Vacation With My Cousin

20 : Not this time

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Cheska nang makita si Chanty na nakasandal sa balikat ni Stephen habang si Stephen naman nakasandal ang ulo nito sa ulo ni Chanty "Sila na ba?" biglang tanong ni Oliver sa mapapangasawa. Napakibit balikat si Cheska "Diba sila ni Lucho?" Oliver added.

Naglakad ang dalawa patungo kina Chanty. "Kayo?" biglaang sabi ni Cheska kay Chanty, marahan itong tumango. Napakunot ang noo ni Cheska na parang may nakikitang kakaiba sa mukha ni Chanty -- malungkot ito.

"Chant, are you okay?" kunot noong tanong ni Cheska, tumango na lamang ito.

"Anyway, kailan lang naging kayo?" Oliver spoken in the middle of awkward conversation "Kahapon lang." sagot ni Stephen. Napatango na lamang si Oliver at napatingin sa putlang mukha ni Chanty. "Chant? Are you really okay?" Oliver asked suspiciously. Umiwas ito ng tingin pero mas ikinagulat nila ang sumunod na nangyari.

Biglang bumaliktad ang sikmura ni Chanty at tumakbo papalabas at nagtungo sa girl's restroom at sumuka. Nagkatinginan sina Stephen, Oliver at Cheska na may halong pagtataka ng sundan nila si Chanty at tumambad ang Chandria na nagsusuka sa bowl.

"Chant, are you okay?" Stephen spoke and sounds concern habang hinahaplos ang likod nito. Napaupo sa sahig si Chanty with a tired and so exhausted face. "You didn't eat your breakfast kanina tapos kanina din sa lunch di ka kumain, what's wrong with you Chant?" puna ni Stephen. Sila ang magkasama parati simula noong nakipagtapos na si Chanty kay Lucho.

"Wala akong gana, I don't even taste the food" matamlay na sabi ni Chanty. Nanlaki ang mata ni Cheska "taste buds seems not working, pagsusuka, pamumutla..." nagkatinginan silang tatlo kay Cheska "B..Buntis ka Chant?" everyone's mouth parted.

Parang natuod si Chanty. Kung buntis sia, si Lucho ang ama? she thought herself. Tears suddenly escaped from her eye. "Hindi!" pilit itong tumayo "Hindi lang ako kumain kanina kaya .. masama pakiramdam ko." she lied. Ayaw niang si Lucho ang maging ama nito. Oo, mahal nia si Lucho and he wants Lucho to be the father of her children but not in this time, not this time na komplikado pa ang lahat.

"Hon," biglang tinawag ni Cheska si Oliver at may binulong dito. Oliver ran away and left them. Halos mabingi na ang tatlo sa katahimikan "Chant, kung buntis ka sino ang ama?" Stephen spoken in the middle of silence. Chanty and Cheska stoned. "Oh no, don't tell me ako ang ama. Nako ateng ipapalapa kita sa mga lioners ko!" maarteng sabi nito at agad namang napatingin si Cheska sa kanya na dilat pa ang mata

Biglang napatakip sa bibig si Stephen "Oops, sorry na slide lang ang mouth ni akech." napatingin ito kay Chanty na nagmamakaawa at nanghihingi ng tawad. Cheska eyed at Chanty. Chanty sighed heavily "Oo, bakla sia Ches. Pinilit ko lang siang maging boyfriend ko at wala na din kami ni Lucho." matamlay na sabi ni Chanty at sumandal sa bench.

Nanlaki ang mata ni Stephen "Lucho?" gulat na gulat niang sabi "You mean, may relasyon kayo ng cousin mo?" Chanty nervously nodded "A..And si papa Lucho ang fudra ng baby mo ateng?" tumango ulit si Chanty. Nanunubig na ang mata nito pero ayaw niang umiyak.

Biglang dumating si Oliver na hingal na hingal pa na halata sa mukha na kagagaling lamang sa pagtakbo. "Here hon" may inabot ito kay Cheska na supot "You both stay there!" mala-militar na sabi ni Cheska kay Stephen at Oliver na agad naman itong tumango. Bigla niang hinila si Chanty na matamlay pa rin at dinala sa girl's restroom.

Binuksan nito ang box at inilabas ang pregnancy test kit. Literal na nanlaki ang mga mata ni Chanty "Ihian mo!" Cheska commanded. Chanty was still in the state of shock nang wala sa sarili niang kinuha ito. She did what it supposed to be done. Her hands and body were shaking habang naghihintay sa resulta nito.

Napapikit naman sia ng mariin. Cheska held the kit and her eyes widened with the result. Tears rolled from Chanty's eyes -- Two red lines -- positive -- buntis sia.

"Dalawang linya.." napatalikod si Chanty at Cheska ng marinig sina Stephen at Oliver. "Preggy ka ateng.." wala sa sariling sinabi ni Stephen.

Napaiyak si Chanty at napailing "Wala na kami ni Lucho.." she sobbed hard. Napayakap na lamang sia kay Cheska na dinadamayan sia "Paano na?" she said between her sobs. "Sasabihin kong akin ang bata!" biglang sabi ni Stephen na nakataas pa ang kamay "Wala akong ama Chant, at hindi ko hahayaan na may bata na namang mawawalan ng anak." he said with confident. Mas lalong napaiyak si Chanty. "Kahit bukas ipakasal pa tayo ng daddy mo, papayag ako." he added.

Wala ng nagawa si Chanty kung hindi ay umiyak at mapayakap kay Stephen ng mahigpit. She didn't expect that the person she's been ignoring for a million times before will be one of the person that will do this kind of grace to her. "Chant just please don't do unnecessary things na ikakasama ng bata" Stephen said in a pleasing tone.

Marahan na napatango si Chanty "Thank you Stephen.." she sobbed hard "Thank you for doing this.." she said between her hard sobs.

___

I laid in this white sheeted bed hospital as the doctor put a very cold gel on my tummy and I don't know what do I call that basta para yatta matignan ang bata na nasa sinapupunan ko. "Mrs. Trinidad" the doctor called me by Stephen's surname. Hindi ko ginamit ang Baez dahil mas makikilala ako "Congratulations. You're 3 weeks pregnant and the baby seems fine pero kailangan mo talagang kumain ng masustansya," ngumiti ako "Anyway, heto ang reseta mo kaya inomin mo iyan upang lumakas ka." she smiled , tumango naman ako.

I went outside and saw Stephen, Oliver and Cheska -- they seemed worried about me. Hindi ko din alam kung paano naging ganito "Three weeks." ngumiti ako -- a fake one. It's not that I don't want the baby inside me but I just felt sorry for my baby dahil na timing pa talaga sia na ganito ka komplikado ang lahat.

Sinabi ko na din sa kanilang tatlo ang rason kung bakit kami naghiwalay ni Lucho. "Grabi talaga yung pinsan mo ateng, nag-iwan pa ng souvenir!" Stephen hissed. He then stop the car at the house. "Papasok ka ba?" I asked and smile at him. Ngumiti ito at umiling "Hindi na, magpahinga ka na.. makakasama yan sa baby mo." I smiled and kiss his cheeks "Salamat talaga Stephen, sa lahat." I smile at him -- a genuine one.

I look at myself at my full length mirror while only wearing my laced undies. Napatagilid ako, nakita ko ang maliit na umbok sa tiyanan ko.

"Congratulations. You're 3 weeks pregnant"

That phrase keeps on racing over and over again in my mind. I caressed my tummy and let out a hard sob "Sorry baby..I promise I will love you forever kahit mali ang ginawa namin ng daddy mo." I said between my sobs.