Special Chapter

Mallory set her fork on the table, already losing her appetite. It was one of those days in which she'll crave for pasta like crazy and then lose her appetite the moment she sees it. Which was weird.

Well, she's always weird when she's pregnant.

"Third baby already?" namamanghang tanong ni Sierra sabay simsim sa kaniyang kape. Bumagsak ang mapanuri nitong tingin sa tiyan ni Mallory.

"Yes..." Mallory said cheekily. She'd announced it to Sage yesterday and the two of them passionately made love to celebrate the news by themselves. Behati is already three years old and their oldest son, Leon, is already ten years old. Lumalaki na ang kanilang pamilya.

"I envy the two of you..." Sierra sighed deeply and gazed at her with affection in her eyes. "Akala ko crush-crush lang yung sa inyong dalawa ni Sage. Turns out, you'll be a big family in the future!"

Mallory threw her head back and laughed softly. Inabot nito ang kaniyang iniinom na apple juice at sumimsim.

"I didn't have any a clue that we'll end up together but..." she shrugged. Dumako ang kaniyang paningin kay Sierra na ngayo'y nakangiti sa kaniya, masaya para sa kaibigan. "Ikaw ba, kailang mo balak...?" she trailed off.

She's seen Sierra kissing Aaric, alright. But that still doesn't verify on what's going on between the two. Everytime she asks Sierra about it, she would just reply with a casual hook-up and will automatically end the conversation. Nahihimigan ni Mallory na ayaw na itong ungkatin pa ng kaibigan kaya hindi na rin siya nag-abala pa.

Ayaw din naman niyang manghimasok sa buhay ng kaibigan, but she's turning 32 years old, for Pete's sake! Sana naman ay maisipan na nitong mag-settle down at mag-asawa.

She shrugged again. "Wala. Tatanda ata akong dalaga," sabay tawa niya. "Teka, magsi-CR lang ako..." paalam niya at agad na tumayo, hindi pa man nakakasagot si Mallory.

Mabilis ang paglalakad ni Sierra patungo sa CR ng seafood restaurant na pinagkakainan nilang dalawa ni Mallory. She quickly shut the door behind her and shut her eyes closed. Sa maiksing distansiya lang mula sa kanilang lamesa at sa CR na kaniyang nilakad ay hinihingal na siya.

With trembling fingers, Sierra inserted her hands inside her bag and pulled out the white slim stick she'd been staring at since the night before.

Positive.

Pumikit ulit ang dalaga.

"Buntis ako..." she said, already losing her voice.

Kung si Mallory ay masayang naa-announce ang kaniyang pregnancy ay hindi si Sierra. Sumasakit ang ulo niyang isipin kung papaano niya sasabihin ito sa ama ng bata na hiniwalayan na niya isang buwan ang nakakaraan.

"Where's Aaric?" tanong niya sa babaeng receptionist.

Nag-angat ng tingin ang babae at tipid siyang nginitian. She knows that the Monterio family owns a hotel in Mati and that Aaric loves to go here. Sa una ang palusot lang niya'y tuturuan niya sa surfing si Leonard, ngunit alam ni Sierra na iba ang ipinunta niya rito! This is one of the many reasons why she broke up with him. Him, being a playboy tops the list...

"Nasa balcony po—"

Hindi pa man natatapos ang kaniyang sinasabi ay taas-noo nang umalis si Sierra sa lobby at dumiretso sa elevator. Napapansin niya ang pagiging iritado nitong mga nakaraang araw. Epekto din ba ito ng pagbubuntis? She found it ridiculous and unreasonable but somehow, she has no control of her feelings.

"Aaric..." maarteng hagikhik ang narinig niya hindi pa man niya lubusang nararating ang malaking balcony. This is where the mini restaurant is located and where guests are allowed to bask in the view of the beach shoreline.

Kumulo kaagad ang dugo ni Sierra. One month! One fucking month and he's already fucking someone else?

"Aaric!"

