Chapter 28
"Wag niyo kasing titigan," Cha said sa aming dalawa ni Chase.
"We're not doing anything," I said.
Cha deadpanned. "Right."
I pouted and tried my best na lang na 'wag tignan sina Tito Fred and Chester. We were at Target kasi tapos naglalakad-lakad lang kami. I was talking with Cha regarding kay Iñigo kaya hindi ko talaga alam kung ano iyong nangyayari kanina. And then tinawag ako ni Chase and he pointed out na magkasama sina Chester and Tito Fred. They were talking! And admittedly, we were staring.
After going around, we decided to eat na kasi nagugutom na ako. The meal was mostly Chase and me engaging in a conversation tapos iyong tatlong Viste ay tahimik na kumakain. Tapos naguusap si Tito Fred and Cha, but I figured that was mostly about sa pending case ni Cha. Medyo ayaw pa rin niya kasing umuwi sa Pilipinas. I completely understood. Nung unang nangyari din sa akin iyon, ni ayokong lumabas ng bahay due to the fear and paranoia na baka mangyari ulit sa akin...
It did get better.
But it took me a long, long time.
I'd pray for Cha to be okay. She deserved peace. And happiness with Iñigo.
Pagbalik namin sa bahay, I immediately excused myself because I wanted to rest na. Habang patagal nang patagal iyong pregnancy ko, parang gusto ko na lang na nasa kama ako palagi kasi ang hirap kaya maglakad. But I also knew that I needed to walk around and to get moving para hindi ako mahirapan sa panganganak. I was still undecided if I'd go with natural birth kasi alam ko naman na masakit... but at the same time, I was thinking na baka hindi na 'to maulit, so I wanted to experience everything, if possible.
When I woke up, my hands automatically reached for Chester, but his side of the bed was empty. I stood up to grab myself a glass of water. Paglabas ko, nakita ko na parang tulog na iyong lahat. Gabi na pala. Ang tagal pala nung supposedly nap ko.
I was about to go to the ref nang makita ko sa labas si Chester and Cha. They were on the same place kung saan nagusap kami ni Cha kagabi. I just grabbed myself a glass of water and began to walk towards them para tumabi sa kanila, but I stopped when I realized na mukhang serious talk silang dalawang magkapatid.
"Pano mo nga ginawa?" I heard Chester asked.
"I just did," Cha said.
"Paano nga?"
"Sa tingin mo ba may ten steps akong mabibigay?" Cha replied. I was sure na naka-deadpan siya nang sinabi niya 'yon. Ganon kasi iyong itsura niya when she's about to say something sarcastic—I knew kasi nung before na nasa ligawan stage pa sila ni Iñigo, laging ginagaya ni Iñigo iyong ganyan na expression ni Cha.
"Tss." Chester leaned back. "Hirap naman kasi."
"Wala namang pumipilit sa 'yo."
"Mas madali kasi kung ayos na."
"Dahil kay Gracey?"
Chester didn't reply, but I saw him nod his head.
"Hindi ka naman pinipilit nun, 'di ba?"
He shook his head. "I know but... it'd make her happy."
"I don't think she'll be happy if she knows you're just forcing yourself na maging okay kayo ni Papa," Cha replied. "Just let it go. Or let things happen naturally."
"Still," Chester said. "I love her, you know? I want to give her everything."
Nabulunan si Cha sa iniinom niya na tsaa. "Sorry," she said. "Ang weird pakinggan."
"I know. Felt the same sa inyo ni Iñigo."
"Shut up."
"It's true—you two were suffocating."
Mukhang tapos na sila sa seryosong usapan nila dahil nagaasaran na sila ngayon. Ganito pala sila magusap. It looked nice. Akala ko kasi serious all over lang silang magkakapatid. I guess Chester was right when he said na close naman silang magkakapatid, but it was different. Or baka hindi lang sila comfortable na ipakita around other people kasi kapag ganito na silang dalawa lang, ang ganda ng banter nila.
Tumalikod na lang ako to give them privacy and for them to talk pa because it honestly looked really good to see them joking around like that. But nung papabalik ako, nakasalubong ko bigla si Tito Fred.
"Tito," I called. Napatingin siya sa akin. "I know you're trying... but try harder," I continued as I gave him a smile bago ako dumiretso pabalik sa kwarto ko.
Personally, I didn't really mind na kung anuman ang mangyayari sa kanilang dalawa, but I also knew na deep down, Chester's still longing for his dad. I mean, it's kinda natural... I guess? He's his only living parent. Pride lang siguro kaya he kept on using me as his excuse kung bakit niya ginagawa.
I was just reading journals when Chester came back. His face seemed really happy like he was just laughing and smiling. Ano kaya ang pinagusapan nila ni Cha? Hindi ko naman matatanong kasi malalaman niya na narinig ko iyong kanina.
"Kanina ka pa gising?" he asked as he sat on his side of the bed.
I nodded. "Hindi ako makatayo," I replied.
"Should've called me."
I shrugged. "I just browsed sa listing na lang," I said and pinakita ko sa kanya iyong ilang naka-bookmark sa akin na magandang place sa Antipolo.
