Perhaps Yesterday

Perhaps Yesterday (Special Chapter 01)

Petite renoncule - Little Buttercup

Sana'y di magmaliw ang dati kong araw
Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni nanay
Nais kong maulit ang awit ni inang mahal
Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako'y nasa duyan

Athena hums the song as it plays on her phone, she's caressing her 7th month-old baby bump.

Despite the impossibility, she still managed to get pregnant, after a month of getting married with Albert.

Sana'y di magmaliw ang dati kong araw
Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni nanay
Nais kong maulit ang awit ni inang mahal
Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako'y nasa duyan

She roamed her eyes around the nursery, everything is all set for her baby. She insisted on not knowing the baby's gender yet, kahit napaka insistent ni Albert.

The room is painted by neutral colors, but the most dominant were yellow. She's half-hoping to have a baby girl, so she can have a little princess that she can dress up.

Sa aking pagtulog na labis ang himbing
Ang bantay ko'y tala, ang tanod ko'y bituin
Sa piling ni nanay, langit ay buhay
Puso kong may dusa sabik sa ugoy ng duyan

She knows her pregnancy is a high risk one, kaya naman she didn't protested when Albert insisted for them to stay in Tagaytay so she'll be near the city and at the same time far from the stress and pollution.

Albert will just go back and forth from Iloilo everyday using their family chopper. She slowly got up when she heard the chopper landing. He's here.

She felt a slight pain on her belly and she could only thanked God that her husband is back.

She sat on the chair again and waited for Albert. She needs to tell him the truth.

"Mahal! I'm home!" She heard him called from outside the nursery.

Albert was used in finding her there whenever he comes home.

"Hey!" She greeted after Albert planted a kiss on her lips.

"Hey.. so what are you up to Mahal? Why did you ask me to file a leave of absence for two weeks?" He asked her and she swallowed her saliva.

"Mahal, there's something I need to tell you." She started nervously.

Albert may have sensed it and he kneeled in front of her and held her hand, napangiti naman siya when he also kissed her baby bump.

"I'm— a— we, we'll have to get the baby out tomorrow Mahal, I'm going om an early birth via C-Section." She started and at nagtataka naman siyang tiningnan ng asawa.

"Why? Is something wrong with our baby? Mahal— you should have let me come with you on your check-ups." Nag-a-alalang lintanya nito.

Since she got pregnant, she only allowed Albert to come with her once. The following check-ups, nagpapasama na lang siya kay Kia.

"The baby is healthy. It's just— Mahal, promise me, hindi ka magagalit?" She asked him but he now have a solemn look on his face.

"I can't promise but I will try Athena." He replied and that was enough for her.

She took a deep breath before opening her mouth.

"After we got married, nagpa check-up ako. I really want to give you a child mahal, that's why I did it. Nung magpa check-up ako, I was surprised that I'm already carrying our baby but the problem was—— I also found out, that I have cervical cancer. Yun pala ang dahilan that is why I wasn't able to carry both of the previous pregnancy full term. My OB said, the cancer will not affect the baby naman daw maliban sa may potential risk na mawala din si baby." Pagkwe-kwento niya at tila nanghina naman si Albert.

"I did everything to take care of our baby, mahal. The thing is, the cancer is progressing and my doctors advised me to have an early delivery. I agreed to remove my ovaries na din. After this pregnancy, we will not be able to conceive anymore." She added and his hold on her hand tightened.

"Are you mad?" She asked and Albert burried his face on her lap and heard him sob.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? This is cancer mahal, what if—-"

"I'm fine Albert. I would've told you if something went wrong. Please understand? Ayaw kong ma stress ka dahil I might get stressed too and all I want is a smooth pregnancy. I badly wanted to keep this baby. This is my last shot mahal."

Hindi pa rin nagsalita si Albert but kisses her temple in all understanding. She can understand his fear, she's afraid too, but then she have to do this for the sake of having a family with him.

"Okay then, let's do this Mahal." He said after a while at inalalayan siyang tumayo.

By tomorrow, hopefully she'll be able to deliver her baby and both of them are going to be safe.

———————-

Sana'y di magmaliw ang dati kong araw
Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni nanay
Nais kong maulit ang awit ni inang mahal
Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako'y nasa duyan

Athena opened her eyes upon hearing her husbands ear piercing voice. She wasn't sure how long she was out. Her last memory was hearing her baby crying and then they put her to sleep again to remove her ovaries and uterus so they can remove the cancer cells as well.

Sa aking pagtulog na labis ang himbing
Ang bantay ko'y tala, ang tanod ko'y bituin
Sa piling ni nanay, langit ay buhay
Puso kong may dusa sabik sa ugoy ng duyan

"Ma-mahal?" She called and thanked God he stopped singing.

"Mahal! How are you feeling? You did good mahal! Our baby is beautiful!" He exclaimed when he went over to her and kissed her on her forehead.

"I'm okay. How's our baby?" She asked and tried to get-up. Albert immediately helped her to sit properly.

"Dahan-dahan, mahal. Hindi pa masyadong magaling yung tahi mo. Our baby is okay, she's there oh!" Turo nito sa tabi niya where their baby is inside the incubator.

"She's so tiny! And her hair's curly!" She exclaimed happily though she still feels weak.

"She is, and she's so mabait mahal, she rarely whines, maybe she knows that her Mom needs to rest kaya ayaw niya mag-ingay." Naka ngiti ring sambit ni Albert.

"What are we naming her?" Albert asked her. "I'm thinking of naming her Maeve, mahal." He added and she chuckled.

"You want her to be a great mag-iinom one day? It's a cute name though. It's Irish." She commented and Albert smiled.

"Maeve also means, she who causes great joy. That's what I felt when I first saw her mahal." Albert added.

"She's my buttercup then." She replied as she lovingly looks at her daughter.

"You want to see her closer?" He asked and her eyes almost twinkled in excitement.

"Please Mahal?" Pakiusap niya ang Albert took a wheelchair from the other side of the room and carried her to sit on it.

"She's really pretty." She commented while staring at their daughter. She reached out for her tiny hand and the baby's eyes fluttered open.

'Oh! She has your eyes mahal." She commented and felt Albert's chin on her shoulders.

"Yes, but everything about her is all you Clea." He lovingly told her and her heart was filled with unexplainable happiness.

Her wound still hurts but looking at her daughter and seeing how beautiful she is, was all worth the pain.

"Kassidy Maeve, we'll name her Kassidy Maeve, mahal. She's our little curly bundle of joy." She told him as she turned her head to him and kissed gave him a chaste kiss before turning her attention back to their daughter.

"Welcome to the world Kassidy Maeve Claveria. My sweet Buttercup!" She whispered as she gently touches her cheek and to her surprise, she smiled.