Aqueela's POV:

"Hi, Aqueels!" Bells' cheerful voice rings through the speaker. "It's been so long since you called! How has it been, bestie?"

I smile unknowingly to myself. I've missed Bells so much. Her high-spirited energy is contagious, even through the computer. Her beautiful smile and presence never fails to brighten my day, even if the video calling quality is poor. I wonder to myself, how come I have not called her in so long? I open my mouth, replying, "It's been--"

"Honey, who are you calling?" I hear a faint voice in the background, too muffled to recognise it. His figure may not be shown on the screen yet, but who else would be calling Bells 'Honey' other than Max?

"Sorry, Aqueels," Bella mutters back quickly, "But let me pause--"

"Aqueela!!" A scream blasts through the phone, making me pull it away from my ear abruptly. A familiar face appears on the screen. "Aqueela, it's me!"

"Hi Max!" I laugh, waving at my computer.

"How you doing, you looney-tune?" Max uses the old nickname on me. It never grows old.

"Don't call me looney-tune, you goofball." I retort back playfully.

"I was talking to Aqueela first!" Bells hisses at Max, and a hand snatches the phone back. The phone turns around, and I can see Bella's living room upside-down. Out of the blue, a toddler waddles across the room like a bat across the ceiling. The toddler sees my face, and toddles towards the phone. Pointing at me, he asks, "Mommy, who's that?"

I instantly realize who he is. "Rhys! Is that you!" My mood lifts immediately and I grin widely. "Do you remember your Aunty Aqueela--"

"Then she started talking to me next!" Max argues, grabbing the phone. Half of his thumb covers the screen, and the next thing I see is a fuming Bells.

"Guys, I'm still here!" I reminded, raising my voice over the noise the couple were making.

"Shut up Aqueela!" Bella and Max yell simultaneously at the screen. "We're having a civilised debate here where you are not involved in. Let us quarrel peacefully without your opinion." Max adds.

I fake a gasp and place a hand over my heart where Max painfully burned a hole through. "I feel hurt to be left out." I weep dramatically. I should have taken acting as a career, but I still love my photographing career more anyway. I watch as Max and Bella bicker, the phone constantly being tossed around. At one point, I see a tall figure parade into the room, "Why are you two-- Oh hey, Squirt!"

"Troy Story!" I squeal.

"Bells, gimme that phone so I can talk to her," Max reaches out his hand and grabs the phone hastily.

"Nuh-uh!" Bells quickly slaps the phone out of his hands. However, I think her thumb accidentally pressed the 'End Call' button, so the last thing I saw was the phone plummeting into a flowerpot and me landing in the dirt before the screen turned blank.

These three never change.

Abandoning my plan to speak to Bella, I dialled in another number and pressed video call. Hopefully she will have some answers.

"Hi, an AJ Hamilton speaking."

"Hi AJ, it's me." I wave at the screen, grinning. AJ had a pair of wide-framed spectacles balanced on her nose, and she was wearing a white, formal blouse. A few blonde strands of hair hung loosely from her ponytail. "Did you dye your hair, AJ?"

"Yup," she replies, popping the p. "Do you like it?" She twirls a lock around her finger.

"It looks great, AJ," I comment. "Though I still think you're better looking with brown hair. Does Benley approve?"

"Nah," AJ answers casually. "I only dyed my hair to piss him off. He's furious. But after the blonde hair grows out, I'm sticking to my own hair. Anyway, how are you and Jay?"

The smile I've been holding since I've called her fades.

"Aqueela, you won't understand." Jay groans, his hand lifting up to his hair. Frustrated, he rakes one hand through it and turns away from me.

"Then explain!" I demand, blinking back tears that threaten to fall.

"This for both of us, okay?" Jay is on the verge of screaming at me.

"Two years ago, you promised you wouldn't leave," I argue. "Look at you. Look at you now! You're leaving. You're leaving for your stupid career again, huh?

"You never changed from being the ruthless racer you are. I trusted you, Jay Taylor, that you would change your ways for us. I let you continue to race because I love you. And the same thing is happening again. Leaving for where? Taiwan this time!"

"I'll only be gone for two weeks!" Jay emphasises.

"What if your plane crashes again?" For real, this time?" I step towards him. Accidentally, I trip over my own foot and plummet towards the floor, but Jay steps up catches me swiftly before I hit.

