Wretched Choices

Chapter 29

#WretchedChoicesWP

Chapter 29
Poeny

The smile lingered on my lips as I viewed more pictures of his baby girl. At first look, you'd see her resemblance to her mother. But if you'd look closer, her lips, eyes, and nose were screaming Chance. No doubt that she was his daughter.

"What's her name?" I asked Chance when I realized I didn't know his baby's name yet.

Kanina ko pa pinanggigigilan ang anak niya pero hindi ko man lang alam ang pangalan. If ever I get the chance to meet this cutie pie, I think I had to restrain myself from pinching her cheeks. Ang sabi-sabi kasi ay masama 'yon dahil puwedeng maging sanhi ng masyadong paglalaway ng bata.

"Crystal Renee," he answered with a very soft voice. "She's got her mother's name as her second name."

"Crystal..." I uttered and continued looking at her photos on his phone.

Parang gusto ko tuloy na magpasa ng kahit isang picture ng anak niya sa aking cellphone.

"She's six months old," he added. "We're planning to hold her christening on her eight month. Kung okay lang sa'yo ay kukuhanin kitang ninang."

From the phone, I looked up to him with a huge smile on my face and nodded. "Of course! I'd be glad to!" I said and got slightly hesitant when I remembered his... uhm... wife. "Baka magalit ang asawa mo. Is she going to be fine with it?"

He laughed. "It'll be fine," he assured me and showed his hands. I could see no ring slipped on both of his ring finger. "And we're not yet married."

Hindi ko inaasahan ang aking nadinig. Bakas sa aking mukha ang pagkagulat na dahilan kung bakit natawa muli si Chance.

"But we're getting married..." he continued after his laughter subsided. "Renee's still on her third year. Huminto siya ng isang taon habang pinagbubuntis si Crystal. Thankfully, I'm graduating on June."

"Bakit hindi mo muna siya pinakasalan?" Bigla akong nakuryoso dahil wala namang kaso kung nagpakasal sila agad. Hindi na kailangang hintayin pang makagraduate si Renee. "She can still study after getting married."

"I don't want to marry her using our parent's money. I have savings, but it's not enough," he said after sipping on his Americano. "After graduating, I'll work right away. Mayroong hiring sa kompanyang pinagt-trabahuhan ni Papa. Since he's one of the executives there, it'll be easy for me to get hired and earn money for our wedding and for our family."

A proud smile touched my lips. He used to tell me his future plans after graduating. Ang sabi pa niya noon sa akin ay ayaw raw niyang magtrabaho kaagad pagkatapos grumaduate. He told me that he wanted to rest first after studying for so many years. To think that his vision and dreams changed for his family, I couldn't help but to be proud of him. Sobrang laki ng kanyang pinagbago na hindi ako makapaniwalang nag-iisang Chance ang kaharap ko noon at ngayon.

If I'd view him now as he was before, I would not be surprised if he would choose to runaway from the responsibility and would just provide financial support for his child. But instead, this Chance in front of me had accepted his responsibility for his family wholeheartedly.

"Thank you..." I thanked him out of the blue.

He chuckled huskily. "Why are you suddenly thanking me?"

"For being a responsible man for your daughter and future wife," I told him. "For not choosing to runaway from your responsibility; For loving them; For changing into a better version of yourself... Thank you. It might be weird to feel this way, but it means a lot to me."