Chapter 26

Chester and I couldn't help but grin at each other nang lumabas kami sa clinic. We already knew that I was pregnant, but as doctors, of course it would be nicer if it's confirmed by tests! And it's officially confirmed! We're going to have a baby! Ni hindi pa kami pumupunta sa Bulacan to dance! But we'd have to go pa rin kahit buntis na ako just to give thanks.

Gosh...

Magkaka-baby kami.

It still felt surreal.

"May lahi ka ba ng kambal?" he asked.

"What?"

"Wala sa side namin, e," he said. "Baka meron sa inyo."

"Uh... kambal kami ni Rhys?" I reminded him. Confused na ako sa mga sinasabi ni Chester.

His eyes widened. "Oo nga pala!" he said like he was surprised. "May chance na kambal iyong anak natin," he added like he was talking to himself. "Parang maganda kapag kagaya niyo ni Rhys na isang babae tapos isang lalaki. Pero kahit isa lang, okay lang basta walang maging complication."

I felt like nagmomonologue na lang si Chester. I just let him because his excitement was contagious. Before Chester, I thought na kung sinuman ang mapapangasawa ko, of course gusto niya rin ng baby kasi isa 'yan sa goal ko. But I didn't think that I'd meet someone na mas excited sa akin na magkaroon ng baby. He's like really excited!

At this point, I was really, really convinced that Chester was tailor-made just for me.

Hanggang makauwi kami sa apartment ay ang dami-daming sinasabi ni Chester. Pagpasok namin, naglakad ako papunta sa room para magbihis but napahinto ako when I saw what Chester was about to do. I watched as he put the bag on the table at saka inilabas iyong mga pinabili sa amin na vitamins and supplements. I watched as he carefully arranged them. This was such a turn on.

"Bakit?" he asked nang mapatingin siya sa akin.

I shook my head while my arms were crossed against my chest. "Nothing," I said.

"Okay..." he replied with his forehead creased. "Kailan natin sasabihin sa iba?" he asked. "Tapos naman na sa first trimester. Pero in a month na halos 'yung kay Cha. Pwede ka pa kaya umalis nun?"

Chester was generally the quiet type. I mean, he'd talk naman but he's mostly quiet... but now, it felt like he had a million questions he wanted to ask.

"What?" he asked again when he caught me still staring.

"Nothing."

"Ano nga?"

I shrugged. "Just... that you're so excited."

"Hindi ka ba excited?"

"Excited," I said.

"Okay..."

I walked up to him and then wrapped my arms around his torso. I hugged him and placed my face against his chest. This was probably my favorite—whenever I was hugging him.

"I'm equally excited," I said as I relaxed against him. "I'm just tired."

"Matulog ka muna," he replied. "Ano'ng gusto mong kainin? May cravings ka ba?"

Umiling ako. "Wala naman."

"Banana cue?"

"I'm over it," I replied. "I just want to sleep."

"Okay. Matulog ka muna."

"Tabi tayo," I said.

"May gagawin—" he said, but napatigil siya when he saw me staring at him. He sighed as he nodded. "Fine..."

I beamed. "Thank you!" I said as I planted a kiss on his lips.

Chester has always been nice to me naman, but ever since I got pregnant, he's been more giving! Feel ko talaga I could literally ask for anything and he'd give it to me if he could! Kaya naman I kept on reminding myself na 'wag masyadong mag-request sa kanya. I told myself na kapag may uncontrollable cravings lang ako saka ako magrerequest kay Chester.

"Chester," I said.

"Hmm?" he replied as he was caressing my arm.

"About us telling others about the pregnancy," I said and I felt him turning his head to look at me. Tumingin din ako sa kanya. "Can we keep this to ourselves muna? Just for a little longer?"

"Okay..." he replied. "But can I ask why?"

I shrugged. "I know they'll be happy for us, but I just feel like it would be insensitive of us kasi 'di ba iyong nangyari kay Dylan..." sabi ko sa kanya.

I know we're extremely happy for the pregnancy. We waited for this. We prayed for this. The baby's healthy; I was healthy. Okay naman lahat... It wouldn't hurt us to keep this to ourselves muna. Hindi naman namin itatago. We'd tell them soon.

"Okay," he said. "Pero kailan natin sasabihin?"

I shrugged again. "Kapag pumunta tayo sa Alaska?"

"Magugulat si Cha na buntis ka."

"Sabihin natin na surprise, ganon."

"If you say so," he said.

"Gusto mo ba sabihin na?"

He nodded. "Pero kung ayaw mo pa, okay lang naman," he told me. "Whatever you want," he added as he planted a kiss on my forehead.

I bit my lower lip. Ito na naman siya at pinagbibigyan ako. I promised myself that I shouldn't let this happen and shouldn't allow this to happen. Just because I was pregnant didn't mean that I get to have everything.

"We'll tell my family," I said.

"Akala ko ayaw mo?"

"Changed my mind," I said with a grin on my face kasi alam ko na he'd feel guilty na I changed my mind dahil sa tono ng boses niya. "I feel like mapapansin din nila, so might as well tell them, right?"

He still wasn't saying anything—nakakunot lang iyong noo niya while he was looking at me.

"Pretty sure my mom will volunteer to buy all the things we'd need for the baby," I told him. "And with Rhys, I know he told you to propose before the baby, pero 'wag mo na pansinin 'yon. He'll get over it."

Gosh... Now that I was thinking about the ways that we'd tell my family na buntis ako, I suddenly felt weirded out! Because if we tell them that I was pregnant, then they'd know that we had sex because duh! Babies equal sex. It's just weird to think about my family knowing that I had sex! Feel ko naman alam nila, but for some reason, this was making me overthink things!

