My Substitute Bride

Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Their Bundle of Joy

 

December 25, 2011. Sunday. Kate gave birth to their son. The baptismal followed on January 1, 2012. The baby was named Kristian Erickson Vergara.

Third and Iryn attended the baptismal as well as the reception. They encountered the Alanos once more. The Alanos except for Kate still held a grudge over them. Erick was rich and he could provide more than adequately for Kate and their son but Third was far much richer than Erick. Third had the capacity to save the Alanos from bankruptcy but Erick didn’t have.

The Alanos had been starting from scratch once more. Kate’s brothers worked privately for some companies. Her parents were just living within the financial support that Erick was generously providing for them. They still lived in the Alano Mansion. But they didn’t have their usual splendor anymore. Erick still supported the membership of Doña Karina at BWC. But he had delayed Kate’s membership to the club. Erick had tried to protect Kate from the judgmental people who couldn’t understand the choice that Kate had made. Kate was about to join the club by June 2012.

Erick and Kate still lived in the condominium unit of Erick at Dilinsa City. Kate didn’t want to live in the Alano Mansion even if her parents had already offered them. She didn’t want her parents to have the control over her life. She didn't want them making decisions for her or for Erick or for their baby.

The reception was held in Erick’s restaurant branch in Dilinsa City. People in the upper class were used already to the idea that Kate and Third had chosen differently for their respective lives.

Nadine, who was also Kate’s obstetrician-gynecologist, attended the reception as well. Alvin, Nadine’s husband, was Erick’s first cousin .He was chosen as one of the godfathers as well.

Nadine solicitously touched Iryn’s belly when they sat on the table altogether.

Nadine asked, “Have you prepared your hospital bags already?”

Third answered, “Everything is ready, Nadine.”  

Iryn added, “He’s very excited. He’s even more excited than I am.”

Alvin commented, “First time fathers are really like that, Iryn.”

Nadine said, “I really envy you, Iryn. Your pregnancy had made you even more beautiful. When I was pregnant with our first baby, my skin darkened by my neck, underarms and inner thighs. I also had swelling on some parts of my body.”

Third imparted, “That’s what I’m telling her every time she feels ugly. I actually had taken a picture of her without her knowledge while she was gently rubbing her tummy.”

Alvin asked, “Is that the same picture that you asked my artist-friend to paint?"

Third confirmed it, “Yeah.”

Alvin shared, “I had seen the photo and I may say it really looks good.”

Iryn said then, “Guess I just feel so much love that’s why the happiness I’m feeling was very obvious.”

Nadine agreed, “Well, Third has a Carreon blood on his veins. Carreons are known to be cariñoso and cariñosa.”

Alvin had supported it, “My wife here is very sweet and thoughtful. Despite her busy career, she still makes it to a point that I and our children are very much taken care of.”

Iryn shared, “My husband here is not just sweet and thoughtful he is overly protective as well.”

Alvin commented, “I’ll be as protective as he is. You’ve suffered a lot, Iryn. Your name had been marred when the scandal on Kate happened. You experienced animosity from several members of BWC. You had been kidnapped.”