A Few years later.....
"Honey! Evan!" Hera called out to her husband and son, who were watching television together in the living room while munching on snacks.
"Yes, sweetheart, come sit next to me," Max replied, pulling his wife to sit beside him and their child.
Hera accepted her husband’s hand and sat between them slowly. Evan, seeing his mother settled, gently stroked her belly.
"Is the baby okay, Mama?" Evan asked, looking up at her mother smooth face.
"The baby is just fine, big brother Evan," Hera replied, mimicking a child's voice for her son.
Hearing this, both Evan and Max smiled and continued to caress Hera's now prominent belly.
flashback six months ago.....
Hera was sitting and watching television in their bedroom. It just so happened that she was home alone that day since Max had gone to work and their son had already left for school, as Evan had just turned five.
While watching TV, an advertisement for menstrual pads appeared on the screen. Hera initially watched it without much thought, but then she suddenly remembered that she hadn’t had her period in almost two months. Recently, she also found herself craving the soup dishes sold in front of her husband’s office. So, almost every day when Max returned from work, he would order that food for her.
Recalling these oddities about herself, Hera got off the bed and walked to the bathroom. Since it was still morning, she looked for the tool she needed to answer her question. She picked up the pregnancy test and read the instructions on the package to ensure she understood correctly.
Hera collected her urine in a clean container and then placed the end of the test pack there. After that, she waited a few minutes for the results. While waiting, she whispered a prayer for the best outcome.
When the waiting time was up, she checked the result on the pregnancy test. Two lines! That meant a positive result. Hera felt her body tremble with mixed emotions as she looked at the outcome alone.
"I’m p...pregnant?" Hera murmured softly, still in shock.
"I should try again," she said to herself.
Feeling uncertain about her first test, Hera took another test to double-check the results.
And there were two lines again!
"I’m pregnant... I really am pregnant... yes... thank you, God... I’ll ask Max to check this with the doctor later," Hera said to herself.
Feeling overjoyed, she took both pregnancy tests back to their bedroom. For a few minutes, Hera just spent time staring at the results, as if afraid the lines would change to one line if she looked away.
It was now 3 PM, and Max would be home soon with their son, Evan. While waiting for them to arrive, Hera went to freshen up so she would look more radiant and beautiful in front of her husband and son. After showering and applying her skincare, she went downstairs to await their return.
Hera sat on the sofa, holding the pregnancy test with trembling hands. Max and Evan entered the living room, noticing Hera's hopeful expression.
"What's wrong, sweety? Why do you look tense?" Max asked, gently kissing his wife's forehead with love.
Hera felt her heart race and intertwined her fingers with his while allowing Evan to do the same. Evan hugged his mother, missing her, and after he was satisfied, the little boy walked to the sofa to sit.
"I have something to show you, honey," Hera said, her voice trembling as she fought back tears of joy. She then showed the pregnancy test to her husband.
"Look at this, honey. I’m pregnant again!" Hera announced to her handsome husband, who was wearing a white shirt and had a black jacket draped over his left arm.
Max leaned closer and took the test from his beloved wife. "Seriously? This is amazing! We're going to have another child! I can’t wait for the birth to fill our home with more children," Max exclaimed enthusiastically. Unable to contain his happiness, he embraced Hera tightly while still being mindful of the baby in her belly.
"I’m so happy, sweety, thank you! Are you happy too?" Max asked again, kissing her all over her face.
Hera replied, "Of course, I’m very happy, but I’m also a little worried. How will we divide our attention between the first and second child?"
Max smiled reassuringly. "We’ll be just fine. We’ve been through a lot together. This will only add to our happiness."
"Yes... we will go through this together with joy and happiness just like before," Hera responded, returning her husband’s embrace.
Evan, curious about his parents hugging, approached them.
"What does pregnant mean, Mama?" he asked innocently.
Upon hearing the question, they immediately released their embrace. Hera squatted to be at eye level with her son and explained what he wanted to know.
"Being pregnant means Mama is carrying baby Evan in her belly. Do you want to have a sibling?" she asked gently so that her son would understand.
"A sibling? Oh yes! I want a baby sister, Mama! Can I?" Evan asked sweetly, trying to persuade his mother.
Hera and Max exchanged confused looks at their child's request. Hera glanced at Max, suggesting that he should explain this to their son.
Max picked up Evan and sat him on the sofa. He cradled his handsome son and explained that what Evan wanted was something they couldn’t decide.
"Hmmm... Evan, regarding the gender of the baby, Mama and Papa can’t determine that because only God has the right to decide. So if the baby is a boy and not a girl like you hope, will you hate your baby sibling?" Max asked softly, gently stroking his son's hair.
"Evan doesn’t mind if the baby is a boy, but if possible, Evan will ask God to give him a baby sister," the boy replied, smiling happily.
His parents felt delighted to hear their child’s response because it didn’t overly concern them. However, they were puzzled by Evan’s last answer.
"How will you ask God... hmm?" Hera asked, curious about her child’s answer.
"Evan will always pray so that God will hear him," the boy said joyfully.
"Smart boy," Max and Hera replied in unison.
The next day, they went to the obstetrician to confirm Hera's condition and the baby she was carrying. Indeed, Hera was pregnant, and the fetus was already six weeks along.
After the check-up, Hera felt a strong craving for the soup from across the hospital. Max invited them all for lunch there, and Evan, caught between his parents, happily followed their lead with his little legs.
The family, soon to welcome a new member, enjoyed their lunch together leisurely and heartily.
flashback off.....