Kabanata 16

Nakaunan ako sa dibdib ni Sancho while we're cuddled in bed after making love... Hindi pa agad kami nakatulog and we chose to talk about things and about us.

"Sancho..."

"Hmm?" He was caressing my long hair and my arm...

"What if... I'll get pregnant after this?" I asked him.

Pagkatapos ay nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya at nagkatinginan kami.

"Then... I'll be very happy... But, are you ready for it?" He asked me even worriedly. I can see the worry on his face.

Ngumiti na lang ako at bahagyang umiling. "I think it's fine... If we're going to have a baby..." I said.

Sancho kissed my forehead.

And I fell asleep while cuddled in his warm arms...

Halos hindi rin pala kami nakapag-honeymoon noon ni Sancho. Kaya naman isang beses ay dinala niya na lang ako sa Bukidnon. Gusto niya kasi na mag-out of town daw kami and it's also to celebrate our second year marriage anniversary namin. Dalawang taon na rin pala kaming kasal ni Sancho.

And he knew that I love nature. I've always loved the greenery in our hacienda and the province. Kaya siguro niya naisipan na dalhin ako rito sa Bukidnon. And I automatically loved the green place and the beautiful mountains...

"Do you like it here?" Sancho asked me as he hugged me from the back.

It's early in the morning while we wait for our ordered breakfast and we're facing the beautiful view of nature in front of us from our villa.

"Yes." I said, smiling. And I touched and held his arms that were protectively wrapped around me.

"Thank you for bringing me here." I said to him.

I haven't been to many places yet. Because my parents were too strict while I was growing up... I can't travel with friends or I can't travel alone because they were busy with our asukarera and Papa's politics. At hindi rin nila ako papayagan na umalis mag-isa...

"We will travel more, I promise you."

I just smiled peacefully to what Sancho said. And I believe that from now on we will be together always and we can do things like this.

I already tried the at home test but I still couldn't be sure so I went to see a doctor. And she just confirmed that I was really already pregnant...

Haluhalo ang mga emosyon na naramdaman ko sa nalaman. Sancho was still working kaya naman hinintay ko na lang siya muna sa bahay namin before I tell him. Ayaw ko naman na sa message lang o kaya tawag. I want to tell him personally.

Ano kaya ang magiging reaksyon niya?

We're already kind of expecting this since we've been actively making love... Pero naisip ko lang na parang ang bilis ko pa rin palang nabuntis. And it's been just a couple of months since.

I heard the doorbell and I knew that it was already Sancho. I've prepared dinner for us. Gusto ko sana na mas espesyal ko pang masabi sa kaniya. Pero gusto ko na lang din talagang sabihin sa kaniya na buntis ako at excited din ako sa magiging reaction niya. I hope he's just as happy as me. Although I'm also kind of feeling nervous...

I'll be a mom soon. Nakakakaba at nakaka-excite din at the same time.

We ate dinner first. And then I started telling Sancho...

"You are..." Nakaawang pa rin ang labi niya at mukhang nabigla rin siya sa balita ko.

Unti-unti akong tumango at ngumiti sa kaniya. And then Sancho started smiling, too. And it's a really happy one. Obvious iyon sa kaniya na masaya siya na magkakaanak na kami.

And I'm happy for us, too.

Sancho envelopes me in his hug.

"I hope I can be a good mother to our child, Sancho." I said.

"You will be, Rose. We will be parents together. And we can do it together." He said and it was reassuring.

Ngumiti na ako sa loob ng ng yakap niya. And I hugged him more, too.

"You're really retiring early? But you're still young, Sancho..." I said after he told me that he's leaving show business.

"It's all right. I've done enough. And I really enjoyed acting. I learned to love my job and the fans, and all the people who supported me. But now I just want to think about us, Rose. I want to focus on us. And our future together with our child." He said with a smile on his face as he held my hands.

I sighed a bit. "Okay... Medyo nasasayangan lang din ako kasi bata ka pa naman at maganda pa ang career mo. Siguradong malulungkot ang fans mo..." sabi ko sa kaniya.

