Chapter 25

Together

"Are you sure ayaw mo nang umuwi sa inyo? Mag-aalala sa 'yo ang Mommy mo... At least I'll talk to her."

Bumaling ako kay Kalyx.

We still have to face my Mom and his Dad, but Kalyx and I would face our problems together now...

"We will, Kalyx... But I want to rest for now." I said.

Agad naman siyang nag-alala para sa akin. "Are you okay? Are you not feeling well?"

Umiling naman ako sa kaniya at ngumiti. "No. I'm fine, Kalyx. I just want to rest for a while."

"Okay. How about food? Are you hungry?"

"Maybe later. Can I go to your room first?"

He immediately nodded. And he brought me to his room. "I will prepare food for later. I'll just order. Is that okay? What do you want?" He asked me.

"Hmm." Nag-isip naman ako sandali ng gusto kong kainin. And then after thinking for a while I told him what I wanted.

Tumango naman si Kalyx pagkatapos. "Okay. For now, you rest first."

I nodded and went to the bed. Humiga ako sa kama at magpapahinga na muna. While Kalyx went out of the room for a while to call and order food.

I'm not alone now. Kalyx is here with me. Ano man ang mangyayari ay kasama ko siya.

While I was resting I was thinking that.

We can be strong alone, but sometimes we become stronger when we have someone...

I also smiled as I think about that I'm here again in his condo. It's been a long time since I last been here. And after everything that had happened to us. I'm happy that I'm here again.

Nakatulog ako na magaan ang loob ko kahit na may mga problema pa na kailangang harapin.

I had a good nap and when I woke up Kalyx was already beside me in his bed. He smiled at me when he saw me opened my eyes. "How are you feeling now?" He gently asked me.

"Good..." marahan kong sagot sa kaniya.

Kalyx smiled and he touched my hair, tucking some loose strands of hair behind my ear. "We're going to be parents, Rina..." He said. "You should have told me that you were pregnant right away as soon as you found out."

Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya na nasa pisngi ko at buhok. "I'm sorry, Kalyx. I didn't know what to do exactly back then..."

"It's all right now. What's important is that you're here with me. And I will take care of you more from now on, Rina." He told me like a promise.

I smiled. And I lay myself closer to him. I inhaled his familiar warm and comforting natural scent while I was faced with his chest. Niyakap din ako ni Kalyx habang nakahiga kami roon kaya mas lalo pa akong naging komportable sa ayos namin.

And after a while, niyaya na ako ni Kalyx at bumangon na kami para kumain. Ininit niya lang ang pagkain na kanina niya pa in-order habang tulog pa ako.

"Rina?"

"Hmm?" I turned to him from the food in front of us on the dining table now.

Kalyx smiled at me. "Do you like the food?"

I nodded and I smiled at him as well. "Yes. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He smiled.

And then I saw him sighing a bit. Nag-angat muli ako ng tingin sa kaniya.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Umiling naman siya sa akin. "Nothing, I'm just thinking about us..."

Nakuha ang atensyon ko sa sinabi niya. "About us..." I repeated what he said.

"It's nothing, Rin. Please continue eating." He said when he noticed that I stopped touching my food.

"What is it, Kalyx?" I still asked him.

Tumingin siya sa akin. "I'm just thinking what will happen... to us."

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa. Kalyx also looked me in the eyes. "Rina, I just want to know your opinion on marrying me..." He asked me.

While my lips parted. Natagalan ako sa pagsagot kaya umiwas ng tingin si Kalyx na para rin bang nahihiya siya. Until-unti naman akong ngumiti at tumango ako sa kaniya. His eyes widened a fraction after he saw me nodding my head.

"Really?"

I nodded my head again. "Yes, Kalyx..." I answered clearly.

He's obviously proposing a marriage to me right now. At mukhang hindi niya lang alam kung paano niya talaga akong tatanungin. And it seems like he's been thinking about this, too. About what or how he will say it to me. At alam kong medyo nahirapan din siyang magtanong. He look a little conflicted.

And then he sighed again. "I'm sorry, Rina. I shouldn't be asking you this casually..." Napailing din siya sa sarili niya. "I will do something better than this. I just want to ask you first... I don't want you uncomfortable..."

Umiling din naman ako sa kaniya at ngumiti. "It's fine, Kalyx."

And then I thought about us while we're talking like this. I'm now pregnant with his child. So it's natural for us to get married... "Kalyx,"

"Yes?"

"Are you marrying me because you got me pregnant..."

His eyes widened again and he immediately shook his head at my question. "Rina... I already told you that I love you... I love you. And I'm committed to you. Now I just want to commit to you more..." He said.

Tumango naman ako at ngumiti na sa kaniya. Pagkatapos ay inabot niya ang kamay ko at hinawakan ito. Then he gave me a reassuring smile.

"I love you too, Kalyx..." I said.

Ngumiti siya. "I love you."

And then we started talking more about us. About our plans for the future. Pareho kami ni Kalyx na kaka-graduate lang sa college. But he said that he would start working for us right away.

"I also want to work..." I said. I want to help him.

He nodded at me. "Of course. If want to I won't be stopping you to also build your career. But, Rina, if I can ask you to please rest for a while you're pregnant..." He said.

Tumango naman ako. "Yes, Kalyx. And I just want to help you."

"I appreciate that. But let me take care of you for now especially that you're still pregnant with our child."

Tumango naman akong muli sa kaniya.

Kalyx also said that he already made some business sa mga kaibigan at kakilala niya. Kaya may sarili na rin siyang pera niya.

"Since when did you start?" I asked him about his investments.

He looked at me like he's a little bit shy. "Uh, since I was already getting serious with us..." He said.

At umawang naman ang labi ko.

He shook his head. "Ayaw ko naman na umasa na lang ako kay Daddy. Especially if I want you in my life..."

Napangiti na ako sa sinabi niya. At ngumiti rin sa akin si Kalyx pagkatapos.

I remember and I can see that he's started working hard for his studies back then and his life since we started with our relationship... kahit pa wala pa rin kaming linaw noon. But I definitely saw that something changed in him while we're together. Naging seryoso na rin siya sa buhay niya at hindi na nagpabaya na lang.

"And, Kalyx, about our parents..." I said after a while.

Tumango siya sa sinabi ko. "I already called my Dad about that. We can go to him to ask him about it, Rina."

I nodded. I also wanted to talk to his Dad...

"You see, since my Mom died... Lumayo na ang loob ko kay Daddy. Especially when he remarried..." He sighed a bit after saying it.

"It's okay, Kalyx... I'm sorry..."

Tumingin naman siya sa akin at umiling. "No. I was actually mad at him, like usual, when I talked to him over the phone earlier. I don't think I could forgive him if he's involved with your accident..."

Umiling din ako sa kaniya. "No, Kalyx. The case was already closed years ago. I also talked to my sister about it... And I think it's just my Mom who's still pushing it... Naghahanap pa rin siya ng masisisi sa nangyari noon kay Daddy..." I said.

And so after that, Kalyx and I, we went to his Dad's house together to talk to him about the accident years ago...