"Aqueela, sit down. Please. I don't want you nor our child to get hurt."

I nod weakly, limping towards the couch with my palm on my stomach. I plop myself heavily down on the flamingo-pink-sprayed couch.

Jay sits beside me. His hand finds mine and I let his fingers entwine with my own. "I don't want to go, Aqueela." He admits quietly.

"What if you won't be in time for when our baby is born?" I rest my head on his shoulder, the tension slowly dissolving into anxiety between us.

"I will," Jay promises. "Aqueela, I will be back in time to see our child." His other hand caresses my hair, his slow breathing a comforting sound.

"I promise you, Aqueela," he swallows as if it's just as difficult for him, "If I could stay, I would." He concludes in determination, "You know I would."

"I don't know," I admit to AJ. "He isn't back from his trip yet. I don't know when will he be back. I'm almost a full 40 weeks and I haven't got any message back for a five days. I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of..." I don't dare to finish that sentence. "Hey, look at the time!" I turned my wrist to look at my non-existent watch. "I have to go now. Bye AJ." I hanged up before she could say another sentence.

Where are you, Jay?

*~*~*~**~*~*~*

Cheese.

I scan the shelves of the supermarket for the packet of dairy I'm looking for. It's one of the pregnancy cravings I have for my cheese-egg-jelly sandwich. Ever since Grams heard about my pregnancy, the second thing she did was to cook her inedible scrambled potato-and-chocolate mixture. I thought that I would never see the day I would say that her cooking was delicious.

(The first thing she did, if anyone is wondering, was to confront and scold Jay for getting her granddaughter pregnant.)

My eyes land on the different packets of cheese, and my mind has an internal battle on whether I should buy the cheddar or swiss cheese. Cheddar pulls through and I toss two packets in, satisfied.

Now the jelly.

I can still remember the fateful day, clear as glass. It was how Jay gave up his career for me, and of course, it was the day he finally proposed to me.

"Because if I'm not with you, I might as well not be breathing. I don't want a life that doesn't feature you. I need you more than anybody else does. I want you more than anybody else."

It surprises me that I'm able to remember the exact words he recited to me. I memorized it better than any other notes I had to study for a test. Somehow, it seems as if Jay didn't remember this.

He told me that he chose me over his career. He told me that he was willing to work for me. He told me that he meant it.

He told me that he loved me.

He may only be gone for two weeks, but the more time passed, he more anxious I felt about him not being beside me. What if he wasn't present during the birth of our child?

Our first child.

I snap out of my thoughts when I find the jelly section sitting there in its glorious form. Everything else disappears as I approach my favorite brand of jelly. Now, should I choose the usually mango jelly, or try the new grape jelly?

My eyes fall on the bubblegum flavors. I turn my nose up at them. Astonishingly, I started hating bubblegum flavor after I got pregnant. I forced myself to get used to bubblegum, because I can't just abandon my favorite flavor. However, after puking my guts out half an hour later, Jay demanded me to not try anymore bubblegum, until the end of my pregnancy.

Then, I stop in my tracks when I see someone whom I least expected to be here.

Zac.

After my wedding, we lost all contact of each other. It was depressing, and I thought that we would never find each other again. The longer it had been without seeing each other, the mroe awkward it became between us.

I backed away as quickly as possible, pretending to head towards the checkout, but Zac must have spotted me already, because I hear my name being called, "Aqueela?"

Shit.

I turn a 180, swallowing down my saliva, and stand tall. "Hey, Zac. It's been long."

Zac stands stiffly in front of me. He looks the same, but different at the same time. His chin has a beard dotting on it, his hair grown a little more, and his eyes look more lively than it had been, not the boyish mischief, but genuine happiness.

"How long? Um, one, two, years?" Zac asks uneasily, trying to ease a little of the tension in the air.

"About there," I cough.

Zac's eyes avert to my extended stomach. "You're looking great. Is that... Jay's?"

I smile, "Yup,"

He grins back sincerely. "Of course, who else? You two were practically the golden couple."

I laugh lightheartedly. "And you? How are you settling down now?"

"I proposed to my fiance a month ago," Zac tells me.

"I wonder who's the unlucky girl," I muse, the tension already dissolving. "It's Mia, right?"

"Yes," Zac smiles.

