Chapter 17

Mikha’s POV

“That’s nice, buddy. At least nakapag-usap na kayo ni Mama Mary,” pang-aasar ni Joanna habang tinataas ang baso niya.

“It’s Aiah. Stop calling her Mama Mary,” saway ko sa kanya.

Nasa bar kami ngayon. Syempre, ano pa nga ba? Hindi ko na nga alam kung tatagal pa ang atay namin sa dami ng iniinom namin nitong mga nakaraang gabi. I’m here for the drinks-it’s the only way I can force my brain to shut down so I can sleep.

Habang si Joanna? She’s here for the girls. Simula nung nag-break sila ng ex niya, naging certified womanizer na ang loko. Hindi na nagseryoso.

“Okay, Aiah. And good thing may Mommy na si Junior,” hirit pa niya sabay kindat.

“Tsk. Nonsense. Yung bunganga mo talaga, kaya hindi kita sinasama sa condo,” iritado kong sabi.

“Duh! Ayoko din naman pumunta dun, no? Andun yung halimaw na ex ko!”

Napakunot ang noo ko. “Ex? Sa condo nila Aiah? Anong floor?”

Tumawa siya sabay sabing. “Inside Aiah’s condo.”

“What?!” Confused kong tanong. Hindi ko makuha ang logic.

“Stacey…” maikli niyang sagot.

“Puta! Stacey? Yung kaibigan ni Aiah? I thought your ex was Lindsey?” gulat kong singhap. Muntik ko pang maibuga yung iniinom ko.

“It’s Lindsey Stacey Aubrey Sevilleja…

That bitch! Ako na ‘to, Joanna Robles-the most cute and handsome COO of Robles Enterprise. Siya lang ang kauna-unahang babaeng nakipag-break sa akin. Usually, ako ang umaayaw. The nerve!” protestang sigaw ni Joanna, halos masapawan ang music sa bar.

“Don’t tell me bitter ka pa rin? Hindi ka pa rin nakaka-move on?” pang aasar ko sa kanya.

“Hell no! Twenty-four hours lang ako nag-grief. After that, move on!” pagmamalaki niya.

Napa-ngisi na lang ako at napailing. Alam ko naman ang laro ni Joanna-yabang lang ‘yan pero deep inside, wasak pa rin. I just can’t believe na ang ex niya ay ang kaibigan ni Aiah na si Stacey. Siguro nakita niya ito noong nalasing ako sa bar dati at naki-suyo akong ihatid niya si Aiah kasama ang mga kaibigan nito. Gago talaga ‘tong si Joanna, hindi man lang nag-kwento sa akin.

“So, what are you gonna do with Aiah?” seryoso niyang tanong.

“I’m just waiting for her to call or text me. I’m still giving her space. Hindi na kami tulad ng dati… she said ‘keep in touch’ na lang daw. Pag nag-pregnancy test, she’ll let me know. Kinakabahan nga ako, eh.”

“Chill, bud. Trial and error lang ‘yan. Pero mas okay sana if si Aiah na yung Mommy… because you look like you have way too much interest in that girl.”

“Shut up. I’m just being kind. You know me, I’m the good person here. I don’t want to break somebody’s heart,” depensa ko.

“Oo nga pala,” biglang bawi ni Joanna. “I just remembered, Daniela called me last night. Hinahanap ka niya sa akin. Sabi ko nawala phone mo, kaya binigay ko na lang yung bago mong number. Actually, kaka-send ko lang kanina. Tinawagan ka na ba niya?”

“Who’s Daniela?” Kunot-noo kong tanong.

“Yan tayo, eh! Ang dami mo kasing babae. Ghad, it’s your, Latina girl-Daniela Avanzini the hotest of them all!”

“No way! Not now,” bulong ko habang napapahilot sa sentido ko. Wrong timing.

“Why? How can you say no to that hips? Kung ako sa’yo, I will cross the ocean for her. But well, buddy, I can’t do that… kasi your my bud.”

“Do you think I have time for that? I’m busy fixing my life, especially Aiah’s life.”

