The Catch (COMPLETED)

Jigs

She

I sigh contentedly as I look out the balcony of our new home. I like staying here early in the day after you have gone to work. It's been a week since we moved here and I still feel like everything is brand new.

Sometimes I do some crocheting, I have made a set of booties, mittens and hat for our little peanut, sometimes I make some bracelets with beads but most of the time I just sit here and enjoy the morning sun, the cold and salty breeze, the soft sound of waves rolling into shore and the magnificent view of the nearby ocean.

I thought leaving my job and taking a break will be boring but I'm really happy with all these free time I haven't had for so long. I find comfort in the moments I have with you and our little peanut while still keeping my business mind and instincts sharp with the numerous investments I have.

When we went on that two-hour drive out of the city, one month after I was released from the hospital, I still couldn't believe you got this for us. It's perfect although you say it's a lot less than I deserve. What you call old, I call rustic. When you say our new house is small, I think is cozy. Two storeys, three bedrooms and two bathrooms is just right for us. You say the garden is not professionally landscaped and I think that gives us the perfect opportunity to plant and grow our own plants and flowers.

You fear I'll be disappointed that it doesn't have a pool. Who needs that when there's a beautiful open white sand beach which is only fifteen minutes away by car, thirty minutes by bicycle and forty minutes when we take a leisurely walk together?

This house is beautiful and everything I ever dreamed of. What makes it more special are all the sacrifices and hard work you've done to give us such a lovely home. You said you sold your apartment to pay half of the contract price and the rest we should be paying in monthly installments for five more years. We could have had it easy. My condominium unit costs more than this house, we could have sold that and paid this in full instead. Tatay has allocated properties for me and Kuya, we can take one of those. But that's not the way you want it, you would rather work for everything you give us and I that makes me very proud of you.

The sunlight is starting to sting so I pick up the glass of milk I've been drinking and walk the nursery. We took all the furniture for this room from my condo and went with the same under the sea theme with brighter shades to match the morning sun that fills the room each day.

I sit on the nursing chair in the corner and turn on the musical rotating fish lamp. I smile as I lay my hand on my belly and feel it move.

"Hello, love. Naiinip ka na ba? Sorry na-busy si Mommy di kita agad nakausap kanina. So ayun, Daddy went to work na. He's overseeing the opening of the branch of the restaurant in Tagaytay. We are putting in a good part of our savings there so he can work closer to home. Don't worry, malapit lang dito yun and Daddy will be back before dinner time." I smile as I feel another kick.

"Hmmm... Almost eight months ka na and we haven't figured out a name for you yet. I know I used to have a name for you back when it's just the two of us but I think Daddy should pick a name for you, don't you think so?" I feel the baby kick again so that means a yes.

"But that does not mean we can't make suggestions, right?" I giggle and I feel two kicks, signaling me to start giving him names.

"How about Jacob? No? Hmmm... Isaac? No? How about Edward? Still not it, huh? Gabriel? Ayaw din? Matthew? No? Okay. Harry? Ron? Draco? Syrius? No? Okay. Ti-nry ko lang naman, matutuwa si Daddy dun." I laugh. "How about Rob? Jon? Jorah? Tyrion? Ned? Oberyn? Game Of Thrones yun malamang Daddy would suggest those too baka lang may gusto ka." I giggle but he still keeps quiet so that means he still doesn't like any of those names.

"Theodore?" I feel a slight movement. "That's a name after your Lolo Ted. You like Theodore?" I wait for another stir but he does not move anymore. I sigh.

I gently stroke my belly again. "Okay. Do you want me to call you like I did back then?" Two strong kicks follow. "Are you sure?" Another strong kick follows. "Okay. That's a good name too. It means God strengthens and with everything we've been through, you and me and Daddy, He gave us strength, Zeke." I smile and baby Zeke kicks.

God strengthens... I take a deep breath and take my phone from my pocket. I think I found the strength to do something I should have done a month ago. I dial his number and hold my breath as it rings.

I hear the call is picked up but the man on the other end does not say a word. I can't help the sob the escapes my lips.

"Tay?" I call him but he still doesn't answer. "Tay, alam ko po na galit pa din kayo kasi itinago ko kung sino ang tatay ng baby ko. I just thought that that was something that we should do together at natakot po ako sa magiging reaksyon niyo sa kanya. I guess I was right. Magagalit ka nga po at halos patayin siya ni Kuya." I pause and take another deep breath.

"But I know that's not an excuse for keeping things from you. I'm sorry. Alam ko din po na nabigo ko ang mga pangarap niyo sa akin, Tay. I'm sorry din po para dun." I sob. "Buong buhay ko, I tried my best to never disappoint you, to always make you proud of me and now it all came to this. I'm sorry that I hurt you, Tatay pero hindi ko po pinagsisisihan na nagawa ko ang mga nagawa ko at nangyari ang mga nangyari dahil masaya po ako. Totoong masaya kasama si RJ at ang magiging anak namin."

I hear a deep sigh and a sniffle but still no word from the other end of the call.

"Gusto ko pong makita niyo yun, Tatay. Sa Sabado po sana, I want to invite you over. Kayo ni Kuya. Sana po makapunta kayo. We'll have someone pick you up." I hear nothing but silence on the other line.

"I love you, Tatay. Miss na miss ko na po kayo." I hear another deep sigh and sob then the call ends.

I spend the whole day thinking about that call and hoping that the other two most important men in my life could finally find it in their hearts to accept us and our little family.

I am setting the table for dinner when I hear the front door open. I smile as I turn towards the door.

"Come on, Zeke. Let's go tell Daddy our little secret." I say and pick up an envelope from the counter.

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Unbeta'ed and not proofread.

So, I have the last chapters outlined na and from there I can say that we have only three more chapters to go.

What do you expect to see in the final chapters?

Comment below or tweet me @magicheart21.

Thank you for reading. xoxo