It was a bright Sunday morning, and the smell of pancakes, bacon, and freshly brewed coffee filled Aiah and Mikha's cozy apartment. The dining table was set with colorful plates and a spread of brunch essentials—fruit platters, croissants, and a pitcher of orange juice. Aiah was bustling around the kitchen, her cardigan draped loosely over her shoulders, while Mikha adjusted the chairs to make sure there was enough space for everyone.
"Okay, babe," Mikha said, stepping back to inspect the setup. "Perfect na. Ngayon, ready ka na bang sabihin sa kanila?"
Aiah glanced over her shoulder, holding a spatula in one hand as she flipped the last batch of pancakes. "Ready na... pero kinakabahan ako! What if hindi nila pansinin agad yung picture sa fridge?"
Mikha smirked, leaning against the counter. "Well, Plan B na lang tayo. Mag-lakad-lakad ka sa harap nila in that dress, tapos tignan natin kung sinong unang mag-react sa baby bump mo."
Aiah laughed nervously, pulling at the edges of her cardigan to make sure it still hid her bump. It wasn't that big yet, just a slight curve, but it was definitely noticeable in the fitted dress she was wearing. "Grabe ka, parang naka-expose ako sa exhibit. Pero sige na nga. Sabihin mo na lang kung sino unang mag-collapse sa excitement—si Maloi o si Colet?"
"Definitely si Maloi," Mikha replied, laughing. "Sigurado akong iiyak 'yun bago pa makapagsalita."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Aiah froze, clutching the spatula like it was a shield. "Oh my god, andito na sila!"
Mikha gave her an amused look. "Babe, baka naman maihi ka sa sobrang excitement."
"Eh kasi..." Aiah hesitated, then sighed, a nervous smile tugging at her lips. "Excited lang talaga ako. Sige na, buksan mo na yung pinto."
Mikha crossed the room and opened the door, revealing their group of friends—Maloi, Colet, Stacey, Jho, Gwen, and Sheena—all carrying bags of snacks and drinks.
"Good morning, mga Arceta-Lim!" Maloi greeted loudly, her energy infectious as always. "Amoy brunch na brunch dito! Grabe, gutom na ako!"
Colet raised an eyebrow. "Ay, as usual, una kang gutom. Hello, Mikha, Aiah! Ano, kumpleto na ba menu natin? May mimosas ba?"
"May juice muna," Mikha teased, ushering everyone inside. "Iba vibes today, Colet. Easy lang sa wine."
As the friends settled in, complimenting the setup and teasing each other as usual, Aiah and Mikha exchanged a quick, conspiratorial glance. The photo—a printout of their first ultrasound, featuring the tiny little gestational sac with "Baby Arceta-Lim, due May" written underneath—was stuck front and center on the fridge. The plan was simple: casually ask each of their friends to grab something from the fridge until someone noticed the photo.
"Colet," Mikha said, starting off their subtle plan, "can you grab the butter sa fridge? I forgot to put it on the table."
"Sure," Colet replied, standing and walking to the fridge. She pulled it open, grabbed the butter, and—completely ignored the photo. "Here. Butter."
Mikha blinked, keeping her expression neutral. "Thanks."
Aiah stifled a laugh from the kitchen. "Okay, one down."
Next, Mikha turned to Stacey. "Stace, puwede bang pakikuha yung extra syrup sa fridge?"
Stacey nodded, walking over to the fridge as everyone else continued chatting. She opened it, grabbed the syrup, then closed the door without a second glance. "Here, syrup."
Mikha groaned internally while Aiah covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
"Babe, ang slow nila," Aiah whispered to Mikha as she refilled the fruit platter.
