Chapter 23

I will become a father!

When that thought always came into my mind, I still couldn't believe it. There were a lot of things I was scared of, but somehow those excite me, too. I know what my wife's going through and I won't think less of it. 

What's weird is that she has a lot of cravings at midnight. Aalugin na lang niya ako sa pagkakatulog ko at saka niya ako bubulungan ng gusto niyang kaining pagkain. In the first few weeks, she was asking me for sweets. Sometimes I would pack up our pantry with different kinds of sweets—from pastries to chocolates. I thought her cravings would only go by far that, but the next time I knew she was asking for sour foods.

I was in great despair at that moment. Saan ba ako maghahanap ng maasim na pagkain? Hindi naman ako makakalabas para bumili ng pagkain dahil madaling araw na. I even asked her before going to bed kung anong gusto niya, pero wala raw. I thought I would be sleeping well, but I guess this was part of the journey. I don't like experiencing less of it thus I enjoyed giving everything for her and make her the happiest pregnant in the world.

Some other days, she got mad at me for no reason. I even had to look online if it was part of pregnancy or if she just hated seeing me around. I felt a bit of relief upon reading those articles online.

Kapag nasa shop naman kaming dalawa, hindi niya pinalagpas ang pagkain niya sa favorite niyang blueberry cheesecake. My father even gave her a whole cake to satisfy her cravings. Nang iuwi naman niya sa bahay 'yon at hindi pa nga niya nakakalahati at naghahanap na ng ibang pagkain. I was already out of options to do. 

All those things I've been doing during my wife's pregnancy were questionable. I would do everything for her and I wouldn't miss a single chance to do what she deserves in this world. After all, I wasn't doing this for her, but for our baby who will be coming in a few weeks.

I couldn't wait to see my baby boy Limer.

My wife and I attended some activities where we met some pregnant couples as well. We did everything we could to make this moment special for both of us. Synestine joined a rental yoga glass which she said doesn't want to continue after going to her first class because she thought she won't be able to do it again, but I insisted on her doing it and so she tried and persisted. 

Eventually, every time her yoga glass ended, she would want to do it again once she would be okay after giving birth. I supported her for whatever she was planning.

All those times, I was working in a nine-to-five corporate job. It was hard for me to do it since I thought I should be with my family. I kept checking on her while I was at work just to make sure everything was going well for her at our house. I thought of quitting my job so I could look after her, but she said I didn't have to do it dahil kaya naman niya ang sarili niya. I was only worried for her.

One day, she called me frantically and I knew at that moment, I had to come home quickly.

"Calm down, babe. . . We're almost there. . ." I told my wife while I was driving the car to the hospital. "Just take a deep breath. . . We'll get there soon. . ."

Hindi na ako mapakali dahil anytime now ay pwedeng manganak na si Synestine. I don't want anything bad happen to her kaya naman binilisan ko ang pagmamaneho. I was trying to be more careful dahil basa ang kalsada dahil sa ulan kaninang umaga. Nabalita pa sa TV na may magkasunod na bagyong papasok sa bansa. I knew I just had to bring my wife safely to the hospital and I can finally breathe fine.

As soon as we reached the hospital, I quickly called for help from the nurses. They quickly attended to us and put my wife in a wheelchair. Agad naman nilang idinala ang asawa ko sa labor room kung saan manganganak ang asawa ko. Kanila namang tinulungan ito at ipunwesto sa hospital bed. I was pulled aside by a nurse to fill up a form and all the other applications I needed for my wife's childbirth procedure. Once I was done working on it, they let me go inside the labor room and stood next to my wife's bed while she was calling every saint and pushing our baby out.

I held her hand so tightly and her grip was so strong I could cry easily, but I remained strong and helped her get through it. When the doctor wanted me to see the head of the child from my wife's opening, I almost threw up so I had to look away.