Nagambala ang dalawa sa malakas at galit niyang boses. Kaagad na kumunot ang noo ng babae nang makita si Sierra. She's tall, has a bronze skin, and a great body. Mataas ang itim nitong buhok at nakaponytail. Ang kamay ni Aaric ay nasa beywang na nito at ang isa nama'y mabilis niyang inalis sa dibdib ng babae nang pinaningkitan ito ng mga mata ni Sierra.

"Sierra..." he stepped away from the woman who opened her mouth to protest.

"Canoodling in broad daylight? Really?" her voice dripped of sarcasm and venom that she'd wish she could just drown the two of them of her poison!

Umangat ang dulo ng labi ni Aaric. He look ridiculously handsome today, wearing a dark blue printed polo shirt and black boardwalk shorts. Kumpara sa kaniyang pinsan na si Sage, medyo mahaba na ang kaniyang buhok at umaalon pa. He licked his lower lips as he gazed intensely at his ex-girlfriend, standing in front of him, and looking pretty in a white spaghetti strap dress.

"It's nice to see you here... Nag-check in ka ba sa hotel namin?"

"Aaric, who is he?" maarteng tanong ng babae sa kaniya. Mas lalo pang uminit ang dugo ni Sierra nang makitang ang mga kamay nito ay naglalakbay na sa matipuno niyang dibdib. Her manicured fingers stopped on his chest and played with the buttons of his polo shirt.

"Would you kindly leave?" Sierra snapped. "Kita mo namang nag-uusap kaming dalawa dito!" hindi niya mapigilan ang boses na tumaas kahit na nanginginig ito.

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ng babae at akmang papatulan pa sana siya nang iharang ni Aaric ang kaniyang maskuladong kamay na hindi pa rin tinaalis ang titig kay Sierra.

"Leave us alone for a moment, Marie." Anito sa seryosong tinig.

The woman rolled her eyes and stomped away from them. She intentionally shoved her shoulders to Sierra on her way out. It took all of her will power not to grab the girl's hair and shove her to the ground! Inggrata!

Nang tuluyan nang makaalis si Marie ay humalukipkip si Aaric at pinasadahan muli ng tingin si Sierra. He'd seen her last week, together with her friend, Mallory inside the restaurant. Hindi lang siya nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na makausap ito dahil mukhang nagmamadali ang dalaga.

And now that she's standing in front of him, he realized that he badly missed her. But of course, he wouldn't tell it to her face. Not in a million years.

"So... what is it?" he drawled lazily. Sinulyapan niya ang dalampasigan sa baba at nakita ang pamangkin na nakikipag-usap sa isang senior surfer. Kanina niya pa ito tinatawag upang magtanghalian but he wouldn't budge. And the infamous Marie Lastimosa walked in, staring at him with seducing eyes, and hey, he's just a guy. He couldn't say no to a hottie like her. Especially when he's trying to fill the void that this girl in front of him had caused him.

"Buntis ako." Kaswal na wika ni Sierra. May dinukot ito sa kaniyang bag habang nanlalaki ang mga mata ni Aaric, hindi makapaniwala sa narinig. She pulled out a thin white stick, of what looks like a pregnancy test stick and throw it at his face.

Dahil sa bilis ng pangyayari ay halos hindi niya pa ito masalo. When he did, he immediately checked the results. Namutla ang buong mukha niya nang makita ang dalawang pulang agresibong linya.

"I'm pregnant, Aaric." Pag-uulit ng dalaga. "At ikaw ang ama..."

"Holy shit..." he muttered under his breath, still not believing his eyes and ears!

"Huwag kang mag-alala, hindi ako nagpunta rito para magmaka-awang gawin mong Monterio ang bata. At mas lalong hindi ako nagpunta rito para manghingi ng pera. I just want to tell you that we're having a child, that's all." She snapped bitterly and turned to walk away from him.

Mabilis na tinakbo ni Aaric ang distansiya sa kanilang dalawa at sinikop ang kaniyang palapulsuha. Both of them jolted at the contact, the warmth of their skins and the erratic beating of their hearts screams how much they have missed each other.

Aaric swallowed painfully, Sierra watching in amazement when his Adams apple bobbed up and down.