"No wonder you're this happy," I say.

"It's like the old times," Zac replies.

"Those were the days, weren't they?" I sigh, nostalgic.

Both of us stay silent for a while, letting the memories wash back like waves on the sand. Zac inhales and starts, "I've missed you, Aqueela,"

I let out a breath of air, a firm grin plastered on my face. "I've missed you too, old friend."

All of a sudden I feel a wave of pain flood over myself, and I can hear the sound of water splashing onto the pristine white tiles of the supermarket floor. I frown, confused by the sound that came from beneath me. I look down, but another shock of pain causes me to drop the shopping basket and my knees to buckle. I fall onto the shelves that hold the food, and use it to hold myself up.

I'm going into labor.

"Aqueela, what's happening?" Zac asks cluelessly. "Hold in your pee, we're in a supermarket for God's sake!"

"I'm going into labor, you idiot!" I shout at him, wincing a little.

"Oh!" Zac's eyes widen in shock and horror. "Um, what do I do?"

"Call a freakin' ambulance! For the love of cheese, Zac!"

"I'm sorry!!" Zac shrieks back. "I'm not a woman, how do you want me to react to this situation?" His hands fumble with his phone as he dials for the ambulance. A crowd of people starts to gather around me, whispering comments. A middle-aged lady steps forward and takes my hand, calmly telling me to breathe. In, out, in, out, in, out. Two more people hold me up to support me. I can't hear anything. The chattering of the crowd has turned into incoherent murmurs, like I'm underwater.

Hurry up, Zac.

"Aqueela," Zac pushes through the crowd, panicking. "Ambulance on the way. Hang in there."

I close my eyes for a second, trying to think. Where is Jay? Jay, Jay, where are you? I'm going into labor here, Jay. I need you. I need you right now. Jay, why did you go off on your trip? Why haven't I heard from you yet, Jay? Jay, come here quick. Please.

My train of thoughts are lost when I feel myself being lifted onto a stretcher. The faint image of Zac hovers above me, his face white with worry.

Beside him, Jay is smiling back down on me. His twinkling eyes are reassuring, calming. His mouth moves in a speaking manner, but I can't hear anything. I focus my vision on him, but he's gone. It's just an illusion of him.

"Jay," I mutter weakly. "Call Jay. Please."

"Okay, okay, I'll call him." Zac stutters again, following me into the ambulance. I'm lifted into a tiny white room with nurses, all giving commands to stand by. They tell me to relax. I squeeze my eyes tightly. Is this how labor is supposed to feel? Having more pain than I can handle? Suddenly, I feel some pity for Bells. I wonder how she handled the pain with four children.

"Don't cry Aqueela. We're almost there." Zac reassures.

"Have you called Jay?" I ask, tears of pain brimming in my eyes. However, the answer isn't one that I expected.

"I sent him a text. He hasn't replied."

"Oh no," This time, it wasn't the pain in my uterus, but the pain in my heart that got me crying.

*~*~*~**~*~*~*

"Is he your husband?" The nurse questions, pointing to Zac. Zac makes a disgusted face at me.

"Just a friend," I told her.

"Okay, do you need me to call your husband?"

I bit my lip. What if I still had a chance to for Jay to come? "Sure," I say between heavy breaths.

However, just as the nurse is about leave with Zac behind her, the door bursts open.

I have never been so happy to see those bubblegum blue eyes.

"Hey BroJay!" Zac greets Jay cheerfully.

Zac gets ignored when Jay rushes over to me. "Aqueela, I'm so, so sorry--"

"Shove it up your ass and save it for later," I snarl, surprised by my own mood swings. "And please hold my hand because this is gonna hurt a lot."

Zac is ushered out of the room and the nurses take over. I cling onto Jay's hand as the nurses tell me soothingly, "Okay, honey, your dilation is at 6. Ready... push!"

Jay's POV:

Aqueela may already have a packed punch in her genes, but that is nothing compared to the iron-like grip she has on me. Her eyes are clenched tight and I see beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. My hand is as white as a ghost's and I swear I could hear my bones cracking. She's trying hard not to scream out loud but I know she's terribly in pain. She looks exhausted.

