Heaven By Your Side (Completed)

Chapter 24

Sarah’s Reason (SARAH’S POV)

After 2 years

I am living with my father, Don Delfin Geronimo,my baby Geraldine Divine Ashley who is one year and three months old and my sister, Therese who helps me take care of my baby. Nobody knew in the Philippines that I had a twin sister. She grew up here in the US under the care of my Aunt Lilian, my father’s sister. She has to stay in the US because at age four she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Just like I was diagnosed with it,too. But she was the weak one, and I came out healthier- I was diagnosed carrying it but I was never showing any symptoms of it...not yet.

On the other hand, she has all the symptoms of the illness. Thus, she stayed and went through treatment until she had a lung transplant.  I, on the other hand lived a normal life. They say some may be different, that I can get it at a later stage of my life. And I felt that it will eventually catch up with me.

Thus, the reason I wanted to get pregnant and have my own baby. To share it with my sister who is infertile. To experience how to be a mother. Even just for a short time. I don’t feel the illness yet, but I have been going for check ups. The doctors said it is coming. That it will eventually come.

I didn’t plan to get pregnant with Gerald’s child. I was just going to go through the artificial method, any unknown sperm donor in a sperm bank will do. But when I met Gerald, it hit me. He was perfect. At first, I thought he wouldn’t be able to resist the money because he needs it. But as I get to know him at the office, being with him..I knew he wouldn’t bite my proposal. That’s why even without knowing his decision, I immediately jumped into Plan B. Seducing him, but in the process he seduced me. He made me realize I was not only doing it because I wanted to get pregnant, I was doing it because I  love him. And if I get pregnant or not, I will be happy to know that I shared my first with someone I love, someone like him. And I did not regret it one bit.

I was taking action quickly because I didn’t want to get pregnant before it is too late. I wanted to enjoy being a mother. I didn’t want to create a family that I will only abandon immediately anyway. I didn’t want to hurt him. Selfish I know, selfish because I didn’t think of the baby. That I will eventually abandon her,too. But knowing she will have a father who will love her as soon as he finds out, that puts my mind at ease. That puts my heart at ease.



When I came to the US, after that one night with Gerald and then taking that flight to leave Philippines, I was starting to suffer from serious respiratory condition. I know they said, that cystic fibrosis tends to reduce fertility as it thickens cervical mucus and more than half of the women who has the disease require fertility treatment or IVF (in vitro fertilization) to fall pregnant.

But after a month in the States, I found I was pregnant, I was one of the few who miraculously got pregnant the natural way.

I was the happiest woman alive when I found out I was pregnant. My doctor and my family did not share my joy. Instead they were worried about me, it was as if I was committing a crime. My father thought I was stupid and selfish. I guess I was, I guess I am.

I had to stop taking any medication in order to continue with the pregnancy because it was harmful for the unborn child, and I adopted a high calorie diet.

I loved being pregnant, I told myself to make the most of it. I had never breathed as well as I did when I was expecting.

When I gave birth, my disease progressed, I had an infection which lasted for 15 days and I had to stay for 1 ½ months and couldn’t look after my baby.

Good thing my father, my Aunt Lilian and Therese were there to help me. I managed and survived and went home. Continued with my medication and treatment and the diet.