"Buntis ka?" he echoed. "Ako ang ama?" seryoso nitong tanong kay Sierra.

"Gago ka ba? Siyempre ikaw! Ikaw lang ang nakagalaw sa akin!" galit na singhal sa kaniya ni Sierra.

Imbes na magalit ay isang multo ng ngiti ang sumilay sa kaniyang mga labi.

"You're carrying my child, Sierra... a Monterio!" bulalas ni Aaric. "Baby, why are you turning your back at me?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Sierra at galit na tiningnan si Aaric. Hindi pa rin siya makawala sa malakas nitong pagkakahawak sa kaniyang mga kamay.

"Ano sa tingin mo? Wala na tayo, Aaric! Gusto ko lang sabihin sa iyo na—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Aaric grabbed her waist and pulled him closer to him before he crouched and sealed her lips with his. Nanlalaki ang mga mata ni Sierra. The waitress and the other guests eating at the restaurant are everywhere! Nakikita nila ang lahat ng ito!

But Aaric didn't budge. Instead, he tilted her head and deepened the kiss. Tuluyan nang nalalasing si Sierra sa sensasyong nararamdaman kaya ipinikit nalang niya ang mga mata at rumesponde sa mapupusok na halik ni Aaric.

'I miss you!' she cried inside of her head. All of her bottled emotions are about to explode and when it did, it was accompanied by tears in her eyes.

When Aaric softly pulled apart, his intense gaze locked her eyes. ikinulong niya ang maliit na mukha ni Sierra sa kaniyang mga palad.

"Marry me, please..." napapaos na boses na wika ni Aaric. "We're going to have a child, Sierra. And I am fucking in love with you..."

This must be the mood swings. Yes! The stupid mood swings! Because Sierra cried like a baby in Aaric's arms and held him tight. Ikinulong siya ni Aaric sa mga bisig nito at hinalikan ang kaniyang noo.

"Mahal kita..." bulong ni Aaric sa kaniya. They've been together for a long time, broke up twice, and yet, this is the first time he had confessed his real feelings for her. That he can't imagine losing her, now that they're going to have a child.

Tumango si Sierra at isiniksik ang kaniyang sarili kay Aaric. Now, after so many weeks of battling with herself, she finally felt at peace.

"Ayoko ngang magpakasal muna!" iritadong wika ni Sierra habang binabalatang ang wrapper ng Yema na dinala ni Aaric. "Just look at my protruded belly! Gusto mo bang maglakad ako sa aisle na may pakwan sa tiyan?" singhal niya sa nobyo.

Nilapitan siya ni Aaric at malambing na kinuha ang kamay nito. "Baby, you look fine no matter how big—"

"What the fuck did you just said?" kulang nalang ay tadyakan siya ni Sierra sa sinabi ni Aaric. "I'm big!? Big?"

Aaric threw his head back and laughed. "No, baby... as a matter of fact, you look hot..." he said in a husky voice.

Inilayo ni Sierra ang mukha ni Aaric mula sa kaniya. Muntik nang himatayin si Mallory nang i-anunsiyo ng dalawa ang balak nilang pagpapakasal at ang pagdadalang-tao ni Sierra sa anak nila ni Aaric. She's right. She's 32 years old and needs to settle down already. Kung hindi lang ito sinabi ng kaibigan ay hindi siya magkakaroon ng lakas ng loob para sugurin si Aaric sa kanilang hotel sa Mati at ipaalam sa kaniya ang tungkol sa bata.

"We'll get married after I give birth. We've already talked about this." Mariing wika ni Sierra.

Aaric groaned. "Eh paano kapag lumabas na ang bata—"

"He or she will be registered as a Monterio. Don't worry." Seryosong wika ni Sierra.

Tinitigan siya ni Aaric, tinitimbang ang salita nito bago niya dahan-dahang itinango ang kaniyang ulo. He pulled his fiancée closer to him and started nuzzling her neck. He'd find her deeply attractive when she started getting heavy on the hips and breasts. Hindi na niya mapigilan ang sarili pagdating kay Sierra.

