Bedroom Negotiations - Gold (Self-published)

23

People make mistakes. Ang sabi nga nila to err is human but to forgive is divine. But, I wasn't sure if I could forgive myself or Dustin for erring tremendously.

"Pusang gala, ano na?" I whispered to myself as I stared at the plastic strip for nearly a minute. "This couldn't be right..."

I sprang into action and ran back inside Alexa's office to get two boxes of the pregnancy test kits then hurried to the bathroom after downing two bottles of Evian.

I sat down on the toilet even before I felt the urge to pee and waited, plastic stick at the ready, for the arrival of the golden liquid that was going to determine if I fucked my life big time or not.

Let this be negative! Please! Please! Please! Jusko naman, akala ko ba nag-usap at nagkaintindihan na tayo, Lord? Bakit naman may pa-double strips na ganito? Hindi ako pwedeng mabuntis, kawawa lang ang magiging anak ko! I quietly ranted in my head as I waited with bated breath for the five minutes to be up.

"Hindi sapat 'yung five minutes, maybe mali ang instructions. Let's wait for ten," I told myself as my eyes remained glued to my watch.

"Hindi pwedeng buntis ka, Lia. It's okay if you fuck your life up but to bring a child into this world then fuck his or her life, too? Shit na 'yan..."

I reached for the plastic strip and brought it close to my face. "No." I groaned seeing another double strip. "Wait, these could be defective dahil malay ko ba kung expired na ba ang mga ito o hindi?"

I picked up the box to check its expiration date and my heart skipped a beat when I saw that it was good to use for another year. "Shit. Shit. Shit."

I wasn't really stupid and at the back of my mind I knew that there was going to be a 50% chance that I'd get pregnant. But, when I got my period, I had really believed that I was lucky.

I let out a shaky breath. "Pakyu ka, Montemayor. How dare you put me in such a predicament?"

Pero, ginusto mo rin naman, hindi ka naman n'ya pinilit, my mind sneakily protested.

"Pakyu ka, self. Isa kang malaking tanga!"

I looked at the unused pregnancy test kit and decided that I wanted a third opinion from said box regarding my dilemma. I was about to tear it open when I heard my sister call out my name.

"Ate Lia? Ate?"

"Alexa, I'm inside the bathroom!" I hollered as I reached for the wet wipes on the counter to clean myself before I stood to pull my undies up.

I wrapped a wad of tissue papers around the plastic strips before throwing them inside the trash bin, washed my hands, then proceeded to splash water on my face.

"What the fuck—bakit ka naghilamos?!" I hissed at my reflection on the mirror.

"Are you okay, Ate?" I heard Alexa ask.

"Oo. Late na ba tayo?"

"Hindi pa naman, we still have time. 9:15 AM naman talaga ang meeting, 'di ba? But I heard nasa conference room na sina Sonny at Lalaine."

"Ahh..." I said as I hastily patted my face dry using paper towels.

Akala ko kanina ay umalis ka na but I saw your phone on my table," came my sister's reply. "Dustin is calling you," she added. "Sagutin ko ba?"

"No!" I yelled.

Shit, bakit naman daw 'yun tumatawag?

"Makulit kasi 'yan kaya hindi ko sinasagot. He wants help with an event that he's organizing for his friend's birthday," I alibied.