Forty

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"My love goes out of my heart and into the wind. Out my guitar and under your skin. Into your house and out of your headphones. That's where my love goes~"

Napatigil ako sa pagtitiklop ng damit ng mga anak ko ng narinig ko ang isa sa mga kantang pinatugtog nung reception ng kasal namin ni Brinx. Itong asawa ko kasi, habit na atang patugtugin tuwing umaga ang buong playlist namin nu'ng kasal.

"Wherever you go, I'll follow. Don't worry about tomorrow, I will be in your shadow.  Waking right beside you everyday, I'll be the one to save ya. When I put my pen to paper, feels like it brings us closer. Even when you're so far away~"

A smile crept on my face. Kahit na nauto ako ni Brinx magpakasal ng buntis, nagpapasalamat pa rin ako dahil siya parin ang itinakda ng Diyos para sa akin. Akala ko talaga hindi kami para sa isa't-isa, pero tama si Ate Amy. Hindi ako ang nagdedesisyon nu'n kundi ang Poong Maykapal.

"Mrs. Aqui Marina Godorecci Bardoquillo, is there anything wrong and your face is contorting into a gloom?" My charming husband asked. How lucky I am because he chose me to spend the rest of his life with. I looked at him for awhile, savoring how gorgeous he is in his three-piece wedding suit, too bad I'm already pregnant. No more honeymoon for me and him, just an out of a country trip with our little boy.

"Pregnancy mood swings." I shortly uttered with a bright smile. He chuckled before he held out his hand, "Why don't the newly wedded wife dance with the happiest husband in the world?"

Natawa ako sa kornihan niya. Kinuha ko ang kamay niya saka niya ako hinatak sa gitna ng dance floor. Everyone cheered when we made our way back there again. Well of course, our first dance was in the tune of our theme song. Sinigurado ni Brinx na kasama iyon sa playlist namin.

He hugged me closer again to his body before he started swaying left and right. His perfume, his warmth, his embrace, everything seemed to be in their proper places.

I saw Papa wiping happy tears and Daddy giving me a thumbs up. I grinned, biting my lip as Brinx continued swaying me to blissful harmony. Nahuli ko rin na nagpupunas ng luha si mommy Gracia, si daddy Ran akap siya, habang patuloy sa pagpalakpak ang dalawang nakababatang kapatid ng asawa ko. Everything turned out fine, um-okay na rin ang relasyon ko kay Lizzie. Actually, excited pa nga siya sa pinagbubuntis ko.

"Care to share your thoughts with me misis?" He said in a super charming way, making my knees go gaga for him. Hinding-hindi ako magsasawa sa mukha ito.

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes, everything baby. Y'know, how we started, how we parted, how we found each other, how we separated and now here we are. I can't believe the priest just pronounced us husband and wife."

He grinned at me before snatching a quick kiss. "Well believe it baby. Believe it." He said, assuringly.

I heard Ate Gie and the bunch cheering from the audience when our lips convene. Napahagikgik na lang ako bago sumandal sa dibdib ng asawa ko. Thinking about everything that contributed to where we are now.

My recollection of memories got disturbed when our little princess kicked. Alam kong naramdaman din ni Brinx iyon dahil napahinto siya sa pagsasayaw at napatingin sa akin. "I felt it too." I said, grinning.

His hand traveled down to my tummy, stroking it before kissing me again. "I love you so much Rina.. No more goodbyes starting from now, just you, me and our soon to be big family.. I love you.."

And before I could even answer, "Mommy! Daddy!" We heard Brixton calling. Napatingin kami sa kanya at may hawak na siyang plato na may cake. I smiled back to Brinx, he was worth everything too.

"Mommyyyy! Wala po 'yung uniform ko pang soccer!" Tawag ni Rix mula sa baba. Time flew by so fast, ngayon may mga binata at dalaga na kami ni Brinx. Sana nga lang mapigilan ko ang panahon, parang hindi ko pa kasi maatim isipin na magkakaroon ng sari-sariling buhay ang mga anak namin.