"Alright, then..." bulong niya. "Kung hindi mo ako pagbibigyan sa kasal, baka naman puwede mo akong pagbigyan dito?" he said as his hands slipped inside her dress.

Sierra groaned and threw her head as Aaric went gently on top of her.

"You're going to have a baby girl..." masayang anunsiyo ng doktor. Tumili si Mallory at hinawakan ang kamay ni Sierra na nasa kabilang higaan lang. The two of them agreed to went for a check-up together.

Masaya si Mallory para sa kaibigan. She'd known Aaric for a long time and she can tell that he's a good man, albeit a playboy. Siguro naman ay magbabago na siya ngayong magkaka-anak na silang dalawa ni Sierra?

Lumipat naman ang nangingiting doktor sa higaan ni Sierra at ini-on ang monitor. She lifted her blouse and pressed a little device on the bump on her belly.

"Your first time getting pregnant?" the doctor softly asked.

Nininerbyos na tumango si Sierra. She's already seven weeks pregnant! Neither Sage nor Aaric know that the two of them went for a check-up. Balak nilang i-surpresa ang dalawa mamayang pag-uwi.

"Oh, bless my little clinic! You're carrying twins, Ms. Del Rosario!"

Namilog ang mga mata ni Sierra sa narinig. Ipinakita sa kaniya ng doktor ang monitor at itinuro ang dalawang maliliit na bilog.

"Do you want to know the gender of your child?" the doctor asked playfully.

Huminga ng malalim si Sierra at dahan-dahang tumango.

"Well..." the doctor continued to move the device on her belly and then studied the black and white moving images in the monitor. A thin smile curled on her lips. "They're a bunch of boys, Ms. Del Rosario..."

Impit na tili ang lumabas sa lalamunan ni Mallory. She pulled herself up from the hospital bed and hugged Sierra. Niyuyogyog pa niya ang balikat ng kaibigan.

"Twins, Sierra! Twins!" she cried in joy.

Napaluha din si Sierra sa narinig. As if her boys could hear her, she felt them move a little inside her womb. She gazed at the monitor lovingly. Hindi na siya makapaghintay na ibalita ito kay Aaric!

"Guess what?" mapaglarong tanong ni Sierra, kinagabihan, habang minamasahe ni Aaric ang kaniyang mga paa.

"Hmm?" nag-angat ng tingin ang kaniyang fiancée. Her heart fluttered when he gazed intensely at her. Namumungay ang kaniyang mga mata at medyo basa pa ang buhok dahil kakaligo pa lamang niya.

Nasa labas silang dalawa ng mansion ng mga Monterio. Ever since he'd found out that she's pregnant, he demanded that she stayed with him in the mansion. Tinanggap naman siya ng matandang Monterio. In fact, the old couple are thrilled to have another grandchild again!

"We're having twins..." she said, and bit her lower lips.

Natigil sa pagmamasahe si Aaric sa pagod na paa ni Sierra at nanlalaki ang mga mata siyang tinitigan.

"Twins?" he echoed.

"Yes. Boys." She grinned.

Aaric quickly went on top of her. Itinukod niya ang magkabilang kamay sa gilid ng ulo ni Sierra at titig na titig sa kaniya.

"We've having twins and they're boys?" pagkaklaro ni Aaric.

"Yes—"

"Oh, fuck! Yes!" Aaric grinned widely and kissed her on the lips. Tumawa si Sierra sa inakto ng fiancé. He kept on kissing her and she kept on laughing. She had never been this happy for a long time. Not until now when she's carrying twins and the only man she'd love in her entire life is celebrating the joy with her.

Destiny is such a funny thing. They were both inlove and happy. They're planning a future for the four of them. Aaric had already bought a house in one of the many coastal areas of Governor Generoso and had already planned to move there once Sierra gave birth to them.

But on the ninth week of Sierra being pregnant, a stroke of misfortune struck her.

Mag-isa lang si Sierra sa loob ng kanilang kwarto. Kanina pa sumasakit ang kaniyang ulo at nahihilo. Hinihintay niya si Aaric na dumating. In the end, she stayed in bed the entire day and refused to go out for meals.

