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Chapter Twenty-nine

Issue

On the day of Arabella's Christening Noah was there. I invited Ninang Patricia but I did not quite expect for Noah to come, too...

Dapat ay tapos na naman nga iyong issue sa amin noon. Pero ang inaalala ko ay si Aaron. He was quiet after seeing Noah arrived. Iniwas ko nalang siya at inabala na rin namin ang mga sarili namin kay Bella. The priest started the Christening ceremony.

A Bible verse about Christening was being read. I and Aaron were asked to repeat some phrases confirming our dedication to the church and to our child. The godparents were also asked to repeat phrases confirming their commitment as second parents to Arabella.

And Noah became Arabella's ninong, too... Since nandoon na rin kasi siya at sabi rin nina mommy... Mukhang okay naman lahat maliban lang kay Aaron na kahit hindi naman niya lantarang pinapakita ay ramdam ko ang hindi niya pagkakatuwa.

And then we had picture takings. Ngumiti kami ni Aaron sa photographer at nakapalibot sa amin ang mga ninang at ninong ni Arabella...

"Can I carry her?" Lumapit sa amin ni Bella si Noah.

I looked around with my eyes searching for Aaron. Nasa simbahan pa kami at paalis na rin nang kinausap pa muna ni daddy, Tito Axel, at Aaron si Father at iba pang staff ng simbahan na kilala rin ang pamilya namin dahil palaging dito nagsisimba sina lola. Kasama din nila doong kausap si Father sina Mommy at Tita Eris.

"Uh...okay..." Marahan kong nilipat sa hawak ni Noah si Bella. Wala naman sigurong masama...

"She's so pretty like her mommy." Noah smiled genuinely.

Tipid na rin akong napangiti.

"How have you been, Teen?" Pangungumusta lang naman niya.

"I'm fine. Thanks..." tipid ko lang din na sagot.

Tumango-tango siya habang nakatingin sa akin. "I can see that you're all right..."

Nabitin ang sinasabi ni Noah at napatingin siya sa likuran ko.

"What's happening here?"

Mabilis din akong napaling sa likuran ko nang marinig ko ang seryosong boses ni Aaron. "Aaron...uh, tapos na kayong kausapin si Father?"

Pinag-usapan na rin siguro ang magiging kasal namin ni Aaron na dito rin namin balak gawin sa church na ito. Since we also grew up attending masses to this church.

Agad niyang pinuntahan si Bella at kinuha kay Noah.

"Uh, Aaron —"

"Let's go." He cut me off commandingly and walked out of the church with our daughter.

Mabilis na rin akong humabol sa mag-ama ko.

"Aaron—"

"Get in the car."

Pumasok na rin ako sa loob ng kotse niya. Inayos niya rin muna sa backseat si Bella at may nakasunod ding yaya na nagbabantay at tumabi sa anak ko sa likod. Pagkatapos ay mabilis na ring sumunod na pumasok sa Aaron sa sasakyan.

"What was that?" Agad niyang tanong sa akin pagkapasok at mabilis na rin niyang pinaandar ang sasakyan.

"Aaron..." Inalala ko rin ang nanny na kasama namin sa loob ng sasakyan. Nakakahiya naman kung mag-aaway kami ni Aaron dito...

"Can we talk about this later?"

Hindi siya tumango o umiling. Nanatili lang siyang tahimik hanggang dumating kami sa Christening party ni Bella.

He carried Bella in the venue. Napangiti pa rin ako sa ganda ng venue that was decorated with white and pink balloons and flowers.

Nandoon na rin sina mommy. Everyone from the church was there. Except for Noah who did not attend the party anymore. And I don't know but I felt a little guilty. Kasi siguro dahil guest pa rin namin siya ni Aaron sa binyag ng anak namin. But he went home at hindi na nakapagpaalam probably dahil sa nangyari kanina sa church at sa inakto rin ni Aaron.

"Hija, nauna na nga pala si Noah. He still needs to attend to an important meeting with our company investors." Ninang Patricia explained when we had the chance to talk a little at the party.

Tumango lang ako. Ngumiti naman sa akin si ninang. Bahagya ko na rin siyang nginitian.

"She's pretty!"

I heard that and I automatically turned to where they were. Aaron was carrying Bella and with them was Sophie, his ex-girlfriend. Yes, Sophie was invited to my daughter's Christening. I don't know who invited her. Probably Aaron. Agad nag-init ang ulo ko at agad ko silang nilapitan. This time I was the one who took Bella from Aaron. "Dadalhin ko pa siya kina Mommy." I said.

