side of the bed. 

Her lively smiles were no longer there to brighten his day. 

The hope of being a one happy family with her was already a far-off dream.

The love of his life was gone.

The woman who was loved by two man but ended up leaving them both.

She's gone. She's dead.

A/N: May isa pa palang Chap! I thought magkakasya dito. XD It was just short so I could probably post it tonight too. Btw, the information ng panganganak na diniscribe ko dito ay halong Google research at tanong-tanong with my relatives. If ever may mali akong nailagay, maybe midwife kayo o nasa medical field na may alam sa ganitong bagay ay welcome ako sa pagtatama. Just message me directly para madali kong mabasa! Thank you!

P.S. I can't post it tonight pala. :(