Without Preamble

How Much?

It took them only about four hours to travel the usually 6-hour drive from Balintawak exit to the town of San Isidro. "Your car is fast!" Janice said with admiration as they pass by the welcome sign of the town. It was already dark. It was around noon and lunch break when Noah called her up to get ready in going to her hometown. She asked him to pick her up around four in the afternoon because she went shopping for pasalubong or gifts for his family and clan in the province. It is now around eight in the evening.

Noah is so excited to see Anelle once again. He felt like a teenager going on a first date!

There was a minimal change in the house of Anelle since he first and last saw it. He had taken brief vacations in their family home in-between those years because her mother insisted, but he never passed by Anelle's house again. He felt guilt eating him up now, not being able to reason how he had been able to live during those years and how he can no longer replicate those years now.

When he found a side of the road to park, he went out to open the car door for Janice, but his feet cannot feel the urge to follow the lady before him in going to Anelle's home. "May I just wait here for - you?" he said with uncertainty. He is feeling a lot of firsts in his life, including uncertainty when he had always been so sure before.

"It is up to you, but I think that would be best, for all we know, my cousin has already learned how to fire a shotgun... Because if I were her, I will not only ready a shotgun for you but a cannon!" Janice pouted.

He smiled, still feeling nervous, but humored by Janice's words. "I like you too, you are so supportive, the best cousin I'll ever want," he retorted.

The bamboo gate of Anelle's home was open as the rest of the home gates in the rural area, so Janice went directly inside.

Noah could hear the exchange of greetings from the family when the door was opened for Janice.

"Who are you with?" he heard them ask Janice.

"Whoa! Won't you ask me first how was my trip?" the usual repartee from Janice. "I am fine, although still a little bit shook for the reason why I am here. But my trip was okay, we had dinner at a restaurant along the way, and tadaaa! I have some gifts for all of you!"

He smiled at how Janice had been handling the conversation. He knew then that he found a winner in Janice as an ally. He felt good offering her the job. But his anxiety returned when he heard Anelle's voice.

"Why did you suddenly come home? The wedding will still be on December 18. You do not usually come home without any reason. Do they know at your home that you are here?" she asked a series of questions.

"O my God! Look at you! You look so pretty preggy!"

Noah heard Janice say preggy??? Anelle is pregnant!

"So, you know that I am pregnant?"

"Actually, no. Just now, but I am not surprised." Janice turned to her uncle and aunty. "Tito, Tita, may we go out – me and my cousin, we will only exchange stories?" she asked for permission to go to the balcony of the house. When the elderly nodded, Janice pulled Anelle outside, then said, "I've got company..."

Anelle turned wary, her eyes roamed over the side of the road, and she felt the baby in her womb move! She held her swollen abdomen as they go out of the house. "Who are you with? Your boyfriend?" She asked although she cannot recall having met a boyfriend of her cousin. And although it is quite dark on the roadside due to minimal street lights, she did notice a car parked nearby. Her heartbeat drew faster.

Noah was looking at the veranda and saw the silhouette of the pregnant Anelle with Janice. He felt a lodge in his throat upon seeing the odd shape of Anelle.