A Soldier's Oath (Completed)

CHAPTER 16

Tessa

"Tate!!!" I screamed his name when I saw the liquid travel down my thighs. Blood and water coated my hands and I've never been mortified by the sight. I felt extreme pain in my stomach and my lungs were knocked out by oxygen.

"Fuck, are you okay?" he asked, worried and panicked itched in his face. I want to punch him in the face of how he asked.

"Are you fucking serious? Someone's ripping my vagina, of course I'm not fucking okay" I snarl at him

"Oh God, I'm sorry" he carried me into the car and went straight to the hospital.

I breathed in and out of my lungs hoping the pain subsided but it didn't. It only got worse every damn minute. The pain is unbelievably painful, I think I die every minute.

"It's okay baby, you got this" He kissed the back of my hand. Tate was driving, hands shaking but he still managed to whisper encouraging words that gave me comfort. He kept my head above the water during the trip to the hospital.

The 30 minutes drive to the hospital feels like a lifetime and I almost exclaimed in relief when we arrived. Dra. Montis led the way in the delivery room. Cold sweats covered my face and my grip on Tate's hands tightened every time I felt shooting pain in my stomach and vagina.

Hindi na ako nakapag labor pa sa hospital because my opening was already near 10 cm when we arrived. And in those times, Tate never left my side. He didn't even falter or complain that I gripped his hands too much. Tubes were inserted on me and the nurses started hovering over me.

"Grip my hand all you want, share your pain with me" he said as he wiped the sweat from my forehead. He also combed my hair ,trying to ease the pain in me.

I can't think straight, not when I feel my insides ripping open.

"Push hard, Tess. You can do this" Dra.Montis said.

I obliged and pushed hard. I breathe deeply and push the baby out. I think I also pushed the organs inside me. It took only 30 minutes for the baby to come out. He didn't cry for a hot minute and I was terrified.

Dra. Montis slapped the baby's butt but still to no avail. 5 minutes passed and he still hasn't cried. My eyes started to water and the fear crept inside me.

"No.." I whined. I heart bleed

"He's gonna make it, Tess don't worry." he assured me but as the minutes passed my hope went downhill.

"My son... No–" I screamed when Dra.Montis stopped waking up the baby.

"I'm sorry, Tess" her eyes started to form tears as she looked at me.

"No it can't be! Tate, my son" I looked at him, begging to save my son, hindi ko na maiayos ang pagsasalita ko dahil sa hikbi.

Tate left my side and went straight to the baby, trying to wake him up while I was on my deathbed, wailing like a crazy mother looking at my dead baby as Tate tried to revive him.

"Come on, big boy. Wake up for me. Your Mom needs you." Tate pressed his two fingers in Deacon's chest and performed CPR. He kept doing that for a minute until a cry roared in the room.

I wailed like a crazy mother when I heard his cry. Kahit nanghihina ang katawan ay sinubukan kong bumangon para kunin ang anak ko. Tate handed me the baby and I immediately covered him in my arms like a cub. I cried hard when I felt him breathing alongside me. I looked at Tate leaning on me. I reached his lips and kissed him hard. He stiffened but accepted it anyway. I can't do anything right now but to kiss him for saving my son.

He smiled at me and before I could hear what he said, darkness already succumbed to me.

I woke up with people swarming in my bed, Maning and her squad was arranging the linens and diapers. Mom and Jane went straight to me after I opened my eyes. Worry itched their faces. Mom held my hand and Jane on the other. They wanted to ask questions, I know but they refrained from asking me to let me breathe from the life and death situation earlier.

"Tessa my darling. How are you feeling?" Mom asked first.

"I'm fine, Mom" my voice was hoarse from the screams earlier.

"You should take a sip, you must be thirsty" Jane offered me a cup of water with straw in it.

"Where's my baby?" I asked

"He's in the nursery room, Tate's watching him" Jane replied.

"Thank you Tess for naming the baby after Deacon and thank you for bringing him into this world. I didn't know Jake told you about him. I'm sorry if I hadn't told you about him because I still can't accept his death until now. My son...my first son was killed on a mission. He died with his honor just like his Father, Arys. That's why I was against Tate in the Army but he's determined to find the one who killed his brother. My heart breaks every time he leaves for his mission but I can't do anything about it but to support him. So, thank you for bringing my son back not in flesh but in memory" Mama Marina was cradling me like a baby and cried her heart out on my shoulder. I didn't know that naming my first born son 'Deacon' means so much to her.

Nag-iyakan kami sa loob ng room nang bumukas ito at pumasok ang nurse kasama ang anak ko, sa likod ay si Tate na mahigpit na binabantayan ang bawat galaw ng nurse. The nurse trembles in fear of making a mistake on Tate's watch. After making sure that Deacon was tucked in his crib, he went to my bed.

"How's the brave Momma?" he asked and kissed me on the forehead. I suddenly remembered the kiss we had earlier in the delivery room that sent my cheeks in complete blush.

"Never been better" I replied with a smile.

"Oh look who's here" Mama Marina cooed Deacon in his crib. May iba pang sinabi si Mama at Jane pero hindi ko na maintindihan ng magsalita na si Tate sa gilid ko

"I'm so proud of you, brave Momma. Do you want something to eat?" he asked, smiling at me.

"I want sinigang and a pot of rice" I joked "Well, food can wait later. I just want to thank you for saving Deacon. I don't know how to repay you. You saved my baby boy, Tate. Thank you so much" I started to cry. He cooed and cradled me in his arms like a baby.

"Shh–It's okay, you don't have to repay me. Watching you happy is enough for me." he whispered the last sentence. Something is odd about his voice, I can't point it out. But I just smiled, I know Tate is weird.

And he smiled weirdly that day, I didn't know that it was the last I'd ever seen him.

—

I woke up in the middle of the night when I heard footsteps, the odd one. I saw a man in a nice suit with a hat towering over my son on the crib. Deacon was awake and stared at the stranger. I was awake but couldn't move an inch, I'm afraid that the man would snatch Deacon in his crib and run away. Mom is not here, neither is Jane, it's late and nobody's here for my aid. Just me and my son against the stranger man.

I'm helpless and hopeless.

"Cute son, too bad he has no father to grow up with," he said. I shivered with the icy tone.

"Who are you?" I asked kahit parang lalabas na ang puso ko sa kaba.

"Just a stranger" he curtly said.

"Then why are you here? Stop staring at my son as if you'll snatch him" I snarled.

"I would love to, he'd be a great soldier for sure. But I won't do that, someone will kill me for sure" he scoffs the last sentence

"And that would be me if you tried to kidnap him," I warned him, my voice stern.

"Oh feisty" he smiled as if he just complimented me." No wonder, my idiot sons falls under your feet easily"

Sons? Could it be– But it's impossible!

Before I could answer, he left and vanished like a ghost.