"Hi, Tristeen..." Sophie even greeted me like nothing happened...

Well, ayaw ko nang isipin pa ang nakaraan pero hindi ko rin maiwasan... At wala akong time ngayon makipagplastikan.

"Excuse me." I still excused myself and brought Bella to my parents. Leaving Aaron there. Bahala sila ni Sophie kung mag-uusap pa sila d'yan. I'm taking my daughter away from them.

I feel like I was so exhausted after. Masaya pa rin naman kasi nabinyagan na si Bella at ang dami niyang gifts na natanggap from her ninongs and ninangs.

"What was that all about?" Aaron was still fast to confront me when we reached home.

Nasa kwarto ko na kami and Bella was with the nanny in her baby room. Ni-locked ko ang connecting door ng room ko sa baby room ni Bella.

"What?"

"What were you doing? Talking to that man and even letting him carry my daughter in his arms?"

My eyes widened a fraction at Aaron's remarks. I shook my head. "You're being petty, Aaron. He's become Bella's ninong now, too."

"That's another thing."

I'm starting to get annoyed by him. "Alam mo naman na best friends sina Mommy at Ninang Patricia! Alangan tanggihan ko pa! Wala naman sigurong masama..."

Pareho kaming natahimik nang ilang sandali.

"Ikaw nga, what were you doing with your ex back there?! Nilalapit mo rin si Bella sa ex mo!"

"I wasn't. Silang dalawa ni Jarvis ang lumapit sa amin ni Bella doon kanina. Kumuha lang ng pagkain nila si Jarvis—"

"You've invited your ex!"

"She's with Jarvis! They're dating now!"

Nagulat pa ako sa nalaman. Pero hindi iyon ang point... "Fine!" Nagtaas pa rin ako ng boses dahil sa inis dahil sa pagiging unreasonable din ni Aaron...

"Fine?"

"Yes, fine. Ano pa ba? Tapos na. Okay na. Ikaw lang naman itong may issue pa rin hanggang ngayon kay Noah."

"Issue?"

"Yes! Because it's already in the past! And you're still making an issue out of it! You're still making it a big deal!"

His lips parted but he went silent.

Until we heard Bella crying in the baby room. Ang lakas ng iyak ng anak ko at hindi na yata nakayanang pakalmahin ng nanny. Halos magpaunahan pa kami ni Aaron sa pag-attend kay Bella. "Ako na!" I came in the room first using the connecting door to my bedroom.

"Bella, baby..." Kinuha ko siya sa nanny niya. "What happened, po?"

"Hindi ko pa nga po alam, Ma'am. Bigla nalang po siyang umiyak. Hindi naman basa ang diaper niya at nag-f-feeding naman po siya kanina... Bigla na nga lang niyang binitiwan ang milk niya. Akala ko busog na pero bigla nalang umiyak..." pagpapaliwanag ng bantay ng anak ko.

Nilapag ko si Bella sa kama at nagsimula siyang hubaran ng lahat ng suot niya. Sabi kasi sa akin nina mommy at Tita Maia, bago sila bumalik abroad, ay kapag umiiyak daw ang baby na hindi mo malaman ang dahilan, pwede mong hubarin ang lahat ng suot ng bata dahil baka hindi komportable dahil nasisikipan na pala o baka mamaya pa ay may nakakagat nang langgam. The baby can't talk so she'll just cry. So the better thing to do it to remove your baby's clothing and check her body and everything.

Tumahan na rin naman si Bella at wala naman akong nakitang mali sa damit niya. Binihisan ko nalang din siya ng diaper nalang muna at isang comfortable na baby cotton top. Dahil baka nainitan din kahit may AC naman din dito sa baby room. "Yaya, paki-check na nga rin po ang aircon dahil baka napahinaan kanina..."

I carried Bella in my arms now. Aaron helped in checking the AC pero ayos lang naman iyon.

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa pagkatapos.

I looked away and focused my attention on Bella.

"Okay na po. Kami na muna ang bahala kay Bella. Thank you."

The nanny nodded at Aaron and me before she left the room. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Aaron doon. We were quiet for a while until he spoke.

"I'm sorry..." he said.

I sighed. "Mamaya na tayo mag-usap, Aaron. Papatulugin ko pa muna si Bella. She must be tired from earlier."

Unti-unti siyang tumango at nagdadalawang-isip pang lumabas ng baby room. Pero sa huli hinayaan niya rin akong mapag-isa muna dito sa baby room kasama ang anak namin. Para makapag-isip isip din ako.

I sighed. And then I started lulling Bella to sleep.