After having a very nice conversation with the doctor, Harrison went out to buy a basket of fruits for Elijah.

Kahit saan magpunta ay panay ngiti si Harrison. He's such in a good mood dahil sa magandang balita na kaniyang natanggap sa araw na 'yon.

It was indeed a true blessing from god.

"How's my baby?" tanong ni Harrison sa nurse na abala sa pag-check kay Elijah.

"Sir, andito na pala kayo," bahagya itong yumukod. "Base sa sitwasyon nito'y magigising na ang boyfriend ninyo maya't-maya."

Tumango naman siya. "He's excited to tell Elijah about the news! Or does he know already?"

"Is it normal for pregnant people to pass out and remain unconscious for hours, nurse?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. He was still worried why Elijah hadn't woken up yet.

"Hindi ho, sir. Pero baka dahil sa sobrang pagod ay kaya hindi kaagad ito naka-recover. Pero huwag ho kayong mag-alala, magigising na ang boyfriend mo mga ilang minuto."

He smiled. "Thank you,"

Nilagay ni Harrison ang basket na puno ng prutas sa lamesa at inayos ang ilang mga gamit roon. Buti nalang at naisipan ni Brimon na kumuha ng mamahaling room.

He can't let Elijah stay in a small, suffocating, hospital room.

"Anong prutas ho ang binili niyo, sir?" tanong ng nurse at lumapit sa mesa.

She was petite, but he was glad they had sent a diligent nurse. He didn't want someone who would just stand around and stare at him.

"I bought apples, grapes, and oranges," he replied, displaying the basket filled with fruit.

"Hala, sir! Hindi po pwede ang boyfriend niyo ng apple. Base kasi sa kaibigan nito'y binigyan niya ng perfume ang boyfriend ninyo at amoy apple iyon.  Baka madura na naman siya kung makita niya ang mga 'yan." litaniya ng nurse.

"Fuck!" napatampal nalang si Harrison sa kaniyang noo.

"Pasensya na ho kayo kung hindi ko kaagad nasabi sa inyo," nakayukong sabi nito.

He smiled warmly. "It's okay, I was just too excited and didn't ask you what to buy."

"Thank you, sir," the nurse replied gratefully.

"No worries. I'll just go and buy some more fruit. No apples this time," he said, grabbing the basket before heading out.

Ibibigay nalang niya iyon sa ibang pasyente sa ibaba.

The hospital was sizable, spanning six stories in total. The first three floors housed the public hospital facilities, while the upper three floors were designated for private use.

Of course, owned and managed by Doctor Harold Martin.

Pagbaba sakay ang elevator ay nagtungo si Harrison sa first floor ng building. Maybe someone will accept his offer, hindi naman siya mukhang mangkukulam sa snow white para hindi tanggapin ang alok niya.

As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he scanned the entire floor, passing by numerous rooms filled with patients and their guardians.

He wandered through several rooms, his gaze darting around, until he spotted a woman cradling a baby, her shoulders shaking with what appeared to be silent sobs. Though he couldn't see her face clearly, he speculated that she was indeed crying.

Pumasok siya sa room. Harrison recognized the room as the maternity ward, reserved for women who had recently given birth. Seeing the woman alone with her baby tugged at his heartstrings.

He would never let this happen to Elijah. He'll take care of that boy no matter what.

"Hi," bati niya sa babae.

The woman appeared to be in her early thirties, her curly dark brown hair framing her face. She was dressed in a worn, old duster dress.

Pinahiran nito ang luha at ngumiti.

"Sino ho sila?"

Harrison approached the bed and looked at the baby she was cradling.

"Is he your baby?" he asked, though it seemed obvious.

The woman nodded. "Oo, he's my one-week-old baby."

"He's cute," he praises. "Anyway, my wife, no, he's my husband actually, nasa ika-anim na palapag ito, sa mismong PVRoom-57 nagpapahinga. Nawalan kasi ito ng malay sa pinagtatrabahuan nito. To cut the story short, bumili ako ng prutas na hindi naman pala puwede sa kaniya at huli na nang malaman ko. Kaya naisipan kong bumili ng bago at ibigay ito sa iba. Nagkataon namang nakita kita. Okay lang ba sayo?"

The woman's eyes glistened with delight as she noticed the large basket Harrison was carrying.

"Ang bait niyo naman ho."

Tumawa siya. "Walang ano man, so dito ko nalang ito ilalagay sa mesa?"

"Oo, salamat ulit."

"Maliit na bagay," sagot niya't nilagay ang basket sa mesang katabi ng kama nito.

Harrison couldn't shake the strange feeling that lingered after leaving the woman's room. There was something off about her, despite the smiles she had shown him.

Shrugging off the peculiar thoughts, he made his way out of the building. He swiftly drove to the fruit stall where he had purchased the basket of fruits earlier.

