Chapter 3 (Part 2): The Decision

Chapter 3 (Part 2): The Decision

     I never knew this kind of feeling existed, until now.

“ C-Chase!” I shouted in pain. It was a sudden contraction. I felt as if I was, I was torn from the inside.

“ H-hurry up! I couldn’t take it anymore! ... ahhh!” I shouted once more.

“ Bakit anong nanyayari?” he asks catching his breath.

“ M-manganganak na yata ako… ahhh!” I shouted again, trying to resist the pain.

“ O-oh, wait here. I will call for help…” he said as he hurried himself to call. Saka nagsimulang  ihanda ang mga gamit ko. He was grabbing all the things he could.

     Minutes later, she was carried in an ambulance. It was just like in the movie, I always joke around that it wasn’t that painful. It is true that, you will never know unless you experience it yourself. I was slowly losing all my strength, that I feel like passing out, then there comes the pain again. I was cursing inside my head.

   As I arrived at the hospital, I was instantly carried inside the delivery room. Chase was left, to handle some paper works at the nursing station. I was screaming the whole time; it was a torture. The doctor was sure a professional, that she carries out the procedure lightly, which makes thing a lot better for her.

“Okay Ms. Seo, breath carefully, when I say push you push okay?... push harder, we’re almost there! More… and there you go!” I hear her say. Later, I hear the child’s cry.

    He’s beautiful, I told myself before closing my eyes.

    When I wake up, I was already at the ward. I saw Chase holding the baby, it feels so warm seeing him with the child, it was such scene wherein I can’t help but to smile. Chase looks so happy while playing with the kid in his arms. Everyone who will see him for the first time, will mistake him as the child’s father.

“ Gising ka na.” He commented as he noticed her. She just nodded.

“ You want to hold him?” He asks although he didn’t wait for me to reply, he placed him in my arms.

     He’s a beautiful little guy, just like his father I thought. I wonder how a small fragile thing like him could bring out so many emotions in me. It was as if I couldn’t wish for anything else but him. I know he can’t see me yet, but those little eyes show how she longed to see me. He was too small I’m afraid I might squeeze him.

OTHER PERSON’S POV

    I was looking at them. It was a beautiful scene you don’t always see. She looks so happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen before. I understand that I’m the only person who knows the real person beneath that emotionless personality, but the sight of today was breaking my heart. I wished to be the father of her child, pero siguro nga martir talaga ako because I chooses to be her friend. I believe we will last longer this way because the more I love her, the more I wanted to keep her. I may sound selfish, pero okay na ko kahit ‘yon lang, kahit hanggang doon lang. I wanted to stay by her side even without the assurance that she will return my feelings.

    She become too comfortable with me that I can see right through her, at times I was wondering if she knows how I feel or just pretending not to. Either way, I thank her for that.

“Alright! Akin na s’ya, you might kill him in sa estado nang paghawak mo sa kanya.” I commented, trying to tease her.

“ Right!” She said as she wipes off her face. She was crying, the first for a very long time, as she handed me her baby.

“ You should rest, you can take care of him after you regain your strength. Sa ngayon, ako muna ang mag aalaga sa kanya, okay?” I told her.

“ Para kang tatay.” She commented.

“ Para kang nanay.” I replied jokingly.

“Chase.” She called me.

“Oh?” I said, as I look at her.

“I want to keep him.” She said simply.

    I smiled at her. Just like what I expected from her. She wasn’t so heartless just like everyone know. She’s more than that, she’s just afraid to show it.

END OF OTHER PERSON’S POV

     It’s been a week, and she’s been recovering fast. I was it the midst of thinking, when an unexpected visitor came in. The last time I saw him was to confirm my pregnancy, today’s reason was to ask him a favor.

“ How are you coping up?” He asks coolly, as he sat comfortably at the couch.

“I’m doing good.” I said simply.

“ How about the child registry?” he asks.

“ We have’nt done anything of it yet, so I suppose it will be a late registry.” I responded to his question.

“ We’ll take care of it. I will ask someone to do it on behalf of you.” He said.

“ Thank you, Mr. Cha.” I said.

“ Don’t you think you were being too formally rude, for someone who ask me to be here for a favor? You keep on calling me Mr. Cha.” he said with a half-smile on his face.

“ Tell me, what do you want this time?” he asks seriously.

“ I want to keep the child for a little longer” I finally said.

     He didn’t say a anything, pero hindi rin n’ya kinontra ang sinabi ko. He doesn’t seem surprised, like as if he was expecting it from me. I can sense it when I see him smile.

“ You know what? You were so special that I'll give you that… I mean, okay we’ll do that. As of this moment it’ll be hard to keep the child with us, so it’ll better for you to have him with you, but this will be the last time. You can keep him for five years, after that you will hand him over to us, that’s the deal. Are you okay with that?” he said in business like manner.

“ I’m cool with that.” I agreed.

“ Good! There won’t be any written agreement between us, so I hope you won’t get back to your words.” He reminded me.

“ Makakaasa po kayo… Kailangan ko lang nang kaunting panahon para makasama ang anak ko. I won’t say anything, but thank you dahil pumayag kayo… I’m truly grateful for that. I never knew being a mother could be this rewarding, but I was given the chance… I want to hold on to it, for a little longer.” I sincerely said.

“ You can do that.” He said as if he knew what I was trying to say.