"The baby's safe!"
I felt my heart calm as I heard my doctor say that. My mother jumped in joy and Markian started to smile weirdly.
"Will I really be a father?!" he exclaimed and burst into tears.
Aww. This guy…
"I am really happy that Psalm is safe!" he exclaimed.
My brows furrowed as I heard him, "Psalm, who?" I asked him and he smiled widely.
"Psalm Simoun Cruz."
Oh, that was Markian's nickname. What is he saying?
"Psalm Simoun Cruz, our future child, duh." he stated. I hit his shoulder and glared at him.
"Well, I don't think my baby is a boy. I don't feel any weight, though." I said, emphasizing the words 'my baby' and pouted.
"That's what a pregnant woman feels if it's a girl, right, mommy? We're just chilling when it's a girl, duh." I said and slammed my words on Markian's face but mommy just laughed.
"Well, I kinda believe that it's a boy." my mother said and so I pouted. "That's unfair, mommy. I thought you'd be on my side."
"What? You are wearing on your body the symptoms that it's a boy…" she said and pointed to my nose. "...your nose is kinda—uh, you know… it's kinda flat."
As soon as I heard her I covered my nose. Markian and mom laughed together. My nose is flat?
"Don't worry, love. It suits you. You're still my love, okay?" he said and hugged me but I just ignored him.
"Your face is not on its normal look, too." my mom added.
Is it, really?
"I-I would just go, if you wouldn't mind." the doctor said and we turned our heads on her. Oh, she's still here. Aaaaaah. I feel so betrayed. She heard what we're talking about.
Am I looking ugly?
"I'm going too, lovebirds. Enjoy teasing her, Markian." my mother said and laughed as she walked away.
"Mack—"
"Get out!" I shouted, not letting him finish his sentence.
"B-but w-why?" he asked and knitted his eyebrows. His voice is even trembling. Good.
"No more buts! You called me ugly!" I said and pouted. I tried to move my body to sit on the bed.
It still hurts.
He burst into laughter and hit the bed which caused me to flinch as he hit my leg instead of the bed.
"I-I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to. You moved and I didn't see that… I'm sorry."
"And now you're making it look like it's my fault!" I shouted and reached my leg.
He immediately went to bed and sat there. He caressed my hair, "I'm sorry, okay? You're not ugly. W-we're just saying that you bear the symptoms of having a son." He explained. I just glared at him.
"Does it hurt here?" he asked and touched my leg. I nodded in response.
"I am wondering…" he asked. I just twisted my left eyebrow up and he almost laughed, again. He just kept it inside.
"...How did you find out you're pregnant?" he asked. I looked up and figured it out.
"I always vomit every morning. I vomited after two weeks I'm on that house." I explained. He just nodded and continued to massage my leg.
"How about you? How did you know that I'm pregnant?" I asked back and he stopped massaging my leg.
"Well, I made sure I planted enough—"
"Pervert!" I said and did not let him finish.
He laughed while looking at me. I felt my face heating up. Everything he does really affects me so badly.
"Your sister loves you." He said out of a sudden. "Hmm?"
"Well, yesterday was Christmas if you don't know, haha. Her gift was so good, love. She saved you, Macky."
I nodded. Indeed, she loves me but she's just too afraid to admit it.
His presence is enough for me to be happy for being at the hospital for about a week.
"And you just brought the greatest gift on my birthday, love. I felt happy as you bear our child. I will always be grateful that I have you…" he smiled and suddenly touched my tummy. "...as well as this little angel. Papa loves you so much." he said and kissed my tummy.
Right… It's his birthday. I almost forgot.
-
"Grand pop!"
"Mackenzie!"
It has been almost one week since I was hospitalized and we came to grandpop's villa to visit him.
"How have you been and my grandson?" he immediately asked and smiled. He held my bags, "No, grandpop, I still can bring them. Why do you all think it's a boy?" I asked and pouted.
"Do you really want to hear it again?" Markian butted in.
I glared at him and he almost burst into laughter. I don't know if he's still in the right mind. I mean, am I really ugly?
"Come on. Don't mind that monkey. You'll just get irritated and… your baby will be like him." grandpop said and Markian frowned.
Oh, yeah! HAHAHHAAH. I guess I'll have a backup from now on. HAHAHA.
"Let's just come inside before you guys start a fight. I don't want to die." he kidded and held his chest.
Markian got the baggage from grandpop and held them. Markian went to the kitchen to place the things we bought for our stay here. We're planning to stay here until I give birth to our baby but we haven't told grandpop yet. Hehe. We're planning to make a surprise for him tomorrow, on the new year's eve.
Markian then went upstairs to place our baggage.
"Uh, Macky... " grandpop called me. I turned and saw him smiling.
I really am hurt whenever I'm looking at his eyes. He doesn't deserve to lose his eyesight. And the world is too beautiful to have no admirers. No one deserves to see nothing at all.
"...I-I'm happy that you chose to stay here for new year's eve. You know… no one really wanted to have dinner with an old man like me, haha." I frowned as I heard him.
"Grandpop… don't say that. Well, if they don't want to have dinner with you then they'll lose a chance to have a get-together with one of the greatest presidents of our country." I said and pouted.
He's a former president of our country and I couldn't find a word to say how much he sacrificed for our country. He didn't waste any time to change it. I really admire his administration. Although I'm too young when that happened, the results were telling. He's in the history books.
He was admired by everyone during his term. No one dared to disobey the laws. He was not a dictator but he was so good that he had everyone's loyalty. That was so impossible during that time as the pandemic hit but surely, he gave his everything to help our country come back to its real situation. He even brought it higher.
