DAY 188
"I HAVEN'T BEEN feeling well lately." Sabi niya kay Andrew nang bumaba siya for breakfast. "I think I've been so stressed that it's been affecting me."
"Why? Ano bang masakit sayo?" Nilapitan siya nito at tiningnan agad kung may lagnat siya. "You don't have a fever."
"Not a fever, I'm just feeling off. Nagsuka ako kanina paggising and I just feel kind of awful now." Bumuntong hininga siya. "Ang dami kasing trabaho sa opisina ngayon."
"Anything else abnormal?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" Nagtaka siya. "This will go away din, wag kang masyadong mag-alala. I always forget that you're a doctor."
Siguro sa tagal na nilang magkasama ay iniisip niyang ang trabaho nga nito ay ang mga iniwan ni Adrian. He's been filling up for him for at least half of the year. Noong kamakailan ay nakita niya ito in action nang tumulong ito sa rescue nina Kairos at Mikee and that just reminded her of who he really is.
After Athena's wedding at naaksidente sina Kairos. Their car hit a truck. Andrew did his best in the chaos to assist, sinasabi lang nito na madami siyang natutunan sa kapatid nito and that he knew good first aid. Besides, kina Kairos at Mikee ang focus noon at hindi sa abnormally good medical skills in Andrew. Mabuti na lang at nasa malapit pa sila sa pinangyarihan ng aksidente.
"Ang tagal ko na din kasing si Adrian." He said.
"Sorry about that." Sabi niya dito. She felt guilty.
"If I need to be Adrian to be with you, I'm always willing." Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "Are your periods regular?"
"Huh? Ahm. That's awkward." Natawa siya ng kaunti. "Oo naman...wait. I think I'm a few days late pala."
Binuksan niya ang cellphone at tiningan ang calendar doon. Mga dalawang linggo na nga siyang delayed sa usual niyang cycle. It is unusual but not something that hasn't happened to her before.
"Do you think I'm pregnant?" She asked him, iniisip niya din pero hindi niya pa alam ang magiging reaction niya talaga.
"Well we haven't been the most celibate, you know." He smiled. "We should be sure."
"Nangyari na din to before, I was gunning for big company transitions. Super stressed lang talaga." Then she was about to take a sip of her coffee nang pigilan siya ni Andrew.
"Paano kung hindi ganun ngayon?" Kinuha nito ang kape sa kanya at pinalitan iyon ng isang baso ng juice.
"Huh? No coffee?" She pouted. "I wanted my coffee."
"Not until we're sure. Hindi maganda ang kape sa baby if ever." Napangiti siya sa sinabi nito. He's already a doting father kahit na hindi pa sila sigurado.
"Okay, okay." Tumango-tango siya. "I'll probably be busy today. Okay lang bang bukas na tayo magpunta sa OBGYN ko?"
"Oo naman," he smiled. "Come on, eat breakfast and get ready. Ihahatid kita sa office."
It was a great thing to think about, dati hindi niya man lang maisip na magka-baby, na maging ganito ka-settled sa life. It's all so foreign yet welcome. Hindi na kasi niya makita ang sarili na hindi kasama si Andrew. He's in her world now or maybe she's in his. Gusto na niyang kalimutan ang lahat ng sa kanila ni Adrian. He's away living his life, ganun na din siya ngayon.
The next day ay nagpunta nga sila ni Andrew sa ospital para sa isang check up but everything has its timing at hindi pa parte ng plano sa buhay niya na magka-baby ngayon. Not yet. It was just a delay in her period dahil sa stress. Tama ang hinala niya. Hindi naman kasi niya naisip na buntis siya, she would know pero wala pa eh. Maybe in the future she'll have Andrew's kids. One day for sure, hindi pa nga lang ngayon.
"Why do you look so glum na hindi ako buntis? Having kids is not yet in our plans." Sabi niya sa lalaki, kanina pa kasi itong mukhang malungkot. "Do you want a baby now?"
"Well," he sighed. "Iisipin mo baliw ako."
"Ako?" Bobbie pointed towards herself. "Matagal ko nang naisip yun kaya sabihin mo na sa akin."
"I was just too excited to have kids with you. Hindi ko lang na-contain but I'm okay. When its already in our plans, I will be with you every single step of the way." Paliwanag nito sa kanya. "I want to be the father of your kids."
