Chapter 24 – THE ARRIVAL 4 (Can't think of another title)
***Hey guys...I'm so sorry for the late update... This chapter was kinda hard to write for me... and procrastination has attacked my system...especially since school started again...anyways... here it is...***
***Beware...this chapter is not that good so you can skip is you want.***
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Mia took a deep breath and grabbed Mateo's hand. "Sir Mateo... first you have to calm down...Ugh" She grunted in pain again which doubled Mateo's already fast heart rate.
MIA'S SOOTHING voice calmed the panicking Mateo a little. A little because his heart is still beating like crazy.
Mia continued on calming him and he slowly regained his senses and helped Mia lay comfortably on the bed.
With a heavy breathing, Mia said: "Call an ambulance...please..." in between her grunts.
Mateo obliged and took out his phone to call on the number of the nearest hospital. But unfortunately, the nearest emergency center is miles away from their current location and it will take some time for the ambulance to reach the rest house because of the storm.
"Sweetie, uhhh...we have a slight problem... They said that the ambulance will take a while before getting here because of this stupid storm. What do we do now?" He said as his heart thump like crazy and seeing Mia enduring the pain did not help.
"That's a really bad news... Can you call your mom for me then? She has the number of my OB here in Barcelona."
Mateo nodded and called his mother's phone number. Thankfully, his mother answered her phone after the second ring.
"Mateo dear? Are you both in Mia's place already? How is she?"
"Mom help..." He pleaded over the phone, licking his lips as he felt them drying up because of the anxiousness. "Mia, she's about to give birth. I already tried calling the hospital but they said that the ambulance will not be able to arrive here on time because there is a storm outside. Mom, I have no idea what to do."
"Mi hijo...calm down will you. Where's Luke?"
"We were stuck in a traffic so I went ahead the rest house and left him in the car." He wondered if that idiot is still waiting in that damn traffic.
"Alright... He'll probably there soon, how's Mia?"
He looked at Mia and he saw her giving him a calming smile and a thumbs up. He smiled back to say that he is calm even though he is nervous deep inside. She probably sensed that because she mouthed "I'm fine" to him finally easing his raging nervousness for a little bit in the process.
"She's fine, much calmer than I am right now."
"That's good, how many centimeters is she dilated?" Luciana asked.
Keeping his phone in his ear, he asked Mia, "How many centimeters are you dilated sweetie?"
Mia looked at him and frowned while doing some calm breathing exercises. "Sorry, no idea."
Mateo went back to his mother. "She has no idea mom. How on earth would you be able to know that?"
He heard his mother grunt as if he could see her face-palming herself in the other line. "Son, you're not innocent are you? Don't you watch television shows sometimes? Where do you think is the dilation of a woman about to give birth?"
Then suddenly, he realized what his mother meant. "Ahhh...you mean that place." He nodded to himself.
"Alright I'll check." He went to Mia and out of nowhere, he bends her knees and spreads her legs into the position he saw in the medical televisions where he sees a woman giving birth making his beloved secretary scream in shock for a second.
"Sir!"
"Sweetie, do you have a ruler?" He said as he flawlessly raised Mia's maternity dress up to her knees with one hand while his other hand is still holding the phone and expertly removed her underwear, still with one hand.
Mia seemed too shocked to even move a single muscle and just stared at him. When she realized that she was exposed to him, she immediately tried to cover her most sensitive part, but she couldn't reach, due to her really big baby bump.
"Why are you trying to hide it when I've seen it so many times already?"
Mia's face reddened and she was obviously embarrassed. "Uhm...apparently because it's been a long time since we did that." She said almost in a whisper in which fortunately reached his ears.
He smirked and he wanted to tease her more when her face suddenly said that a contraction is underway.
Mateo's panicked immerged again and he remembered that his mother was still on the phone. Maybe I should stop teasing her, he thought to himself.
"Mateo! The dilation!" His mom screamed from the other line.
"Uh yeah, sorry. Sweetie do you have the ruler?" He asked Mia who was still doing the breathing exercises.
"What are you going to do with the ruler?" His mother asked.
"Uhhh... to measure the centimeters of the dilation?"
He heard his mother do a disappointed grunt again. "Son, there's no need for rulers! Just do an estimation with your fingers, and make sure you sanitize them before doing that!" His mom sighed. "You do that and make sure that Mia is comfortable okay... I'm just gonna give Tsukishima Dr. Martinez's number so she could guide us."
"Okay..." But wait...'Tsukishima? Did he hear it right?'
"Mom, did you say Tsukishima?"
