Somehow Connected

Chapter 2

"Ma'am Hazel, are you alright?" Asked Hazel's co-worker.

"Don't worry. I'm alright. I-it's just a headache. A common occurrence." She beamed.

"You're too focused on your work, miss. You should take a break sometime."

"I will. Thank you." That was what she said, but she just shrugged it off. Not until that common occurrence, seemed to become more and more common as days went by.

And weeks had passed since that happened. She wasn't feeling so good lately. Whether it be what that bastard did to her or the feelings of conflict she had, which both lead her to stress, either way, she had a brief idea as to why but kept on shutting it down every time anyway. After all, it can not ever happen. It must never happen.

So she decided to get to the bottom of it all, and what a surprise was it to find out that she was right.

"Congratulations! You are a month pregnant!" The doctor announced to her. And she was so shocked that she refused to believe it.

"But, ma'am, all the symptoms you've been experiencing these past few weeks are symptoms of early stages of pregnancy. I've already come across so many women who went through the same experiences you do, and I can not be wrong about the matter. Besides, isn't that why you came to me, an obstetrician?" The doctor smiled.

She looked like she was on the verge of doom. She felt shattered. How could this be? She is pregnant. What was she going to do now? The people who admire her now may become the people who will gossip and be disgusted with her. But she couldn't care less.

Her family... It was her family whom she feared would despise her, especially her son. And her husband, who almost died just because of her boss' obsession with her. She might lose everything in a snap, including Troy. And she can not let that happen! Somebody has to take responsibility, and it is that businessman!

"What do you mean you are pregnant? That can not be my child! And I will never take responsibility! I'm the heir of the Yoshida clan. I love my wife and my children. My family would hate me once they'll hear this load of crap!" He retorted and was about to go away when she replied.

"What?! You were the one who did this to me! How could you..." She cried, and couldn't finish her sentence.

He brushed his palm on his face before facing her. "Let me tell you this clearly, Hazel. This is the first and last time you'll tell me about this bullshit. If you can't handle that thing in your womb, then do whatever you want with it. Whether you raise it, kill it, or abandon it, I don't care. And I couldn't care less. I don't want to be involved in something that would put shame in my name." He fiercely said to her.

"Weren't you the one talking bullshit when you said you wanted to build a family with me?! So why the hell are trying to come clean now?! And stop trying to make it sound as though I was the one who wanted everything that is happening!" She couldn't hold back her tears, but she also couldn't take it anymore.

"Well, I'm sorry, Miss Bernardo. Maybe you were right back then. I was just confused. What do you need? Money? I'll give you that. So you don't have to worry about anything anymore." He spat out those words like they meant nothing to him.

"I... I hate you a lot" She said to him, broken and hopeless. 

After that day, she decided to leave the company. She also decided to go alone to a place where no one knew who she was. She doesn't want anyone to know she's having a child.

"Are you going to leave us, mommy?" The boy burst out crying. "Please forgive me if I was a bad boy. I promise I will work hard at school, get good grades, and will not throw a tantrum whenever I need to go to the dentist. I also promise that I will take care of you and daddy. So please stay, mommy, please stay." The boy then cried even harder and held onto her.

Hazel looked at the boy, then hugged him. "Don't worry, Troy. Mommy is just going on a business trip," she lied. "It will last for quite some time. But I want you to know that I will never leave you. Mommy loves you no matter what. So please be a good boy to daddy, okay? I promise I will call you every day and send you lots of toys and sweets you like now and then. And I will get you more when I come back. You will always be my baby." She explained, hugging him tightly, almost never wanting to let go.

"But what do all those toys and chocolates mean if you're not here, mommy?" He innocently asked. She didn't know what to say. She never wanted to leave, but she had to. Otherwise, she actually would have had to leave.

"That's enough, Troy. Mommy has to go to work. She would only be there for a few nights of sleep. A few counting of sheep and bedtime stories and mommy will be here in no time. Besides, you will not be alone, you have me and Eddie." The father explained to his son.

The child looked at the teddy bear he's been holding on to, then at his father, then at his mom. "If you're going to leave, Eddie will be mad at you because we will be lonely." Then shown his mom his teddy bear.

Hazel then chuckled. "Okay, I understand. Please tell Eddie to forgive me. Don't worry, you two. When mommy comes back, I will spend a lot of time playing with you and go to your favorite places to make up for it. I promise."

"Do you really mean it, mommy?" His eyes filled with excitement.

"Of course!"

And just like that, Hazel had left for Japan, where she was going to spend her time as life started to slowly grow inside her, unbeknownst to them.

"Daddy, when will mommy come back?" Troy asked his dad.

"She will be back soon, that's for sure. For now, let's pray that she will have a safe trip. And when mommy comes back, we will get to go to your favorite places again. So let's be patient and wait, okay? So that when she gets back, she will not be worried about you and we will get to do all of that sooner. Alrighty?"

He tried to calm his son down. He was also sad that his wife had to go on a business trip for months. And something didn't seem right to him, something was bothering him. Nevertheless, he needed to be strong, for his son needed him.

---

Hazel rented a small boarding house to stay in. The boarding house is just right for her. There is only one room, a kitchen, a balcony, and a bathroom. The boarding house is white and light brown in color. The house is nice, but she doesn't feel at home.

She also has money that she had previously saved. She refused to accept the money given to her by the rapist.

She then sat down in the corner of her room, contemplating her life. It was painful for her to leave her family, but it was her only choice. They didn't deserve this, nor did she deserve this either.

She thought about how her life suddenly took the opposite direction, one that she has never taken before. Would she abort or raise the child? Or would she abandon it? She felt desperate. She wanted to at least tell someone what she has been going through to ease her burdens at the very least. And the first people who came to mind were her parents. She knows that they'll at least won't leave her, she's their daughter after all. But still, she can't help but feel conflicted. She was scared. What if they will leave her after all? Until she got all caught up in her thoughts, so she decided not to.

All she can do is hope that her dearest family will forgive her when there comes a time the truth will eventually be revealed. And for her to be able to endure for such a long time.