CHAPTER 2

VALERIE took a deep breath before she entered the clinic. Ngayon ang araw ng appointment niya kay Dra. Gapuz. Ngayon isasagawa ang Artificial Insemination process. Matagal niya pinag-isipan ang tungkol rito at sigurado siya sa gagawin niya. Ayaw niyang mag-asawa dahil ayaw niyang magkaroon siya ng sakit ng ulo sa huli. Ang mga lalaking ‘yan kasi ay mga sakit lang sa ulo.

Sa mga naranasan niya noong bata siya hanggang sa lumaki siya, natakot siyang magpakasal kaya naman kahit nagkaroon siya ng mga karelasyon, hindi siya interesado sa commitment. The hell she cares.

Pero alam niyang hindi naman pwede na tatanda siya mag-isa kaya naman kailangan niyang umisip ng paraan upang pagtanda niya ay may mag-aalaga sa kaniya at ito ang naisip niyang paraan. Artificial Insemination. Wala siyang pagpipilian. Alangan naman na makipagtalik siya. Ayaw naman niya ng ganun.

“Actually, maraming mga sperm donor ang nagbibigay. Ilan sa kanila ay successful naman ang resulta through Artificial Insemination. Hindi lang ikaw ang babaeng pumunta sa akin at gustong magpa-AI.” Ngumiti si Dra. Gapuz. “Ikaw, Valerie, bakit mo gustong magpa-AI?”

Tipid na ngumiti si Valerie. “I just want to have a purpose on my life. I don’t want to get married.”

Natawa ng mahina si Dra. Gapuz. “Alam mo ganiyan din ako pero nung nakilala ko ang asawa ko kinain ko rin ang mismong sinabi. I was thankful that my husband was a lovable man.”

“Swerte niyo, Doc.”

Dra. Gapuz smiled. “Indeed. Wait for me.” Tumayo ang doktora mula sa upuan nito at lumapit sa may steel cabinet. May nakalagay na ‘confidential’ sa itaas ng cabinet.

May mga kinuha roon si Dra. Gapuz na mga folder saka ito bumalik sa table nito. Inilapag nito ang mga folder sa table saka tinignan si Valerie. “Valerie, you can pick whom you want.”

Kumunot ang nuo ni Valerie.

So, Dra. Gapuz explained. “We already finish your check-up last time. As I have said before you will pick your suitable donor.”

Last time, she had a screening test where her blood group was test to see if she was healthy and free from any diseases to avoid complication.

“These few folders contain of the information of the donor. Their name wasn’t listed as per confidentiality. So, you are free to choose which suitable donor you like.” Ngumiti si Dra. Gapuz. “Take your time.”

But looking at the folders, in Valerie’s vocabulary, this is cannot be counted as ‘few’. There are total of fifty folders. This will take at least more than one hour. She thought.

Valerie spent her time on the couch of Dra. Gapuz clinic reading and flipping through the pages. Ilang folder na ang nabasa niya at ayaw niya sa mga descriptin ng mga donor. Some of them are too boring, monotonous, just wanted to donate their juices to an anonymous woman, and just wildly eager to donate. Napailing si Valerie. Wala naman bang mas maganda sa mga ito? Tanong niya sa kaniyang sarili.

Sighing, Valerie continued reading and she stopped when she saw it was the last folder already. She took a deep breath and read the last folder. “Sana naman ito na ang hinahanap ko.”

Patient: MKRMV

Birth: 02/14

Place of Birth: Russia

Nationality: Russian

Height: 6’0

Weight: 190 Ibs

Eye color: Gray

Hair color: Brown

Note: Allergic of peanut

Side Note: Does not smoke and never done drugs.

Personal Note: Willing to be in contact with the recipient if she was willing to.

Sandaling natigilan si Valerie. Kapagkuwan napangiti siya, sa lahat ng donors, ito lang ang nakakuha ng atensiyon niya. Napatango siya sa kaniyang sarili. This candidate was the suitable donor for her.

And in her twenty-seven years of existence, this will be her huge expense. “Russian? Really?”

Nagkibit ng balikat si Valerie at nakahinga ng maluwang.

Though the patient’s description looks cold because aside from the basic information he provided, unlike the other candidates, this one really caught her attention.

“Done?” Dra. Gapuz asked Valerie when she saw her smiling.

Tumango si Valerie. “Yes, doc. Here is my choice.” Ibinigay ni Valerie ang folder ng napili niya kay Dra. Gapuz.

Tinignan naman ng doktora ang napili ng pasyente niya. Natigilan siya nang makita ang napili nitong donor.

“What’s the matter, doc?” Valerie asked when she saw Dra. Gapuz stilled.

“Are you sure you want to pick this donor?” Dra. Gapuz asked.

Tumango si Valerie. “Yes, doctor. Sa lahat kasi ng mga donor, ‘yan ang nakita kong kakaiba.”

“Oh.” Napatango si Dra. Gapuz. “You’re lucky.”

Kumunot ang nuo ni Valerie.

“This donor had already sponsored everything. It means wala ka ng babayaran.”

Lumaki ang mata ni Valerie. “So, this means…”

Tumango si Dra. Gapuz nodded. “You’re right. The donor you picked was willing to donate and wanted to help those women who wanted to have a child.”

Valerie was ecstatic.

“Since the result we had the other day was positive, now I need to check you up again to make sure that you were really healthy.” Ngumiti si Dra. Gapuz.