"Si mi hijo, I'll explain later, for now, do the estimation and also count the number of minutes of the interval of her contractions."
"Okay mom." He removed the phone from his ear and sets it down on the lower side of Mia's bed without ending the call. He wants his mother on stand-by just so he could ask her anytime about something that needed to be done.
He peeked between Mia's legs and estimated her dilation. He is not an expert so he asked his mother for thorough instructions as much as possible, afraid that he might danger Mia or the baby.
When he was done estimating, he went on Mia's side and holds her hand. He counted the minutes of every interval as he waited for his mom to call him again.
Every time Mia had a contraction, he would squeeze her hand after her squeezing his. And then he would kiss her forehead and whisper encouraging words to her.
There were a lot of beads of sweat forming on Mia's forehead and he would wipe them from time to time. He tried to stay calm as much as possible, but every time she grunts, a wave of distress envelopes his entire being. He wished that he could switch his position with her so he was the one feeling the pain instead. Seeing her like this feels like there is something crushing his chest.
The intervals of the contractions are becoming closer and closer. He wanted to check on her dilation, but her grip on his hand is what stops him. She needs support but he also need to check on the baby.
He was about to check his phone if his mother already hung up because she has been silent for many minutes already when he heard the door of the rest house open and the annoying voice of Luke echoed in the entire house, calling out for Mia.
"Mia!!! Mateo!!! I'm home!... Where are you two? Mateo, I hope you're not doing anything disturbing to Mia... or else---"
"We're in her room you idiot!"
"Oh!" Luke said in a jolly tone. "I'm coming in then." They heard footsteps coming to their direction and Luke continued on ranting like some kid who just won something in an arcade. "Mia, you wouldn't guess what I just saw on the way here, didn't you say you wanted blueberry cheesecake last week?" The door opened and Luke came into view holding a cake box on his right hand, raising it in the side of his head, grinning like an idiot.
"I got you some blueberry cheesecake for your.....cra...vings..." His jolliness slowly vanished in the air and was replaced with a shocked expression, leaving his jaw agape, when he saw the situation Mateo and Mia are in.
"Hi Luke," Mia greeted Luke in a very polite way, even though it is certainly obvious that she is dealing in a lot of pain right now. "I'm sorry if we have to cancel our dinner for tonight." Yup, still polite as ever.
Luke was still in a state of shock that Mateo needed to throw a pillow that was lying beside Mia's head in order for him to wake up.
"Oh-oh... Mia, is the baby coming already?" He asked pretty calmly.
Mateo answered for him. "Isn't it obvious?" 'This idiot, really.'
"I was asking Mia, not you." He placed the box of cheesecake on the bedside table and went to Mia's side opposite to his. Luke wiped Mia's sweat from her forehead with his palm.
He wanted to protest and tell the idiot Luke to not touch what is his... but he stopped himself. He needs to control himself because Mia needs all the help she can and he for one sure knows that he cannot do this alone.
So even if it's against his will, he has to play nice. For Mia and the baby's safety, he needs to be nice...temporarily.
"How are you feeling Mia?" Luke asked in a concerned tone.
"I'm fine... the contractions are really a pain in the ass though, but I'm hanging in there and Mateo has been really supportive... I'm sorry we need to cancel the dinner. It was supposed to be for your celebration."
"It's fine. We can always reheat the food and celebrate some other day, for now, we have to deliver this baby safely, okay?"
Mia appreciatively smiled and nodded at him.
Mateo felt a bit jealous on how Mia talked casually to Luke. Her face looked happy and contented and calm. Totally opposite to the way she talks to her recently, uncomfortable, awkward and flustered. Maybe someday, she can be like that when talking to him and he will make sure that that day will happen.
"Uhm..."
His thoughts were suddenly disrupted when he heard Mia moan.
"What is it sweetie?" Mateo asked in a worried tone.
"Uhmmm... I don't know if I'm right but... I think I can feel the baby's head down there..." She said biting her lips. He also noticed that her cheeks are reddish, an indication that she is embarrassed about the situation.
"Really? Can I check?" Luke asked and was about to go and take a peek when Mateo immediately stops him by yelling.
"DON'T YOU DARE!...Look at there..." He warned which halted Luke's plan. "Those are for my eyes only..."
Luke showed him a frowned expression. "And who the heck said that?"
"Me! So try and take even the slightest peek Mr. Third placer, and I don't care if my mom currently loves you more than me right now, but I'll hunt your ass until the very end of the earth if you ever continue doing what you have in your brain right now."
Luke just raised an eyebrow at him and shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, okay... I was just teasing... you go have a look then...geez"
And Mia who was still struggling from the contractions, looked back and forth towards the two men who are having a glaring contest with each other.
