Chapter 25

The Monterio mansion is every bit as intimidating as I remembered. Tinahak namin ang highway patungo sa kanilang mansiyon, gamit ang sakyanang ipinadala ng mga magulang ni Sage. I looked down at my red velvet dress again. Ang umbok ng aking tiyan ay hindi na maitatago. Kaya naman kanina pa ako nababalisa sa aking suot. I don't even know if his parents approved of us yet.

"Something wrong?" hinawakan ni Sage ang aking kamay habang ang isa naman niyang kamay ay nakahawak sa manibela.

Umiling ako at ihinilig ang aking ulo sa bintana ng sasakyan. Tanaw ko na ang kanilang mansiyon sa di kalayuan. "I guess I'm just . . . nervous to see your parents again."

Sage chuckled and brought my hands to his lips. Matapos niya itong halikan ay marahan niyang ibinalik ito sa aking hita at bumusina upang pagbuksan kami ng gate.

"Do not worry about that, Mallory. My parents know everything that has happened between us."

I swallowed. The last time I saw his mother, she told me that Sage and Jasmine had a daughter. Kaya naman hindi ko alam kung paaano ako aakto sa kaniyang harapan ngayon.

Bumaba si Sage. He circled the car and opened the door for me. Iniabot niya ang aking kamay at inalalayan ako sa paglalakad. Hindi pa man ako nakaka-tatlong hakbang ay binasag na ang katahimikan ng sigaw ng isang batang babae.

"Sage!"

Pareho kaming napalingon. A little girl in a bloody red dress is frowning upon us. Ang kaniyang kulot na buhok ay nagpa-alala sa aking mukha noong bata pa ako. But her curls are softer, like that of beach waves. Her deep-set eyes are similar to Sage. Napalingon ako kay Sage. He smiled at the girl and opened his arms.

"Hey, Zhara, I miss you."

The girl marched towards us and instead of hugging Sage, she punched his stomach lightly.

"Where have you been? You said you're just going to the farm but you've been gone for so many months, Sage! I hate you! I hate you!"

Sage chuckled and crouched down to meet the eyes of the girl. "Zhara, I'm sorry for leaving. Kuya is just . . . a little busy. And look," iminuwestra niya ako. "I brought you a new playmate."

Suplada akong tiningnan ni Zhara. Bumaba ang kaniyang tingin sa aking tiyan at mabilis din itong ibinaling kay Sage. "When are you going home, Sage?" tanong niya at inignora ang huling sinabi ni Sage.

Napakamot sa batok si Sage. "Actually, I'm already home, Zhara."

"But why are you not staying—"

"Young lady." Naputol an gaming pag-uusap nang makarinig ng pamilyar at ma-awtoridad na boses ng isang lalaki. Maging ako ay napatuwid ng tayo. "Stop interrogating our visitors already," ani Don Monterio habang pababa sa hagdanan. Nakasuot siya ng mamahaling suit at may hawak na baso ng alak sa kabilang kamay. Hindi ako makatingin sa kaniyang mga mata.

"Dad." Tumayo si Sage at tinanguan ang kaniyang ama.

His father nodded at him too. Ibinaling niya ang kaniyang atensiyon sa akin.

"Bakit hindi muna tayo pumasok lahat? Nasisigurado kong nalalamigan na kayo dito sa labas. It's going to rain tonight."

Sage placed his hand at the small of my back. Tumingin ako sa kaniya. He smiled at me in assurance. Para bang sinasabi niya na magiging okay lang ang lahat. Nakasimangot na sumunod si Zhara sa amin. Nauna nang pumasok si Don Monterio sa kanilang grand parlor at nagtungo sa dining room.

Ang interior ng bahay ay halos walang ipinagbago. Except they painted the walls red and creamy white. I didn't know about the sudden change of motif but Sage asked me earlier if I could wear something red.

Nakita ko ang kaniyang ina, si Carolina Monterio, na abala sa paglalagay ng mga pinggan kasama ang kaniyang mga kasambahay. Nang marinig niya ang papalapit na yapak ay nag-angat siya ng tingin. In her red gown with a long slit, she looked 10 years younger than her real age. Tumigil siya sa pag-aayos nang lapitan siya ni Don Monterio at halikan sa pisngi.

"Let's take a seat." Aniya. Inatras ni Sage ang upuan para sa akin.

"Mallory," hindi pa man ako nakakaupo nang maayos ay tinawag na ako ni Don Monterio. Kinakabahan man ay nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya. To my surprise, his eyes are warm and nowhere near intimidating or threatening. "How are you?" he asked sincerely.

Tumikhim ako bago sumagot. "I-I'm fine, Don Monterio." I squeaked.

"We've heard about what happened." Wika ni Carolina Monterio habang nagsasalin ng inumin sa kaniyang wineglass. "I guess I have to properly say my apologies for all the troubles I've caused you, huh?"

Naupo na si Sage sa aking tabi habang si Zhara naman ay nagpakandong sa kaniyang ama.

"It's okay, Mrs. Monterio—"

"Tita Carolina, please." anito at bumaba ang tingin sa aking tiyan. "After all, you're carrying a Monterio inside of you."

Tumango ako.

"Please forgive me for what I did. I was insensitive and just wanted the best for my son. I didn't realize what I was doing."

