Lipstick Lullaby

Chapter Twelve

MIGS

"What were you doing with Saskia? I thought what you had with her was just a one night stand? Bakit inulit mo pa?" Coco threw a sideway glance at me as he drove.

"We didn't have sex, if that's what you're implying." I flatly replied.

"What did you do? Play chess with her the whole night? Bro, I'm starting to feel sorry for Hazel. You're going to get married and here you are, fooling around with another woman." He shook his head.

"Coco, I did not have sex with her." I stressed and then shifted on my seat to face him. "But there's something I need to tell you. This is just between you and I."

"What?"

"I got her pregnant." I confessed.

"Whoa!" He took a quick look at me, his car swerved slightly but he steadied it. "You got Saskia pregnant? What the hell?"

"I know..." My voice was low with shame. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Lalo kong nadagdagan ang kasalanan ko kay Hazel. She'll never forgive you. She'll call off the wedding. I already had everything planned, Coco. I can't lose her..."

"How do you even know it's yours? She's a bar girl. She fucks for a living." He said.

"She doesn't." I said in a low rumble. My brother had always had a very colorful language. "Saskia was a virgin when I had her."

"TMI, brotha!" He grimaced. "But how sure are you that the baby is yours? Okay, ikaw nga ang naka-first blood but bro, paano mo nalaman na wala ng iba?"

I sighed. "I just know, okay? She's not what you think she is. She and her family are nice people."

"So, what are you planning to do now then? When are you planning to tell the fam and Hazel?" He asked.

"I still don't know. Kailangan ko pang mag-ipon ng lakas ng loob." I huffed. I thought of Mom and Dad and how disappointed they'd be once they find out that I'd fooled around with another woman. I thought of Hazel and the dreams we had together. The disappointment, the hurt, the anger, the shame. I could already see it on their faces.

"What are you planning to do with Saskia and the baby?"

I shrugged. "I want to get them a nice place to live. Iyon ang una kong gustong gawin bago ang lahat. Their place is unsafe for my child. It's just Saskia there with her mother and two siblings. Mga bata pa ang kapatid niya. Someone could easily break into their home and who knows what could happen?"

"Magiging sugar daddy ka pa ngayon?" He snickered.

"Do you know a place good for them to live in? There's just four of them. A gated community with 24/7 security? Or perhaps a condominium unit?"

"You want me to find them a place?"

"Please, Coco, do me this favor. I have a lot of work in the office and..." I took in a deep sigh, feeling the guilt drowning me again. "Hazel and I will be busy preparing for our wedding in the next few months"

"Okay, sir Migs... Driver na, taga-hanap pa ng bahay para sa mistress mo. Wow. Parang all around boy mo na ako nito." He joked.

"I will make it up to you." I promised.

"Paano ba yan? Magkakaron na rin ng kalaro ang Cookie ko. Welcome to fatherhood, brotha." He smiled.

I shook my head but smiled anyway. How the baby was made may have been a mistake but I didn't want to think that the baby was a mistake.

Coco's phone buzzed.

"Can you get that for me, bro?" He asked.

I picked the phone up and the message showed on the screen.