Itinuon ko na lamang ang atensyon ko sa asawa ko at patuloy kong binibigyan ng words of encouragement upang malagpasan ang pagsubok na 'to. She was breathing so heavily and deeply. When she screamed out loud upon the doctor's advice to do one big push for the baby to come out, the room filled with her scream and later on was replaced by the voice of a crying baby.

Naghahabol ng hininga si Synestine matapos mailabas ang bata mula sa sinapupunan niya. I kissed my wife on her forehead.

"You did great, love. . . I'm so proud of you. . ."

"Did I?" she muttered, still breathing deeply.

I nodded to her, but after a second, I noticed something was going on. Nag-flat line si Synestine at mabilis na inaksyunan ng mga doctor ang pag-revive sa kanya. They asked me to step out of the labor room for now and they will give me an update once they handle it. Ayoko pa sanang lumabas dahil ng kwarto at gusto kong makita ang kalagayan ng asawa ko.

As I stood outside the labor room, I was praying hard for her safety. I knew the doctors would do everything for them to save my wife. I couldn't lose her now. I don't want this to be the end of our journey. We just had our son and she has been waiting for him to come out in this world and take care of him. We were waiting for this moment to come and this shouldn't be how it all ends.

While I was waiting, I called my parents and my wife's family. When I told them that Synestine had just given birth to our baby, their excitement quickly changed when I told them that they were trying to revive her after giving birth. They told us they would come as soon as possible, especially, for my wife's parent.

Hindi ako mapakali. Kung ano-anong bagay ang pumapasok sa isipan ko at napupuno ng takot ang dibdib ko. I never thought this would happen, but I know my wife. She will get through this. She was waiting for this day to come. She has been working in our baby's daycare room. She has planned a lot of things for our baby and our future. She can't give it all up now. This is the life she wanted and for sure, she wouldn't want to miss witnessing them all.

Please, my love. . . You can do this!

After fifteen minutes, the doctor came out of the labor room looking for me to give me the news I had been waiting for. When the doctor told me that my wife was now back in good condition, I felt so much relief in my chest. Para ba akong nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib ko. Sabik na sabik naman akong makita siya, pero sinabihan nila ako na maghintay na lang muna dahil sa ngayon ay nagpapahinga na siya. They will be transferring her to a private room along with our new born son.

Later on, when our parents arrived, they quickly asked for an update about Synestine. Nakahinga rin sila nang sinabi ko sa kanila na nasa maayos na muli ang kondisyon ng asawa ko. My wife's parents were so relieved by it. Hindi napigilan ng mama niya ang umiyak dahil sa posibleng masamang mangyari.

Nang dumating ang oras na pwede na namin makita muli si Synestine ay sabay-sabay na kaming tumungo sa kwarto nito. I quickly went into my wife and hugged her so tightly. I didn't tell her what happened as it seemed she wasn't aware yet, but I wouldn't speak about it now. When she saw her parents, she was so excited. They were proud of her that she was strong and brave enough to give birth to our first baby.

After a while, a nurse came knocking on the door pushing a baby bassinet. Our eyes were on it. Inihinto ng nurse ang bassinet sa tabi ng kama ng asawa ko at saka dahan-dahan nitong binuhat ang baby at ipinatong sa dibdib ng asawa ko. Watching both of the very important people in my life didn't help me, but cried. There was so much happiness in my chest that I couldn't stop crying.

When my wife wanted me to carry our baby, I was scared as I might drop the baby I was too emotional at the moment, but they told me to do it. The nurse helped us transfer the baby from my wife to my arms. He was so small and cute. I continued crying and before anything I could do wrong, I decided to put the baby down on the bassinet and he started crying.

At that moment, I knew my life would be so complete. I couldn't ask for more.

"Welcome to your life, Limer de Amos," my wife said. "I love you. . ." and she looked up to me uttering those words as well.

I planted a kiss on her forehead, 

Everything happened so fast and a new journey awaits us. From being a college lovers, to husband and wife, and now entering the role of a new parent, we're on a roll here, but I can't wait to make every moment special for her and our baby.

They are my life and I don't know how I can live without them.