DARK CHOCOLATE 4: HEARTS IN DOUBT, DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"What now?"

Ayaw man ni Shelley na itanong iyon kay Marcus ay nasabi na niya. Isa pa'y gusto rin niyang malaman kung ano ang plano nitong gawin ngayong magkaka-baby na sila. Nagpadala siya rito sa ospital matapos siyang magsuka kanina. Nag-alala siyang talaga sa palpitation niya. Ang resulta: buntis siya.

She was shocked, although she should not have been.

Now she understood why she was feeling differently. Dapat ay naisip na niya ang posibilidad na buntis siya pero hindi iyon sumagi sa isip niya. Marahil dahil noon naman ay maraming pagkakataong nawawala na sa isip nitong gumamit ng proteksiyon pero hindi naman siya nagbubuntis.

Kung kailan naman malabo ang sitwasyon saka nangyari iyon.

"I know you probably want me to ask you to marry me---"

"Excuse me?" Agad niyang hindi nagustuhan ang tono nito.

"I mean, you're pregnant and---"

"Yes, that's clear to me. But please don't tell me I want you to marry me. Because I don't. And that's not what's going on in my mind right now. Oh, believe you me!"

"You're saying you don't want to get married?"

"Do you want to get married?"

"No."

"The feeling is mutual then."

She suddenly felt dizzy. Bakit ba kailangan pa ng ganoong usapan? Nanahimik na lang siya, inis pa rin. Para kasing ibig pang palabasin nito kanina na sa isip nito ay gustong-gusto niyang magpakasal sila.

Of course she wanted to get married for she wanted her baby to have a father, but how could she marry him? Malinaw naman iyon sa kanya. At heto nga, mula na rin mismo dito ay hindi naman nito gustong pakasalan siya.

"I just want to say something... Uh... I think marriage is something serious. I only want to get married once."

"I'm not asking you to marry me."

"I know. I just want you to know my reason for not offering it."

"I understand. And even if you did offer it, I wouldn't accept it."

"Maybe we can work it out though."

Hindi siya kaagad nakatugon dahil hindi iyon ang inaasahan niyang sasabihin nito. Napatingin siya rito. Nakatingin din lang ito sa kanya. There was hope written in those eyes and her heart just swelled.

He was giving what they had another chance. He was willing to work it out.

Napuno ng pag-asa ang dibdib niya kahit kani-kanina lang ay handa siyang ipaggiitan na hinding-hindi siya magpapakasal dito. It was his eyes that made her abruptly change her mind.

Maybe he still felt the same for her. Baka naman ang mga pangyayari lang talaga ang hindi pa rin nito malimutan. Hindi nga ba at binabalk-balikan naman siya nito kahit wala na sila?

Kung ganoon, ang problema lang palang talaga ay ang nagawa niya kay Rori. Isa iyong problema pa rin pero baka naman sakaling magawan ng paraan. They were so good together, him and her. Maybe they were meant to be after all...

"Marcus..."

"For now why don't we talk to your folks?"

Napatango na lang siya. Tinanong siya nito kung kaya na niyang lumakad at umoo naman siya. Nang makapag-ayos ay nagtungo na nga sila sa bahay ng mga magulang niya.