M A X E N E

"Seryoso?" I asked Marshan and Vicky. Umirap naman sakin si Vicky and sighed. 

"Syempre joke lang gusto ko lang manira ng moment." Vicky snorted. I glanced at Marshan and guilt was written all over her face. Agad siyang humawak sa kamay ni Mama. 

"Maaa!!! I'm sorry Maaa!!!" Pekeng hagulgol nito. "AHH! Aray naman!" She gasped ng batukan ko siya sa kaartehan niya. 

"Buntis ka?!" Singhal ko sa kanya. She just pouted at me at naiilang na bumaling kay Raven na mukhang tinakasan na ng kaluluwa sa narinig. 

"I-I had three PTs this morning, eh positive naman lahat pero magpapacheck up pa ko---AHH!!! MAAA!!!" Marshan cried after I hit her again. 

"A-Are you pregnant?" Bumaling ako kay Waldrin pero agad din akong nag-iwas ng tingin. Eeerrr I was suppose to surprise him but I was caught in the moment and blurted it out. 

"Baby, are you?" Nakagat ko ang ibabang labi ko ng mapansin ang pamumula ng mga mata niya and his voice was a little bit shaky. 

"Ma... Pa... Madadagdagan na naman kayo ng mga apo. Patayo na lang kaya tayo ng nursery?" Ate Claire kidded. 

"Haitx naku, mang-aagaw ng moment, at ano itong reaksyon nitong dalawa. Mukha naman silang tinakasan ng kaluluwa." Tukoy ni Yasha kay Yrew at Raven. 

"Mommy! Are you pregnant?!!" Gretel asked excitedly. 

"WHAT?! NOOOO!!!" Nagsimula ng mag-tantrums si Hansel na agad namang kinarga ng Lolo Dad niya. Waldrin just hugged me and buried his face on my back kasama ng mahinang pag-iyak habang ang anak niya, ayun at ang lakas kung makangawa. 

"Hush now, ayaw mo bang magkaron ng nakababatang kapatid?" His Lolo Dad asked him. Umiling si Hansel at yumakap sa Lolo Dad niya. 

"Ayoko! Kasi kapag may baby brother na ko, di niyo na ko love, gusto ko ako lang baby boy niyo!" He sobbed. The boys started bawling their eyes out. Buti na lang tapos na rin kaming kumain. Parang bata lang na nakayakap si Yrew kay Yasha and Vicky didn't miss the chance to record it on her phone. 

"Your Mom would be very happy Raven, she was very jealous when they met Hansel and Gretel, sa wakas mabibigyan mo na rin ng apo ang parents mo." Mommy Alicia said. 

"I always knew, hindi niyo na mahihintay na ikasal..." Mama sighed. Marshan bit her lower lip. 

"No worries po, hindi ko po hahayaan ang mag-ina ko." Raven kissed Marshan's temple habang itong asawa ko umiiyak pa rin dito sa likod ko. 

"NOOOOO!!!" Hansel cried loudly. 

Lumapit si Gretel samin and hugged my belly. She even rested her head on my belly na para bang may pinapakinggan... 

"Is it a girl?" She asked me...

"NOOO!!! She will just bully me just like you!" Hansel grunted at muling nagsumiksik sa Lolo Dad niya pero hindi naman siya pinansin ni Gretel. 

"Or boy?" Gretel asked me again. 

"NOOOO!!! HUHUHU!!! Ako lang baby boy ni Daddy at Mommy and all!!! Ayokoooo!!!!" Napangiwi na lang ako sa lakas ng iyak ng anak ko. 

"You'll be a big boy soon Hansel, you'll take care---"

"Lolo Dad, ayoko pong maging big, sabi mo ako lang baby boy mo eh!!!" 

"Dad, pasensya na..." I apologized to Daddy Wilson. Bumuntong hininga ito and smiled at me. 

"Kami na muna ang bahala sa kanila, you should talk to your husband." He said and carried Hansel out of the kitchen habang ngumangawa. 