"That's..." she smiled. "I'll choose you too. It is crazy that you want a kid with someone like me pero hindi ka naman baliw."
After that short expectancy of a pregnancy, Bobbie finally made up her mind. She wants to be with Andrew, not just Andrew who's pretending to be Adrian but Andrew. Life's too short to keep on pretending, hindi niya dapat isipin ang iba, dapat yung desires naman niya. And this time, she wants to be completely free to hold Andrew's hand.
"Kuya," hindi man lang siya napansin nito nang pumasok siya sa kwarto. Nakatingin lang kasi ito kay Mikee habang tulog ito. "Sorry to bother you pero may gusto lang sana akong i-consult sayo."
"Bobbie, andyan ka pala." He said, parang pagod na pagod ito. Nahiya tuloy siya na guguluhin niya pa ito sa problema din niya. Ito lang kasi ang alam niyang kayang makapagsabi sa kanya kung tama o mali ba ang gagawin niya.
"Have you been sleeping? Baka ikaw naman ang magkasakit niyan." Nag-aalala ang lahat dito mula noong maaksidente sila ni Mikee.
He suffered relatively minor injuries compared to his girlfriend. Si Mikee ay nananatiling comatose mula pa noong naaksidente sila ng nakaraan na buwan. There were about two instances na nag-flatline ang dalaga. She was there in one of those instances at hindi niya talaga maipaliwanag ang nakita niyang takot sa mukha ng pinsan niya. He loves her and everybody prays that he gets her back.
"How is Mikee?"
"Nothing new, hindi pa din siya gumigising." Sagot nito sa kanya. "I hope she wakes up soon. Gumagaling naman na ang mga sugat niya at successful naman lahat ng operasyon niya pero..."
"Baka her body needs the rest. Gigising din si Mikee, Kuya." Hindi siya sigurado sa sinasabi pero mas mabuting iyon na lang ang sabihin niya. "If you need anything, sabihan mo lang din kami Kuya. We're here for you and Mikee."
Tumango ito bago nanahimik. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang pupwede niyang sabihin para gumaan ang loob nito kahit na papaano. She was already thinking of just asking Meg kasi ayaw na niyang bigyan pa ng problema si Kairos nang bigla itong magsalita.
"Mabuti din at nandito ka. I need to talk to you," sabi nito. "I've been putting it off kasi si Mikaela ang focus ko."
"Ano yun Kuya?" Napaisip siya bigla, ano naman kaya ang kailangan nitong sabihin sa kanya?
"The man you're with..." then he looked at her with dead serious eyes. "He's not Adrian dela Merced, right?"
"Kuya," she laughed nervously. "What are you—"
"I've had a month at least to think about this. Alam mo naman na alam ko ang family background ni Adrian. He acted out of character noong naaksidente kami ni Mikaela. Tapos naalala ko na may kakambal si Adrian. Hindi siya kilala because he's supposedly in Visayas or Mindanao. He's a doctor." Parang nilalatag nito ngayon ang sana ay sasabihin pa lang niya dito. She wanted his advice but here he is, already on top of the facts.
"Kuya—"
"Hindi ako galit. Hindi ako pupwedeng magalit because he's helped Mikaela and me. But I just want to be certain that you knew." Kalmado lang ito, nakakapanibago na hindi siya nireprimand nito.
"Y-yes." She nodded. "Nung kasal pa lang alam ko na."
"Nasaan si Adrian?" He asked. All she wanted was advice kanina, ngayon nilalabas na niya talaga lahat. "Do you know?"
Tumango siya uli, paano ba niya sasabihin ang lahat ng mga nangyari this past few months. Alam niyang mabigat din ang kalooban ng pinsan niyang ito.
She told him most of what she knows at kita niya ang galit sa mukha nito. She assured Kairos na ayos lang siya, na tanggap niya na, na mahal niya si Andrew and that she sees no other future other than that with Andrew.
"I think I've never felt this way before, hindi ako takot noon na mawala ang kung sino man na mahal ko but now..." she paused and imagined a time na wala si Andrew. "I can't even finish imagining a future without him."
"Our family will understand. We will stand by you and Andrew pero hindi ko maipapangako na magiging madali to para kay Adrian." There was evident threat in his voice. "Start by telling your dad, Bobbie. He should know."
"Thank you Kuya," she smiled.
