Life With You

15 - Mommies

-After 18 months-

Althea

"Pangalan po ng baby girl, Mrs. Guevarra?" the nurse asked but I couldn't seem to hear her.

"Tsong, pangalan daw ng baby girl?"

"The baby girl?" I repeated.

"Yes Mam, the eldest and her twin brother's name too?"

"The baby boy?" I asked again.

"Yes, Mam." the nurse said while waiting for me to write my twins' names. Yes, Jade and I had twins and up to this moment I felt like it was all a dream. Jade gave birth and I'm here at the nursery looking at my babies. Tears keep flowing from my eyes, I couldn't contain the feeling that's so alien, emotions that I couldn't comprehend. The joy, the excitement, the happiness, the sadness especially when I saw Jade in pain. But every pain and sadness faded the moment I heard my babies cry. The smile in Jade's lips before she fell to sleep after giving birth.

"Anak, kanina ka pa tinatanong ng nurse sa pangalan ng mga anak mo, tingnan mo oh. Baby Boy and Baby Girl Guevarra pa ang nakalagay." Mama Amanda said that brought me back to my senses. I wiped my tears again and nod.

"Ahm yes, Mama." I answered because since I got out from delivery room I never stopped crying until the twins were normally delivered by Jade after almost 20 hours of labor. She said she wanted a normal delivery, so matter how I beg her to go CS she refused.

"Althea." Mama Amanda whispered slightly pressing my hand

"Ahm ok, Mama." I took a deep breath and gave the names of my babies which Jade and I have been discussing since she's on her 6th month.

"My baby girl's name is Justine Jade and my baby boy's name is Allen Mitch." I said and the nurse wrote their names then she showed me to check if she wrote them correctly.

"Like this Mrs. Guevarra?" she asked and I smiled back at her nodding. "Ok, thank you, Ma'm" and politely excused herself.

"Your tears of happiness is overflowing..." We heard and as we look, Jade's doctor is smiling while walking towards us.

"Doc..." Mama and I said in chorus.

"How's my wife?" I asked.

"She's now transferred to her room." she answered. "You can see her now. I will just give instructions to the nursery so Jade can see her twins when she wakes up" she said and approached me. "You haven't stop crying, Althea. You should go to your wife now, I know how worried you are for her." she held my hand as another nurse came. "Please assist them to Mrs. Guevarra's room." she instructed. "I will see you later." Doc Lara said as she excused herself.

When Batchi opened the door of Jade's room, we saw an angel sleeping peacefully though pain is written on her face. I walked slowly to her careful not to wake her up, not sure if she's sleeping or just too tired to open her eyes. I just stood here at the foot of her bed staring at her, and I felt my vision is starting to blurred. My tears are ready to fall anytime. Again.

"Anak..." I felt Mama's hand on my shoulder.

"She's been through so much, Mama." I whispered.

"That's how mother is, Althea. That's how we love our children, it starts in the womb until forever." she whispered back. We're careful not to wake up my wife. I just nod my head in understanding. "You should take a rest Althea, come on take a seat at the couch. You're wife is ok now." yaya sa akin ni Mama Amanda.

"Ok, Mama." I said but didn't follow her, she sat beside Batchi at the couch. I just want to look at my wife. It took more minutes when I was surprised at Jade's voice.