The Sub Rosa [Completed]

Chapter 16

I had a hard time getting up from the bed.
My large, round stomach was too heavy for me to carry.

Being pregnant at 19 changed me a lot in many ways.

Seleucus and I are now married. I can't say that I matured in the 2 months that we've been married, but somehow I felt happy, for real and genuine reasons.

We have a simple life on our own, with me as a stay-at-home wife and him working on his company. I never imagined this whole set-up before, but it turned out good and peaceful.
 
Our wedding was held in my mother's homeland, Russia. So basically, my babushka and dedushka were the ones who were with us during my wedding.
 
Hindi nga lang nakapunta si Dad dahil mainit parin ang dugo nila sa kaniya until now.

They both scolded us when I announced my pregnancy after having lunch with them.
 
Dedushka threatened Seleucus for impregnating me outside of wedlock. And it made me so guilty for dragging him into this situation.

He apologized despite the fact that he's not the father of my babies. Matapang niyang hinarap lahat ng pamilya ko.

He defended me to all of my mother's relatives, who were judging me for getting pregnant at such a young age.

How can a man like him be selfless and loveable at the same time? 

May lalaki pa kayang ganito sa kaniya na handang ibigay, i-alay ang kalayaan para sa kagaya kong babae?

Kaya naisip kong napaka unfair sa kaniya lahat ng nangyayari.

 One time, when we were alone, I told him.

"You can back out tomorrow while it's still early. Do you really want to be tied to me? Accept the children I carry in my womb if you can live a free life without being burdened by what is not really your responsibility."
 
He had his jaw clenched, but when he saw my glistening eyes, it softened. Hinawakan niya ang dalawa kong kamay, pinagdikit ang aming mga palad at daliri bago tuluyang pinagsiklop.

Kung aatras siya, buong puso kong tatanggapin iyon at magpapakalayo na ako.

Tinaas niya ang baba ko para lumebel ang aming mga mata.

"I promised myself na wala akong ibang mamahalin na babae bukod sayo. I lost myself when I let you go. I love everything about you and they're my babies too. Amastrise you're my life."

Sa oras na iyon naramdaman ko ang tuluyang pagkatibag ng pagpipigil kong mas mahalin pa siya.

May exercise ako every morning dahil advice narin ng doktora na gawin ko iyon para hindi ako mahirapan manganak.

Sa susunod pa na buwan namin malalaman ang gender ng triplets.

Humalik sa pisngi ko ang nakapang opisinang si Seleucus. Gulat ako dahil hindi ko narinig ang pag-uwi niya at Isa pa maaga pa sa nakasanayan kong uwi nito mula sa trabaho.

"May nakalimutan ka ba?" Tanong ko agad sa kaniya. Inalalayan niya ako habang hawak ko ang malaking tiyan papuntang kusina.

"I bought you an apple pie and I decided to take a one week leave from work." Pagka-upo namin ay pinakita niya ang pagkaing pinaglilihian ko.

Nag hugis puso ang aking mga mata sa tatak ng lalagyan kung saan niya binili. He hugged me and I equal it too kahit pa ang malaking tiyan ko ay humaharang sa pagitan namin.

Ingat na ingat kong haplusin ni Seleucus ang tiyan ko. Bahagya akong humilig sa balikat niya nang maramdaman ang ginhawa mula sa pag angat o buhat nito saking tiyan.

"Thank you." I kissed his lip at sa tuwing ginagawa ko yan sa kaniya ilang segundo siyang natutulala. I open the paper bag para malanghap at makita na ang pagkaing laging nagpapatakam sakin.