"Ninang, are you sure you don't want to eat?" tanong sa kaniya ng inaanak na si Leonard, nakasilip sa kaniyang kwarto.

Mas lalo pang sumakit ang kaniyang ulo nang makarinig ng kaunting ingay. She weakly shook her head and pulled the blanket closer to her.

"I'll tell mom..." ani ng bata at mahinang isinarado ang pintuan. She wanted to croaked for a glass of water but even speaking seems like a hard task for her.

Napilitan siyang bumangon. Hilong-hilo siya at mukhang masusuka na anumang oras.

Huminga siya nang malalim. Sobrang bilis ng tibok ng kaniyang puso. When she took a step, she felt her entire body go numb. Her heart swelled in pain and her head feels like it's about to burst.

Within seconds, Sierra fell into the carpeted floor with a loud thud, her heart smashing the walls of her ribs wildly until it started fading out...

"Oh my God! Sierra!" tili ni Mallory nang makita ang kaibigang nakahandusay na sa sahig. "Sage! Sage!"

Sage quickly jumped to his feet. Binibihisan pa niya si Behati nang marinig ang takot na sigaw ng asawa. He hurried downstairs and saw his wife, heaving in pain, her eyes widening.

"S-Si Sierra!" she cried. "Sage, tumawag ka ng ambulansiya!"

Hindi na naghintay pa si Sage sa pagdating ng ambulansiya. She carried Sierra in his arms and hurried out of the door. Umiyak si Behati sa nakitang komosyon. Even the old Monterio couple turned to see what's happening.

"Si Sierra po, nawalan ng malay!" umiiyak na wika ni Mallory habang mabilis na sinusundan si Sage palabas ng mansiyon.

She dialed Aaric's number on their way to the hospital. Nasa likod siya kasama ang walang malay na si Sierra. The color drained from her face and her arms are lifeless.

"Oh! Mallory—"

"A-Aaric..." humihikbing wika ni Sierra. "Pumunta ka sa hospital, please... Si Sierra..."

Sage drove us fast as he could. He really did. Kinakabahan siya sa namataang walang malay na si Sierra. Mas lalo pa siyang kinabahan nang hindi niya maramdaman ang pulso ng dalaga.

"Sierra!"

Aaric stormed towards the emergency room and kicked the door open. Gayon na lamang ang paninigas niya sa kinatatayuan nang mahagip ang sinasabi ng doktor.

"—is dead on arrival..."

Fuck.

Tulala si Aaric. Ang palahaw na iyak ni Mallory ay sinakop ang buong kwarto. She sobbed and kicked and sobbed, trying to get closer to her now lifeless best friend. Her heart is slowly breaking.

"I'm so sorry. It's a stroke attack! Nahuli na kayo nang ilang minuto..." wika ng doktor. "She has atrial fiblliration. And the stroke killed her brain cells on the spot."

Aaric forced himself to walk towards them. Hindi pa rin lubusang pumapasok sa kaniyang isipan ang sinabi ang doktor.

"She's pregnant..." napapaos niyang wika. "What will happen to the twins?"

"She's pregnant!?" gulat na tanong ng doktor. Binalingan nito ang kaniyang assistant. Within a few minutes, they transferred her to another hospital bed and is now going to the radiology room.

"Aaric," Sage silently said. Nagdadalawang isip siya kung hahawakan ba niya ang pinsan. Based on his clenched jaw and fists, Aaric looks like he's about to kill someone. Inignora niya si Sage at sumunod sa mga doktor na itinutulak si Sierra papasok sa RR.

The doctor lifted her blouse and conducted an ultrasound to check the growing embryos inside her womb. To her surprise, she saw the two hearts beating faintly.

"They're still alive!" she turned to Aaric. "Your children are still alive..."

Kumunot ang noo ni Aaric. Isang pitik nalang sa kaniya ay tutulo na ang kaniyang mga luha. "Paanong...?"