"Okay ka lang?" Chester asked.

I shook my head. "No..." I whispered as I told him my dilemma. He just looked at me like I was insane and I just explained to him that it's making me feel weird that they'd know for sure that we're having sex. Iyon lang ang pinaguusapan namin at hindi na ako nakatulog.

* * *

We arranged a meeting with my family to tell them na buntis ako. As expected, my parents were super happy for us! Si Rhys naman ay nakatingin lang kay Chester na parang may gustong sabihin. I told him to behave, but he just shrugged. Tapos ay nagusap sila ni Chester. I asked Chester kung ano ang pinagusapan nila ni Rhys, but he told me that it's confidential. It's weird that those two have secrets!

I also told Iñigo and he was very happy for me. Ni hindi nga niya nabanggit si Dylan. He was just... happy for me. I felt guilty for a second na inisip ko na may chance na iyon ang maisip niya. Iñigo would always root for my happiness.

I was packing our things na kasi sa isang araw na iyong flight namin papunta sa Alaska.

"Chester," I called while I was in the middle of rolling the clothes kasi based on experience, mas maraming mailalagay na damit sa bag kapag ganoon nakaayos.

Tumingin siya sa akin. He was in the middle of reading some research. I mean, nagbabasa rin naman ako ng medical journals to be updated sa mga ganap sa medical world, but I just realized na between the two of us, si Chester iyong mahilig talaga magaral. He reads medical journals for fun! How cute was that!

"Just totally a curious question, okay?" sabi ko and tumango siya. "Since flight na sa isang araw and same flight tayo nila Chase... will you tell them or like surprise na lang sa airport kapag nakita nila tayo?" I asked genuinely because I looked really pregnant right now! Like there's no denying na buntis ako. Hindi ko na masuot iyong normal clothes ko. Good thing I love shopping kaya nag-enjoy pa rin naman ako mamili ng maternity clothes.

"Sinabi ko na kay Chase," he said.

My eyes widened. "Really?" He nodded. "What did he say?"

"Congrats?"

"Oh. Tell him I said thanks!" sabi ko tapos napailing na lang si Chester na parang natatawa sa akin. What? It's the polite thing to do!

"Sabihin ko kay Papa bukas?" he said like he was asking me for confirmation.

I just shrugged. "Tell him, not tell him, it's totally up to you," I said with a smile. "But seriously, when he sees me, he'd know!" sabi ko kay Chester. "Look at me! I still can't believe I'm not carrying twins!" dugtong ko kasi ang laki talaga ng tiyan ko!

Tinawanan lang ako ni Chester, but it's true kaya! My stomach's so big that I'd probably go on maternity leave earlier than planned because I couldn't bear to stay on my feet for too long. Mabilis na sumakit iyong paa ko.

I was in the middle of my rant about how my feet were always hurting when Chester stood up. Lumapit siya sa akin. He sat on the opposite side of the couch and then grabbed my feet and placed it on his lap.

I looked at him as he was massaging my swollen ankle.

"You're getting better at this na," I said because it's true! When I first complained about my feet, Chester tried to massage me. It was okay naman... but he's so much better now!

"Nagresearch ako," he replied.

"I thought you were reading medical journals!" I said and then napapikit na lang ulit ako kasi ang galing niya na talaga! I wondered kung ano kaya 'yang binasa niyang research.

Chester continued to do what he was doing. He was so good that I just passed out from being too relaxed. But even before I was fully asleep, I felt him kissing my forehead and whispered I love you.

* * *

On our way to the airport, nakatingin lang ako kay Chester. He kept on looking at me and then I'd look away. Tapos titingin ulit ako sa kanya. It was like I could physically see his patience for me wearing thin kasi kanina ko pa ginagawa iyon.

"May dumi ba sa mukha ko?" he asked.

Umiling ako. "Wala," I replied.

"Okay? May gusto ka bang sabihin?"

Umiling ako. "Wala naman."

Instead of answering, Chester just gave me a nod. Pagdating namin sa may airport, we were just dropped off by the car that we booked. Chester was the one who got our luggages from the trunk of the car. He literally never makes me do anything! Bawal akong magbuhat ng kahit ano na mabigat. He'd always open the door for me. He'd cook delicious food for me. He'd give me foot rubs. I felt like I was living my best life with him!

'Dito na kami,' Chase texted.

'We're here na rin,' I replied.

Wala naman akong ka-text sa mga kapatid ni Chester—well, aside from Cha but close naman kasi kami nun because of Iñigo. But I guessed this whole trip got us both worried kasi nasa iisang lugar lang si Tito Fred and Chester. They'll be stuck in a plane for a long time. It's not like before na pwedeng magwalkout iyong isa sa kanila unless may isa sa kanila na willing magtago sa CR. But knowing these two? Anything's possible! Nakakakaba. Naging textmate tuloy kami bigla ni Chase.

'Lounge na ba kayo?' I asked.

'Yes. Papa's on his laptop working,' Chase replied. Napailing na lang ako because Chester brought his iPad din kasi sabi niya magbabasa na lang daw siya. Their mom was really right when she said that they're so alike!

Chester was the one pushing the trolley while I was holding our passport and tickets. The checking in was easy because we were in business class. Chester said yes eventually because he wanted me to be comfortable during the flight. And nandun na rin siya becuase he said na baka may kailangan ako bigla so dapat nasa tabi ko siya.

And then we were headed to the lounge.

I immediately spotted Chase... and then there was Tito Fred.

Here goes nothing. 

**
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