Nagkanya-kanya na kami ng pwesto sa bawat sulok ng bahay. And my husband never lifted his face on my back dahil ayaw niyang may makakita sa umiiyak niyang mukha. 

"Can we talk now?" I asked him. Haharap na sana ako sa kanya pero humigpit lang ang yakap niya sakin, not wanting me to see his face. 

"K-Kailan mo pa nalaman? N-Nagpacheck up ka na ba?" His voice is hoarse and still shaky. 

"Yes, I am 10 weeks pregnant." Humigpit ang yakap niya sakin mula sa likod. 

"Can I look at you now?" 

"W-Wait... Not yet..." He sniffed. Naramdaman ko ang bahagya niyang paglayo sakin at pagsinghot-singhot sa likod ko. Pinaharap niya ko sa kanya and hugged me again kaya hindi ko na nakita ang mukha niya. 

"I am happy, I am sooo happy... I love you, I love you so much..." I slightly pushed him to touch his face. Namumugto na ang namumula nitong mga mata. I kissed the tip of his nose as I brush his face. 

"Do you already know the gender?" He asked. 

"Baliw, 10 weeks pa lang, hindi pa nga nila alam kung ilan... Siguro kapag nasa 12 weeks na, pacheck up ulit tayo..."  

"Wag ka ng umiyak... You're making me emotional..." I caressed his face. Siniil niya ko ng halik sa labi and plastered a very wide smile on his face. 

"Thank you and please this time let me take good care of you." 

"I know you will, problema na lang natin si Hansel..." I sighed. Niyakap niya ko and kissed my forehead. 

"Don't worry about him, he's a big boy now." 

"He really is your mini me, parehas kayong iyakin." I chuckled. 

"How can I not? You're my weakness and happiness. Just being this near to you makes me very warm and happy. I can't help but be thankful for having you, hindi lang kita makita o makausap ng ilang oras nanghihina na ko. So, I don't want you stressing yourself, don't worry about Leanna or any other girls, I am faithful to you." 

I bit my lower lip para pigilan ang kakaibang emosyong nabubuo sa loob ko.  

"Anyway, I thought you're on pills?" He asked me. Napangiwi ako at bahagyang nag-iwas ng tingin. 

"I was not---" Napasinghap ako ng muli niya akong siilin ng halik. 

"Silly, I'm so in love with you." 

M A R S H A N 

I pressed my lips tightly as Raven stared at me blankly. I know he doesn't have a doubt on me but his reaction is making me nervous.

"Have you been having morning sickness? Cravings?" He asked me coldly. 

I pressed my lips tightly and glanced at him. Muli akong napalunok sa lamig ng tingin niya sakin. 

"Y-Yes." I gulped. 

"That's it! You're moving in with me." He hissed. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko, he had been asking me to move in with him kaso hindi ako pumapayag kasi kahit naman marupok ako hindi parin magandang tignang magkasama kami ng hindi kasal!

Isa pa rin akong Dalagang Pilipina, marupok nga lang!!!

"H-Huh? Pero hindi pwede, hindi pa tayo kasal---" 

"Why do you think I impregnate you?" He asked me. Napaawang ang bibig ko sa pagkalito. 

"W-What? S-Sinadya mo? But you were pulling out---"

"I only pulled out every last orgasm, hindi lang naman ako iisang beses na nilalabasan----"

"OH GOSH!!!" I gasped as I covered his mouth. "You made me believe that you were pulling out?! Alam mo namang hindi pa ako pwedeng mabuntis diba? You promised my parents na papakasalan mo muna ako!!!" 

"I AM DESPERATE!!! OKAY?!! Because that guy Darius is pursuing you again! Umaaligid na naman siya sayo at ayokong maagaw ka niya sakin!" 

Napasinghap ako sa sinabi niya. "We're just friend---"

"But he is not seeing you as a friend! Natatakot ako na baka may makita ka sa kanya na wala sakin. I won't lose you again Marshan... I won't..." He gritted his teeth. 