Yes, 'mga'. My husband said he wanted a big family and we did have one. Marioni Brixton who's now 11 years old. Mariana Brielle, who's now 7 years old. Then we adopted another one, whom we named Gracielle Louie, she's 9. I bore a baby boy after Aria, Randall Paice, he's now 5. Then we adopted another boy, Florence Quin, Papa Piero's favorite grand son, he's 3. And I'm pregnant again, with our bunso. And God gave us the perfect symmetry of children, because a baby girl is currently taking her place inside my growing belly.

"Big boy ka na anak, inaasa mo pa kay mommy ang paghahanap ng tshirt mo." Narinig kong suway sa kanya ni Brinx ng pababa ako ng hagdan. Karga pa nga niya si Quin habang pinagsasabihan ang panganay namin.

Napabusangot naman ang si Rix. Hindi ko maiwasang mapailing na may ngiti sa bibig dahil ka-ugaling-kaugali niya ang daddy niya. "Alam mo namang kahit 40 years old na itong si Rix, baby pa rin siya ng mommy." Kontra ko sa asawa ko. Napahaplos ako sa nakasimangot na mukha ng anak ko na siya namang iniwas niya.

"Mommy, I'm not a baby anymore! My Adam's apple is starting to grow, see!" Sagot niya sabay side view para ipakita ang umbok sa lalamunan niya. I laughed at him before I handed him his uniform.

"Forever baby kayo ni mommy."

"Kahit ako?" Sambit ni Brinx na may nakakalokong ngisi sa mukha. I glared at him, I know he's thinking about restricted thoughts again. He mocked me with a chuckle while I restrain myself from elbowing him.

"Mommy!" Narinig ko ang matinis na boses ni Lou, pero bago pa ako makalingon nakaakap na siya sa likuran ko. Napahakbang pa nga ako paharap dahil sa lakas ng impact ng dating niya. Pero hindi natopos iyon du'n dahil maya-maya may dalawang pares pa ng kamay ang umakap sa akin mula sa likuran.

"Lou, ingat anak ko. Buntis si mommy." Brinx said in an authoritative voice. Hindi naman siya pinansin ng panganay naming babae, "Takbo nanaman kayo ng takbo, papasok pa lang kayo. Mangangamoy pawis kayo niyan."I also said, turning to face my three angels, looking cute in their school uniform.

"We're just going to kiss you goodbye mommy." Ari said with a toothy grin. Sino namang makakatanggi sa kanila? Yumuko ako habang sinusuportahan ang tiyan ko saka nila ako isa-isang hinalikan sa labi. Si Lou, si Ari, si Ran, kahit si Rix lumapit na rin sa akin.

Then Brinx come up to me, puckering his lips too. "Ako rin po, pengeng goodbye kiss." He said with a grin. I bit my lip before I reached up for a kiss. It was lingering but was cut short when Flo touched my face. I rubbed my thumb on his cherub face before giving him a kiss on his red lips too.

"Bukas 'yung check up natin sa OB, two months na lang lalabas na ang bunso ko." My husband said lovingly as he stroke my pregnant belly.

"Daddy sama ako pleaseee? Gusto kong makita ulit si Brianna!" Ari said while tugging at the hem of my dress. I caressed her hair, "Oo naman anak, pwede kang sumama." Sagot ko para kay Brinx.

"Mommy ako rin!" Lou seconded. "Me too! I want to see Bri too!" Randall exclaimed, coming up front dragging his sisters behind him.

"I'm coming. I want to see my baby sister too." Rix said. The three look at him with a frown. "She's our baby sister too!" They answered in chorus. "Hush now, malaki ang sasakyan. Kakasya tayong lahat sa loob." Brinx said, ending their argument.

Then Quin clapped his hands, stealing the attention. We all fell into laughters when we saw his charming, contagious toothy smile.

"You will never be lonely. Just relax and listen to me. I breathe the air that you breathe. I am always with you in disguise~"

This is the life. And I can't be any happier.

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