Three Little Heartbeats

Chapter 12: Life in Limbo

The sun was beginning to set, casting a soft, orange glow across the city skyline as Alexia sat on her small balcony, cradling a warm cup of tea in her hands. The city below her buzzed with life, but up here, in the quiet cocoon of her apartment, everything felt still, suspended in time. It was as if her world had stopped spinning, caught somewhere between the life she was living now and the one she had dreamed of—one she could have had with Sandro.

She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the tea seep into her hands, her thoughts drifting back to the whirlwind romance that had taken her by surprise. When she and Sandro first met, she had never expected to fall so hard, so fast. But it had been impossible not to—Sandro was magnetic, his passion for life and his career pulling her in, making her feel like they were invincible together. Their love had burned bright and fast, a flame that seemed like it could never be extinguished.

But then, life had stepped in. His political career, his family, the expectations placed upon him—they had all built walls between them, and before she knew it, they were living in two different worlds. Hers, filled with uncertainty and growing secrets; his, filled with public scrutiny and relentless ambition.

Alexia sighed, her gaze wandering to the sky as her hand rested instinctively on her belly. The babies shifted, a soft fluttering movement beneath her skin, reminding her that this was real. This was her life now—a life she hadn't planned, a future she couldn't have imagined just a year ago.

*What could it have been like if I had told him from the start?* The thought haunted her, weaving itself into every moment of her day. If she had shared the news with Sandro from the beginning, perhaps they wouldn't be in this limbo now. Maybe they could have faced this journey together, as partners, as a family.

But that life—the one she had allowed herself to dream of in quiet moments—seemed impossibly far away now. She imagined the two of them back in the Philippines, living a life of quiet domesticity away from the harsh spotlight of politics. She pictured herself waking up next to him every morning, their children filling their days with laughter and joy. In that version of her life, she and Sandro were united, strong, their love a shield against the world.

Yet reality was far messier. The complications with her pregnancy loomed like a dark cloud, the stress of keeping her secret had taken its toll, and now, even though Sandro knew the truth, there was still so much uncertainty. What would happen next? Would Sandro be able to handle the pressure of both his career and fatherhood? Would his family accept her and the babies, or would they see her as a threat to Sandro's future?

The truth was, despite Sandro's words of comfort, she wasn't sure if they could ever truly escape the storm that was brewing.

The phone on the table buzzed softly, pulling her from her thoughts. It was a message from Sandro.

"I'm thinking about you. We need to talk more. Can I come over tomorrow?"

Alexia stared at the message for a long moment, her heart pulling in two different directions. She wanted to see him—more than anything, she wanted to wrap herself in the safety of his arms, to pretend for a moment that everything was going to be okay. But deep down, she knew that it wasn't that simple. The complications with the pregnancy, the distance that had grown between them over these months, the weight of everything left unsaid—it all hung in the air like an invisible barrier between them.

She typed a quick response: "Tomorrow works. Let's talk."

As soon as she hit send, a wave of unease settled over her. What if tomorrow was the day everything came crashing down? What if, after their talk, the life she had been clinging to—the hope that they could somehow make this work—fell apart?

She shook her head, trying to banish the negative thoughts. Sandro had come this far, hadn't he? He had shown up when she needed him most. He had held her, reassured her, promised her that he wouldn't leave. But as much as she wanted to believe him, there was still a part of her that couldn't let go of the fear.

That night, Alexia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind a tangled mess of thoughts. The silence of the room pressed down on her, making her feel even more alone. She imagined what it would be like if Sandro were here with her, lying beside her, his hand resting on her belly, feeling the babies move. She wondered if he would be excited, if he would talk to them, whispering promises of the future they would share.

But he wasn't here. And as much as she wanted to believe they could find their way back to each other, she couldn't ignore the reality of their situation.

Sandro's life was in the Philippines. His career was taking off, and his responsibilities were only growing. She had seen the headlines—his name was on everyone's lips, rumors swirling about his potential run for a higher office. Could he really balance all of that with the demands of being a father to triplets?

And what about her? Could she fit into his world, or would she always be an outsider, a shadow cast by his political ambitions?

Her thoughts drifted back to the conversation they would have tomorrow. She knew they couldn't avoid it any longer. They had to talk about the future—about what this meant for them, for their children. But as much as she wanted to have that conversation, she was terrified of what the answers might be.

What if we can't make this work?

The question lingered in her mind as sleep finally claimed her, pulling her into a restless dream where she stood on the edge of a cliff, looking down at a life she could never quite reach.

The next morning, Alexia awoke to the sound of her phone buzzing again. She groggily reached for it, her heart racing when she saw Sandro's name on the screen.

"Morning. I'll see you this afternoon. Let's figure this out together."

She stared at the message, her stomach twisting with a mix of hope and dread. This was it. Today, they would talk, and everything would either begin to fall into place or unravel completely.

As she got up and went through her morning routine, her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She thought about all the things she wanted to say, the questions she needed answers to. But most of all, she thought about the life she had imagined—the life she could have had if things had been different.

A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts. She opened it to find Sandro standing there, looking at her with those familiar eyes that had once made her feel like the only woman in the world. For a moment, the world stood still.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice filled with uncertainty and hope.

"Hey," she replied, stepping aside to let him in.

As Sandro crossed the threshold, Alexia couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the edge of something—something that could either bring them closer together or pull them apart forever.

And in that moment, as they sat down to talk about their future, Alexia realized that she was still living in limbo, caught between the life she had dreamed of and the reality she was about to face.

The question was: which path would they choose?