"And Mallory," ani Don Monterio. "As much as we want to avenge your mother from the Armendanez, we can't take vengeance into our hands. Not when you and Governor Armendanez had a deal. We will only take matters into our hands kapag hindi sila sumunod sa usapan at may gawin silang masama sa iyo. O sa magiging apo namin."

Tumango ako.

"For now, let's just focus on the baby, okay? Kumusta ka na? Nagpapacheck-up ka pa ba sa doktor?"

Napahinga ako nang maluwag. For the first time in my life, I felt at ease dining with the Monterio family.

---

"Sage . . ." niyugyog ko si Sage nang magising ako sa sobrang pananakit ng aking tiyan. He groggily opened his eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

Pumikit ako nang mariin at pilit na ininda ang sakit na para bang hinihiwa sa dalawa ang aking tiyan. "S-Sage . . . ang baby natin . . ."

"Why? What happened?" he quickly jumped out of bed and grabbed his pants from the floor. Dali-dali niya itong isinuot. Nang hilahin niya ang kumot mula sa akin ay napamura si Sage nang malakas. A pool of blood is quickly spreading on our mattress. I clutched on my stomach hard and tried to catch my breath. Sobrang sakit talaga.

Napaluha na ako. Sage wrapped me in a blanket and carried me effortlessly. Ramdam ko ang kaniyang kaba pero pinilit niya ang sariling manatiling kalmado. He moved with precise and grace as he sauntered towards the car. Nakahiga ako sa backseat habang si Sage naman ay dali-daling ipinaandar ang sasakyan. I groaned in pain. It's only 3 in the morning and this is happening.

"Just hold on a little longer, baby, okay? Malapit na tayo . . ." aniya. The bleeding did not stop. Bagkus, mas lalo pa itong lumakas. And the pain in my stomach is deteriorating. Kinakapos na ako sa aking paghinga.

"Malapit na tayo, Mal . . ." Sage assured me. "Kaunti nalang . . ."

Unti-unti nang nanghihina ang katawan ko. Halos hindi ko na rin marinig si Sage. Namalayan ko nalang na huminto na pala ang sasakyan. Within a few minutes, the car door opened and a group of nurses transferred me to a stretcher. Puno ng dugo ang backseat. Nang maisugod ako sa emergency room ay kaagad na may lumapit na doktor sa akin.

"Tell me where it hurts, Ma'am . . ." malumanay niyang tanong sa akin. The nurses grabbed some pads to stop the bleeding.

"M-My stomach . . ." garalgal ang aking boses na sagot.

Tumango ang doktor. Binalingan niya ang nakapalibot na nurse sa akin. "Prepare for dilation and curettage surgery."

Nagsitanguan sila at kaagad na tumalima. Sage worriedly approached the doctor.

"What's going on?"

"I'm really sorry. It's a miscarriage and your wife needs to undergo immediate surgery otherwise it'll put her life on danger."

Gusto kong magprotesta at sabihing huwag nang ituloy ang surgery nang maramdaman ko ang matinding sakit ulit sa aking tiyan. One of the nurse quickly inserted the IV drip on my wrist. May itinusok siya at pagkatapos nang ilang segundo ay hindi ko na malabanan ang matinding antok.

The last thing I saw was Sage's angry face, fighting with the doctor.

---

"Sage!"

I almost jumped out of my bed when I woke up. Ang aking kamay ay kaagad na dumapo sa aking tiyan. Nanlumo ako sa naramdaman.

"S-Sage . . . ang baby?"

Lumapit sa akin si Sage at niyakap ako. Umiyak ako nang umiyak sa kaniyang bisig. My baby is gone. My baby's gone . . .

"Ssh . . ." he tightened his embrace around me. Ibinaon niya ang kaniyang mukha sa aking leeg. Mayamaya pa'y may naramdaman akong mainit na dumadaloy sa aking balat. I cried harder at the thought of him shedding tears as well.

Someone cleared their throat. Mabilis na pinunasan ni Sage ang kaniyang mga luha at kumalas sa pagkakayakap sa akin. Nilingon niya ang kumatok.

Ito ang doktor na umasikaso sa akin kagabi.

"D-Doc, ang baby ko po?" tanong ko kaagad sa kaniya. Hindi pa rin ako tumitigil sa pag-iyak. "Ano pong nangyari sa baby ko?"

She smiled sadly at me. "I'm here to tell you something, Ms. Mallory Castillo."

I clenched and unclenched my fists. Binalingan ko si Sage. Namumula ang kaniyang mata at ilong sa biglaan niyang pagluha kanina. But he remained silent.

"What happened yesterday, you had a miscarriage because of your weak immune system." Aniya at binalingan ang papel na hawak. "I looked through your medical records and found out that you're seeing a psychiatrist. Tinawagan ko siya kanina. He confirmed that you really are under an intense level of stress after witnessing the death of someone. And this stress . . . it caused the miscarriage of your children."

"Children?" I echoed.

"You're actually carrying triplets, Mallory. During the surgery yesterday, we found out that two of your children did not make it. Only one of them survived."

Nagulat kaming dalawa ni Sage sa kaniyang sinabi.

"The girls didn't make it. Now you only have a son. And I suggest you take good care of him properly for the next four months because you are under a critical condition."