"You're doing great, sweetheart," I encourage, grabbing a tissue from the nearby table stand and wiping it across her sweaty forehead. "Aqueela, even though it doesn't matter, who would you want the baby to be? A boy or a girl?" I asked as a form of distraction. Only then I realised that we hadn't gone for any ultrasound scans during her pregnancy. Aqueela told me that she wanted to have a surprise, even though I wanted to know the baby's gender more than not knowing it.

Aqueela smiles at me. It is odd, how she looks more exhausted than I've ever seen yet look so beautiful. "A boy, perhaps," she says.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want him to endure this kind of pain. But if we have a girl, I'll still love her equally, no matter what."

"So what if it's a girl?" I ask, trying to draw her attention.

"Then you have to help me protect her," Aqueela tells me in a 'duh' tone.

"I'll protect our child, no matter what," I assure her.

"You really promise?" Aqueela asks, looking at me. I feel my heart plunge forward, like how it always does when our eyes meet.

"Of course I promise." the corners of my mouth lift up in a smile.

"Almost out!" The doctor announces. Aqueela gives one final heaving shriek, and the doctor's hands are carrying a living, breathing, crying child. Our child. The high-pitched wailing is a melodious and victorious sound to my ears. Aqueela finally made it.

"Congratulations," the doctor grins. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Aqueela is beaming from ear to ear. "It's a girl," she whispers, ecstatic. "Can... can I hold her?"

The doctor passes our baby over into Aqueela's arms. Somehow, she carries her with ease, expertly holding it while she looks at her with bliss and adoration.

Huh, she never looks at me like that.

"She's beautiful," Aqueela whispers, now tears of joy running down her cheeks.

Our baby is like a beautiful, gentle angel, delicate and vulnerable to the world. Joy floods over me and I find myself smiling broadly. I'm a father.

"How did you get here so quick?" Aqueela questions, not angry anymore but confused. The doctor must have left to get something quickly, so now we had our own privacy to talk.

I run my hand through my hair, sighing, "I was never out of the country, Aqueela."

Aqueela's eyes widen. "What?"

"I'm sorry that I lied to you, Aqueela," I apologized sincerely.

"Jay, why did you do that?" Aqueela says. "Do you know how hard it was for me to be by myself here, to take care of my own self?"

"I'm really sorry, Aqueela," I exhale, burying my head in my hands. "I know I should have put you and our child first before everything, but I didn't realize the side effects of doing this. I just wanted to put together a perfect birthday celebration for you while I was away--"

"Birthday celebration? What are you talking about?" Aqueela's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I was actually preparing in secret for your birthday," I lift my hand up to my neck and scratched it, unaware that I'm doing that.

"My birthday? But that's like three months away, right?" Aqueela asks, unsure of herself. "Wait, when's my birthday? Do I even have a birthday?"

I chuckle. "Yes Klutz, your birthday is in a week,"

"Oh," The truth finally dawned on her.

"You've been working so hard that you don't remember your birthday, Honey," I tell her, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I was so busy with all the plans, inviting our friends and all that--"

Aqueela nudges me gently, laughing softly. Her laugh is as soft as the stars that twinkle in night, beautiful and special. "It doesn't matter. You're here now."

Beaming, I turn my attention to my little girl that Aqueela is craddling. I cautiously stroke the thin strands of hair on her head. The baby makes a light sound that I can't describe, and shifts a little even at that gentle touch.

"Do you want to hold her?" Aqueela tilts her head up at me. I bend down to her level, and she transfers her into my arms. Her hair is soft, thin, and her hands are smooth and tiny. I put my finger up to one of the baby's hands, and her hand curls around it. I don't even know how much more love my heart can take. I'm pretty sure it had already burst from holding in the love I have for my child.

She yawns, her small mouth stretching into the tiniest 'o' shape. Then, I feel this sudden need to protect our child from the world. So delicate like glass, needing to be taken care of and watched over. I have this responsibility of being a father. Is this how it's supposed to feel like?

"I love you, my daughter, and I feel so happy and fortunate to have you. When you grow up, you will still be and forever be my beautiful daughter, no matter what. Your mom and I are so proud of you."

Aqueela and I are starting a brand new chapter in our lives--parenthood. We know that parenthood would have many ups and downs, bumps and rocky roads, it requires love and dedication, it will have many challenges, but I believe that the both of us can conquer it together, and be the best parents together to our child.

"So," I grin at Aqueela, "What should we name our child?"