Tanya's POV

"Ang sarap ng kain mo, ah." Nakangiting sabi ni Edna habang nakasalong-baba sa mesa at nakatitig sa akin. She invited me over to her house. Nilabas ni George si Therese at ako lang naman mag-isa sa bahay kaya um-oo na ako. Gusto ko rin naman makita ang kaibigan ko at ayaw ko na magmukmok sa bahay. I hadn't been myself since the last conversation I had with Wayne.

Nakilala ko ang two-year-old na baby nila ni Luis na ngayon ay nanonood ng tv kasama ang Nanay ni Edna sa living room.

"Oo nga eh. Ang sarap kasi nitong daing."

Her brows shot up. "Halata ngang sarap na sarap ka diyan. Pero, friend, dapat sinabi mo sa akin na tiyan lang pala ng isda ang gusto mo. Nakadalawang daing ka na, yung tiyan lang kinakain mo."

I chuckled quietly. "Nako, pasensya ka na. Ngayon lang ulit ako ginanahan kumain."

"Okay lang, 'no! Kung gusto mo ipagluluto pa kita."

"Huwag na. Okay na ako dito." I smiled. "Hindi ko nga maintindihan ang nangyayari sa akin. Ilang araw na akong walang gana kumain, hindi naman sa ayoko, talagang nag-iba yung panlasa ko. Tapos palagi akong nahihilo. Nagiging antukin din ako."

"Alam na ba ni Wayne yan?" She gave me a meaningful look.

"Ang alin?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. Just hearing his name felt like heavy weight on my chest.

"Ito naman, friend! Surprise ba yan? Dapat si Wayne ba ang unang makaalam?"

"Huh? Hindi kita maintindihan..."

"Para naman first time mo lang magbuntis, eh may baby Therese na nga kayo. Yan na yung signs oh! Obvious na obvious." She chuckled. "For sure, matutuwa niyan ang mag-ama mo!"

I paused and placed a hand on my stomach. Akala ko stress lang ako dahil sa nangyayari sa amin ni Wayne. It never crossed my mind but just the possiblity of having Wayne's baby growing inside me made my heart flutter with joy. Hindi naman malabong mangyari iyon dahil mahigit dalawang buwan din kami nagsama.

"B—buntis ako?"

She smiled. "Ang maganda niyan magpa-check up ka sa doktor para masiguro mo. Teka, kailan ka ba huling nagkaron?"

Bigla rin sumagi sa isip ko na hindi pa ako dinadatnan simula nang bumalik kami sa Pilipinas. Masyadong maraming nangyari sa loob ng maikling panahon na nawala na iyon sa isip ko. "Magdadalawang buwan na..."

"Congrats! Magiging ate na si Therese." Masayang sabi ni Edna.

On my way home, I stopped by a store and bought a pregnancy test kit. I read the instructions and followed it. Kumakabog ang dibdib ko habang hinihintay ang resulta. That was the most nerve-wrecking wait I had ever experienced. I checked the stick and my heart raced a little more when I saw a red line and a faint pink one next to it.

It had two lines.

I was pregnant with Wayne's child. Hinaplos ko ang tiyan ko. I smiled as tears blinded my eyes. I felt nothing but immense happiness knowing that I had growing in me our fruit of love.

I suddenly felt a gaping hole in my chest when I thought of Wayne. Despite feeling happy, I felt still felt empty. I just wished he was here with me now so I could share this moment with him.

Kung sakaling nandito nga siya sa tabi ko ano kaya ang magiging reaksyon niya? Would he be as happy as I was?

This baby came at the most unexpected time, when I was finally ready to set him free. Now we'd be forever connected by this tiny life inside me and our child would always be a beautiful reminder of the love we shared together. Dahil sa batang dinadala ko muling nabuhayan ng loob ang puso ko.

I smiled a bitter smile as I thought of the plans we had together. We planned to have five children. A small house with a big garden and a treehouse for the kids. Huli na ba talaga ang lahat para maisakatuparan namin ang mga pangarap na binuo namin?

Nakikipagkuwentuhan si George kay Therese habang nag-aalmusal kami. I had been feeling a little faint the moment I woke up. Pinilit ko lang tumayo sa kama kanina dahil ipaghahanda ko pa sila ng almusal at aayusan ko pa si Therese dahil papasok ito. I just felt so nauseated.

