Nadine approached Ricky and opened the two plastic bags she had brought. She handed Ricky his chocolate vanilla ice cream and then opened the other bag containing the food. Brian sat next to Nadine, still curious about her sudden visit."Let's eat together, okay?" Nadine said as she opened the container filled with rice, sweet and sour carp, and rendang."But usually I come home, and we have lunch together," Brian replied with a puzzled expression."I want you to feed me," Nadine replied playfully. Brian chuckled, ruffled Nadine's hair, and kissed her forehead."Here!" Brian reached for the boxed lunch. However, he placed it back on the table. He stood up, walked to the sink, and washed his hands. Brian's movements didn't escape Nadine's notice."Ah..." Brian instructed as he was about to feed Nadine. Blushing, Nadine opened her mouth. After a couple of spoonfuls, they switched roles with Nadine feeding Brian. They ate together, taking turns feeding each other until the food was finis
"Dr. Anisa Pradipta, Sp.OG." Brian and Nadine spelled out the name in unison, exchanging glances as they received queue number 03 from a nurse. Earlier, Brian had merely followed Amanda's instructions as they were preparing to leave for Erlangga Hospital. Amanda, his mother, had arranged everything, and even Cakra had casually advised Brian not to go to the office.A wave of nervousness washed over Nadine. Their hands intertwined without a word as they grappled with a mix of fear and joy. They were anxious about the possibility that Nadine might not be pregnant, as her menstruation had been irregular for the past three months, and previous pregnancy tests had yielded negative results. Yet, they were overjoyed at the prospect of finally having a child together, the fruit of their love.Nadine explained all her symptoms to Dr. Anisa, which she had been experiencing for the past few days. "Alright, Ma'am. Could you please accompany my assistant to the restroom for a moment?" Dr. Anisa sa
Nadine shifted her body to rest on Brian's chest. She breathed in the masculine scent of Brian, which she had come to realize over the past few weeks she couldn't sleep without. Brian chuckled and then positioned himself to lie on the edge of the bed, embracing Nadine."Are you still feeling nauseous?" Brian asked as he massaged Nadine's shoulder. Nadine looked up at him, nodded, and managed a weak smile. Now Brian understood why Nadine had been acting so strangely and sensitively lately."It'll pass soon," Nadine replied, then kissed Brian's lips briefly."Was Ricky's pregnancy like this too?" Brian asked, regret swelling in his heart for missing Nadine's first pregnancy. Nadine must have been sad back then, with no one to pamper her; she had to fight through it all alone. Brian took a deep breath and let it out slowly, while holding Nadine close."Hmm... The first two months were really tough, so Mama always slept with me to be ready when I felt like vomiting or wanted something," N
Morning sickness that Nadine experienced finally ended when she reached the fourth month of her pregnancy. Throughout the first trimester, Nadine never complained, even though it was incredibly tough due to constant dizziness, nausea, and, most challenging of all, mood swings that could change unpredictably. Brian was the primary target of Nadine's mood swings, facing her sudden sulks for no apparent reason, tears over not getting what she wanted, and her nightly ritual before going to sleep. With patience, Brian complied with all of her wishes, often feeling overwhelmed.Every night, just before bedtime, Nadine would ask Brian to take off his shirt and lay down, resting her head on his chest. Brian had to rub her back until she fell asleep, and only then could he leave the bed to have a drink or use the bathroom. Yet Brian never got angry or complained about his wife's behavior. Instead, he felt grateful that Nadine wanted to be close to him all the time.Tonight was no different. Br
Twenty minutes later, they were in front of the Samudra Company building. As usual, Nadine had prepared boxed meals for the employees she would encounter."Danisa, is Mr. Brian busy?" Nadine asked, causing Danisa to wonder why Nadine insisted on addressing her so formally. As far as she knew, her boss was not fond of rujak buah."Yes, Ma'am. He's currently with Mrs. Sandra and Mr. Daniel. Please go right in," Danisa replied politely. Nadine was slightly annoyed because she had repeatedly asked Danisa to address her by her name only. However, the woman still insisted on calling her "Ma'am.""Wulan, please distribute the meals," Nadine ordered before making her way to Brian's office.Danisa's eyes lit up when she saw the red boxes with the familiar "Orang Tua" logo in her hands. "This is unexpected luck," she thought to herself.Nadine knocked on the door and greeted them with a warm hello."Papa?" Ricky called out, which made Brian choke on the spicy rujak buah. Daniel quickly handed B
"Darling, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell? Or do you want something?" Brian asked as he sensed Nadine's unease in his embrace. He gently stroked Nadine's stomach, where the baby had been moving actively unlike usual. Brian was sure Nadine hadn't fallen asleep yet, so he turned Nadine's body to face him. Nadine blinked when Brian looked at her closely. She remained silent, gazing into Brian's eyes, afraid to speak honestly because she worried Brian might get angry."What's wrong?" Brian asked again."Please don't be angry, okay?" Nadine replied nervously, biting her lower lip."I promise I won't get angry, just tell me," Brian replied, caressing Nadine's cheek."When I picked Ricky up from school earlier, I stopped by the prison to visit Dave," Nadine explained, looking at Brian who appeared surprised and then saddened a moment later."I'm sorry I didn't ask for your permission earlier. I don't know why, but suddenly I felt the urge to go there," Nadine confessed nervousl
As usual, the Samudra family had breakfast together before heading off to their respective activities. "Mom, Dad, I've decided to continue my studies in Malang," Gaby said, instantly turning the atmosphere tense. Since her first visit to Malang with her family, Gaby had fallen in love with the city. Plus, many of her high school friends were also planning to study there."Why not in Surabaya? We have many renowned and top-notch universities here. Papa doesn't want his daughter to be far away," Cakra responded, his gaze sharp and directed at Gaby."Yes, dear, Mama also doesn't want you to be far from us," Amanda added, reaching for her daughter's hand to encourage her to accept her father's suggestion to continue her studies in Surabaya."But Dad?" Gaby's face immediately turned gloomy upon realizing that her wish was being rejected by her parents. She put down her spoon and fork with frustration, her shoulders slumped as she fought back tears."Sweety, your Dad and I are right. We're
Today was the day for the three women that Brian cherished the most to go shopping. They didn't just buy one set of clothes but dozens, especially Gaby. In addition to clothes, she also bought shoes, bags, and multiple watches with different designs."Let's spend your dad's money," Amanda said, showing a rarely-used black card."Let's do it!" Gaby replied, raising her right hand as if she were flexing her muscles. Ricky was with Wulan, who watched over them while the three of them shopped to their hearts' content. Nadine paid with the card Brian had given her. She didn't want to burden her mother-in-law, even though Amanda had offered multiple times. Nadine declined, citing Brian's financial support as the reason, which left Amanda with no choice but to accept.Buzz, buzz. Nadine's phone rang, and she smiled when she saw Brian's name on the screen. "Good afternoon, what's up, Brian?" Nadine greeted as she answered the call."Good afternoon. You're out shopping with Gaby and Mama, righ