KABANATA 45

A few months later…

JANIYA'S P. O. V

THE AROMA OF FRESHLY BREWED COFFEE, A COMFORTING SCENT THAT USUALLY BROUGHT A SMILED TO MY FACE, DID LITTLE TO SOOTHE THE TURMOIL WITHIN ME.

I sat at a corner table of a cozy little shop, the ultrasound image on the table beside me a stark reminder of the miracle growing inside me, and the source of my growing internal conflict. But even so, I am happy. This is the first time that I got to see my… children. Yes, children. I am carrying not one, not two, but three babies at once. I am expecting triplets! And the funny part is, hindi pa alam ni Ryuu ang tungkol do'n.

The image was a blur of grays and whites, but it was clear enough to see the three tiny figures, each one a wriggling bundle of potential. One, the smallest, was curled up in a corner, its tiny limbs moving with a delicate grace. Another, a little larger, was stretched out, its tiny hand reaching out as if to touch the world beyond the confines of the womb. And the third, the most acti