I should be mad right now, but here I am kinikilig sa sinabi niya! T*ngina ang rupok ko talaga!

"Babe, please live with me. If you want, I'll marry you the soonest." He held my arms and lovingly embraced me. "I'm sorry for being selfish, ayoko lang na mawala ka na ulit sakin. Hindi ko na kakayanin... I'm sorry but I just love you so much." 

Hindi ako kumibo dahil na rin sa sari't saring emosyong pumupuno sa dibdib ko. I can't think clearly now. I am so overwhelmed. 

"Babe, please talk to me. You can do anything you want to me, alilain mo ko, pahirapan mo ko, tatanggapin ko just don't leave for me being selfish..." 

"I-I usually have my morning sickness as early as 3 am, I crave mostly of grapes yung seedless, recently I started to hate the smell of milk and coffee. I fall asleep in the afternoon even at work. I don't know if it will be hard to take care of me but I'll try my best not to burden you---" 

"Ssshhhh, I don't care, even if I have to carry you every morning or every time you are lazy to walk, I don't care spending sleepless nights just to attend to your needs. You are not a burden and will never be a burden, I will make you happy and I'll take care of you, I promise." 

"M-May isa pa kasi akong pinaglilihian." I bit my lower lip. 

"Anything! Just tell me, I'll give it to you..." 

"S-Si D-Darius..." 

V I C K Y 

"Bakit hindi kayo nakijoin?" I asked Monique and Christian na tahimik lang na nakaupo dito sa garden and sorting out the printed invitations for Clarence's birthday. 

"H-Hindi naman ako buntis." Monique said. 

"Bakit? Wala pa kayong balak?" I asked both of them. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa and Monique slightly blushed. 

"I'll marry her first." Christian said.

"So kailan kayo ikakasal?" 

"H-Hindi pa namin napag-uusapan." Monique smiled sheepishly at me. Napailing-iling na lang ako at nakahalukipkip na sumandal sa backrest ng upuan. 

"Have you done the deed?" Taas kilay na tanong ko. Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ni Monique sa tanong ko. 

"No, magpapakasal muna kami." Christian said. Muli akong napailing-iling, kung gaano kaagresibo nung dalawa babae eh siya namang kina-old fashion nitong lalaki. 

"It's so 20**, Christian... Well, kung iyan ang paniniwala mo..." I grunted. Ang boring nilang dalawa, walang ka-Thrill-thrill. 

"I-I'm open to the possibility..." Monique flushed red. Napatingin sa kanya si Christian and he immediately covered her eyes with his hand. 

"D-Don't say that! I'm being wholesome here!" He hissed as he started to blush. Napakurap-kurap na lang ako sa kajejehan nitong dalawa when Christian walked out to hide his blushing face. 

"Sa tingin mo Vicky, gusto niya ko?" Monique asked me sadly. 

"W-Why not? Girlfriend ka niya, diba? For almost 4 years now?" I asked her confused. 

"Yeah, but he never made a move on me, minsan pa lang kami nagkiss sa lips and he always kisses me on the forehead. Yun lang ang level ng intimacy naming dalawa." Malungkot na saad nito. 

"Ayaw mo yun? Your relationship is pure and innocent..." I asked her. Malungkot itong ngumiti sakin.

"Never pa siyang nag-I love you sakin. And I was afraid to ask." Nanubig ang mga mata nito. 

"You know what? You are innocent but I think you need to learn the Art of Seduction. It pains me seeing you like this!" 

"A-Art of Seduction?" 

"Leave it to me, kasi hindi mo maasahan si Maxene sa ganyan kasi si Waldrin lang ang nakikita niyan, pati na rin si Yasha na baliw na baliw kay Yrew, I think we'll get a little help from Marshan." I winked at her. 

"P-Paano kung di umubra?" 

"Eh di hindi ka niya mahal!" Namula ang mga mata nito sa sinabi ko. "Monique, trust me. Gagana ang plano natin." I chuckled like a witch.