Hindi na siya bumili pa ng mga mansanas at mas dinamihan na niya ang klase ng prutas para maraming pagpipilian si Elijah.

After buying the fruits, Harrison also stopped by a fast food restaurant to grab a meal. By the time he returned to the hospital, it was already dark, and he worried that his partner might be hungry by the time he arrived.

Upon his arrival back at the hospital, he immediately went to check on the woman with the baby. To his surprise, she was nowhere to be found.

Saan naman iyon nagtungo?

Baka nakaalis na. He answered his own question.

As Harrison walked down the hallway, he overheard people discussing an incident. Uninterested in hearing rumors, he continued on his way to the elevator and returned to Elijah's room.

Nang makabalik sa kwarto kung saan nagpapahinga si Elijah ay nakita niyang andoon ang doctor na may kargang sanggol.

Gising narin si Elijah pero parang may kung anong emosyon ang bumabalot dito.

What the hell is going on? Why is everyone acting so weird today? Harrison pondered silently to himself as he made his way to Elijah.

"Hey, baby," he greeted Elijah softly, planting a tender kiss first on his forehead and then on his lips. "Feeling better now?"

"Yeah," sagot ni Elijah at tumingin sa doctor ng makabuluhan.

"Anong nangyayari?" tanong niya nang hindi makayanan ang ka-weird-ohan sa paligid.

The doctor presented the baby he was carrying to Harrison, who was taken aback to see that it was the same baby from the woman on the first floor.

"Why is the baby here?" Harrison asked, his confusion evident.

"Do you know him?" Elijah inquired.

Harrison nodded. "Yes, baby. Ito 'yong bata kanina sa baba. Anak ito ng babaing nakausap ko bago bumili ng mga prutas."

Nangunot ang noo ni Elijah. "At paano kayo nagkakilala, aber?"

"Before you start overthinking, I gave the woman a basket of fruit that I bought for you. Saka ko na nalaman na bawal ka palang kumain ng mansanas dahil sabi ay iyon ang rason kung bakit ka nahimatay, kaya binigay ko nalang sa babae sa baba," Harrison quickly explained, not wanting Elijah to doubt him.

"Okay," Elijah nodded in relief. "Well, that woman just died."

"What?!"

The doctor confirmed Elijah's words with a solemn nod. "I knew that woman because I was the one who did her operation when she gave birth. She confided in me about how she became pregnant, and I'm afraid I can shed some light on what happened. She had a dark past."

"But what happened to her?" nalilito siya sa mga pangyayari. "Paanong namatay?"

"That woman always confided in me about her anxieties regarding her son's future if she kept him with her. She had nowhere to go and nothing in her pocket. I told her I would help her as soon as she was discharged from the hospital, but she didn't listen. Instead, she went to the rooftop and jumped from there to the ground floor," the doctor explained solemnly.

So that's why Harrison had felt something strange about that woman. She had been plotting to end her own life!

"And the baby?" tanong niya.

"A letter was left in the baby's clothing. The woman asked if both of us could adopt her son. That's all she wrote. I was asleep when she came here; I didn't notice. I only woke up when I heard the baby crying," Elijah said, his voice filled with sadness.

"Well, if you both can't grant her request, I can adopt the baby. I'm sure my partner would be delighted to have a baby in our home again," the doctor interjected.

Elijah shook his head. "No, I actually want to keep him."

"Sigurado ka?" panigurado niya dito at baka padalos-dalos lang ito sa desisyon.

For Harrison, it wouldn't be a problem. Hindi naman ganoon ka bato ang kaniyang damdamin para itakwil ang sanggol. The child was so adorable, and he thought it would be amazing to raise him as his own son.

"Oo, sigurado na ako. If it's not okay with you, I'll just leave your house and find an apartment kung saan ko maalagaan at mapalaki ng maayos ang bata," deretsahang sagot ni Elijah.

"The heck are you talking about, Elijah?" he growled. "I am not that heartless para ipagtabuyan kayo!"

"Okay, calm down. Sa tingin ko nama'y pareho n'yong gustong kupkopin ang sanggol kaya wala na tayong problema dito. Tutulungan ko nalang kayo sa pag-asikaso ng pangalan nito," awat ng doctor.

"Sorry," kaagad na hingi ng tawag ni Elijah kay Harrison.

Harrison's heart softened as he looked into Elijah's eyes. "No, baby. I'm sorry for raising my voice. I just can't bear the thought of you believing I'm heartless enough to reject the baby. I am more than willing to welcome him into our family. Besides, now I have even more reason to keep you at home."

"I'm sorry too," Elijah murmured.

"It's okay. Let's not argue over trivial matters. We're not kids anymore,"

Elijah nodded in agreement. "You're right."

__________
IANNNXXX | 2024