The next few days were just spent us going to different restos. Walang kwentang tourguide si Cha dahil hindi rin naman daw siya lumalabas. Si Chase pa tuloy iyong naging abala sa paghahanap kung saan kami pupunta. Although I guess the good thing about this ay nakikita ko na medyo nageeffort na si Tito Fred with Chester. Kinda. I mean, it's not much, but it's a start.
"Have a safe flight," Cha said nang ihatid niya kami sa airport.
I hugged her as much as I possibly could. "Thank you. We'll be waiting for you."
"I know," she replied.
"Ninang ka."
"Akala ko si Iñigo?" she asked.
"Yes, siya rin," I replied.
"So, bakit ninang din ako?"
I grinned. "So, are you saying na magkakabalikan kayo?"
Her forehead grinned. "We didn't really break up," she said so casually na for some reason, kinilig ako. Feel ko ako iyong kinilig in Iñigo's stead dahil wala naman siya rito.
I was grinning so hard na inirapan na ako ni Cha. After that, syempre sila namang magkakamag-anak ang nagpaalaman. It was... a sight. Kulang na lang mag-nod lang sila sa isa't-isa. This family's so fascinating to observe talaga.
Pagdating namin sa lounge, as usual nagchismisan lang kami ni Chase. Kahit siya napansin niya iyong improvement. Then sa plane, hindi ko alam iyong nangyari because I was just asleep and I'd just wake up to eat and then I'd sleep again. Sobrang nakakapagod. I was happy being pregnant, but I couldn't wait to get back to my normal routine! Ni hindi na nga ako makapaglinis because I couldn't even bend down to pick-up the trash!
"Bakit... ka umiiyak?" Chester asked one time nang maabutan niya ako standing in the middle of the living room, with tears in my eyes.
"Hindi ko maabot," I said.
"Ang alin?" he asked, closing the gap between us and standing right in front of me.
I pointed at the piece of trash on the floor. "I couldn't. I've been trying for minutes."
He was looking at me with such bewilderment in his eyes. I began to bawl my eyes out kasi alam ko na ang weird ng iniiyakan ko but I couldn't stop myself! My hormone's still going crazy and it's just going to get more crazy once I give birth!
Chester picked up the trash.
"Thank you," I said with tears in my eyes habang inaabot niya sa akin iyong kalat. "I miss cleaning so much..." I continued.
"Gracey," he replied. "I love how weird you are. Never change," he added as he planted a kiss on my forehead.
"Gusto ko talaga maglinis but I can't even bend kahit konti."
"Oh, I know," he replied and I frowned because I knew he was talking about the bedroom! As if naman choice ko 'yon. Hello, pregnant over here?
I groaned. "Hate you."
He chuckled. "No, you don't," he said, kissing me on the lips again. "What do you want me to do?"
"I don't know. Gusto ko lang namang maglinis," I said.
"Kailangan mo ba talagang yumuko? May vacuum naman?"
"May mga kalat na hindi nakukuha ng vacuum," I explained. "Plus paano ko pupunasan iyong coffee table?" I asked and then explained to him my process kung paano ako naglilinis dito sa apartment. Palibasa madalas dadating siya rito na malinis na. May system na nga ako, e. Kapag dumating siya na nakasindi iyong candle sa may coffee table, it meant na ayoko na galawin niya iyong bagong linis. Kapag hindi naman, feel free to lounge around. He actually came up with the idea since sabi nila minsan daw sobrang linis and organized na nakakahiyang maupo sa couch.
"Okay," he said. "What can I do?"
"I don't know," I replied. "Can you clean?"
"Of course."
"I'll watch."
His forehead creased and his lips parted a little. "Pardon?"
"You clean and I'll watch," I said.
"Okay... This sounds a bit sexual for some reason."
My eyes widened. "Chester!"
"What? Totoo naman."
"I was asking you to clean, not to strip naked!"
"Might as well," he said. "You'll ask me to bend down."
"Para pumulot ng kalat!"
He dismissively waived his hand. "Tomatoe, tomato."
"Gosh, your mind!"
He just shook his head while he was grinning. "Kunin ko lang walis. Ano ba'ng una kong gagawin?"
"Hindi ko alam na tuloy. You made it sound so weird."
"I mean... you wanted to watch me clean. It is weird."
"No, it's not."
"I love you, but it is weird," he said. "But I'll still do it because I do love you."
I wrinkled my nose. This guy's getting too comfortable throwing those three words. Lagi tuloy akong kinikilig!
"Tell me when I need to bend over."
"Chester!" I admonished pero tinawanan niya lang ako.
This guy, really!
I made him vacuum all over the apartment tapos pinagpunas ko rin siya ng mga surface. He was in the middle of reorganizing the pantry when I called his name.
"May mali ba akong nagawa?" he asked while holding the container of our rice.
I shook my head. "I think my water just broke," I replied as I stared at him with my eyes wide open.
Internally, I was already panicking. I knew naman na hindi exact iyong due date na binibigay and I was due one of these days, but still, when you're in the exact moment, it felt like all the preparations we did just flew out the window!
And I thought that Chester would probably panic, too, instead, he drew a deep breath, looked me in the eye, and said, "Can't wait to meet our baby."
**
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