Zoey: the Road leads to Rome (Completed)

Chapter 7- Baby Steps

Zoey's POV

Today, I saw Rome flirting with a girl from Grade 10. I don't know why I felt this pain. Like a dagger in my heart that pierce through me. They were whispering to each other. Their hands are holding.

"You really got it bad Zoey." Cailee sat beside me.
Napatingin ako sa kanya. She smiles sadly.
"Kahit anong warning ko sayo, hindi ka napigilan." She said.
"You fall for the most lady-killer guy I've ever meet."

"Mapipili mo ba kung sino ang mamahalin mo?" Natanong ko kay Cailee. Pareho kaming nakatingin kay Rome. The girl is smiling to whatever Rome is telling her.
"Hindi Zoey. Bulag yata si cupid at pinana ang puso natin para sa maling tao." She answered.

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"Morning Brook." Batik o sa kanya ng maabutan ko siya sa mesa at kumakain ng pandesal.
"Good morning Ate. How's our baby?" Nakangiting tanong nito.
I smiled at her. Excited si Brook para sa magiging pamangkin niya.
"Kalmado siya ngayon. Gising na ba si Cailee?" I asked her.
Nagpipigil ng ngiti si Brook.
"Nasaan si Cailee?" I asked her. Ano na naman ang ginawa ni Cailee this time.
"She ride a horse with Gab early this morning." She answered.
"And where did she goes?"
"To Vicente." Brook smiled widely. Nanlaki ang mata ko. She will talk to Rome.

"Anong oras sya umalis? Kailangan nating maabutan si Cailee." Nagmamadali akong tumayo.
"Hayaan mong dagukan ni Ate Cailee si Kuya Rome." Kalmadong sagot ni Brook.
"Samahan mo ako, Brook. Tara na... Baka kung ano gawin ni Cailee."
"Kasama nya naman si Kuya Gab. Aawatin niya si Ate, huwag kang mag-alala."
Nagmamadali akong lumabas ng bahay..
"Sasaman na kita. Huwag kang tumakbo, baka mapano si baby..." Sigaw ni Brook sa akin.

Naabutan namin si London na tawa ng tawa sa kubol. At boses ni Cailee ang nadiding namin palapit. Nakatayo si Gab sa tabi ni Cailee pero halatang nagpipigil ng tawa.

"Binalaan na kita Rome... de puta... bakit pati si Zoey?" Pulang-pula si Cailee sa kakasigaw.
"Ano nangyari?" nakaupo sa lupa si Rome ng maabutan namin.
"Sinipa ni Ate Cailee si Kuya. Hindi makalaban kasi lasing si Kuya." Sagot ni London.

"Cailee..." Tawag ko sa kaibigan ko.
Napatingin pati si Rome sa akin. He looked miserable.

"Tama na." I called her.
Huminga ng malalim si Cailee.
"Be man enough to face your fucking responsibilities." Sigaw ni Cailee kay Rome.
Hindi sumasagot si Rome.
"Cailee, tama na. Hindi na kailangan yan... Balik na tayo sa Soledad." I begged her.

Hindi ko kayang tingnan si Rome na parang napaka miserable ng buhay niya.

"Hindi natin dapat pilitin si Rome... Tara na Cailee." My tears... oh Jesus, I don't want to cry anymore.

My vision started to spin. Kumapit ako kay London para hindi ako mabuhal.

"Zoey?" Nag-aalala ang boses ni London.
"Ate...Namumutla ka. Ate Zoey..." I heard Brooklyn calls my name then it went blank.

Nagising ako sa boses ni Tito Tristan.

"There you are..." he said when I open my eyes.
"Ano po ang nangyari?" nag-aalalang tanong ko.
I was in the clinic in Hacienda Vicente. Cailee is checking on my bloodpressure.
"You fainted." She replied. "110 over 70 Tito." She replied to Tito Tristan.
"Hindi ka pa nagpapacheck up, Zoey?" Tanong ni Tito sa akin.
Umiling ako. I saw Rome is at the corner of the clinic, looking at us.
"Let me check... You are supposedly 10 weeks now." Nilapit ni Tito Tristan ang ultra sound machine.

Nilagay niya ng gel ang probe and he put it in my tummy.
Nakatingin kami sa maliit na monitor and I saw spot... a pounding spot.

Nagiti si Tito Tristan, habang ginagalay ang probe sa ibabaw ng tiyan ko.

"Rome, come here." Tawag nito sa anak niya. Lumapit si Rome sa tabi ng monitor. Nakikita ko ang mukha niya. Nakatikom ang bibig, nakakunot ang noo.
"Can you see this?" Tinuro ni Tito ang spot sa monitor. Tumango si Rome.
"That is your baby." Tito said. "Your baby is on 10 weeks..."
Nakatingin si Rome sa monitor. Nawala na ang kunot sa noo nito.

Ginalaw ulit ni Tito Tristan ang probe.

"And you have a twin." He said.

Napasinghap kami ni Cailee. Natingin ako sa monitor. There are now two spots at the monitor.
"A twin?" I heard Rome asked.
"Yeah... And it looks like an identical twin. So it would be either two boys or two girls." Tito replied.

For the first time since Rome found out about our baby...our babies... I saw him smile, his genuine smile... while looking at the monitor.

He then looked at me...

"We will have a twin..." He said.
"Yeah." I replied because I don't know what to reply to him.

Seeing him smile, while looking at our baby make me want to weep with joy. Baby steps, I will have baby steps with Rome. It will take a while, but we will get there.