Begin Again

Chapter 20

Week 20

Clark was busy painting the walls of the nursery when Leah peeked her head in.

"Clark, hindi natin pwede ilagay ang crib sa may bintana. Facing east ang kwarto, diyan sumisikat ang araw. Maiinitan si CJ sa umaga..."

Clark dropped the paint roller. "Leah! You can't be in here!" He shooed her out of the room. "You know the paint fumes are bad for you!"

"Ang OA naman nito," Leah protested as Clark pushed her out into the hallway. "Gusto ko lang naman tumulong eh..."

"Leah, we've gone over the furniture arrangements and design of the room a hundred times. Ang laki ng itinulong mo. Now, please just let me paint."

"Bakit kasi hindi ka magpatulong kina Axel at Kiko? O kahit kay Jordan man lang. Nagpipinta ka mag-isa...tingnan mo ang pawis mo."

"It's okay," Clark assured her with a smile. "I want to do this on my own. Gusto ko ako lang ang gagawa sa kwarto ng anak natin."

"Kailan ka pa matatapos niyan? Baka nandito na si CJ, hindi pa tapos ang kwarto niya."

Clark kissed her. "Just trust me, Wifey. And stay out of the room while I'm painting!"

He walked back into the room and continued painting. Lately, Leah has been getting more belligerent when things don't go her way. He suspected that this wasn't the end of her meddling. Clark was right and only thirty minutes later, Leah walked back into the room.

"Inom ka ng tubig. Saka ito, magpalit ka ng t-shirt. Pawis na pawis ka na. Halika, punasan kita."

Clark stepped down from his ladder and turned to her in frustration. He stopped cold. Leah was wearing a surgical mask on her face. With her large belly, she looked simultaenously ridiculous and adorable. Clark shook his head at his stubborn wife.

"O! Hindi na ako lalanghap ng paint fumes!" She said triumphantly. He could see the huge grin on her face even through the mask.

Leah handed him a cold bottle of water and Clark gulped it down, not realizing how thirsty he was. After recapping the bottle, Leah motioned for him to take his shirt off. He peeled the sweat soaked shirt off his skin and turned around, letting Leah wipe down his back with a towel. When she was finished he pulled on the fresh sando she had brought for him.

"O ayan...mas presko..." Leah wiped the sweat off his face. "Mas makakatrabaho ka ng maige."

"Okay, okay. Thank you. But really, Leah, you can't hang around here."

"Sige na. Ipaghahanda kita ng merienda. Isang oras tapos bumaba ka na para kumain."

"Yes, ma'm."

"Kapag wala ka sa isang oras aakyatin kita dito." She pointed at him threateningly.

"Yes." Clark grabbed her and kissed her forehead. "Now please go. You know how I worry about you."

"Nag-aalala rin naman ako sa iyo eh. Kaya nga ako nandito. Pinapagod mo ang sarili mo. Minsan ka lang may day off tapos..."

Clark cut her off with another kiss on her forehead. "I'm okay. I enjoy this, it's for CJ..."

Leah winced and bent over.

"Leah? Are you okay?" Clark asked in concern.

"Oo." She put a hand on the small of her back and straightened up. "Anak mo kasi. Galaw ng galaw kapag naririnig ang boses mo."

"Really?" Clark crouched down and pressed his ear to his stomach. "Hi CJ! This is Daddy."

He felt something move beneath his cheek at the same time that Leah cried out. Clark looked up at Leah wide-eyed.