NANG SUMUNOD na araw ay pinauwi na sila ng Doctor at babalik nalang daw kung may check-up o concern tungkol sa kaniya. Elijah still couldn't believe what the doctor had told him at the hospital.

I'm pregnant? And I'm carrying a baby now? Menceintesia? Everything seemed so unreal. He surely wasn't living in a fantasy world, right?

"You seem spaced out, Elijah. Is everything okay?" pukaw ni Harrison sa kaniya.

He nodded. "I'm alright. Hindi lang talaga ako maka-get over sa mga pangyayari. Parang ang bilis kasi. Imagine, we just lost our parents, and then this happened. I got pregnant, which is not so easy to believe. And we've actually just adopted a baby."

Para bang nag time lapse lang ang lahat at hindi na niya namalayang nangyari na pala ang mga ito. He was still trying to absorb everything, struggling to comprehend what was actually going on around him.

"Nag-o-overthink ka lang sa mga bagay-bagay. Maybe that's just a symptom of being pregnant. You know, the doctor told me not to stress you out, so please, stop dwelling on it and just let everything go smoothly," Harrison said, his attention still focused on the road.

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant," Elijah sighed, glancing back at their baby in the back of the car na karga-karga ng isa sa kanilang mga katulong.

"Okay lang kayo d'yan, Aling Belen?" Harrison called out.

"Okay lang naman ako, sir," sagot nito.

"Ako muna hahawak kay baby Cristoff, Aling Belen," alok niya na tinanggihan naman ng katulong.

"Kaya ko naman po dahil sobrang gaan lang naman ng baby, sir. At hindi po kayo puwedeng mapuyat."

"I agree. You should take care of yourself, baby. Stressing over things around you isn't good," sabat naman ni Harrison.

Bilib din ako sa mga katulong ni Harrison, super dali nilang natanggap at naintindihan ang sitwasyon at para bang madali lang sa kanila ang pag-absorb sa mga pangyayari.

Or maybe he's just taking it so hard because he's pregnant?

He sighed. Same question again and again.

"Buntis lang ako pero hindi naman ako lumpo," umirap siya sa lalaki. "Huwag mo akong pigilang gawin ang mga bagay na kaya kong gawin, Harrison."

"Now you're starting an argument again," he heard Harrison sigh. "Feels like a wife arguing with her husband."

"Hindi nga ako babae!" saway niya dito.

He's a loud and proud gay, and he may act feminine, but he doesn't want Harrison to treat him like a freaking woman.

"Hindi nga, I'm just being protective because you're carrying our child," Harrison said, his tone softening with sincerity.

"So wala ka ng pakialam sa akin pag nakalabas na ang bata sa sinapupunan ko?" asik niya dito.

Natawa naman si Harrison sa kapares. "Ayan ka na naman, kakasabi ko lang na huwag kang mag-overthink."

"Ganoon naman talaga ang gusto mong iparating."

"Baby, pregnant or not, I will always protect you. I'd even dodge a bullet just to save you," sabi nito at inabit ang kaniyang kamay. "I want to hold you like this forever."

"Corny mo talaga," ngingiti-ngiting saad niya.

"Kita mo na, mood swing malala," bulong nito pero narinig naman niya.

"Anong sabi mo?!"

"Sabi ko, gusto ko ng kiss."

"Kiss mo mukha mo."

"Kung puwede palang gawin, edi sana ginawa ko na. Sa gwapo kong 'to. I'd kiss myself if I could!"

"Che! Hangin mo talaga kahit kailan."

"Totoo naman kasi. Siguro ay sobrang proud mo na may gwapo kang boyfriend."

"Hindi kita boyfriend!"

"Edi asawa."

"Asa ka!"

"Ouch," Harrison pretended to be hurt, exaggerating his reaction by driving the car very slowly and letting his shoulder slump.

"Hindi bagay sayo ang magtampo," saway niya sa lalaki.

"I'm not," Harrison answered but still pouting.

"Sus!" umusog siya kaunti palapit kay Harrison saka binigyan ito ng halik sa pisngi.

Ngumiti naman ito ng napakalapad. Para talagang bata e.

Kanina pa 'to sa hospital na apaka clingy. Bawat sandali nalang siyang hinahalikan. Kahit noong palabas na sila sa hospital ay hinalikan parin siya nito.

***

NANG makarating sa mansion ay kaagad nilang dinala ang baby sa kwarto nito. After they made the decision to adopt the child, Harrison immediately called all the maids to clean the room next to Elijah's and buy all the things the baby might need.