"Her body organs are still intact. She can still nurture the twins if we keep her alive during the entire duration. Technically, your wife is brain-dead. But a life support system will do. Until she gives birth to the twins, we'll be able to keep her body going..."

Nabibingi na si Aaric sa maingay na paligid. He stared blankly at the floor. Hindi siya makapaniwala na nangyayari ito ngayon. He wanted so bad to wake up from a very, very bad dream. A nightmare. Yes, a nightmare. Losing his fiancée on the day that he's planning to propose to her properly is the worst day of his life. Ikinuyom niya sa kamao ang singsing na kaniyang binili kanina pa.

In the end, Aaric agreed to the doctor's suggestion. Hindi pa rin tumitigil sa pag-iyak si Mallory. Oddly, Aaric didn't shed a single tear. Tulala lang siyang nakapanuod habang kinakabitan ng kung anu-anong tube at makina ang katawan ni Sierra.

He refused to go home, too. This is happening too fast! His heart swelled painfully inside of his chest as he watched his now lifeless fiancée on her death bed.

Nang mapag-isa nalang sila ay doon pa bumuhos ang mga luha niya. Aaric tried to keep his mouth shut but the sobs escaped from his throat. He cursed, screamed, and shouted, begging for God to bring her back to life. Napaluhod siya sa marmol na sahig ng hospital, nanginginig ang mga balikat dahil sa matinding hagulhol.

"Why do you have to leave? Fuck... I haven't even married you!"

Aaric tried to keep his shit together for the next few days. Seeing her, clinging for the life support system every day, is tearing his heart into two and adding salt to his wound. Halos hindi na siya makausap nang maayos nina Sage at Mallory.

"Sierra..." tears filled his eyes again. "Isang beses ko lang nasabi sa iyo na mahal kita... You know it, right? That I am madly and deeply inlove with you... Baby, wake up, please..."

It must've been the hardest months for Aaric. He could barely eat or functional like a normal human being without being reminded of the painful truth that Sierra... she's really gone.

"Your twins are warriors..." wika sa kaniya ng doktor. "Alam kong lumalaban silang dalawa. Ang asawa mo rin. I am so sorry for your loss, Sir... But you must know that your wife, she's a courageous woman. She's barely keeping it up but I can see that she wants to give birth to the twins..."

The life support system allowed Aaric to talk to her for 130 days. The doctors decided to give birth to the twins through C-section. Alam na niyang pagkatapos manganak ni Sierra, aalisin na din ang life support system sa kaniya.

Sinabunutan ni Aaric ang sarili. Paulit-ulit siyang nagmura. Mababaliw na ata siya sa sobrang sakit at pighati na nararamdam. He paced back and forth outside the operating room and when he heard the cried of his boys for the first time, his heart fluttered.

Pinapasok na siya ng doktor. He saw two, healthy baby boys, each trying to surpass the voice of the other. Napaiyak si Aaric sa nakita at niyakap silang dalawa. The doctor said that will be put inside the incubator for at least three months.

Aaric cried and silently thanked God for keeping his twins alive. Iniwan silang dalawa ng doktor sa operating room para maayos siyang makapagpa-alam sa fiancée.

Nilapitan ni Aaric si Sierra. Even with her eyes closed, her body lifeless, she looked at peace. Huminga siya nang malalim at hinawakan ang kaniyang kamay sa huling pagkakataon.

"I love you so much, Sierra Del Rosario. I know God has plans for me and the twins. Do not worry about them. I'll take care of them and love them as much as I love you... I know you're in a good place, now. Hintayin mo ako, ah? Hihintayin ko lang na lumaki ang kambal natin at susunod ako sa iyo... Mahal na mahal kita, Sierra..."

With one painful kiss on her forehead, Aaric silently exited the operating room with a broken heart.

"Ano pong pangalan ng kambal, Sir?" mahinahong tanong sa kaniya ng nurse, may dalang clipboard at nakatunghay sa kambal na lalaking natutulog sa loob ng incubator.

Aaric cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on them. "Jairus... Jairus and Noah Monterio..." he said with finality, as though he could hear Sierra's sweet voice whispering on his ears for their children's name.