We were just six months into our relationship, when the news took us both by surprise.
When I got to her condo, I put down the bag of food I had in my hand and called her name out. I decided to check inside her bedroom, she was nowhere to be found. Then suddenly, I heard someone crying from the bathroom. I became alarmed and I instantly opened the bathroom door immediately finding a tearstained Maine sitting by the toilet. She had something in her hand.
I came closer, knelt by her and asked , Babe, anong problema? Tell me para matulungan kita.
With tears still rolling down her face, she looked at me and said, Richard, buntis ako.
I was taken by surprise with the news that she just told me. I did not know how to react. She must have thought that I was thinking of ways to run away from her.
She continued talking, Alam ko bago pa lang tayo and na this is a big responsibility, maiintindihan ko kung kung gusto mo na makipag break. I'm giving you the chance na lumayo sa akin. Ayaw ko naman na isipin mo na tinatali kita sakin. She handed me the stick that she had in her hands. It was a pregnancy test. It had two lines.
I admit, oo hindi ko alam if ready na ako na maging dad. I mean you're only twenty-four and I'm twenty-six. Ang dami pa nating plano sa buhay. Natatakot ako, kasi I don't know paano natin mapapalaki ng maayos ang bata.
I took a quick pause and made certain that I was truly ready for all the responsibility. I closed my eyes and then kissed her temples.
I continued, Pero mahal kita Maine at sasamahan kita kahit ano man ang pagdaanan mo. Anak natin yan, responsibilidad ko na tulungan ka palakihin at mahalin ang bata. Hindi ko kayo iiwan kahit anong mangyari, we're in this together.
A few weeks later, I came to her condo and gave her a copy of her favorite book. Each page was marked by the things I loved the most about her. All 200 pages. By the end of the book, a diamond ring was attached to a red string. I remember how shocked she was. I took her hand and knelt on the ground, Nicomaine Dei Capilli Mendoza, yung love story natin sobrang unconventional. Hindi siya traditional, but hey nothing is wrong with that naman, diba? One thing is for sure though, nung una pa lang kitang nakita, I fell in love. Ready na ako. Ready na ako to start a family with you. I promise na aalagan kita at ang maging baby natin. I will be here pag may kailangan ka or nag ca-crave ka in the middle of the night.
At that moment, I could not believe that I was proposing to the woman that I only dreamt of having before. I had to take a moment to wipe the tears that I did not not know were coming out of my eyes.
I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Maine. Gusto ko magising na ikaw ang una kong makikita at matulog na ikaw ang aking katabi. Will you give me the privilege of being your husband? Will you marry me Maine?
She hugged me tightly and she was crying. They were happy tears. She held my face and said yes,
We immediately began to plan our wedding. We decided to get married on June 18th, 2007 because we wanted to have our little girl or boy to be a part of our wedding. I remember being in such a blissful state. Everything seemed to be going perfectly. I was engaged to the person that I only dreamt of having before. We have a baby on the way. I felt that things were going perfectly, or so I thought.
I slam my hands on the counter as I recall what happened that one stormy night. There was no one else to blame but me.
