Testing the Waters

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

"H-hindi 'yan ang ibig kong sabihin. I . . . I mean y-you can help me with this p-pregnancy w-without us g-getting m-married. I-I won't c-cage you in a loveless marriage j-just like what happened to Marcus and Katelyn. W-we c-can think of a-another way . . ."

Tuluyang napabitaw si Ethan kay Keira dahil sa sinabi niya. Naging seryoso ang mukha ng binata, halatang tutol sa narinig.

Keira was not that close with Ethan. She only knew him because the Monteros were their family friend, and he was her brother-in-law's best friend. Bilang sa daliri ang mga naging interaksyon nila dahil tahimik na tao ang ang binata at hindi rin si Keira ang klase ng tao na mag-uumpisa ng usapan hangga't hindi kailangan—tulad ngayon.

Pero masasabi niyang mabait itong tao. He was a real gentleman. Tahimik lang ito ngunit palangiti kaya naman bago kay Keira ekspresyon nito ngayon.

"Another way? Like what?" he challenged her.

Sandali siyang natahimik at napaisip. Nang wala siyang maisagot ay muling tumikhim ang binata.

"I won't let our child grow without a complete family. Whether we remember what happened three months ago, or not, we still did the thing together. We'll face the consequences together and getting married is one of those."

"P-pero . . . I've witnessed how my twin and Marcus' marriage fell apart . . . A-ayokong—"

"Their story is different from us. They were arranged marriage. They didn't marry each other because they were having a baby," mahinahon ngunit may puntong saad ni Ethan.

Keira hated the fact that he had a point.

"But they didn't have a choice back then," she insisted.

Isang mahabang buntonghininga ang pinakawalan ni Ethan saka sandaling napasentido.

"Do you think we'll still have a choice if our families will know that I got you pregnant?"

Nangibot muli ang mga labi ni Keira dahil may punto na naman ang sinabi ni Ethan. Naiiyak na napayuko na lang siya.

"Marriage is a sacred thing. It's no joke. I-I'm scared."

"I view marriage same as yours, but we'll make it work for the baby, okay?" marahan nitong saad saka pinunasan ang kaniyang mga luha. "We'll tell everyone over the dinner later. For now, you should freshen up and rest. I'll take a half-day leave today. Hintayin mo na ako, ihahatid kita pauwi."

Ethan was about to walk out of the comfort room when Keira tugged his sleeve.

"Can you take away the coffee when you go? I don't like the smell of it, I'm sorry . . ." she said in a small voice.

Saglit na napatitig si Ethan kay Keira bago tumango.

"Is that the reason why you threw up?"

Keira pursed her lips and nodded.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know . . ." Ethan said apologetically. "I heard from my married cousins that pregnant women are sensitive to odors. Ano pa ang mga amoy na hindi okay sa 'yo?"

Sandaling napaisip ang dalaga sa mga bagay na ayaw niyang maamoy.

"So far, sa amoy garlic at coffee pa lang naman nag-react ang tiyan ko. Hindi naman ako gan'on ka-sensitive sa mga amoy."

Ethan nodded his head—as if he took a mental note of what Keira said.

"Okay, I'll take note of that. Sige, maiwan na muna kita para makapag-ayos ka na. Ilalabas ko na rin yung coffee."