Natawa si Valerie. “Okay.”

They made an appointment for that coming Monday, to perform blood and urine tests and find out when she’d be at her most fertile. An ultrasound scanning would also be carried out, to ensure that no more than two mature eggs were about to ovulate.

But as for Valerie, one baby would be enough.

The donated sperm would be inserted into the womb using the procedure called IUI or the intrauterine insemination. Dra. Gapuz explained that the procedure was normally painless and she would experience menstrual-like cramping. But Valerie was willing to take the pain, basta matupad ang pinapangarap niya na magka-anak.

***  

VALERIE couldn’t name the happiness she was feeling when Dra. Gapuz informed her that she already conceived.

She’s pregnant.

“Congratulations.” Masayang bati sa kaniya ni Dra. Gapuz.

“Thank you, doc.” Hindi mawala ang ngiti sa labi ni Valerie. Talagang masayang-masaya siya at hindi matatawaran ang sayang nararamdaman niya. She couldn’t be happier.

“Don’t you want to contact the patient?” Dra. Gapuz asked.

Umiling si Valerie. “No, doc. Just let it be. I’m not willing.”

Nakakaintinding tumango si Dra. Gapuz. “Then congratulations again, Valerie. Forward to see you again for our next check-up for your baby.”

Napahawak si Valerie sa sariling tiyan saka tumango.

She never told anyone about her pregnancy, not even her best friend, Wynter. May problema ito at ayaw niyang dumagdag. At isa pa baka mag-alala lang ito sa kaniya. Kilala niya ang kaibigan niya. Saka na lang niya sasabihin kaya okay na ang lahat.

Since she was a chef, she needed to take a break. Kaya naman ang assistant niyang si Jane ang bahala sa lahat. She needs to rest because she’s pregnant. Bawal sa kaniya ang ma-stress at mapagod kaya naman ipinagkatiwala niya na muna ang restaurant niya sa mga mapagkakatiwalaan niyang tauhan. Pasaglit-saglit na lang siya doon upang tignan ang restaurant.

The first month of her pregnancy was the hardest part because she experiences vomiting, morning sickness, loss of appetite, nausea and fatigue kaya naman nakahilata na lang siya sa kama niya. Naisip niyang mahirap pala ang pagbubuntis pero hindi niya naman niya pinagsisisihan ang naging desisyon niya. Alam niyang lilipas rin ‘to. This is her decision and she needed to take the consequence of her action.

Nagpaalam siya sa kaibigan niya na magbabakasyon siya pero ang totoo niyan ay sa doctor niya ang appointment niya. She badly wanted to tell Wynter about her pregnancy dahil ito lang naman ang kaibigan niya na tinuring na niyang kapatid. But what if, Wynter will judge her?

Sighing, she sat down on the couch and grabbed the new magazine she brought earlier. She wanted to past time. But then she read something that shocked her. Talagang hindi siya makapaniwala sa nalaman niya.

‘Cassiuz Velasquez and Wynter Aguilar are now engaged.’

Napakurap si Valerie at paulit-ulit na binasa ang nakasulat pero iyon talaga ang totoo kaya naman tinawagan niya ang kaibigan niya para kumpirmahin ang totoo. Ang her dear best friend confirmed that she was really getting married.

Wynter struggled for having romantic relationship. “What happened?” Nagtatakang tanong ni Valerie kaya naman naisipan niyang bisitahin ang kaibigan sa bahay ng fiancé nito at para sabihin na rin ang tungkol sa pagbubuntis niya.

Bumili si Valerie ng strawberry smoothie bago siya pumunta sa bahay ng fiancé ni Wynter. Bigla siyang nag-crave ng smoothie, eh. Lately napapansin niyang smoothie na ang laging iniinom o di kaya ay mga juice. It’s okay. It’s healthy for her baby.

“Really?” Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Wynter nang makita nito ang smoothie na hawak niya. Alam kasi ni Wynter na hindi siya mahilig sa smoothie.

Nagkibit lang naman siya ng balikat.

Napailing sa kaniya ang kaibigan saka niya nito inaya sa hardin ng mansyon. She noticed that Wynter is looking at her like she was observing her.

Pero syempre, mamaya na ang issue niya. Uunahin niya muna ang issue tungkol sa kaibigan niya. “So, wala ka bang sasabihin?” Tanong niya sa kaibigan.

“Ah?”

She rolled her eyes. S******p siya ng smoothie mula sa straw. “Wala ka bang ikukwento kung paano ka pumayag na magpakasal sa kaniya? And your wedding will be next month. That will be two weeks from now.”

Ngumiti lang si Wynter. “Yeah, I love him.”

Valerie stared at Wynter. “Halata nga na in love ka.” Napailing siya. “Sigurado ka ba sa naging desisyon mo?

“I’m sure.” Siguradong sagot ni Wynter kaya nakahinga siya ng maluwang. Pinagsabihan pa niya ang kaibigan pero nag-heart sign lang ito sabay sabing, “love you.”

Napailing si Valerie. “Huwag mo sa akin sabihin ‘yan. Sa future husband mo sabihin ‘yan.” Inubos niya ang smoothie and then she pouted. “I want more.”

Binigay naman sa kaniya ni Wynter ang juice nito. Agad niya itong kinuha at ininom.

Humawak siya sa kaniyang tiyan.

“You’re hungry?” Wynter asked.

“I’m pregnant.” She confessed. “I’m already one month pregnant, Wynter.”