"Eian... Should we give him another name? But Eian Garcia Hernandez sounds great already." Ethan gently pulled me closer while he was hugging me from the back. "What do you think?"
"Hmm... Gawin din kaya nating EJ? 'Yun ang palayaw ninyong mga Hernandez, 'di ba?" Bahagya kong nilingon si Ethan. Tumango siya at ngumiti. "Jacob? Jaxon? Joseph?"
"Jacob sounds nice." Ethan kissed my temple. "I can't believe I'm having my first little Hernandez. And it's with my beautiful woman."
"Bolero!" Tumawa siya sa tinawag ko sa kaniya. "Alam mo ba, noong isang araw, nanonood ako ng mga dapat gawin kapag ganito ganiyan. Ayaw ko kasing dumating sa point na kapag may nangyari sa anak natin, hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. I know some first aid procedures because I learned them when I was in the cabin crew training. Pero ewan ko ba, nakakatakot kapag sariling anak mo na."
"Nothing bad will happen to our kid," he assured me. He held my hands while he was hugging me. I looked down when I felt his thumb gently caressing my hands. "I'm also here, Aia. My career is aligned with the field of medicine."
After that day at the church, everything seemed to be in the right place. Our days and even the nights were peaceful and full of joy. Ethan would try to come home early and spend more time with me and our baby. We spent the days like normal couples.
Ethan pouted when he got tired of trying to catch the crab. I laughed at him and continued writing our names on the sand. Ethan sat beside me with his arms supporting his weight. He glanced at me and then at what I was doing. He smiled when he saw our names there. I playfully threw sand on his shorts. He looked at me with squinted eyes. I just smiled at him.
"Do you miss riding airplanes?" Ethan asked out of nowhere. I glanced at him and nodded. "I'm sure they'll still accept you after you give birth."
"Sana nga," mahinang usal ko. Being a flight attendant was my biggest dream before. When I found out about my pregnancy, I was afraid of losing my job at first. I worked hard for that dream to come true. "Pero alam mo, okay lang naman sa akin kung hindi na. Marami pang paliparan diyan. Uunahin ko muna ang anak natin."
"Thank you, Aia." He smiled genuinely. I smiled back. And I'm also doing this because this is how I love.
"I'm doing this for our baby, so you shouldn't thank me." He held my jaw and kissed me. I looked around after that kiss. Mabuti nalang at abala rin ang iilang tao sa paligid. "Nambibigla ka naman!"
"It's a big sacrifice, Qamari-"
"Ethan, gusto ko sa tubig!" Tinuro ko ang dagat. I didn't want to talk about it. Masaya na ako sa ginagawa ko ngayon.
Ethan looked amused. His brows were a bit raised as the side of his lips rose. I watched him as he stood up. He carried me effortlessly. I held his shoulder tightly when he started running to the water.
He put me down carefully. My body was welcomed by the cold water. Ethan hugged me from the back while I was playing with the water. Dear Lord, I pray to live like this with him. Him being the little waves that I am watching right now. Slowly running and returning to me. I know it sounds selfish of me, but please let him be the man I'll live with until I leave.
"Is it too cold for you?" Ethan asked near my ear. I shook my head. "Just tell me if you want to go back to the cottage, okay?"
"Ang linaw ng tubig, 'no?" Nilingon ko saglit si Ethan. "Sana ganito rin kalinaw lahat."
"Sana nga." I heard him whisper.
Hindi ako gaanong nahirapan sa pagbubuntis. Sa katunayan, nag-enjoy lang ako. Nagagawa ko pa rin naman iyong mga ginagawa ko dati. Nalimitahan lang ang mga aktibidad ko at ang oras ko sa paggawa ng mga bagay na ginagawa ko noon. Hindi rin naging maselan ang pagbubuntis ko.
Nanatili namang maganda ang samahan namin ni Ethan. Iyon nga lang, hindi talaga maiwasan na magtrabaho siya magdamag. Naiintindihan ko naman 'yon dahil nagtrabaho rin naman ako noon. Hindi na rin naging malaking problema iyon sa akin. Lalo na at bumabawi na talaga ngayon si Ethan.
Kung dati ay halos hindi na siya sumama sa akin, ngayon ay gumagawa na siya ng paraan upang samahan ako. Kahit na hindi pa rin madalas ang pagtulog niya sa bahay ay bumabawi naman siya kapag may pagkakataon.
"You're going to welcome him in a few. Have you thought about a name already?" Dr. Asuncion asked after our session. "Hindi na ako magtataka kung maging junior ito."
Ethan chuckled as he shook his head, "No, doc, okay na iyong naisip namin na pangalan. He might not like being a junior when he grows up."
"Oo nga naman. But your name is beautiful. Bakit ayaw ninyo?" Kumunot ang noo ni doktora. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa amin ni Ethan.
"Aia doesn't want that." Ethan smiled at Dr. Asuncion. He shrugged and then glanced at me. Pabiro ko tuloy siyang inirapan. Natawa lamang siya.
"Ah, gusto niya na iisa lang ang Ethan?" Panunukso ni doktora. Ngiting-ngiti naman si Ethan. "Kay ganda nga naman magmahal kapag bata pa. Alagaan mo si Qamari, Ethan. Hindi lang ito tungkol sa pagbubuntis, ha? Alam mo ang sinasabi ko. Bilang nakakatanda, ako na ang nagsasabi sa inyo. Damayan ninyo lang ang isa't isa sa lahat ng bagay."
"Doc, na-in love ka na ba?" I glanced at Ethan when he asked that. He was teasing Dr. Asuncion! "You sound like you were once... very in love."
"May appointment pa pala ako pagkatapos ninyo. Mag-aayos pa ako." Natawa si Ethan sa naging tugon ni Dr. Asuncion. "Next time ko na 'yan sasagutin. Kapag kasal na kayo."
I hope we reach that point. Marriage in mind. Growing old together. Everything that I see in movies, I want that too.
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YOU ARE READING
White Lies and Smiles
RomanceQamari is an innocent girl who just wanted to work for her family. But she fell for a trap. The first born of the owner of Hernandez hospital came to rescue Qamari that night. He became her boss but not just the typical boss. They do things that ar...