Tinapik ni Joanna ang balikat ko habang tumatawa. “You always have time for that, Mikhaela Lim. Always.”

….

Next Day.

I spent the whole morning cleaning my condo like a woman possessed. Walang ligtas na alikabok. From the ceiling fans to the tiniest corners of my floor tiles-everything had to be spotless. I needed to divert my thoughts. It’s been Five agonizing days and still, no word from Aiah.

Hindi kaya nagbago na ang isip niya? What if she decided to face this alone? Ghad, I want to be by her side. I can’t take the thought of her struggling because of me. I want to be there for her, even if she treats me like a stranger.

Pawis na pawis na ako pero hindi ko pa rin matigilan ang pag-mop ng floor. Katatapos ko lang mag-vacuum, but my body refused to rest.

Suddenly, my phone popped on the coffee table.

Ping!

Para akong si Superman na lumipad at tumalon sa sofa para lang makuha ang phone ko. My heart was thumping against my ribs.

Please be her. Please.

Thank God, it was her.

Aiah: Mikhaela, come to my house now!

Just reading that message, I could almost hear her voice-authoritative, firm, and leaving no room for excuses. Wala pa akong ligo at amoy-bleach pa ang mga kamay ko, pero wala na akong pakialam. I grabbed my keys and ran to the parking lot like my life depended on it.

If she says now, it means NOW.

Pagkarating ko sa tapat ng unit niya, I was catching my breath. Kumatok ako nang marahan to let her know I was there. Pagkabukas na pagkabukas ng pinto, hindi pa ako nakakapasok nang maayos ay hinila na niya ako sa loob.

She literally dragged me and pointed at the couch. “Stay there!” she commanded.

Para akong stuff toy na biglang naging sunud-sunuran. I sat there, frozen, watching her as she held the pregnancy test boxes.

“Yes, Ma’am…” I mumbled, my voice cracking. “Did you… did you already pee in there?”

“No, not yet. Kinakabahan ako… that’s why I asked you to be here,” she admitted. Her voice was small now, the “savage” armor from yesterday starting to show some cracks.

Bigla rin akong inatake ng matinding kaba.

Maya maya pumasok siya sa CR habang ako naman ay parang asong ulol na paikot-ikot sa tapat ng pinto. I couldn’t sit still. My palms were sweating, and I kept biting my lower lip.

Maya-maya, bumukas ang pinto ng CR. Aiah stepped out, holding three pregnancy tests. She walked toward me with trembling hands and lent them to me. The lines haven’t fully appeared yet.

“Wait for a few minutes,” she whispered, sitting down beside me.

We sat in a deafening silence. Every tick of the clock felt like a hammer hitting my chest. After what felt like an eternity, the results finally settled.

I picked up the First PT. Napatitig ako. I almost choked on my own saliva. It was two lines. Vivid and clear.

I reached for the Second PT. Double lines. Again. My throat went dry, and I felt my breath hitch. Nilalamig ako na pinapawisan. Ito na ba ‘yon? Ito na ba yung pakiramdam pag alam mong magiging magulang ka na? Two tests, 80% certainty.

Then, I looked at the Third PT. Clear, bold, red double lines. No doubt. No mistake.

Napahawak ako sa bibig ko, my vision suddenly blurring. I looked at Aiah. She was staring at me, waiting, her eyes searching for an answer I was almost too afraid to give.

It was once in a blue moon, but for the first time in years, my tears fell freely.

“We’re… we’re pregnant, Aiah,” I

whispered, my voice trembling with an emotion I couldn’t name.

Aiah’s tears fell too. She sat there on the couch, her shoulders finally dropping as the reality hit us both.

We were both so afraid. We were a mess, a product of a mistake, and caught in a web of lies. But as we sat there in the silence of her living room, we both knew-deep in our hearts-this was a blessing we needed to thank, protect, and cherish.

I looked at Aiah. She looked so small, so fragile, sitting there with her world turned upside down. Without thinking, I moved. I didn’t care if we weren’t “okay.” I didn’t care about the professional boundaries she set.

I reached out and pulled her into a tight, protective hug.

