The Monster Inside Her

Chapter 26

Michelle's PoV

A smile rose on my lips as the nurse handed me, my son. It was an overwhelming feeling. When our skin brushed, I saw a small smile on his face. His eyes were closed but his face was bubblier than I expected. He has pale skin like me, soft and red lips, a small pointed nose, his hair was thick like his father's, eyebrows in the right place, and a dimple on his left cheek.

I glided my hands in his head. Animo'y maamong tupa siyang ngumiwi nang maramdaman and haplos ko. I can not contain my happiness, halos mapunit and pisngi ko sa malaki kong ngiti. This is what I ask for. Isang taong magmamahal sa akin at magiging kakampi ko pang habangbuhay.

"Ang cute naman, kamukha mo!" Heather giggled.

I smirked and never removed my eyes from my son. Ilang segundo ko pa lamang siyang hawak, ngunit para na siyang may mahikang iginawad sa akin. Nakuha na niya agad ang loob ko. I am immediately fallen.

"Nasa labas si Dean," Papa informed me.

Tipid akong ngumiti, "papasukin niyo ho."

"Sigurado ka? Will you be okay?" Naramdaman ko ang mounting haplos ni Ophelia sa aking likuran.

"It's okay...it's still his son..."

"Ate...ate...ate tumatawag 'yung mama ni ate Ophelia..." I felt a light tap on my cheeks.

Bahagya akong gumalaw at unti-unting idinilat ang mga mata. It was just a dream...

Ngayon ko lamang hiniling na sana totoo nalang ang panaginip na iyon. Since I was a kid, I believed that dreams weren't true and never will be. Yet, right now, I want to beg all the heavens to make it come true.

To give me back my lost baby...

Umupo ako at naramdaman ang tumatagaktak na pawis mula sa aking noo papunta sa aking leeg. Sandali kong pinasadahan ng tingin ang aircon, nakabukas naman ito.

"Si tita Stephania, tumatawag..."aniya sa isang mahinang boses. She's holding my phone.

"Ah, sige...salamat," aniko.

Nang makuha ko ang cellphone ko sa kaniya ay agad naman siyang lumabas. I licked my lower lip and carefully placed my phone on my ears.

"Tita."

Tita blurted a horrible news. Halos kumawala ang puso ko sa aking dibdib habang nakikinig sa pag-iyak ni tita Stephania. I adviced my friends to book a ticket to Alberta as soon as possible. Sabay-sabay kami sa pagpunta ro'n. Kahit si Caroline na ilang taong hindi nagpakita ay sumama sa amin. Isang linggo muna kaming nanatili roon at ginabayan ang kaibigan.

When I came back, I saw multiple texts and missed calls from Dean. Sinagot ko iyon at sinabing makipagkita na lamang sa lugar kung na saan ang anak namin. He still has no idea. At kahit pagbaliktarin man ang mundo, siya pa rin ang tatay ng batang iyon. May karapatan pa rin siyang malaman kahit pa siya ang naging dahilan nang maaga nitong paglisan sa aming piling.

Isinantabi ko ang takot ko.

Wearing a simple white shirt tucked in black trousers, I went to the cemetery as soon as I arrived in Manila. Wala na akong segundong sinayang. I just want to lash out, I rode a taxi. Hindi na ako sumabay sa kanila Jolene. I just told them some white lies to escape their questions.

Nang makababa, nakita ko agad ang kaniyang sasakyan. Agad na nanlambot ang aking mga tuhod nang makita ko siya. Dahan-dahan akong naglakad papunta sa kaniya. His elbow was rested on his car's window while he's looking at me intently. Nakakunot ang kaniyang mga noo na tila gustong magtanong ngunit may pumipigil sa kaniya na kung ano.