"I'm always here to listen sa inyo, I'm the eldest for a reason." Tinapik-tapik nito ang braso niya. "Bring Andrew next time, magpapasalamat lang ako sa kanya."
"I will kuya pero magpahinga ka din. Hindi matutuwa si Mikee if malaman niyang ganyan ka ngayon." She smiled at him. "Kapag gumising na siya, ikukwento ko kung paano ka ngayon, surely ay kikiligin siya kapag nalaman niyang ganyan ka ka-doting sa kanya ngayon."
"Kailan kaya yun?" He sighed.
"She'll wake up, she's going be okay again. He body just needs rest." Gusto niyang kahit na papaano ay mapagaan niya ang kalooban nito. "Kung ganyan ka ngayon you should marry her when she wakes up."
"I asked her to marry me." The way Kairos' voice trembled broke her heart entirely. It was devastating to see this ever so great and collected man fall weak because of the woman he loves. "She's one of the best things in my life. I doubt she sees that but she's this bright light that I just can't not have or love."
"You will Kuya. Promise."
Hindi rin nagtagal ay nagpaalam na siya dito. She's going to meet her father next to tell him about Andrew. Gagawin niyang ipaalam sa mga ito ng unti-unti. They'll support her, she knows it in her heart.
"Ate Bobbie, nabasa mo ba yung article online?" Iyon ang bungad sa kanya ni Meg nang sagutin niya ang tawag nito.
"What article? Alam mo naman na I hate reading things like that." Naglalakad siya ngayon papunta sa sasakyan.
"Sabi dun that Kuya Adrian is abroad and you're actually with his twin brother, Andrew." Nanlamig siya sa narinig.
"H-ha?"
"Kaya ba iba siya? I am leaning to believing this ate." Sabi nito sa kabilang linya. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin niya, hindi pa niya ma-process ang nangyayari.
" Meg,"
"It is true." She said. "You never stop and pause, hindi ka naman nawawalan ng sasabihin kung hindi totoo. He is Andrew Dela Merced."
"He is the one that I want, not Adrian." She said, almost a murmur.
"That's why you fell in love with him." This was the conclusion Meg came up with. "Pero sana sinabi mo sa amin. We could've helped you with Adrian. That asshole should be buried alive."
"Galit din ako nung una Meg pero kasi Andrew pulled me back together again. He made me laugh again." Napansin niyang nakangiti na siya, talking about Andrew makes her happy.
"Ate, alam na to ni Kuya." Doon siya natakot. "He probably does and I think that he believes this."
"Should I worry about that? Hindi ba siya magiging masaya na masaya ako?" Ayaw niya naman isipin na may masamang gagawin si Alpha kay Andrew.
"I will try and look for him. Kanina nandito siya sa bahay eh. Siya ang nagsabi sa akin nito actually." Kinabahan siya lalo kasi ibig sabihin nito ay alam na nga talaga ng pinsan niya. He's the crazy one, hindi niya alam kung ano ang gagawin nito kung sakali.
"Tingin mo nga ba I should worry?" She asked Meg.
"You know him, alam mo ang galit na meron siya. It's his responsibility to keep the family safe. This might count as a threat to him. Kaya hanapin mo si Kuya Andrew and keep him close. This time, you're his only shield."
"S-sige. Subukan mong hanapin si Kuya, sabihan mo ako please. Uuwi na din ako." Halos ibuhos na niya sa sahig ang laman ng bag niya para makita ang susi ng sasakyan.
"You love him talaga no?" Hindi pa pala ito ganun ka-kumbinsido pala.
"I wouldn't care like this kung hindi." And then she ended the call. Kailangan niyang malaman kung nasaan si Andrew ngayon.
But she felt ice cold nang mabasa niya ang huling text sa kanya ni Andrew.
Alpha asked to see me. I think he'll discuss some business plan he has with Adrian. Will probably tell him I forgot about it. See you at dinner, I'll bring home food. I love you.
Adrian and Alpha never had any business together. It was a ruse at ngayon, hindi na niya matawagan ang lalaki. Kahit na ang pinsan niya ay hindi na din niya ma-contact. Hindi niya na talaga alam kung ano ang gagawin. She has to find Andrew even if she turns the whole damn world upside down. Sila ang mag-aaway ni Alpha kapag may masamang nangyari sa taong mahal niya.
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I hope you guys enjoy, have fun!
🙋🏻♀️: psychedeli26