Pero umiling naman si Sancho sa sinabi ko. "They will get over it. Isa pa ilang beses ko na rin nasabi na hindi na nga ako magtatagal sa industriya. And my contracts are already expiring, too." Ngumiti lang siyang muli sa akin.

Tumango naman ako at hinayaan na siyang yakapin ako. Niyakap ko na rin siya pabalik.

He's planning for us to move back in Iloilo. Nandoon kasi ang bahay namin na iniwan sa amin ng Lolo niya. At may malawak na lupa rin na balak ni Sancho na ipagpatuloy ang asukarera. I was even a little shocked when I learned that he's also knowledgeable with business. Siguro kasi dahil alam kong maaga siyang nagsimula sa pagiging artista kaya parang inisip ko na rin na hindi na niya napag-aralan pa ang business din ng pamilya niya. But I think my husband's also good at multitasking... I can't help it but to smile.

"So you were studying back then while also pursuing your career in showbiz?"

"Yes."

We ask each other questions sometimes, too. Mga tugkol lang din naman sa amin. Para mas makilala pa namin ang isa't isa. And I'm glad that we can learn more about each other, about what we like and our favorites, and things like that. Although we've known each other since childhood but that was a long time ago and we also got separated and grew apart sometime...

"You studied here in Manila..." I said.

"Yes. And I was staying in an apartment while going to school and attending acting workshops..." He said.

Tumango naman ako. "And you were alone?"

"Yes, most of the times. But I got busy with my studies and acting, too, that I eventually forgot that I was living alone here in Manila."

"Didn't you missed your family and home in Iloilo?" I asked him.

"Of course I did. Most of my times staying here, too. Pero umuuwi naman ako minsan. Minsan nga lang talaga and I was also hoping to see you, too... Whenever I come home..." aniya.

Nakatinginan kaming dalawa.

Bahagya ko naman siyang pinangunutan ng noo ko. "I don't remember meeting you a lot when you started coming here in Manila. I don't even see you at all during our teenage years... Kasi nandito ka na noon at nagsisimula na rin sa pag-arte." I said.

Tumango naman si Sancho. "Well, yes..."

Nanatili kaming nakatingin sa isa't isa. Mukhang may sasabihin pa siya pero ngumiti na lang. I just sighed and he started hugging me again.

Our remaining days in Manila were a bliss and short-lived... While Sancho finishes everything before we move back to Iloilo. Nakapagpaalam na rin siya sa fans niya. Marami at iba-iba ang sinasabi ng mga tao and most of it were nasasayangan nga. But Sancho's happy about this decision and I just support him. Nagpaalam na rin maging ako sa Manager din ni Sancho and some staffs and their team. Hindi ko rin sila makakalimutan. And they've given us a good memories while working together sometime when I also used to be Sancho's manager even for a while.

Pagkatapos nga ng lahat ng preparation ay nakabalik na kami ni Sancho ng Iloilo. Masaya din sina Mama at Papa na dito na kami mananatili. And they were equally happy as Sancho and I when they learned that we're now expecting a baby.

"Congratulations, hija! I'm so happy for you!" Mama couldn't stop her excitement.

Ngumiti na lang ako. At excited din ako sa bago kong journey as mother-to-be...

"Congrats, hija. And, hijo!" si Papa naman na binati rin kami ni Sancho.

My parents were just so happy na magkakaapo na rin sila.

Sancho and I went to our mansion para ibalita ito sa Mama at Papa ko. At ang sunod naman naming pupuntahan ay ang pamilya naman niya... I remember his mother who doesn't seem to like me...

I sighed.

"Are you all right?" Sancho noticed my sighing inside the car. Nagmamaneho na kasi siya ngayon patungo sa mansyon naman ng mga Llamanzares.

"I'm all right, Sancho." I gave my husband a reassuring smile. For not to worry him anymore.

And then after minutes of driving we reached their mansion... And his family were also already expecting us to come today. Kaya naman nakita ko na rin agad ang Mama at Papa ni Sancho pati na rin si Ynes nang lumabas ako ng sasakyan nang dumating na kami sa kanila...