When they entered the room, he noticed how amazing it looked. His maids had truly done a fantastic job of transforming the vacant space into a room filled with toys and baby essentials.

"Akin na, Belen," he said, taking the baby from the maid and cradling it gently as they looked around the room.

The baby was peacefully sleeping. Kanina pa 'to natutulog sa byahe.

"Do you think he will like his room?" Elijah asked, lying on his back.

Harrison nodded. "He surely will. We'll make this house feel like home for him."

They gently placed the baby in the crib and stood side by side, watching him with happiness. In that moment, they felt like a married couple with a newborn baby.

"Harrison," tawag ni Elijah sa kaniya nang paalis na sila sa kwarto.

"Yeah?" sagot niya.

Nakapulupot ang kaniyang braso sa baywang ni Elijah habang ang ulo naman nito ay nakasandal sa kaniya.

"Mangako ka na kahit magkaanak na tayo ay hindi magbabago ang turing mo kay baby Cristoff. I don't want to make him feel left out. Though gusto kong maging honest tayo sa kaniya. Sasabihin parin natin ang totoo but we'll make sure not to hurt his feelings."

"Baby, pinalaki ako ni dad ng maayos. "Even though I'm the only son and I've never experienced having a sibling, I'll still do my best to be fair to both of them. Don't worry, Hun. You can trust me with this," Elijah reassured him.

Harrison gave him a peck on the lips before opening the door.

"Thank you, Harrison!"

"No, thank you. Thank you for being my boyfriend. Thank you for accepting me. Just thank you for everything," Harrison replied sincerely.

He felt Elijah giggle beside him. "You love me, right?"

"Of course, I do. I'll always love you."

"Ibig sabihin papayag ka nang babalik ako sa trabaho bukas?"

"Tricky," Harrison said, pinning Elijah against the wall and trapping him in the corner. "I love you, but I can't risk it, okay? Please listen to me, baby."

Bumusangot naman ito. "Pero mababagot lang ako dito sa bahay!"

"Nope, I will be here from time to time, aalis lang ako kung kakailanganin." panigurado niya dito.

"Pero kailangan ka sa kompanya,"

"I know, pero ayoko rin namang malayo sa mga anak ko dahil mas inatupag ko pa ang trabaho ko. I want to see them grow, I want to witness their first steps, I want to hear them say 'papa' to me, and I want to make them feel that I'm always here for them," Harrison expressed.

Harrison was ready to be a father, and he would never do anything to jeopardize his family. Not even a little.

"I think you'll be the best father in the world," Elijah said.

"And the best husband," Harrison whispered, kissing Elijah on the lips.

"The best husband?"

"I won't throw everything away, and I don't want to miss this great opportunity. We'll get married after our second baby is born, and we'll even make another one during our honeymoon."

"Paano kong ayaw kong magpakasal sayo?" biro nito sa kaniya.

"But did I ask for your permission, though?"

"Aba'y dapat lang no! Dapat dalhin mo ako sa mamahaling restaurant at doon ka mag pro-propose sa akin. You have to put a ring on my finger."

"Nah, that's too cliché. How about we go to our room and put this dick of mine in your hole? That still sounds like a ring being inserted, yeah?" Harrison suggested with a mischievous grin.

"Tumigil ka nga! Ang halay-halay mo, baka may makarinig sa atin."

"Don't worry," Harrison reassured as he flipped Elijah, making him face the wall. "We're the boss here, they won't mind us making another heir, yeah?" he whispered seductively into Elijah's ear, pressing his bulge firmly against his very fluffy ass.

"UHMMMM... Ayan na naman e!" Ungol ni Elijah habang ninanamnam ang mainit na bagay sa kaniyang pang-upo.

"Are you turned on too, baby? Do you want me to carry you to our room like a bride and make love to you like we're on our honeymoon?"

Elijah could tell from Harrison's voice that he was very horny. And the way he rubbed his bulge against his ass was making him feel so tense!

"Harrison... Please..." he moaned.

"Please what, baby?"

Bahagya niyang giniling ang kaniyang pang-upo para mas madama ang kahabaan nito. God, he's craving for it.

"I want you inside me," Elijah panted heavily, his desire palpable. "Make my hole your ring." His words hung in the air, charged with the raw intensity of his arousal.

"I will gladly do that, my dear," Harrison said with a grin, scooping Elijah up into his arms in a bridal carry as they made their way to their room.

__________
IANNNXXX | 2024