MISSION 3: Claiming You

Chapter 45 - Perturbed

Pretzhel gave up and opened her eyes. The luminous numbers on the wall clock said it's three o'clock in the morning. That means it's already Sunday and she only got one more night to be with Clifford. Bukas ay babalik na muli ito sa Camp Tecson para sa isang linggong pagtuturo na naman.

Bumuntong-hininga siya saka dahan-dahang kumilos.

"Where are you going?" Clifford asked in a voice still raspy from sleep. Lalong humigpit ang pagkakayapos sa kanya. Isiniksik pa nito ang mukha sa pagitan ng leeg at balikat niya.

"Bathroom, sweetheart," ani Pretzhel na sinubukang pakawalan ang sarili sa fiancé.

"Again? Kapupunta mo lang doon kanina, ah?" he asked but let her go.

"That was three hours ago," tugon niya nang bumangon sa kama, kinuha niya ang roba sa sandalan ng bangko at isinuot iyon. "I think."

Clifford groaned, "Come back immediately, please, sweetheart," he murmured as he buried his face on the pillow she used.

Marahang humakbang si Prethzel papunta sa banyo. Pero imbes na pumunta sa toilet ay humarap siya sa sink at tinitigan ang sarili sa salamin. Particularly on the dark circles under her eyes. The proof of her not getting enough rest and sleep. She'd been restless. Ilang buwan na siyang ganito, actually.

They'd been trying to conceive for almost eight months now. She wanted to give Clifford the child that he so desperately wanted. A baby that she, too, desperately wanted. But until today, she's not yet pregnant. And it's causing so much strain on her. She's super stressed and she can't tell anybody about it.

Not even her fiancé.

Hindi kaagad sila ikinasal ni Clifford dahil na rin sa pagtutol ng mga nakatatanda. Hindi daw dapat silang magsukob sa taon ng kuya niya.

They may not be officially husband and wife, but Clifford and her were spending all the weekends together. Biyernes ay sa kanila ito umuuwi pagkatapos ng teaching duty sa Camp Tecson. Ang weekend ay uubusin nilang magkasama, kung hindi sa bahay nila ay sa bahay ng grandparents nito, pero most of the time ay sa condo sa Anvaya sila nagpapalipas ng weekend.

Katulad ngayon.

Sabi ni Nicolette na okay lang na hindi pa sila nabubuntis. Isang buwan na lang at kasal na nila at makabubuti raw iyon dahil walang alteration na kailangang gawin sa wedding dress niya. Pero wala siyang pakialam sa fit ng damit pangkasal! What she wanted was to be pregnant with Clifford's baby.

She was supposed to be the pregnant one. Pero nauna pang mabuntis sa kanya ang Ate Riah niya. Apat na buwan na itong buntis ngayon. Totoong hindi pa kasama sa immediately plan ng mag-asawa ang pagbubuntis ang Ate Riah niya. Sabi nito ay nagtatake ito ng pills. Yet, by God's miracle and grace, Riah and her brother were able to create a baby! Her sister-in-law conceived to the delight for her Kuya and the rest of the family. Even Ate Riah was elated.

Nang mabuntis ang Ate Riah niya ay naisipan niyang kumonsulta rin sa doctor. She didn't tell anybody about it. And then she learned she had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, commonly called PCOS. Her condition is what's causing her inability to get pregnant. Naglalabas ng egg cell ang ovaries niya, yun nga lang, hindi nito nare-reach ang full size na required para ma-fertile at mabuo bilang baby. Para mabilis niyang maunawaan ang sitwasyon ay hinalintulad ng Gynecologist niya ang egg cell niya sa isang prutas. Nagbubunga ang puno, iyon nga lang, imbes na mahinog ang prutas ay naluluoy ito at hindi nahihinog. Kumbaga sa itlog ng manok, ang egg cell niya ay nabubugok.

She's pretty devastated upon learning that.

But her Gynecologist was quick to assure her that with medication, she can get pregnant and have a normal, healthy baby. She started taking the medication after her check-up. And during her last visit, her gynecologist told her that upon checking, she is now producing adequate-size egg cells and she can conceive in no time at all. She even gave her supplements and tips on what food is best to eat and avoid to prepare her body for her possible conception.