Bigla akong napatayo mula sa mesa ng maramdaman kong parang tataob ang sikmura ko. I hurriedly ran to the kitchen sink when I felt something coming up from my stomach. I prepared myself but nothing came up. I just dry heaved as my stomach painfully constricted.

"Tanya, what is happening to you?" Lumapit si George at inabutan ako ng isang basong tubig.

"Thank you." I took the glass from his hand and gulped it down.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Therese asked, concern in her voice.

I smiled. "Okay lang ako. Tapusin mo na yang kinakain mo para mahatid na kita sa school."

"Okay..."

"Tanya..." George looked at me with worry on his face. Inipit niya sa likod ng tainga ko ang ilang hibla ng buhok ko na nakatabing sa mukha ko. "You need to take care of yourself."

"Huwag mo akong alalahanin." I gave him a reassuring smile.

"You can't tell me not to worry about you. Look at you, you look pale and sick. I cannot stand seeing you like this."

"Wala 'to. Maybe I'm just a bit stressed out." Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ipaliliwanag kay George ang lahat. Ang tungkol sa amin ni Wayne at ngayon naman ang pagbubuntis ko. I wanted Wayne to be the first to know that I was pregnant with his child. Higit sa kanino man siya ang may karapatan na malaman ito.

"Therese, are you done with your breakfast?" Lumapit ako sa mesa para makaiwas kay George.

"Almost." She answered.

"Okay. Dalian mo na baka malate ka na naman."

I took Therese to her school after she was done with her breakfast. Umuwi din ako agad sa bahay pagkahatid ko sa kanya. Getting out of the house and taking a breath of fresh air made me feel a little better. While I was driving home from Therese's school, I got a chance to think things through.

Wala naman akong balak itago ang anak namin kay Wayne. I didn't care whatever the outcome would be. Mamahalin ko pa rin ito dahil ito ang bunga at patunay ng pagmamahalan namin. Whatever happens, our love will live on through this child.

"Tanya." George was sitting on the armchair in the living room when I walked in.

"Have you taken your medicine?" I asked.

"Can you come and sit with me?" He quietly asked.

Lumapit ako at umupo sa couch sa tabi niya.

He took my hand in his. "Tanya, sweetheart, is there something you want to tell me?"

I shook my head. "Please, George... I don't want you to worry about me. Masama sa'yo ang masyadong nag-aalala."

"Is it Wayne's?" He gently asked.

I swallowed. "A—ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?"

"The baby... is it his?" He asked again and sighed. "You don't need to hide anything from me, Tanya. Therese found a positive pregnancy test in your bathroom, she brought it to me and asked what it was. I also knew he's been living here with you and Therese while I was in Belgium."

I bit my bottom lip. "S—sabihin ko rin naman sa'yo ang tungkol sa amin... I'm sorry."

"Oh sweetheart, don't be sorry. I just don't want you to be too scared to tell me something." He said with a smile.

"Ayaw ko lang naman na mabigla ka. Ayaw kong bumalik ka na may ibang lalaki na nakatira dito. Ayaw ko din isipin mo na may ipinalit ako sa pwesto mo bilang ama ni Therese kasi hindi totoo iyon. You need me and Therese now more than ever at gusto kong malaman mong hindi kami mawawala sa tabi mo." My voice shook with tears as I took his hands in mine and squeezed it.

"Why do you always put others first before yourself?" He sighed and shook his head. "I don't want you to sacrifice your happiness for other people, even for me and Therese. You need to realize that you deserve to be happy too."

"You've done so much for me, George. Sa ganitong paraan lang ako makakabawi sa lahat ng nagawa mo sa akin."

"Darling, you don't owe me anything. I gave you what should've been truly yours from the start. If anything, I'm the one who owes you. I'm trying to make up for the times I wasn't by your side while you were growing up but I'm still falling short. You've always been kind and understanding. The world doesn't deserve your heart. " He looked at me with tears forming in the corners of his eyes and then he bent down to kiss my hand. "There is nothing more I want than for you to be happy. You know I've always prayed that you'd find the right man for you. That someday I'd be walking you down the aisle and it would be one of the proudest days of my life. Please, make that happen, Tanya."

"George..." Tears flowed heavily down my cheek.

"Do me a favor. Give Therese and the baby the family they both deserve. The family I never got to give the both of you. I have not a single doubt that Wayne would be a good father to them. After all, Wayne's blood is still running through Therese's veins."

The last sentence he said made me pause. It took a while for me to process what he said. "A-ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?