'That's more like it'. He mentally smirked.
He was about to go and check when he felt Mia's grip on his hand tightened. He glanced at her and saw her scared expression as if saying not to let go of his hand.
Despite her calm features, she is probably scared just the same as him deep inside.
He gave her an assuring smile. "Sweetie, I have to go check if the baby is coming out... We need to deliver him don't we? Besides..." 'As much as I don't want to.' "Luke is going to be there to hold your hand."
Mia sighed and nodded at him and slowly let go of his hand.
He went to check if the baby's head is indeed on the place Mia is referring to while Mia took Luke's hand to grip during contractions. He smirked when he saw him flinch on Mia's tight grip. Her grips are intense alright, really breathtaking...literally...
He looked between Mia's legs and saw the baby's head peeking out. Panic rises again for the nth time and he quickly took his phone to call on his mother.
"Mom? Mom, are you still in there? Have you contacted the doctor already?" He said ramming questions to his mother even though he was unsure if his mother is listening or not.
"Mateo! Yes, yes, we got a hold of the doctor right now mi hijo."
Relief immediately filled Mateo when he heard that there is a doctor coming. "Okay mom...when is she coming over here?"
"Huh, what are you talking about mi hijo? She can't come in there right away... there's a storm remember?"
His eyes widened. "What?! What about the helicopter mom, can't we use it?"
"I'm sorry mi hijo, but helicopters are no good at this type of storms... it's too risky."
'Sh*t.' He can't help but curse inside. "What am I supposed to do then, the baby is ready to come out."
His mother didn't answer for a while but she came back a few moments later.
"Son, doctor Martinez said that you are the one that needs to deliver the baby. We have no current options unless the storm stops immediately." Unfortunately, the storm is getting stronger by the minute and he could hear loud bangs of thunder outside. "Don't worry, I know you can do it. Doctor Martinez will guide you...claro?"
He was still unsure about the whole situation, but it seems like he doesn't have any choices. "Okay mom..." He took a deep breath. "I'll do it..."
"Great... Now prepare a basin of clean water and clean towels. Have Luke prepare all of those while you tell Mia to push and you catch the baby, okay?"
He nodded nervously then he told Luke to get the basin of water and the towels.
"Okay Mia, please bear with me, you can do this..." He saw Mia nodding while shutting her eyes tight in pain and he nodded too in response. "Okay, at the count of three, push okay?"
She nodded again and she gripped on the pillow and the bed sheets.
"One...two...three...push."
"Nnnggghhhh!!!" Mia grunted and pushed hard. She rested for a few minutes before Mateo asked her to push again and again until the head of the baby came out.
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"OKAY, ONE last push and the baby is finally out." Mateo encouraged Mia who was now sweating a lot and she gave all her might to give a final push and a cry erupted into the room.
Mateo carefully took a hold of the baby's head with his palm while his other hand cradled the baby's body. Mateo wasn't sure what possessed him that even though the baby was covered in blood and some white gooey stuff that he gently kissed the baby's forehead and a feeling of incredible satisfaction filled inside of him.
He took a pick to identify the gender of the baby and he grinned when he saw a junior confirmed.
Luke came back to the room carrying the basin of water and dry clean towels. He probably ran when he heard the baby's cry because he was catching his own breath when he arrived.
"Oh my gosh mi hijo, is that my grandchild?!" Luciana screamed over the phone. Mateo forgot that his phone was till on call and that it was in loudspeaker mode. "What's the gender? Is it a boy or a girl?" She asked excitedly.
With a proud voice, Mateo answered..."It's a bouncing baby boy mom..."
Suddenly, he heard a loud joyous scream from many people on the other line which concluded to him that there were a lot of people in their house right now.
"Haha... I told you I was right Aunt Luciana! I won the bets!" He heard Tsukishima's voice in the other line. So that idiot is really in his house. And they had bets about the gender of the baby. "Money down baby! Come now people...You too Uncle Mathew, Aunt Luciana!" With his parents.
The screaming was silenced when his mom suddenly talked to him, "Did you cut the umbilical cord?"
"Uh... no...Luke, hand me a scissor."
"Say please first...." Luke teased.
"Just get it will you?!" He shouted making the baby cry in his arms again.
"Fine fine...you're scaring the baby dude..."
Luke went out of the room for a while and when he came back, he had a scissor with him. He sanitized it first before cutting the umbilical cord with the doctor's guidance.
When the cord was cut, he wrapped the baby with a fluffy blue towel.