“Everything is going to be okay, Aiah. Trust me,” I whispered into her hair, my own tears still wet on my cheeks. “We can do this. I’m not going anywhere, okay? I’ll be here for every single step. I promise you, hindi kita pababayaan.”

Naramdaman ko ang marahan niyang pagtango sa balikat ko.

She just stayed there, letting my words be her anchor in the middle of this storm. It was a beautiful, soul-binding moment. For a second, I thought, this is it. We’re finally connected.

But then… I felt her body go rigid. Her head tilted, and her nose started twitching against my neck.

Sniff. Sniff.

“Wait,” she mumbled, her voice muffled by my shirt. Sniff. Sniff.

“Aiah? Are you okay?” I asked softly, rubbing her back. “Are you feeling-“

“What… is that… SMELL?!”

Bago pa ako makasagot, her eyes went wide with pure horror. She looked at me as if I had suddenly turned into a giant pile of garbage. She covered her nose and mouth, pushing me away with a strength I didn’t know she had.

“Aiah?”

“Oh my god! Janna! You… you stink!” she shrieked, her face turning a pale shade of green.

“Ha? Anong-“

“Yung amoy mo! It’s like… bleach mixed with sweat and… and sadness! I can’t-“

Hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin niya dahil bigla siyang napatakbo papasok ng bathroom.

BLAG!

Kasunod nun ang tunog ng nasusuka.

Naiwan akong tulala sa gitna ng sala, my arms still awkwardly positioned for a hug. I looked down at my shirt. Amoy bleach? Oh. Right. I was cleaning my condo like a woman possessed before I came here. Tapos pawis na pawis pa ako dahil sa panic at pagmamadali.

“Aiah! Are you okay? Do you need water?!” sigaw ko habang papalapit sa pinto ng CR.

“DON’T YOU EVER GET NEAR ME!” sigaw niya mula sa loob, kasunod ng panibagong round ng pagsusuka. “Stay ten feet away! No, twenty! Go back to your condo and scrub yourself with something that doesn’t smell like a hospital hallway! Ang baho mo!”

Napakamot ako ng ulo, hindi alam kung maiiyak ba ako o matatawa. One minute we were having a soul-binding connection, the next minute, I’m a biological hazard.

“I’m sorry! Mag liligo lang ako! Aiah, sandali-“

“UMALIS KA NA! LAYOOOO!”

Welcome to parenthood, Mikhaela. Ang aga ng morning sickness to..
…..

Agad akong pumunta pabalik sa unit ko.

Finally nakapasok din ako dito. Buti na lang talaga at dala ko yung susi ng condo ko na katabi lang ng kanila. I literally threw myself into the shower.

I scrubbed my skin like I was trying to erase my existence. Inamoy ko yung sarili ko—actually, hindi naman ako ganoon kabaho. Medyo pawis lang from all the cleaning I did, pero yung amoy ng Zonrox and cleaning materials kanina, medyo maamoy nga. Sino ba namang mag-aakala na bigla nalang akong tatawagin ni Aiah sa condo niya out of no where?

“Grabeng babae ‘to, hindi naman ako ganoon kabaho,” I muttered while drying my hair.

Pero despite my grumbling, my heart was doing somersaults literal na 360. My own bloodline is now developing in Aiah’s womb. It’s overwhelming, but at the same time, my heart felt so safe. Biglang nag-kick in yung instinct ko:

I’ll promise to my self thay I will protect her. Provide for her. I will do anything.

Nagpalit ako ng plain white t-shirt na bagong laba. I skipped the perfume and deodorant—zero scent. Mahirap pa baka mapalayas nanaman ako.

It was 10:00 AM nang bumalik ako sa unit nila. I knocked softly, and she opened the door almost immediately.

Sniff. Sniff.

She circled me like a K9 unit searching for contraband. Nang masiguro niyang wala na ang  sinasabi niya “stink,” she finally let me in. 

We sat on the sofa in a thick, awkward silence. She was crossing her arms, looking at the wall like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

I can’t blame her. Even me, I’m still processing. We’re both first-time parents in the most “What the heck?” way possible.

