Dux's POV
"Labs! Gusto ko mangga!" her excited voice echoed around our home.
Mula sa kusina, pumunta ako sa sala kung saan nandoon siya at nanonood ng movie sa Netflix.
I peeked on Iraia without her noticing. I grinned seeing how her belly is getting bigger.
She is pregnant to our first baby girl.
I chuckled. Just wait for a little more months Iraia Clemency Reyes - Anson, your menstruation won't be visiting you for a while, again.
Nakasuot siya ng puting bestida habang nakahiga sa couch at nakatutok ang mga mata sa screen ng TV.
Umikot ako at nilapitan siya. Tumaas ang tingin niya sa akin at malawak na napangiti nang makita ako.
"Dux ko!" she giggled like a kid before reaching for my face.
I bent down a little for her to reach it. She pinched and kissed my cheeks, giggling so happily before I planted soft kisses on her beautiful face.
She lifted up her hands, asking me to help her sit up straight which I gladly did.
I sat down beside her, my arm cushioning her head as she put her head on my shoulder.
"Gusto ko mangga..." mahinang bulong niya.
I saw how my wife pouted looking up at me. Hindi ko mapigilang halikan ang nakaawang na labi niya.
"Cravings?" I asked and she nodded.
"I'll order late-"
"Gusto ko ikaw magkukuha! Balita ko may puno daw ng mangga sila Athalia. Punta tayo..." she insisted.
"Baby, its 2:30 AM, sa tingin ko natutulog na sil-" I tried to explain to her in a very gentle manner but she began to cry and hitting my chest lightly.
"Hindi mo na ako mahal! Iiwan mo na ba kami ni Ishaira?!" hikbi niya.
Ishaira. Our daughter's pretty name, just like her mother's.
I sighed in defeat.
"Sa tingin mo ba kakayanin mo pa?" mangiyak ngiyak na tanong ni Caleb pagdating namin sa bahay nila.
Athalia was sitting on their front porch with Iraia while I began preparing myself to climb up the tree.
Napilitan pang magising sila dahil dito.
"Gagawin ko lahat, para sa kanya," I smiled at him.
"Grabe, buong araw nagbyahe kami papuntang Baler, Aurora para lang maghanap ng preskong buko sa may tabing dagat, tapos iuwi dito at gumawa ng fresh buko juice. Hindi pa doon nagtapos kasi habang umiinom siya, nagsasayaw ako ng Mr. Suave sa harapan niya." mahabang kwento niya na ikinatawa ko.
Its the things we do for them.
Nagsimulang umakyat ako ng puno bago unti-unting kumuha ng mga mangga. After picking some, bumaba na ako para linisan at ipaghanda ang asawa ko.
"Its just funny thinking about how the four of them got pregnant at the same time this year. My Athalia, her belly is getting bigger, she's carrying our three angels." Caleb chuckled while helping me to peel the mangoes.
"I guess they planned well to get pregnant at the same time." bahagyang napatawa ako sa sinabi.
"Dux are you done?!" rinig ko na sigaw niya sa sala.
"Coming my love!" sagot ko naman at naglagay ng bagoong sa isang maliit na mangkok bago ito dinala sa kanila.
We kinda picked many so there was enough to share for Athalia.
"Bye Athalia bebeluvs ko!" paalam niya bago kami tuluyang umuwi ng bahay namin.
Iraia couldn't wait more to eat the mangoes, so she was nibbling on them throughout the ride home.
It was around 4:30AM so instead of sleeping, we just sat ourselves on our front garden to witness the sunrise.
"Love tignan mo oh! Ang ganda!" Iraia was giggling while taking pictures of the sunset.
As the sun's rays kissed her face, they illuminated her brunette, curly hair, making it sparkle like golden threads. My eyes were locked onto her, as if the beautiful sunrise in front of us were nothing compared to the beauty that was her.
My attention was solely on her, and all else was lost in the brilliance of her presence.
For me, she is the only beautiful view I could stare at and never get tired of it.
She was the best thing, that's ever happened in my life. And now all our dreams of living together, with a happy family came true.
It was the fairytale ending my little Iraia had always wished for, the one she deserved after experiencing so much pain.
"Dux?" she called, eyes focused on the sunrise infront of us, her hands gently caressing her baby bump.
"Hmm?"
"Magiging mabuting ina ba ako?" my wife asked in strained voice.
"Oo naman. You'll be the best mother to our children's." I assured her, reaching for her hand and kissing the back of it.
"Natatakot ako." she confessed before looking at me with teary eyes.
"Paano kung masaktan ko sila kagaya ng ginawa ng mama ko sa akin? Will they hate me too?" the swelled up tears on her eyes began to fall like a waterfall.
I suddenly panicked when she began crying and sobbing uncontrollably.
Agad akong tumayo sa kinauupuan ko at lumapit sa kanya para i-comfort siya. Niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit, sinusubukan ang lahat para pakalmahin siya.
I wanted to comfort her and make her feel better, but it was difficult when her sobs and cries were so visceral.
"Shh... You will be a great mother okay? Your mother's actions and behavior would not affect how you will raise our children. Our love are unconditional and pure, unaffected by anything that had happened in our past. We will love them as much as we could, and I am here to support you." I reassured her.
For some reason, my words calmed her down.
Suminghot siya at pinaalis ang mga luhang babad sa mukha niya.
"Ang pangit ko umiyak," hikbi niya pa at suminghot na parang batang inaapi.
"Pinagsasabi mo? Ang ganda kaya ng asawa ko. Ang ganda ng magiging ina ng mga anak ko," giit ko at umismid siya.
I chuckled.
Damn, I am madly inlove with this woman of mine.
As I thought of our love was just a phantom, I realized there was no illusion. My feelings for her are absolutely real, not just an illusion or some fleeting fantasy.
It just happened that it took me some time to realize it.
It was real. As real as the night sky you look up to every night.
As real as the air you breathe.
As real as the world itself.
My love for her is absolutely pure and genuine, eternal without any illusion.
Iraia was greater than anything in my life, more precious than my very soul. It is beyond eternity and deeper than the deepest oceans. She was like a drug to me, so addictive that I cannot get enough of her. Like a brightest light that ever filled my heart.
I could never even think of being with anyone else but Iraia. She would always be the only one for me.
A life without her would be so empty and devoid.
She was my soul, my entire world, the meaning of my existence, my whole entire life, and my everything, even in the phantom of love.
END.
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Phantom Of Love (Friend Series #2) | ✓
Teen FictionFriend Series #2 The STEM student, Iraia Clemency living in a elite and luxury life, decided to chase the school's nonchalant varsity soccer player, Dux. When her mother left, her father promised to ensure Iraia's safety through any circumstances...
