Signs
On Jade's third trimester, doon na kami bumili ng mga gamit ng sanggol. We were guided by her mother kung ano ang mga kakailanganin. We never told them about the baby's gender yet, and it became more confusing because Jade and I chose to buy things with baby blue colors.
Tinanong ko si Jade kung ano ang gusto niyang i-pangalan sa bata but she always keep her mouth shut and said it was a surprise.
Minsan din bumibisita si Luna para kumustahin kami. Binalita niya rin na pumunta siya ng Singapore kamakailan lang dahil pinadala siya ng kompanya. She said she meet up with Raf and Kathleen kasama ang anak nilang apat na buwan na – a baby girl named Dahlia na kasing-edad lang ng anak ni Abby.
On Jade's seven month we already prepared the labor bag. After my classes diretsong uwi na ako sa bahay para samahan siya. Madalas naman akong mabakante dahil sa sunud-sunod na events sa unibersidad.
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"Love tama na 'yang kakakain mo ng ma-cholesterol." Pag-awat ko kay Jade dahil habang nagbabasa ay panay ang kain niya ng butter, full fat cheese at chicharon.
"Cholesterol isn't bad for the brain, in fact it actually reduces the risk of having dementia." The smart Jade is back again.
"It may not be bad for the brain pero nakakasama naman sa katawan mo, you have to lessen the intake of fats love, para hindi ka mahirapang manganak."
"You have a point." Then she stops eating while rubbing her huge belly. "Hold on my baby girl, still a month to go."
Jade is now eight months pregnant. She was being stubborn every passing day, alam kong dahil yun sa pagbubuntis niya pero minsan, hindi ko siya maintindihan. Her mood swings were on a loop again.
This past few weeks madalas siyang binabangungot. Kapag naggigising naman ng madaling araw, niyayakap niya ako at kinukulit na mangibang bansa kami after she give birth. I have no idea what's gotten into her lately.
Sometimes she was being paranoid. Sabi ni tita normal lang daw 'yon sa buntis dahil sa hormonal changes.
Isang araw naman habang nakahiga kaming dalawa, out of so many questions she could ask for, naisipan niyang itanong sa'kin ang pa-tungkol sa isang bagay na ayokong marinig mula sa kanya.
"Why do you think people kill?" Another random question. Ito ang ikinakatakot ko.
"Jade please - -"
"They say it was because of being mentally unstable, anger and obsession, revenge, sometimes people kill because they love a person and cannot tolerate the thought of seeing that loved one with someone else."
"What are you thinking Jade?" I asked her. I've been asking her the same questions for the past few months. Gusto kong malaman.
She shrugged, "I was thinking about, the years I had spent with my fake mother. She was the one who thought me that love should require selfishness. She thought me several things, all of them worst, but I still listened."
"It's not your fault Jade."
"You see, nobody really knows the answer to that question."
"What question?" I asked.
"The reasons why people kill, the answers were probably infinite, I believe that every killer and every killing is radically distinctive."
And then she was lost in her own thoughts again.
YR 2010
"Miss Brigid, you have to be there." The old maid pleaded. She works for almost twenty years at the Welsh Estate of her grandfather.
YOU ARE READING
The Welsh Maiden
Romance"Everything I want will come to me at the perfect time. She's mine to keep. Only MINE." WARNING: This book explores themes about obsession, death, childhood trauma, depictions of violence, explicit sexual content, and other possible triggers. Reader...