“Aiah… ” Pagputol ko sa katahimikan.

“WHAT!?” medyo pasigaw niyang sabi.

I’n my mind bakit galit nanamn siya. May ginawa ba akong di nanaman niya nagustuhan. Hindi ito yung soft Aiah na nakilala ko is she sort of double ganger or what?

“Whats wrong? Ga-galit ka ba?” I asked, dahan-dahang lumalayo ng konti.

“Hindi… hindi ko alam,” she replied, 

Maya maya bigla siyang tumingin sa akin nang masama. “Your breath is too loud Janna…”

Napa-freeze ako. Ha? Is she serious?

Wag nalang kaya ako huminga?

 “So-sorry… nagmamadali kasi ako,” I whispered. I tried to breathe as quietly as possible, to the point na baka himatayin na ako sa lack of oxygen.

“Kumain ka na ba?” tanong ko, trying to change the subject.

“Yes,” mabilis niyang sagot. Pero bago pa siya makapagsinungaling uli, biglang tumunog ang tiyan niya nang malakas.

Growl….

The silence was deafening. Nanlaki ang mata niya…

“You’re hungry. Stay here, I will cook food for you,” sabi ko habang tumatayo na.

“No, Mikha, don’t—”

“It’s okay stay here,” I said firmly but gently. Hindi ko na siya hinintay sumagot.

I went straight to her kitchen. Decided to make the quickest yet most nutritional

 food: Pan-Seared Salmon with Asparagus and Garlic Brown Rice.

Kung hindi niyo naitatanong, I actually studied Culinary in the States back then. I was pursuing my dream to open a small restaurant. But unfortunately, all my restaurants closed down during the crisis. Pero ang skills? Still top-notch.

I worked fast, making sure hindi masyadong matapang ang aromatics.

 I was almost done nang maramdaman kong may nakatingin sa akin. Paglingon ko, nagulat ako dahil si Aiah ay nakatayo na pala sa harap ng kitchen counter, staring at the pan like a hungry puppy.

“Matagal pa ba ‘yan?” tanong niya, her voice sounding small and adorable.

I couldn’t help but smile. She’s really hungry. “Malapit na, Ma’am. Just a few more seconds.”

Inihain ko na ang pagkain. Agad siyang kumuha ng kutsara at nagsimulang kumain. I watched her, and it looked like she liked it so much. Napapikit pa siya sa unang subo, clearly enjoying the meal.

Dahil nakayuko siya, yung mahaba niyang buhok ay sadyang humaharang na sa mukha niya, muntik na sumama sa kutsara.

“Itali ko lang ha? Baka makain mo na yung buhok mo,” I said softly as I reached for a hair tie na nakita ko sa counter.

Tumigil siya sa pagnguya pero hindi siya lumayo. I stood behind her and carefully gathered her soft, fragrant strands. My fingers accidentally brushed against the back of her neck.

While I was tying her hair into a neat bun, Aiah looked up at me. Our eyes met, and for the first time today, the anger was gone. Her cheeks slowly turned a deep shade of rosy pink.

“There. Clean and comfortable na,” I whispered, my hands lingering for a second more than necessary.

She quickly looked back down at her plate, her blush deepening even more hanggang sa dulo ng mga tenga niya. “Thank you… Janna,” she mumbled, almost a whisper.

“You’re welcome. Eat more, Aiah. You’re eating for two now.”

Napangiti na lang ako habang pinapanood siyang magpatuloy sa pagkain. For a moment, it felt like everything was going to be just fine.

……

Disclaimer muna guyss 🫶
This story is fiction pero may konting research involved.
Based on my research, possible na kahit 3 weeks pa lang, maging malakas na ang pang-amoy ni Aiah, specially kasi IVF – mas maaga at mataas ang hormones kaya mabilis siyang ma-trigger sa amoy.
If may mapansin kayong mali sa flow ng pagbubuntis or timeline, sabihin niyo agad ha para ma-correct ko.
Still doing my research for this story, thank you sa support 💖✨