"Awww... Luke at the little man...so adorable." Luke cooed the baby who was now sleeping in Mateo's arms. He was not sure if he was holding the baby right but he just made sure that the head of the baby was properly supported.
"Can I hold him?" Mia asked in a tired voice with her hands stretched ready to hold the baby.
Mateo gave her a smile. "Of course..."
Mateo went to Mia's side and was about to place the baby in Mia's arm when she suddenly grunted in pain.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?!" Mateo asked, panicking.
"Uhhh... Mateo," Luke called for his attention. "I think Mia's having not just one baby. Look, her tummy is still a bit bloated."
Mateo looked at where Luke was pointing out and he saw that Luke was right. Her tummy shrunk, but only a little when its supposed to be flat now.
Then it hit him.
Mia's having twins!
"Mateo, what's happening?" His mom suddenly asked. She probably heard their conversation.
"Mia's having twins mom!"
He raced towards Luke and urged him to hold the baby completely forgetting about the fact that his mother was literally screaming over the phone possibly telling the news to all the people currently in the house.
"What the heck Mateo! I don't know how to hold a baby!" Luke said panicking.
"Do you think I had any idea? Just make sure that you support his body, especially his head and don't let him fall." Mateo said as he carefully place the baby on Luke's arms. Luke nervously took the baby and followed what Mateo said.
Mateo immediately went back to Mia. When he checked, he can already see the baby's head peeking. So its twin alright, he thought. He took a deep breath and repeated the routine he did with the first baby.
Mia gave a final push and the second baby was finally out into the world. Just like the first baby, his wails echoed in the room. Mateo gently wrapped him in a blue fluffy towel just like the first baby after cutting the umbilical cord. He also gave a kissed which brought tingles in his heart.
"They're both so beautiful." Mia whispered in a tired tone as she carefully catches her own breath. A satisfied smile is displayed on her lips.
"It's a boy again." Mateo confirmed and he heard another noise from his phone.
"I can't believe I'm winning twice!" He heard Tsukishima from the other line which he completely ignored.
Mateo went on Mia's side and carefully places the second baby in her arms. He watched as she cradled him with love and gave him a sweet kiss on his forehead. Luke went to him and gave him the first born.
"Oh my gosh... I can't believe it, my baby boys." Mia sniffed and her eyes were teary as she glanced at both babies. She also gave the first born a light kiss on the forehead. Then she looked at Mateo...
"Thank you..."She whispered.
"You're welcome..." He whispered in response. He exhaustingly rested his forehead on hers as he closed his eyes. "Damn that was scary." He hummed inches away from her lips.
"You were really nervous, aren't you?"
"Sure damn I am. Please don't ever do that ever again." He said. He took a deep breath and released it. "I'm just glad you and our babies are safe."
He heard Mia gasped that made him open his eyes. Mia's eyes were full of confusion. Her eyes are searching for his.
"Ours? I thought---"
"Ours...As bad as it may sound, I still have doubts... I'm sorry..." He bit his lips when he saw Mia's pained expression. "There is a little doubt in my head... but my heart and instincts tells me that they are mine."
"I'm still barren remember, and that is where my doubt comes from? But Luke helped me clear my mind." He glanced at Luke who was standing at the bottom of the bed, crossing his arms. Then he returned his attention to Mia. "I was an idiot for thinking that you would do that with another man... well I never thought that you love me in the first place. And Mia, you have no idea how many men I fired just because they were staring at you."
"What?!"
"You just don't realize it, but there are a lot of men in my own company who would have dated you if I didn't stand in their way."
"Why would you fire them?"
"At first, I have no idea why... but after everything that has happened, especially when I thought I was gonna lose you forever, I now understand why..."
"Mia Gutierez... no matter what the result is...but I'm still hoping it's positive...I'm never going to let the woman I love out of my life again."
Mia opened her mouth to probably say something, but no words escaped her lips. Confusion was written all over her face.
"Sir Mateo..."
"Mia...sweetie...will you let me have the privilege of becoming the man of your life, forever?"
"A-are you proposing? Really? Like right now?"
He nervously chuckled..."Yes I am..."
"Uhmmm..." She trailed which made him even more nervous.
"Mia, will you be Mrs. Mia Dela Cruz for the rest of your life?" Mateo asked once again, wholeheartedly, with full of hope.
Mia was silent for a while until she opened her lips for the answer he's been dreading for.
"Uhmmm... Sir Mateo, I'm sorry...but I can't."
And with that answer, Mateo's hopes and dreams crashed down right in front of him. His heart squeezing so tight in pain upon hearing those words.
And he saw Luke chuckling in the corner.