Lipstick Lullaby

Chapter Nine

MIGS

Saskia was sitting on the black leathered couch in my office. I quietly stared at her with arms folded over my chest as I tried to process what she told me. She was pregnant. With my child. She had a growing life inside of her. And it came from me.

"Ano? Buong araw na lang ba tayo magtititigan dito? Magsalita ka naman. Don't just do something! Stand there!" She impatiently said.

I swallowed to moisten my dry throat. I was still in completed shock. "I honestly don't know what to say..."

"Sabihin mong pananagutan mo itong anak mo. Wala na akong malalapitan kung hindi ikaw lang. Hindi ko kayang buhayin ang batang ito ng ako lang. Migs, maawa ka naman sa amin. Hindi lang naman sa akin ito eh, anak mo rin ito. Alam ko kung gaano kayaman ang mga Cordova. Kung tutuusin, yung pangsusustento mo sa anak mo barya lang sa'yo yun. Suporta lang, yun lang ang hinihingi ko. Sa pagbubuntis ko at anak mo. Huwag mo naman sana pagdamot sa amin yun." There was desperation in her voice.

I unconciously massaged my temple. Pakiramdam ko pumipintig ang mga ugat sa ulo ko. I was going to be a father to a practical stranger I'd had a one night stand with. I didn't know what to feel.

"How did you know you were pregnant? Have you had yourself checked?"

"Teka..." She reached into her pocket and took a white stick. "Ito ang ebidensya. Yan! Di ka pa rin ba maniniwala?"

She shoved the white skin on me. I took it from her and looked at it. It had two red lines.

"Isang beses ka lang nagpregnancy test?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

She slowly nodded her head, her lips pouted. "Ilan ba dapat?"

"This could be a mistake. I mean, isang beses ka lang naman nag test. Baka... baka mali lang ito. The second line is really faint." Hope rose in my chest.

"Kung gusto mo uullit ko." She insisted.

"We'll have you checked. Dadalhin kita sa OB para makasiguro tayo."

She nodded her head, a slight relief on her face. I asked her to wait for me in the parking lot. I didn't want anyone to see us together. I took in a deep breath when she left, trying to calm the turmoil in my head. Maybe I was just in a nightmare. This must be a nightmare. There was no way this could be real.

I was going to marry the love of my life. My life was perfect. Everything was going according to my plan and then Saskia came into my life like a bomb, wiping away everything I had worked hard for.

No matter how much I regretted what had happened it couldn't do and undo anything. Kahit magsisi ako ng magsisi hindi na mawawala ang bata sa tiyan niya. Hindi na maibabalik ang ginawa ko kay Hazel at sa relasyon namin.

I could only hope the pregnancy test was just a mistake. Baka mapatawad pa ako ni Hazel kung hindi nga buntis si Saskia.

I went directly down the parking lot and saw her there with the guy she was with when we came to see her at the club she was working for.

"Get in the car." I told them as I looked around, making sure no one was nearby or could see us. I pressed the unlock button on my car remote key. The car made a sound which indicated that it had already been unlocked. The two of them went inside.

I drove off the moment I got in. I'd be dead if someone sees me with another woman and tells Hazel about this.

"Ano na ang plano mo ngayon kay Saskia at sa anak mo?" The guy with an unusual high pitched voice for a man asked. I believe he was gay as I heard Saskia call him 'Ninang Jodie' numerous times before.