"That… that was unexpected, haha. Thank you, Macky. But you're just five years old when I was elected as a president, how did you manage to remember?" he asked with his wide smile.
"Well, I was too young at that time but I am now old enough to study your achievements, grandpop." I said and smiled back.
"Do you think my children were proud of me? Do you think they still… care for me?"
My heart shattered as I heard him saying those words. Aunt Alissa was already married and she's now residing in France. And… Uncle Ruzzel moved out as he was ashamed of what Aunt Gian did to his family. I don't know why he moved when he didn't have any connection with what happened to me and Markian's family. It was Aunt Gian's plan…
"O-of course, grandpop. They will always be proud of you."
"Uh-huh, then why did they leave me? You know I am not alright. Whenever I think about them… whenever I think that they chose to leave me even if I gave all of my love to them… it hurts inside, Macky. So thank you. Thank you for staying here with me. Y-your mother really raised you well and I-I am glad that you chose to be with Markian."
I was flattered by his words. Imagine that coming from the greatest president that we ever had.
"We are the one who needs to thank you, grandpop. You're the one who pushed us to be together." I said and laughed to lighten the situation.
"Yes, I sure wish you really ended that 'pretending phase'."
W-what? Does he know that?
"H-how did you... "
I don't know what to say and he just laughed at my face.
"Hey guys, what's the tea?" Markian said as he came downstairs.
"Oh the tea, just give me black tea." grandpop kidded.
"Kidding. What's your plans for today, lovebirds? Aren't we going to eat? You should look at the time, always so Macky won't forget to eat. It's bad for the baby." grandpop said to Markian.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't notice. Just wait here and I'll cook for us. What do you want for lunch?" Markian asked.
"Can I cook?" I asked and smiled awkwardly as Markian shook his head.
"But I'll make sure I won't cut myself. I will be careful. Please?" I closed my eyes and crossed my fingers.
"But—"
"You told me you won't control me when we're already married but look at you now! We're still not married yet you're controlling me." I shouted.
"You don't understand, love. Our baby might—"
"What will happen? I'll just cook, I won't cut myself tummy! What am I, a fool?"
I ended up cooking for them, hehe. The power of a lady! Yeah!
I was the one who's cooking but Markian did nothing but to be on my place and come back again and again and again until I finish cooking.
I cut some onions and garlic, as well as the chicken. I sauteed them and guess what I've cooked. Chicken Adobo! I really love it's aroma, though. As well as its taste. Hehe.
"The table's ready, gentlemen!" I said and sat on the chair.
Markian came rushing and checked me. Grandpop came after Markian, holding his walking cane.
"You okay?" Markian asked.
"Be calm, Markian. She's safe." grandpop said and laughed.
We prayed as we're all set. We all eat silently as Markian sits properly.
"What's your plan? You're still at 3rd year college." grandpop suddenly said.
I stopped eating and looked at Markian. Right… we're still studying. We still don't produce our own money.
"I-I know we would experience difficulty in some ways but I'll make sure I can find a job after this new year. I won't let them down, grandpop." he said and continued eating while looking from afar.
"You can work for our company, Markian. As well as you, Macky. Maybe after you gave birth to your baby." grandpop suggested.
"Thank you, grandpop but what about the other employees? They would know my surname. As well as my middle name and they will treat me like how they treat you. I don't want that, grandpop. That's not fair."
"But they don't know you, Markian. You're too young when you visited the law firm and those lawyers and employees who worked there when you visited our company...don't work with us anymore. Some of them already…" he shook his head and we understood what he was trying to say.
A moment of silence occur until grandpop talked again, "What's your plan for your wedding?"
"Wedding? I thought I'll just have a baby with Macky and then two more with other ladies. I don't want to get tied with her, though."
DAUGHTY'S POINT OF VIEW
"I want her custody, Mrs. Gavin." she said as soon as I placed my bag on the table.
"So disrespectful." I said and laughed sarcastically. I eyed her and she hid her face on her hair as she bowed. "Where do you get that audacity?"
"I-I'm sorry. I just want to get my child."
I clenched my jaw and looked away as I felt my eyes burning. I don't want this topic.
"Y-your child? Wow."
She remained silent as she waited for my next words.
"You really call her 'your child' when you did nothing for her. All of these years, Ursula! All these years that she needed you, did you come? Did you at least find a way to be with her?"
She nodded and her tears fell down on the table, "Believe me, I did. I did everything to be with her. You know that, Daughty. You witnessed that in the hospital. I've tried to but you didn't allow me." she explained.
"So now you put the blame on me? Ursula, after 19 years, you only think about that now? Now that she's already old to go with her own life? Tell me, Ursula. Why didn't you try? She's waiting for you… she's longing for you. And now that she had an accident and you were her therapist, you finally decided to tell her?"
I wiped my tears and faced her again. She's sniffing and wiping her tears, too.
I know deep inside me that I cannot let go of Mackenzie… She was the daughter I wanted and loved. I can't just let her go but I needed to.
"I tried many times Daughty but I don't want her to be confused. I was too weak that time, Daughty. I'm sorry."
I stood up and got my bag from the table. "This conversation is done, Ursula. I won't let you get her custody when you did nothing to get it."
She suddenly kneeled down and stopped me from walking away. She held my leg.
"C-can I at least see her for the new year's eve?"
"No."
"Please, Mrs. Gavin. I'm begging you."
"Get an attorney and be at Cruz's ancestral house."
She cried and thanked me.